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December 31, 2006
Last run of the year
For the past couple of years, I've looked forward to finishing out the year's mileage and adding it up to see how high it is (I don't think I missed a day in 2003 or 2004). This year I am just glad to be running again, period. And I'm glad to report that although I am a little sore now, I had a great run on the Canal this morning with Camille--my longest run yet since my injury (only by a few minutes, but still). It was a good temperature for a run, in the 40s, like it's been almost every morning for the past several weeks. When we were almost at the turnaround point of the run, we came across a guy who I met at Wed. night track workouts several years ago. He is an older guy and a dedicated runner whose son ran with a friend of mine from high school at Columbia. He was excited to see us and said that he had heard I was back in town and wondered why I hadn't been at track workouts. I assured him that I am working hard to get back!
After the run and breakfast, I sat down on the couch to read the paper and promptly fell asleep! I took a nice nap for about an hour, which felt very good, but made me a little groggy. Then I just about finished my book (a couple of pages to go) and faced the crowds at Whole Foods. It was more crowded than I'd ever seen it, but luckily they were very organized about getting people into the right lines, etc. I rode my trainer for a little while after I game home, getting into yet another book.
Tonight I made dinner for us and for Matt's cousin and boyfriend, who joined us. We are all still hanging out and waiting for the ball to drop, at which point I'm pretty sure I will be going to sleep, as I am supposed to help out with a race tomorrow morning (not too early, luckily, but I'd like to get my own workout in beforehand). Happy new year to all!
Posted by becky at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2006
Exploring one of my favorite neighborhoods
I decided this morning to run a loop I do often but add on in a neighborhood that I like and few people know about. I'm not even sure what it is called but it is in between Rock Creek Park and 16th Street in Northwest D.C. There are a lot of big, old houses and you don't feel like you are in the city at all. I got turned around in there and ended up doing a slightly different loop than I had originally planned, but it all worked out fine. My cold was bothering me a bit (chest and throat) but it really isn't too bad, and my leg was on best behavior today. Toward the end of my run, these two girls came blasting past me and were chatting away. I caught up to them and stuck with them for a few minutes, but I could feel them speeding up and my leg starting to hurt, so I dropped back. I sure am happy I am getting back into shape (I hope) but I absolutely hate being passed by people I'm sure I used to be able to keep up with. Aargh!
After my run (and foam rolling and stretching, of course), Matt and I met friends of ours for brunch. They came to D.C. on Thursday to do some touristy stuff and were headed out of town this afternoon. We rarely eat out for brunch (usually only in hotels or something) so it was a nice treat.
The sun came out in the afternoon and the temperature went back up to its now-usual high 50s. Unfortunately, Matt and I had planned to go to shopping so we spent most of the afternoon inside. Matt made out well with several purchases from the Banana Republic and a new pair of shoes, and I got a (light) sweater and a pair of pants.
We are going out to dinner tonight with a friend of Matt's from work and his wife, and another couple. I am currently debating whether to use the time I have before we have to leave to ride my trainer or take a nap...
Posted by becky at 5:33 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2006
Friday already
The end of the week comes quickly when it's only a three-day week! My boss was heading out early and advised me to do the same this afternoon, so I decided to put off everything I hadn't gotten to until next week. I went to get my nails done, then to the library and now I'm home. I felt like I passed 20 runners on my walk from the bus stop--that always happens on my non-running days. Maybe these are the folks who go into work at 7am and are able to run in the afternoons when they get home--I'm hardly ever in my neighborhood at this time. And it is quite balmy out, so I'm sure that helps draw people out!
My own workout was inside on the elliptical this morning. I am battling a little cough and raspy throat and I just didn't feel that great--not as energetic as usual. I didn't stay on quite as long as usual and did my lower-body lifting stuff afterwards. I think I got a decent workout in though because my legs were tired (but it could have been from running yesterday).
Matt and I are meeting downtown for pizza and to see the new(ish) James Bond movie tonight. Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 4:25 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2006
Chilly on the Canal
I once scoffed at someone's suggestion that it was a few degrees cooler down on the C&O Canal than on the streets up above. You certainly don't notice it in the summer, when the sun is beating down on you at all angles, but today, I felt like that urban legend might have some merit. I guess it makes sense, because you are surrounded either by water on both sides or water and woods (at least on the part of the trail where I ran.) Luckily the high temps are still hanging in the 50s, so it wasn't TOO cold, but I was admittedly a little chilly this morning!
After cross training yesterday, my legs were feeling pretty good. It seems that my knee is always stiff, and that is probably inflammation due to the chrondomalacia (too lazy to check spelling). As long as it doesn't get worse or bother me while I'm running, I'm okay with it. I felt strong on most of the run today although I struggled up the only hill to get back up to Georgetown. Even though I know running on the Canal is good for me, I still find it boring to just go out and back. It was very deserted this morning, too, which was a little creepy.
I lifted tonight and then Matt and I took a walk to go get (separate) take out dinners. I was kind of jealous of his falafel but I was craving a Greek salad. Luckily in our neighborhood there are plenty of choices...not like New York City, but not too bad. It's almost time for bed, but we are going to watch a Real Sports segment on a marathon training/drug rehab program that we've both been wanting to see...I will report back tomorrow.
