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June 30, 2008
Home owners
I woke up with butterflies today because I knew we had our closing later in the morning. Buying a house might not be that big of a deal to some people, but we signed this contract in April and have been thinking about every detail ever since! We are excited but it is very daunting to have all of that...house stuff to take care of yourselves. Our closing went fine and didn't take nearly as long as I expected. We are lucky because the sellers are a really nice family who took great care of the house for almost 20 years and they are just moving a few blocks over so they will be a good resource for us.
Before we went to sign the papers, of course, I got in a workout. I intended to do a treadmill run and some supplemental cross training. When I got to the gym and walked in, I realized it was dark because they didn't have power. Or much power, anyway. No a/c and no working treadmills. I figured, Why torture myself on an elliptical (some were working, oddly) in the heat? I walked back home and got on the bike. I watched most of this movie called "Starting Out in the Evening" that my parents had recommended sometime this winter. It was really interesting (very "independent") and I am looking forward to finishing it.
We ended up hanging out at the new house for a bit and trying to assess what we could go get in the meantime, but it was kind of overwhelming. Our movers come on Wed. and then we'll be able to see what we need. It will probably be a weekend task by the time we get around to getting the cable installed, phone turned on, etc. etc. We have our work cut out for us.
Since I didn't get a chance to lift this morning, I popped in to the gym tonight quickly for some upper-body stuff. I managed to avoid a big rainstorm on both the walk there and back. We're now about to have what will likely be our final (cooked) meal in our apartment before we pack up even the last few pots and pans!
Posted by becky at 7:47 PM | Comments (1)
June 29, 2008
Olympic (Trials) fever
I don't know what I'm going to do during the two "rest days" during the track trials this week because there won't be anything to watch! I even DVR'd the swimming trials today because I'm getting so into it. I caught the broadcast last night and even though it was mostly sprinting events, I enjoyed it. I should have saved it for this morning on the bike, because I was scrounging for things to get me through a long trainer ride. I watched a couple of "Closer" episodes and then finished "The Last King of Scotland." That movie was very disturbing but intriguing. I did some longer hill intervals and got through it without too much boredom.
This afternoon we continued to pack up our apartment and then we went over to the new house for the final walk-through before the closing tomorrow. I can't believe it's finally (almost) ours. It was very strange to see it so empty, and it will continue to be fairly empty until we furnish it! I expect that will take some time.
When we got back, I was in the mood to do some ellipticalling so I walked down to the gym and briefly worked out and then did some abs and plyometrics.
It doesn't really feel like Sunday since Matt and I are taking the week off to do our move and other house things, and I'm trying to keep that weekend spirit going. Most of our pots and pans are packed so we're about to grab a bite at one of our favorite neighborhood spots.
Posted by becky at 7:01 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2008
Low-key Saturday
I ended up staying up to watch the women's 10K at the Trials last night, and I don't regret it for a minute. It was so exciting to first of all finally see Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan duking it out in the last lap, and then to find out that Kara's training partner Amy Yoder-Begley made the team too after the race of her life! I love when stuff like that happens. I was so amped up afterwards that I had a hard time falling asleep. I can't wait to see what happens in the other distance races this week.
I didn't expect to feel very good running today because I've still been plagued with aches and pains, but I decided to give it the 'ole college try. My left leg felt better than it has, but the inside of my surgery knee ached off and on. And when I am finished running now (outside), both knees just ache. I am getting very down about it and don't know if I should just resign myself to the treadmill or what.
I rode my trainer for awhile after the run. Sweat was pouring off me because it was so humid when I ran. Matt woke up while I was in the middle of an episode of "The Closer" and I stopped it to show him the end of the 10K. (He wasn't as impressed as I was because he didn't understand the whole A-standard thing.) I continue to find "The Closer" kind of slow, but it's better than nothing when I am pedaling away.