Posted by becky at 7:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 27, 2006
Back at the gym
The Georgetown gym reopened just in time for a scheduled cross-training day--how convenient. It was not too cold when I walked down to the bus but thankfully it was below sweating level. Temps here have been "colder," but it is still warm for this time of year, even here and especially compared to the last two winters I spent in Boston. Temperatures are supposed to be in the high 50s for the rest of the week, so I'm assuming New Year's will be pretty mild as well. The one year I ran the NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park, it was 11 degrees or something (this was probably 10 or 11 years ago now.)
I always get myself off-topic when I start writing about the weather. Back to crosstraining: I did most of my workout on the elliptical and a bit on the bike. Although I am in the middle of a very good book (The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud), it requires me to read carefully and not skim, so I started a new, light one during my workout about a stay-at-home mom who has to go back to her job when her husband gets fired. I'm almost done after reading it on the elliptical, the bike tonight before I lifted, and the bus home.
It was quiet at work today but I actually had a lot to do, so that was good. It was great to lift after not having done it for a few days (perhaps this is a clue to me that I should insert more days in between lifting sessions). I'm not quite ready to make my 2007 resolutions, but that very well might be one of them!
Posted by becky at 9:27 PM | Comments (0)
December 26, 2006
Enjoying my extra day off
I could definitely get used to sleeping in again every day and actually having time to do errands and see movies during the week! I felt a little guilty when I heard Matt get up and get ready for work, but I was glad to be able to close my eyes again for a little while. And he was very sweet about encouraging me to do so!
It took me a little while to wake up and get out the door for my run, and it wasn't a very good one, unfortunately. It was humid and warm again, not unlike the weather in New York on Saturday, and I was overdressed and uncomfortable after about a mile. My knee felt pretty much the same as it has during recent runs (pretty good) but as usual it got pretty stiff as soon as I got home despite foam rolling and stretching. I forced myself to run less than yesterday (especially since I ran more than intended yesterday) and was glad I did that.
I did some errands around the neighborhood in the late morning and early afternoon, cleaned (some of) the apartment, and went grocery shopping. Then I came home and rode my trainer for a little while since the gym at Georgetown is closed a lot during this "break" period. After that, I met a friend from grad school at the movies in Bethesda. It was kind of drizzly and windy, so it was a perfect afternoon to see one. We saw "Volver", Pedro Almovadar's latest movie that stars Penelope Cruz. It didn't blow me away, but it was definitely thought-provoking and worth seeing.
Posted by becky at 8:30 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2006
Lost in the Manor
Even though I don't celebrate Christmas, I still like running on Christmas morning when it is quiet and (usually) wintry and still. This morning wasn't cold (although thankfully it wasn't warm and wet like Saturday) but I was out pretty early as Matt and I wanted to get on the road back to Washington as soon as we could to avoid another trip full of traffic. The first 25 minutes of the run were pretty flat--I ran on a pretty main road but the traffic was light because of the holiday. I was going to just turn around in another few minutes, but I thought I would do a little exploring and try to find a route someone showed me last winter. I turned down a street that I remembered and found myself in Larchmont Manor, a really beautiful part of the town that sort of hugs the coast of the Sound. I did eventually find what I was looking for (two parks that almost connect and then let you out near a golf course), but only after a couple of wrong turns which definitely extended the run a little bit and added in a couple more up and downhills. (Oops.) But I was feeling pretty good, knee-wise, so at least that was a plus.
Sitting in the car was not so good for my knee and I've been sore ever since the first hour or so of our trip. Thankfully we did not have much traffic at all, although it did start raining once we hit southern New Jersey. We stopped at Matt's office on the way home so that he could take care of something and got back home around 5. I thought about biking, but I got distracted cleaning up and making dinner and it never happened. As much as I hate it, I know it is good for me to get out of my usual routine and find out that skipping a couple of days of lifting is not going to kill me.
Tomorrow is another university holiday so I look forward to a continuation of my holiday break!
Posted by becky at 8:29 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2006
Family day at the gym
This will be another quickie because we're waiting for guests to arrive for a little (Jewish) Christmas Eve get-together. We had a pretty busy day and so far it's been a good one! My parents put me on the guest list at their swanky gym so I met them there (well, I got there about a half hour before they did) and we had a social time on the ellipticalls. When my mom came in, she kissed my arm hello but didn't realize how sweaty I was already and screamed! I was embarassed but the whole thing was actually kind of funny.
After my workout, which was a pretty good one, I lifted a little bit, but I didn't have time for too much because my grandma was coming over for lunch. I picked up Matt back at his mom's house and we went over to my parents' house for the aforementioned lunch. It was great as always to see my grandma and find out that she, too, is bothered by the warm winter ("This is the first December in my life that I haven't needed a hat!"). Matt and I stayed at my parents' house for a few hours and just returned to Mamaroneck a few minutes ago for the dinner party. This weekend has certainly been a lot of eating, but I do enjoy not having to think about my meals or worry about cooking!
I hope everyone has a great Christmas Eve!
Posted by becky at 6:07 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2006
It's hot in New York, too
I was pleased to see that the mild December on the East Coast is not only coming up in conversation, it's making headlines: There was an article in today's NYT about how nobody's buying coats this winter and retailers are pissed off about global warming. Today was no exception to the mild weather, even 200 miles north of where I usually complain about the weather. It rained during our entire (long) trip up to New York and was still drizzling when I got out the door, and the air felt super heavy. Yuck.
I drove to a paved path that parallels the Bronx River Parkway for the most part from Scarsdale to Bronxville. I ran there a bunch of times when I was home from breaks during college but I chose to go there today because it is flat(ish). There are a few ups and downs, but several flat stretches. I felt like I was moving pretty well and thankfully my kneecap felt better today (I wore my patellar strap, which might have helped). But when I turned around to go back the way I came, my butt started bothering me again like it was earlier in the week. This is on my "good" side so I'm not sure what's up. It is very hard to stretch and unfortunately I did not bring my foam roller with me...so I am going to have to get creative to get the kink out. But all in all, it was a pretty good run, even if I couldn't catch the guy who passed me on the way back.
Matt and his sister and I are about to go to his dad's house, where we will see his grandparents and aunt and cousins for a little Hannukah party. Then we are having dinner at our friends parents' house also here in Westchester as they are visiting for the holidays. Should be a fun day!
Posted by becky at 1:13 PM | Comments (1)
December 22, 2006
Bad knee, bad
I am updating early today because I think our office is going to close early and then when Matt is finished up at work, we will head to New York. Plus, it's Friday and I've already done my only workout for the day.
I intended to run on the (flat and soft) Canal again this morning, but I was too lazy and needed the extra few minutes of sleep that I am allowed if I run from home. I didn't do any crazy hills, though. Anyway, as soon as I started to run, my knee--the front of it, not the back--was hurting. It seemed somehow misaligned and was awfully creaky/crunchy. I stretched and massaged it and it didn't get any worse throughout the run and it stopped being crunchy. The back of my knee did not hurt during the run, but it is tender/sore now that I'm back and walking around. So these two problems are most definitely related, and I don't know why some days are worse than others. It's been about a week and a half since I started making sure that I took my glucosamine every day, so we'll see if that helps at all.
Well, I am going to tie up some loose ends and be on my "merry" way. Hah! Happy Friday and cross your fingers for a good knee day tomorrow and light traffic on I-95!
Posted by becky at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2006
Dragging in the gym
I finally felt a little more rested when I woke up this morning, and I didn't fall asleep on the seven-minute bus ride, so that was a good thing. I brought a new book to start on the elliptical, but when I started reading it, I realized I had already read it. I had a suspicion about it, and it all came back within a chapter. (I think this was one of the books Alison gave me in the infamous "book box" at the beginning of my second year of grad school.) So I had my music (been very into Dixie Chicks since seeing the movie last year), but I was still kind of bored. I did the last 20 minutes or so of the workout on the spin bike instead of the elliptical, I just couldn't bear the thought of being on there any longer. Sometimes that happens to me and there isn't really anything I can do about it.
My leg was still a little stiff today, both on the elliptical and afterwards. I did my leg lifting and a little upper body during lunch today--I was practically the only one there. It kind of feels like no one is around all over campus, actually. Hopefully our office will shut down early tomorrow and Matt and I will be able to head up to New York and get there before it gets too late. We will be there though Monday and I even have the day off Tuesday as well. I am looking forward to a few days off!
Posted by becky at 7:57 PM | Comments (1)
December 20, 2006
Not jinxed, but not great
I should probably see if maybe running every other day would work better for me than two days on, one day on, but I'm stubborn. I get into a pattern and I want to keep it that way. Plus, it's so nice to be able to sleep a few minutes later and just run from home instead of going to the gym first. I'm full of excuses. But anyway, I did my best to keep the run flat this morning, and a bit shorter than yesterday, but it obviously wasn't as flat as the Canal. I made sort of a square, heading east until it got sketchy, then turning south toward downtown and coming back via Foggy Bottom and Dupont. I haven't been in the area downtown where the new convention center is in a couple of years, and I was amazed to see how it's really become kind of a funky neighborhood, with art galleries and coffee shops. In 1999, I worked near there and had a co-worker who lived a few blocks away, and her apartment was across from a crack house. Ahh, the beauty of gentrification.
In any case, it wasn't as great of a run as yesterday, but it wasn't bad. For some reason my left ("good", for now) butt/very upper hamstring was hurting today--kind of pinching like it needed to be stretched. I foam rolled it when I got home and I should probably do that again before I go to bed. My knee felt pretty good today, but I was bummed that I was stiff/sore again during the day (yesterday I hardly felt any effects of the morning's run.
In other workout news, I lifted and biked this afternoon. I'm almost finished with my latest book, which I thought was going to be about having a couple who decides late in life to have a baby but is really about a marriage that breaks up because the woman does not want to have kids--kind of depressing! But it's entertaining all the same.