We spent most of today packing, and going out to buy more bubble wrap, and doing more packing. We are getting there. Tonight Matt got an offer to go to the Nationals game, an invite that I declined because I do not like sitting outside when it is as hot as it is today. I feel kind of lazy, but I am content to catch up on reading and maybe watch a movie. I did have time to go to the gym today, but I decided not to because my neck has been really sore from one of my various routines. Hope everyone's having a good weekend!
Posted by becky at 7:32 PM | Comments (0)
June 27, 2008
Hiding from the humidity
This has not been a good week for me and waking up on time. Today I just pressed the snooze button one too many times for my own good. I left myself with barely enough time to get a decent trainer ride in. I was really excited to watch the first installment of the ABC documentary "Hopkins" about doctors at Johns Hopkins. I loved a previous iteration of the show, "Hopkins 24/7" although that was billed more as a reality show. There's definitely a part of me that wonders if I should have gone to medical school, but I don't think I would have been a good candidate since medical stuff makes me nervous. So I'm content with cultivating an interest in medical anthropology, or the stories people tell about their experiences either being a patient or medical student/doctor. Anyway, the show was good, although it focused a little too much on the doctors' private lives for me. I guess that's to get people who aren't as interested in the topic of medicine to tune in.
So my knee stiffness was better on the bike this morning, although it is still a little swollen. I am trying not to worry about it and just think of it as a minor setback. I had a good workout and will try running again tomorrow.
I had meetings downtown today, so I ended up doing a lot of walking. I walked from home to the first one and wasn't feeling too sweaty until the last 8 minutes. Then the floodgates opened and I remembered that it would have been a good idea to bring a towel. I arrived in a pretty gross state but dried off quickly in the air conditioning. My second meeting was coincidentally right around the corner. When I left there, it was almost quittin' time, so I headed to Georgetown for my Friday afternoon ritual (manicure). It didn't feel that hot when I first started walking, but the walk was long (45 minutes or so) and hilly at times and soon I was soaked again. Yuck. I took the bus back home and have been hibernating in here ever since.
I took a nap so that I might be able to stay awake for the TV coverage of the first day of the Trials! I have a sneaking suspicion though that the women's 10K won't make the hour-long show. Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:09 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2008
I "kneed" to ice
I either did not set my alarm correctly or turned it off instead of snoozing, because I woke up about a half hour after I meant to (when Matt's alarm went off). So my biking time was limited, but when I know I am in a rush, I usually make the most of my workout. And I had "Real World" to watch, so the whole thing went by quickly. My legs felt pretty fresh considering I ran and ellipticalled yesterday.
Speaking of the elliptical, I hopped back on there tonight and everything was going well until I got distracted by something I saw on TV (a news report about the Supreme Court decision to overturn the handgun ban in D.C., which upsets me) and totally tripped over my feet and the moving parts of the machine. I recovered quickly and I don't think too many people noticed, but I unfortunately stepped weird on my surgery knee. It stiffened up when I got off and felt a little swollen, something I haven't felt in weeks. It didn't affect my lifting or anything, but I am icing now to try and nip it in the bud. I hope I didn't do something too serious...but I will skip my planned run tomorrow and postpone until Saturday (I hope). As usual, we shall see.
Posted by becky at 9:27 PM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2008
Wednesday again
Sometimes I mark my weeks by the Wednesdays, and they come pretty quickly these days. This morning I woke up apprehensive because I knew I had a run on the schedule. It was actually really nice out, not too humid, and I managed to avoid being stopped at any street-crossings along the way. I think I was running too fast at first and things just felt wrong--it is hard for me to get into my comfort zone when 1) it is too easy for me cardiovascularly and 2) I am used to gauging my effort based on the level I see on the treadmill. But I'm trying. I was in a bit of a hurry this morning because I also wanted to have time to bike so I couldn't really go out of my way to find some soft ground. I just did a little loop (about 30 minutes) in the neighborhoods closest to our apartment. Most bothersome today was my left IT band--it was super tight and tugging a little. My other knee did well today. When I stop running is when I get kind of achy and start to imagine the inside of my knees with no padding. It is a scary thought. But I was able to do a pretty decent trainer ride afterwards with no ill effects. As is my mantra lately, we shall see.