Posted by becky at 9:35 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2006
Patience, patience
Although I feel like I jinx myself every time I say I had a good run, I had a pretty good run today. I took the bus to the gym and just ran on the C&O Canal. There is a significant downhill to get to the Canal which (obviously) is an uphill getting back, but other than that it was flat. I did basically the same run I did with Emily and Camille on Sunday, but I made it a little further out because I started about a quarter-mile up from where we started. The pebbles on the Canal have always bothered me but I know that it is still a softer surface than the road or sidewalk, or even the Capital Crescent Trail that parallels the Canal for a few miles. I tried really hard to make sure I was lifting my right leg as much as my left, and I felt a lot more stable/balanced than I have lately.
I didn't see anyone except bikers on the way out but once I turned around, there were a few more runners. I passed a woman who looked like she had been running but was walking and then my shoelace came untied about a minute after that. As I leaned down to tie it, the woman sped past me. I was kind of annoyed, and I was actually feeling like I could pick up my pace, but I kept telling myself that there was no need to while I am still getting back into shape. The woman stayed ahead of me for another couple of miles and then I realized I was getting closer and closer to her (maybe she was doing a workout and had slowed down?)...eventually I caught up to her without changing my pace and passed her. Of course she immediately sped up, but I stayed a bit ahead without too much effort and was elated about the small victory.
No major aches and pains post-run to speak of, and I took an extra few minutes to stretch when I got back to the gym. My hamstring and knee are both a little sore, but really not too bad. I did my leg lifting stuff, a little biking and some upper body stuff after work. I am still really tired from my late night yesterday and I hope to feel a little more rested tomorrow.
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2006
Late for a Monday
This will be short and sweet as I am just getting home from a late dinner with my boss and her friend (and Matt). Since we have such a small office (the two of us), we decided to just go out to dinner to celebrate the holidays. It was fun and delicious but I was getting sleepy by the end of the meal!
It was 74 degrees here today, another record-breaking day. I worked out indoors this morning (elliptical, felt good) but it sure was warm when I was walking around later. I lifted tonight since we weren't meeting for dinner until late, and the gym was nice and empty because even more undergrads have taken off for the break! All right, I can barely keep my eyes open so it's off to bed!
Posted by becky at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2006
Canal and cookies
I had a pretty good run this morning, possibly because I finally made an effort to go somewhere completely flat. I met my friends Emily and Camille--both longtime running partners but our different schedules make it hard to see each other often--in Georgetown and we hit the C&O Canal for an out-and-back run. It was already warm (in the 50s) and there were lots of people out there, including the Georgetown men's track team, who seemed to be doing a workout. I ran without the tape on my leg because I tried to do it and it didn't feel the same as when Barb had done it on Friday. Except for some kneecap pain, I felt decent. Emily noticed that I am still favoring my right leg and I think I have just unconciously been doing that to somehow protect it. I am going to make a real effort to lift that leg higher off the ground and re-train myself to run normally. I used to have a hitch on the other side and I finally got rid of it, so hopefully I can do the same on this side.
After the run I biked at the gym for a little while and had planned to lift, but I got a low-blood-sugar attack and even my Balance bar didn't help too much. I just did a couple of leg things (squats and lunges) and then headed out. From there, I did a couple of errands and then drove out to Fairfax (VA) for (former blogger) Leilani's annual cookie baking extravaganza. There were only five of us there, but we made a lot of cookies--from gingerbread to chocolate chip to snickerdoodles. I was there for about five hours! It was a great time and thanks to Lei (and her husband who supplied us with fruit to snack on) for hosting!
Posted by becky at 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2006
Pretty productive
It felt nice to be able to sleep in this morning--I guess I really needed it. The tape that Barb put on my leg stayed on nicely and I headed out to see how it felt to run with it on. I didn't do a good job of avoiding hills for the first half of the run so I did about a mile on the Sidwell Friends school track when I got there (and purposely did not look at my watch so as not to depress myself) and then headed home. Admittedly, that part felt the best and I am going to try and run on the C&O Canal tomorrow. Other than that, the taping defnitely helped my hamstring, but the front of my knees (cartilage) were bothering me. I had not been very consistent with my glucosamine but now I am going to really make an effort--it can't hurt (only my wallet) and I owe it to myself to see if it will make a difference.
I rode my trainer briefly when I got home so I could watch the latest episode of Real World: Denver (so trashy) and then began my somewhat productive day. I cleaned up, did some errands and then met my friend who is in town this weekend for a manicure. Then I went to the library (nothing too great now that I have run out of Jodi Picoult books) and on to do a few more errands in Georgetown. It was not very enjoyable to walk around Georgetown because of all the Christmas shoppers--I had forgotten about that.
I sort of wanted to lift or something this afternoon, but all that walking around/waiting in line tired me out! I am planning to meet some people for dinner and then stay in to watch a movie, if I can stay awake that long!