Today was a crazy day at work, although we did have a surprise wedding shower at the office and the dessert was awesome cupcakes from this place called Just Cakes that I had heard about. I tried to be healthy and only have half, but I couldn't resist. And it was totally worth it. It was also a nice treat to have on a day where I was so busy that I felt chained to my desk!
After sitting all day, I could not bear the thought of biking, so I ellipticalled this afternoon. I thought my legs would be sore from the run, but they were okay. After that was lifting and some extra abs--I am still on my kick of trying new things.
I am getting so excited for the Olympic Trials! Only a couple more days to wait until the 10K..
Posted by becky at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)
June 24, 2008
Quiet day
My day went by quickly today, always a good thing during the work week! I began the day on the bike. I didn't realize that I was out of Netflix episodes to watch after I finished a "Closer" so I started watching an On Demand movie--"The Last King of Scotland." It was one I've been meaning to watch for some time now and I hope I get to finish it tomorrow (I am planning to run a little before that). My legs were a little tired today from the run and the plyometric-type stuff I did yesterday but nothing too bad.
It was a lot less humid than originally predicted today and a few of my colleagues sat outside at lunch. It was hard to go back in to sit inside, but like I said, the rest of the day flew by. Before I knew it, I was at the gym and riding the bike. I thought I might elliptical, but I had a new book I wanted to start and that won out (I can only read on certain ellipticals). Then it was my usual lifting routine, a stop to pick up more packing supplies, and finally home. I am very much looking forward to living even a little closer to my office (and gym)!
Posted by becky at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2008
25 straight
It used to be 25 miles, now it's 25 minutes...but I'll take it. I did my run on the treadmill this afternoon because I knew I'd have some extra time after a meeting downtown. And I knew I'd probably feel better on the treadmill rather than outside--at least physically. I was very bored, but I felt pretty good. Still slow, but consistent, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. I did a little biking after that and also lifted and then walked home in a rainstorm, but it wasn't nearly as torrential as the last few I've gotten caught in. And I had an umbrella.
In the morning, I rode my trainer. Shocker. I watched some more of "The Closer." I think it's growing on me, although the pace is still a little slower than some of the other shows I find more riveting. I was recently updating my Netflix queue and almost added a movie with subtitles, but somehow I don't think that would be so great while on the bike.
My grandfather (in Boston) had a pretty minor heart procedure today, but it's always worrisome with 86-year-olds. He came through fine and sounded chipper tonight, even telling me that he could keep up with me in a race...actually that might not be such a stretch right now!
Posted by becky at 9:28 PM | Comments (0)
June 22, 2008
Getting ready for our move
Boy, I am pooped today! I'm not sure why, exactly, but I think not having had the best night's sleep was part of it. I just woke up several times and had a couple of bad dreams. I hate when that happens but what can you do? I finally did get on the bike and was relieved that my knees/legs didn't feel too bad after yesterday's run. I started watching "The Closer," another murder-mystery type show, and it's pretty good. I figured out the whodunnit though about halfway through the episode. It's no "Dexter," but it'll do. Then I watched the gymnastics Olympic Trials from yesterday. I don't have any gymnastics background, but I somehow always enjoy watching. My workout went fine, but I had to keep reminding myself to work hard during the last half-hour or so--I was too focused on what I was watching, I guess.
Today we did a bunch more packing and organizing. We're in pretty good shape, I think, and we still have next weekend before we close. I used to be more motivated to do a second workout on the weekends than I currently am...I have some free time now but given my tiredness, I think I am going to take a little pre-dinner nap. Packing is tiring!
Posted by becky at 6:21 PM | Comments (0)
June 21, 2008
Into the woods
I used to make sure to do longer workouts on the weekend than during the week--long runs made that easy--but lately my weekends have been really busy. Today we're not that busy, but we had to start packing for our upcoming move (we close on June 30 and the movers come on July 2). I slept in a bit and then tried to find some softer ground for another run (30 minute total again but 20/10 instead of 15/15 this time). I'd say I managed to avoid the pavement and sidewalks for about 70 percent of the run, not too terrible. I did feel better in the woods but of course I was super slow as I was dealing with uncertain footing and a few little hills. (Perhaps I should find a track next time, but it takes too long to drive somewhere for such a short amount of running time.) I ran through the woods to the edge of Georgetown and then back through one of the most expensive neighborhoods around. And hilliest. But my knees seemed to like the hills, probably because I was using my (strong) quads rather than my (weak) hamstrings. I did have some achiness but it was improved from last time.
When I got home, I stretched for a second and then hopped on the bike. I watched the finale of "Weeds" from last season twice--once without the commentary and once with. It was interesting to notice new things the second time around. Then I surfed around and watched a little bit of "The Devil Wears Prada" (based on the book authored by our Cornell classmate). All in all it was a pretty good workout and I also took the time to ice both knees afterwards.
We've been focusing on two rooms today and have done a pretty good job. We are taking a break now and plan to go see "Indiana Jones" tonight. I have never seen any of the old ones, but I have faith that I'll be able to catch on.
Posted by becky at 5:02 PM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2008
The plan
One of the most challenging aspects of this whole knee thing has been the uncertainty--will I be able to run again, how much can I handle, am I running out of time, etc. etc. I like to have a plan so that I can anticipate what's on the horizon. This afternoon I went for my last post-op appointment at my orthopedist and although he didn't have all the answers, I was his last patient of the day and we had a little time to chat. My knee is doing fine in a post-surgery way; I have good range of motion, the bumps are going down and he encouraged me to keep icing after working out (this is something I never have time for and need to do). He told me again that I am a great candidate for the cartilage regeneration surgery, but I think he could tell by my face that I am not enthralled by that idea. In any case, I do have a little time before I really have to make that decision. He wrote me a prescription for Synvisc, the same injections I tried before, and we're going to do those in both knees probably starting in September. He also mentioned that he would scope the other knee if and when the time comes, but first I need to see how much benefit I get from the first one. So I walked out of there feeling like I have a few options and we'll see what happens.
My only workout today was a morning trainer ride. I am almost done with Season 3 of "Weeds" and I will be anticipating the release of the next season. My legs felt pretty good today although I was glad to be done for the day as well. The rest of my day ended up going by quickly because I had to crash on something at work and then got to leave a bit early for my knee doc appointment. I am glad it's the weekend although we have a lot of packing in front of us and our old friend the mouse just reappeared, making me scared about what I might find as we clean house...
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 7:56 PM | Comments (0)
June 19, 2008
Grumble, grumble
Well, I did my first run outside this morning after a couple of weeks on the treadmill. Unfortunately, it did not go too well. I just felt like my stride was off and I had all sorts of aches and pains. True, things did start to improve when I settled into a more comfortable pace, but it just didn't feel nearly as smooth as I've been on the treadmill. Usually it is the opposite. And it wasn't like an injury pain, just achiness. But obviously I don't want any of it--and this achiness was in both knees. So I'm bummed but what can I do? Maybe it will take some adjusting to the road again. In any case, I ran for a total of 30 minutes and then came in and biked until it was time to get in the shower.
I was kind of down the rest of the day about my bad run this morning. It's not like when I used to have bad runs with tired legs or whatever. This is scary because I just don't know whether to continue trying or just give up. I'm not ready to give up yet but it sure has been frustrating.
A couple of people mentioned to me that this has been a long week, so I don't think I'm the only one who's glad it's almost Friday! I was especially glad at the gym because I knew I wouldn't be back lifting for a couple of days. I tried a few new plyometrics-type things today just to mix it up. That's my daily report--exciting as usual.