Posted by becky at 6:35 PM | Comments (2)
December 15, 2006
Busy Friday
I guess one benefit of this warm December we're having is the fact that I can walk outside in shorts and a fleece even in the morning (I was only going to the car, but still). I said goodbye to Matt, who took the train up to New York for the weekend, and was off to the gym for some exciting ellipticalling. Actually, the exciting part was how empty and quiet the gym was this morning--I guess the students are either doing some last-minute studying or have already gone home. It was nice to have my pick of ellipticalls. I did my usual workout and read my book for about half of it. I had sort of a weird niggle in my upper calf/knee that seemed to come and go, which concerned me a bit...but it wasn't getting worse, at least.
Things were busy at work today because the new head of the Medical Center was around meeting people and setting up shop although he doesn't officially start until April. He will be in D.C. about once a week (his office is in my suite) and people haven't had a chance to get used to having someone new around, so it heightens the anxiety level. According to Google, he is a pretty decent masters runner from upstate New York, but I haven't had that conversation with him yet. Actually, I haven't had any conversations with him yet!
I saw Barb at lunchtime and she said that the weird behind-the-knee stuff is coming from the medial hamstring now instead of the upper part, which was what was bothering me initially. She said to stay on soft surfaces and avoid hills as much as I can, which admittedly I haven't done. It's just so hard! I will try harder. She taped my leg, sort of pulling the hamstring over a little bit...I'll see how it feels tomorrow although I can never replicate a professional taping job myself.
Last night's outing to the Dixie Chicks movie was great! I highly recommend the movie, and I am now starting to get into their music. Sure, it's a little formulaic and pop-py, but they are very talented, and I need some new music in my iPod rotation. Tonight I went to happy hour and then dinner with a friend from grad school who is in town for the weekend and the friend I was with last night. It was a lot of fun.
One of the reasons I stayed here this weekend is because I feel like I have a lot of errands to do. I hope to be productive and get things accomplished, but I'll try not to be too ambitious. Happy Hanukah (Matt said I spelled it wrong in my previous post) and happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 9:31 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2006
A note on the weather
I've tried not to complain all week about the unseasonably warm weather we are having around here, but deep down it's really bothering me. Especially in the morning, when it is fake cold. It feels cold when I leave the apartment to run, so I put on a long sleeve shirt, but then I start running and even at my slow speed, I get hot right away--especially since it has been so humid in the mornings! Today there actually was an amazing fog for the beginning of my run--I ran over a bridge and looked down at Rock Creek Park and saw nothing! It was crazy. My leg felt pretty much the same today as it did yesterday--still some stiffness behind the knee, etc. My route was kind of random; I ran through Dumbarton Oaks park/estate/whatever it is, climbed a huge hill (at least it felt that way) and then headed back along Massachussets Avenue, a more gradual hill but still a good climb in its own right.
Once the sun came out today, it wasn't even fake cold anymore. People were hanging out on the medical school quad in shorts (exams must be coming to an end) and I was of course sweating as I walked to and from the gym during lunch. My arms are not as sore from swimming as I expected, so lifting was fine.
I'm meeting some friends tonight to see "Shut Up and Sing," the Dixie Chicks movie. I am not a big DC fan (just don't know them well) but my sister and another friend recommended it to me as something I would like. We are going to have a quick dinner beforehand in the new, chic, Penn Quarter area of downtown D.C....which is pretty far from here, transportation-wise. So I better get going!
Posted by becky at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2006
Hannukah headphones
It's not officially Hannukah yet, but Matt and I bought each other headphones for our iPods and they arrived yesterday. I did a lot of research on the Web and found that these, the Sennheiser MX75 Sport headphones, were well-liked by runners. They felt weird when we tried them on last night, but I must say that they held up awesomely on my run today. And they are not very expensive, I think they were less than $40 on Amazon (you can buy them by clicking on the link to Amazon on eliterunning.com!) They really stay in your ears and they are lightweight and the cord does not bounce around and make a weird noise like the Apple iPod headphones do. Hooray!
Having comfortable headphones helped me enjoy what was a good run even more. Unfortunately, ever since I've been back I've had a little bit of knee/behind the knee weirdness. But during the run, I felt great. It was raining and super humid, so I was very uncomfortable in my long sleeve shirt, but other than that, things went well and I was pleased. Having my knee bother me during the day, though, made me wonder when I'm ever going to get back to the point of feeling pain-free during the run AND afterwards. I'll have to look back in my log, because I was there and then somehow had a setback, but I'm not sure what to attribute it to.
I had an eyebrow waxing appointment after work so I snuck out to swim during lunch. I have not been swimming in quite some time, and I felt it. I am going to try to work it into my regular routine in 2007, probably replacing a day of lifting with a swim. I know I am slow, but I think it is good for me to mix it up and to work on my endurance in case I ever cave and want to do a triathlon.
That's today's update. Matt is working late tonight so I am about to enjoy a frozen pizza courtesy of Trader Joe's (it's organic, at least!).