Posted by becky at 10:01 PM | Comments (2)
June 18, 2008
Sucker for reality TV
Ever since I started riding my trainer a lot and scrounging for things to watch, I have become addicted to some really silly shows. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I was really excited that the new season of Tori Spelling's reality show premiered last night. I stumbled across it at some point and now I have to say that I keep closer tabs on her in the paparazzi! In any case, I had Tori and two episodes of "Weeds" to get me through my workout. I was a little sore from yesterday's run so I did back off and do fewer hills. Otherwise it was pretty much status quo.
We are having a run of dry, sunny weather (except for the freak rainstorm I got caught in walking to the gym tonight) so it is a shame that I had to spend most of the day inside. But it went by pretty quickly and I was back at the gym doing my thing before I knew it. Today it was ellipticalling and some new abs and lifting. There is a group of "Healthy Challenge" participants at my gym--kind of like "The Biggest Loser" and they were all excited today because they are almost done with their competition. Since they are there at the same time I am most days, it has been interesting to see them bond. I love how fitness activities bring people together! I thought it was just runners who enjoyed the social aspect of working out, but apparently not.
Matt is back from his business trip and I made a nice stir-fry to celebrate. It feels like it should be Friday...or at least Thursday...at least the week is more than half over!
Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2008
Ready to hit the road?
I'm enjoying another quiet evening listening to music--I'm looking forward to Matt's return tomorrow night but I'm sure the NBA game would be on if he were home right now! I am checking the score periodically, but only because I don't want another professional Boston sports franchise to win!
I tried to motivate to do my treadmill run as my first workout today, but it's just too easy to wake up and get on the bike. I also knew I'd be going to the gym later anyway, so I didn't feel like making a second trip there (different location, but still). I was out of Netflix DVDs this morning, but I made do with my silly MTV "Elle Woods" show. I was trying not to tire my legs out before this afternoon's run, but I just kind of have one tempo on the bike and I went at it.
It worked out okay, I think--although I am definitely not used to running in the afternoons after having lunch. It was hours after lunch that I got to the gym, but I definitely do enough snacking during the day that my stomach was not thrilled with me. I feel like I am also hypersensitive to every little pull and ache in my legs--it is hard for me just to relax, especially on the treadmill. But today was the first time I did more than 30 minutes (12, 12, 10) and was really able to work pretty hard. I'm not concerned with the slow pace right now because it is meaningless. I just know I finally got into a rhythm and felt, well, decent. I don't have any illusions of running pain-free because of my knee issues, but I need to figure out what feels okay for me. (Incidentally, my aunt, a lifelong runner, just had an x-ray of her hip and knee done and found out that she has hardly any cartilage left. She does not have knee pain.) A couple hours post-run, I'm feeling a little tenderness inside my knee, but nothing too terrible. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I drove by St. Albans on the way home tonight, site of Tim Russert's public wake today. There were tons of people still milling around...it is amazing how many people's lives he touched, most of them who probably only knew his television persona. Even I was shocked when I heard about his death, and I have never watched "Meet the Press." It's just another one of those not-so-gentle reminders to enjoy life as much as possible, huh?
Posted by becky at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2008
Another Monday almost gone
Today was weird. Although I slept fine and I didn't really feel tired when I woke up, I started feeling really sleepy after I had been on the bike about 45 minutes already. The rest of the workout went fine; I just wished I had some extra time to take a nap. I did some longer hill intervals and finished my current "Weeds" DVD (I think there's only one more and then I'll be all caught up with the season that starts this week--but we don't have Showtime!) My cup of homemade iced coffee kept me going on the drive to work and for a couple of hours, but another case of the sleepies came over me right after lunch. Ugh. I hate that feeling. I'm going to try and get into bed pretty soon so that I can hopefully be more awake tomorrow.
As for my other workout, it was getting there that was most treacherous. I stupidly wore flip-flops with zero traction today even though the weather did warn of thunderstorms. By the time I walked to the gym, it had been pouring for nearly an hour. Needless to say, it took double the time it usually does to get there. But I didn't fall! I was going to elliptical but all the machines were taken, so I biked a little and then moved on to lifting. I just felt like I wasn't very efficient today. Usually I am most efficient at the beginning of the week! But hey, what can you do? Tomorrow is another day.
Posted by becky at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2008
Friends, family, and Father's Day
Today was a really nice Father's Day. I am just back from New York and this time, the train was pretty much on schedule and it didn't feel like it took forever. Matt flew directly to L.A. for a couple of days, then will be back in New York again Tuesday night, and back here Wed. hopefully in time for a late dinner. I am tired just thinking about all that travel.
Anyway, this morning I went to the NYSC near Matt's mom's house for some running, some ellipticalling, and a bit of biking. (I got bored on the elliptical so I just decided to switch it up for the last 15 minutes of the workout.) My treadmill run went okay, as far as they've been going lately. I did 3 x 10 minutes. I have been finding that my left knee starts aching in the kneecap area if I don't remember to pick up my legs and really use my hamstrings. I am really trying to run more biomechanically efficiently before I get back on the roads, but it is not easy. As for everything else, it was fine; I was just really hot and sweaty from the treadmill so it was a bit unpleasant and probably for my workout neighbors as well.
Matt and his sister and I went over to my parents' house for a big family/celebratory gathering in the early afternoon. We met my sister and her now-fiance at the train station, along with my cousin who also lives in NYC, and Matt's dad and grandparents and my grandparents and aunt and uncle and a whole other cast of characters were at my parents'. We were celebrating a lot (6) of recent birthdays, Father's Day, our new house, and yesterday's engagement news. It was really a great time and of course it made me wish (a little) that we lived in New York, or at least a little closer. But it really is only a train ride away.
Posted by becky at 10:54 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2008
Hot and humid in NY, too
Our train ride last night from DC to NY was endless. First, we stood on a line to board the train for almost an hour, because the train was delayed and no one made any announcements as to why or what the status was. Once we finally got on the train, there were no seats. The conductor announced that they were opening up the two front cars (why were they not open to begin with??) so we moved up there. Sure, there were seats, but no a/c--but they turned it on so eventually it got moderately comfortable in there. The rest of the time was slow goings and we did not get into Penn Station until about 10. Luckily the subway came quickly and we were at Matt's mom's apartment in Brooklyn about 30 minutes later, starving for the dinner that had been waiting for us for two hours!
I was pretty exhausted but managed to get up just before 8 so I could get to the gym reasonably early. There is a NYSC near the apartment so I just went there--I couldn't believe how crowded it was when I got there only about 15 minutes after it opened. New Yorkers are hard-core. Today was supposed to be a running day, but I decided to postpone because my knee has been a little sore. I ellipticalled instead. I forgot my iPod so I watched the tribute to Tim Russert (so sad) and then read a little. I was working hard enough so that my legs were a little shaky afterwards, but I never know how to judge my elliptical workouts because they always feel pretty much the same. On a positive note, my knee did not bother me.
We spent the rest of the morning in Brooklyn, looking at furniture hand-me-downs and doing other errands. I crossed paths with my sister briefly because she was heading into BK just as we were heading back to Westchester. She and her boyfriend had planned to spend the day there. When we were in the car on the way back to Matt's house in Westchester, I got a phone call from my sister--turned out that her boyfriend had just proposed! Not totally unexpected because they've been dating for a couple of years, but we did not expect it this weekend! But it works out well because we've got a big Father's Day/birthday brunch scheduled tomorrow at my parents' house anyway. Congrats to them!
I considered lifting this afternoon but got sidetracked when some friends came over with their baby. We will probably just hang out here in the 'burbs tonight, and that is totally fine with me.