Posted by becky at 8:03 PM | Comments (1)
December 12, 2006
More cross training
I figured it couldn't hurt to spend another day on the elliptical, and hopefully I will feel decent running tomorrow. Matt had to wake up really, really early to make a 6am flight to New York this morning, so I had all these lofty plans of being able to wake up early, too (not that early, but I thought the commotion would get me moving). But sure enough, I woke up when he kissed me goodbye, but fell back into a deep sleep and got out the door the same time as usual (that's better than late!). I was kind of bored on the elliptical today and I also felt like I was working harder than usual because my regular machine was in use. But at least I had a new Jodi Picoult book to read--I believe this will be the last book of hers that I haven't read yet.
My leg definitely feels better walking around (and working out) but I still do have some discomfort behind my knee when I go down stairs and stand up a certain way. I'm hoping that the strengthening I'm doing now for my quads, hips and hamstrings will eventually get rid of that for good--it seems to be the last remaining "piece" of my injury.
The day proceeded without major incident. My chief complaint at work was the temperature in the office, and I wasn't even the only one who was hot. Something is definitely wrong with our thermostat and the maintenance guys have already been in to check it out several times...luckily I never wear long sleeves unless it is truly cold, like below 30 degrees outside.
I was kind of unmotivated when I was lifting tonight; I felt like I was just going through the motions. I will try and take that to heart and do less tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 9:04 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2006
Believing in the benefits of cross training
My leg felt better this morning on my walk down to the bus, so I knew I was doing a good thing by cross training instead of running again. I've been working hard to get back to my old running self and if I can make this a minor setback instead of a major one, I'm happy to take a few days on the elliptical. Today, though, I kind of used up all of my energy in the first half hour of my workout and I was suffering toward the end despite my book to distract me and Gatorade to hydrate me. As usual, I got through it and it all ended up fine.
Work was pretty busy today although I did eat my lunch outside in the sun to enjoy the fresh air and the mild temperature (being able to sit outside makes the unseasonable weather a little more enjoyable for me). You can tell it is exam time at the medical school because there are usually students all over the area where I was sitting, and today no one was even around. That is one part I don't miss about grad school!
I lifted tonight and was pretty efficient, getting home earlier than I have been. But I ran into a friend getting off the bus and ended up chatting with him for about 20 minutes, so I was back on my regular schedule. It turns out that Matt forgot something in his office and had to run back to get it, so being early wouldn't have mattered as much.
I found a picture of the trail I ran on in L.A. on Friday, but it doesn't really do it justice since it is so small. But courtesy of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservatory, here it is anyway:
Posted by becky at 8:56 PM | Comments (1)
December 10, 2006
Glad to have Sunday for relaxing
Apparently it was quite cold here during the days that we were gone, but it was quite warm (55ish) and sunny today and Matt tells me it is going to be like that all week. As long as it isn't hot in my office, that sounds okay to me. It didn't really matter today because I was in the gym for my work out. I ellipticalled and then did a little bit of lifting before I got too hungry and had to head home. My leg didn't feel great on the elliptical, unfortunately. It's definitely less in my hamstring and more in the back of my knee, which makes me worried that I tweaked my popliteal tendon or maybe Barb did accidentally when she bent my leg into a position that caused some popliteal problems in the other leg in 2004. Or maybe I just did something weird on my hill run and it needs a little more time to calm down--obviously that would be the best-case scenario. I just hate hate hate the fact that I had finally gotten to the point where I didn't think about my leg on a daily/hourly/more frequent basis and now I am wondering if getting up from the toilet is going to hurt. Everyone who's had this sort of frustrating, lingering injury knows what I mean.
Matt and I took a long walk this afternoon and stopped at Whole Foods to do some grocery shopping on the way home. It was as crowded as ever but somehow walking in from the street rather than the parking lot where you always have to fight for a space made me feel a lot calmer. I've recently rediscovered some of the great recipes in the cookbook my mother-in-law put together for my bridal shower and am going to try my friend Liz's pineapple-mango salsa over fish with coconut rice for our dinner tonight. It sounds delicious and I am making myself hungry, so I think it's time to start dinner!
Posted by becky at 5:58 PM | Comments (0)
December 9, 2006
One more California run
Our flight was at 11am this morning (but the airport was about 40 minutes away) so I didn't have to get out the door super early, but early enough so that it wasn't easy to get up. I tried to find the flattest route possible because my hamstring and back of knee were pretty sore from yesterday's hilly run. I ran out on Hollywood Boulevard until it ended at Laurel Canyon (a busy, main road) and then did a bit of an out and back in a residential neighborhood and finally headed back to the hotel on one of the quieter roads that parallels Sunset Boulevard. My leg/knee didn't bother me too much during the run, but as soon as I got back I could feel how stiff it had gotten, and I knew I had a 5-hour flight to get through. I iced my leg during breakfast and hopefully that did a little bit of good.
The flight actually went by pretty quickly because I slept for awhile and then read. But when we landed and were walking to the car, I was pretty uncomfortable. I am worried that I have overdone it with the hills, mileage etc. and want to be back to where I felt I was really making progress...so I'm going to cross-train for the next couple of days and hope that makes some difference.
In any case, we had a fun couple of days in L.A. but I think we're both glad to be home to enjoy one more weekend day!
Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 8, 2006
Up and down the mountain
I definitely spent more time sitting in the car today than I wanted to, but despite that, I had a very good day in L.A. I had a pretty easy time waking up because I went to bed pretty soon after we got to the hotel, so I ate a little breakfast with Matt before he left for work and then I headed off (in the car) for my run. I had to drive about 11 miles to get to the trailhead, and it took about an hour--pretty much just sitting in traffic the whole way. Not too much fun. I finally found the turnoff for the trail and headed up such a steep hill that I wondered how this run could be uphill as well.
The trail was really gorgeous. It went pretty much straight up for about 4 miles, but it wasn't steep except for a few parts. My knee was better than it had been a couple of days ago, but still bothering me a little--the soft surface of the trail helped. I made it up to the top, slowly but surely, took in the view, and went back down. I stopped to fix my shoe at one point and was amazed at how quiet it was up there. Except for a couple of runners, bikers and dog walkers, no one was around, and the trail rises over a canyon (or a couple) of undeveloped land. The weather, of course, was warm but didn't bother me too much because it was so dry. I will find a link to the trail (I think it was called Westridge) when I get back, if I can remember. It was a hard run--I was really tired when I finished--but I was so glad I got to do it.
I hung out for the rest of the day with Matt's co-worker's wife who also made the trip out from DC. We went to Santa Monica and that, too, was not far away but took forever with the traffic. We did a little shopping and then came back, which was the worst trip of all--it took almost 2 hours to travel probably 15 miles. Ugh--L.A. traffic is awful!
We just got back from the holiday party, which was also a lot of fun. I am tired but hoping to be able to wake up in time to run a little before we get on the plane for another day of travel. Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 11:16 PM | Comments (1)
December 7, 2006
Quick vacation
We are off to L.A. in a few hours, so I thought I would update now and then I will likely add Friday and Saturday's entries in when we get back. (In case anyone was wondering.)
My hamstring is still sore to the touch where Barb worked on it the other day, but it feels slightly better today near the knee insertion. I really wanted to get to the gym early so that I could lift in addition to working out, but it just didn't happen. Between hitting snooze a million times and putting my bag and Matt's bag in the car (I am driving to the airport from work and he is getting a ride from his office), it just didn't happen. At least I got in a solid elliptical session.
I hope my legs don't get too stiff on the plane! I would love to be able to get a decent run in tomorrow...it's been way too long since I ran on vacation. Cross your fingers for me!
Posted by becky at 2:50 PM | Comments (1)
December 6, 2006
Sightseeing and post-run soreness
I realized that I hadn't been down to the National Mall area since we've been back in DC, so I ran down to the Washington Monument and back (plus a little added on on the way there and back.) I was in a rush to get out the door and I think I ate a little too quickly, resulting in a major side stitch that lasted for about 2/3 of the run. I think going uphill in the direction of home helped get rid of it, that sometimes happens. As I ran past the White House, I noticed that the path that followed the fence that surrounds the grounds from Pennsylvania Avenue to the main gate on the other side is now closed to pedestrians. I used to walk (and run) there a lot...in the mornings you could hear the audio tour that they keep running for people waiting outside. I think it's sad that they've closed off so much of the grounds; it's also inconvenient for people who want to cut through from the area where I used to work to the area where there are a lot more amenities like banks and restaurants and stuff.
But I digress. I was generally satisfied with today's run (post-cramp) until I got home and realized that the back of my knee was sore. I'm pretty sure it's still from yesterday's run and Barb's therapy, and it's good that it didn't bother me while running, but I am worried about it. I am scheduled for a cross-training day tomorrow anyway, but I want to be able to run the next two days. Matt and I are going to L.A. tomorrow evening to go to his company's holiday party and I found out last time we went that the hotel has an awful fitness room. (This is a quick trip and we will be back on Saturday.) A friend of mine from the New York Road Runners Foundation suggested a trail run in Santa Monica that seems really cool, so I hope to be able to do it on Friday.
I lifted during lunch today since I had another event after work. I always seem to get more accomplished because the gym is much emptier. But I also feel rushed to get back to my office, too.
Tonight is my club's track night and I was thinking wistfully about when I might be able to get back on the track. I am dreading how hard it is going to be but I am also looking forward to getting back to it because I love track! I am going to concentrate first on being pain free for a week's worth of runs and then on building my base. Once I get to that point, then I can think about adding back some speedwork.
Posted by becky at 8:23 PM | Comments (0)
December 5, 2006
A mostly good run
Since I've been talking about the weather a lot lately, I'll mention that it was a perfect running day for me--high 30s/low 40s, sunny, and much less wind than yesterday. I ran from the gym so I did a loop I haven't done since I've been back. It starts out with about 3 flat miles, but the rest of it is up and down. As usual, I was crawling on the uphills, but I felt pretty good on the flats and even recovering from hills. I think the last hill might have done me in because it was steep and I was tired. The back of my knee has been a little sore ever since but I'm hoping it won't last. I intended to lift a little bit after running, but I didn't have time. Although I don't really believe it, I guess that is a good thing because my arms are sore.