Posted by becky at 6:43 PM | Comments (0)
June 13, 2008
I hope I'm just sore
Checking in with a quick blog entry in between meetings and before we head up to New York for the weekend. I had a good trainer ride this morning and was amply entertained by "Weeds" and "Real World." My legs and knees felt totally fine but now that I've been at work for a few hours, the inside of my healing knee feels tight and a little sore. Not like it was before I had the surgery, but anytime I feel anything over there, I get really nervous. I iced it a bit and I don't have anymore formal workouts planned today--just walking around carrying my bag through Penn Station and walking from the subway to Matt's mom's apartment in Brooklyn. Maybe some rest will help. Maybe it is a bad Friday the 13th joke...
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2008
Birthday blog 2008
Another year gone by--this one with no races. I never think of myself as a "birthday person" because it always seems silly to make a big deal about it, but it is always nice to have a little extra attention. When I got out of bed and headed for the bike this morning, I stopped at my computer and found a happy birthday note from Matt. He knows my routine all too well! It was cute. My ride was pretty good; I had an episode of "Boston Legal" to watch and then some of last night's "Real World," so I was entertained. The legs and knees felt okay too.
Matt surprised me today by showing up at my office with roses at lunchtime! We went to lunch at an Italian place that bills itself as a "cheese bar," and we had really good fresh mozzarella, among other things. I was wearing shoes that I discovered were not good for walking, though, so I did not have too much fun walking across Bethesda twice. I think I used to only wear those shoes in the office, because I don't remember them hurting so much!
The big lunch made me sleepy for the rest of the day, but I rallied (or tried to) because I had another run scheduled. I hopped on the treadmill for what on paper seemed like good progress--3 x 8 minutes--but my left knee hurt on and off in the IT band area. It can't be overuse or anything, so I think I will just keep an eye on it, keep foam rolling and just assume that it is all part of the readjustment to running. I didn't feel much like lifting after that, so I only did a little and then we headed home. We are going up to New York this weekend and I need to get all ready for that, otherwise I probably would have tried to milk the birthday for another meal!
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (1)
June 11, 2008
Ho-hum
It's amazing how much cooler it feels when the humidity is gone from the air. I mean, it was 89 degrees this afternoon and I felt very comfortable! It reminds me of all the fun I have to look forward to this summer, because it's not even summer yet.
Similar to yesterday, I woke up feeling rather unrested. I think I may be waking up during the night because I'm hot and not even realizing it. I felt groggy until I got on the bike and started sweating. My left knee was a little sore today so I took it pretty easy. The other (healing) knee actually felt okay. I was out of things to watch today so I just flipped channels. It's much more boring. But I got through it.
We have a lot of birthdays in the office this week (including mine, tomorrow) so my boss corralled a bunch of us and we grabbed sandwiches and ate outside in a park near our office. I tried to sit in the shade since I am still healing from my horrible sunburn. It was fun and I was glad we all took a break since our office is all about eating at your desk!
I finished the day at the gym, as usual. I am trying to throw some new things into my ab routine since I've been doing the exact same thing for about 10 years. I rode the bike for a bit since I am trying to finish my book and then I lifted. Nothing too exciting...but there's nothing wrong with that!
Posted by becky at 9:42 PM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2008
Temperature change
It was another really hot day today, but things are finally cooling off now (with a dramatic thunderstorm). It was very weird, I felt the temperature change during my ten-minute walk to the gym. Anyway, I woke up feeling tired for some reason, and I had a headache. Advil helped, though. It took a little while for me to get into a good rhythm on the bike, but once I did, I felt a lot more awake. "Weeds" kept me mostly occupied and I was able to do a few longer hill intervals than usual. So it started out sub-par but ended up just fine.
It was a busy day at work and a good day to be inside. I walked out to do an errand around 3 and nearly melted. My mom sent me several emails today complaining about how hot it was in her first grade classroom in NY...I bet!