I saw Barb this morning for the first time in several weeks. She was pleased to hear that I've been making progress and said that my hamstring felt a lot better than it ever has--I think the big knot is finally dissapating. Barb also showed me a new technnique for my lunges that may help my chronically aching knees. I'm going to see her once more before the end of the year and before she goes away for the holidays.
Because I am such a routinized person, I feel guilty that I am not going to the gym after work tonight. But I have an event early in the evening and then a bunch of errands to run. I'm sure once I realize that my muscles are not going to atrophy I will start to feel better...
Posted by becky at 5:12 PM | Comments (0)
December 4, 2006
OK, it's cold
Brrr! I didn't even work out outside today and I can say with certainty that it was cold out. These 40-degree temperature swings are another reason I don't like unseasonably warm weather! The excessive warmth of the bus felt good for once this morning after my walk there and I was secretly glad that I planned today as a cross-training day. The elliptical was kind of boring, but I got a good workout in and nearly finished my latest book (The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld, who also wrote Prep). I was even (nearly) on time for work!
I went up to NIH for a lunchtime talk on global health given by the HSPH dean. Although I've worked with people at NIH and driven by many, many times, today was my first time on the campus. It is huge and the buildings are numbered in some way that doesn't make sense (at least to me). I was meeting a friend there but she was coming from a different direction. Luckily, I asked around and found where I was supposed to be. It was an interesting talk (not too much I hadn't heard before, though) and they had excellent cookies afterwards. Definitely worth the trek from Georgetown.
The rest of the afternoon went by pretty quickly and I lifted after work. It looks like it is going to be a pretty busy week and we are traveling on Thursday so this will probably be a light lifting week.
I received my 2007 Runner's World running log today. I've kept a pretty detailed log since 1997, so I always get a little excited when the new one comes. But I always wonder if this year will be an "injury year." I hope by the time Jan. 1 rolls around I'll be feeling more confident about my running. It is amazing that the new year is less than a month away!
Posted by becky at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2006
Old run at a new pace
I've seen my friend Camille since I moved back to D.C. but I hadn't run with her since I visited last spring. I met Camille through DC Road Runners right when I started running with them in the winter of 2000. She took pity on the fact that I did not have a car and used to drive me home, so we became friends that way and due to the fact that we were the same pace on the track. She's since gone to law school and is now working in Maryland as a defense attorney so it is hard for her to make the track workouts (not that I am going anymore) so now that I'm back running, we're going to try and get together on Sundays to run.
Anyway, I was worried about slowing her down but she didn't seem to mind. We did one of our old favorite loops through Rock Creek Park and up a big hill behind one of my favorite outdoor amphitheaters in the city, Carter Barron. It was a longer run than I've done in a few days and the third consecutive run I've done so my legs were pretty tired when we were done. But we had great conversations as usual and it was a lot of fun.
I went to the gym to lift before doing my grocery shopping tonight. I guess I was hungry or something because I felt a little low blood sugar. The free samples of sparkling cider at Trader Joe's helped. Tonight, Matt's cousin and her boyfriend are going to come over and help us try out our new fondue pot (well, it's not new, but it has been sitting in my parents' house for 2 years). Yay for Sunday night chocolate...
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)
December 2, 2006
A more enjoyable workout
I guess the high winds really blew through last night, because a power outage caused all of our clocks to reset and my alarm did not go off this morning. It wasn't a big deal, because I didn't really have to be up for anything, but I slept a lot later than I intended to! Once I finally did get up, I did a short run and then biked. It was chilly but the sun felt really good. I ran by a big community tree-planting project and a couple of Christmas tree sale lots, so I guess the theme of the run was trees. I watched my tape of this week's ER while I biked, so it wasn't too bad.
Matt and I spent a couple of hours cleaning up the apartment, so now it's in better shape. We've been reading and doing various things for the rest of the afternoon and are heading out shortly to meet my old boss and his girlfriend for a drink and then to stop by a couple of parties not too far from here. I am looking forward to walking around without being hot, for once.
My old running partner, Camille, and I are planning to run together tomorrow morning. I've warned her about my slow pace and various aches and pains, so it should be fine, but I still get nervous about running with people these days. At the same time, I can't wait for the company!
Posted by becky at 4:22 PM | Comments (0)
December 1, 2006
Happy December
December first and I'm running in a sports bra. I tried to keep my shirt on for as long as possible but I felt stifled by the incredibly humid air. I did my old Friday loop that includes the hill in the National Zoo at the end and I don't know if it was the humidity, sore legs from lifting or the hill, but I was really crawling today. My knee (cartilage) didn't feel so great either, although it's not as bad when I'm going up hills. So a combination of factors made today's run less than stellar.
Everyone in my office was waiting for the cold front to come through today, but it didn't happen until much later. I met Matt downtown after work at a holiday get-together thrown by one of his many real estate colleagues/friends. Although there was a lot of "shop talk", I met some new people and it was fun. They gave away some great door prizes (iPod Nanos, portable DVD player, satellite radio systems) but unfortunately we were no lucky enough to win one of them.
We just watched this week's episode of The Wire, our favorite show. Next week is the season finale, and on HBO, it is sometimes several years between seasons, so we will really miss it!
Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)