Today was another run for me on the treadmill. It's very weird to have to run at such a slow pace. I am not breathing heavily at all, but my legs need to adjust gradually to the running motion. I did 3x7 minutes. My major complaint today was my left ("good") knee. It had been bothering me a little since the bike this morning so hopefully I just tweaked something. After the treadmill, I did some lifting and tried to copy some ab moves from these two really tiny but super strong girls I see there often. There were no rodent sightings today but I was certainly on the lookout!
Posted by becky at 9:02 PM | Comments (0)
June 9, 2008
Just one of those (Mon)days
I woke up before my alarm went off this morning because I was hot! The a/c had stopped blowing and I was too lazy to get out of bed and turn it down lower. I fell back to sleep for a little while and eventually it was really time to get up. I was somewhat motivated to get on the bike because 1) I didn't have to go outside, where it was already hot, and 2) I had a new DVD of "Weeds" to watch. My workout went fine--it was one of those typical ones for me where I didn't feel amazing but I didn't feel too bad either. With running, my workouts tend to be more up and down. Biking and other forms of cross-training are more predictable. Now that I think of it, swimming falls into the variable-workout category too. Not that I've done that in ages.
I was glad to have an air-conditioned office to go to today. I saw that the high temperature was forecast to be 99 degrees but I didn't find out how hot it actually ended up. Walking to the gym in the afternoon was fairly brutal, and then I opened my locker there to find evidence of a rodent visit. Ew. Don't I have enough of that at home? And this is a brand-new building. I complained to the "management" (whoever was at the front desk) and I was told they knew about the problem and asked not to make a big deal about it. Oooo-kay. If I see anything else, I'm going to use it as leverage to reduce my monthly rate. And I deserve it--I'm there often enough!
Posted by becky at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)
June 8, 2008
Hot inside and out
I had another "run" on the schedule today, so I thought it would be good to head to the gym and do it on the treadmill again and then I'd have all the other cross-training machines at my disposal. It was already pretty hot out when I left around 8:30 and I knew it wouldn't be fun running (outside) in it. I grabbed a treadmill that was at the end of the row (so I wouldn't be flicking sweat on more than one person) and am happy to report that I hammered out (hah!) 7 minutes, 7 minutes, and 6 minutes of running with 3-minute walks in between. I had a couple of weird twinges, but on the whole, things were good. Still at a very slow pace, but not quite as slow as the last time. Every tenth of a treadmill level counts!
I transitioned right to the elliptical and did another hour or so on there. I don't know if it was the hot weather outside or the fact that I was already sweating from the run, but I was just dripping during the workout. I wasn't working that hard--my iPod shuffle started giving me problems so I read the whole time and that requires a lower level--but my shoes were even wet by the time I was finished. I did some ab work and then headed out into the other sauna outside. It was a good couple hours of work but I was pretty spent after that.
Later in the day, Matt and I trekked out to Virginia (!) to drop some clothes off at Goodwill. Then we browsed a couple of furniture stores just to start thinking about all of the things we're going to need to get for our new house. I was anxious to get home to watch the Pre meet, which I did while riding my trainer. I have to say I was disappointed in the coverage, but watching track in HD is always fun! I am psyched for the Trials.
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)
June 7, 2008
Crazy hot and humid
When I was out and about today in the lovely "feels like 110" weather we had here, I felt a little bad that I couldn't have gone for a long run in it, only for the fact that I would have felt like a badass afterwards. The dehydration and the discomfort I don't miss that much...although I hope I am "lucky" enough to experience a DC summer run again. I did my workout inside, on the bike, so I had the comfort of air conditioning. But I was thirstier than usual and had to refill the water bottle--I think this extreme heat is taking its toll on everyone. I didn't have a bad workout, but I just felt not 100 percent on today. I watched several episodes of "Weeds" and I think I am done with Season 2. I also threw in a bunch of hills and bumped the trainer up a level so that I was working harder on the non-hills too. As is pretty standard after any kind of workout these days, my knee stiffened up a bit but Advil helped.
I didn't go outside until about 1 and it was truly disgusting. I took care of a couple of things and ended up walking probably a mile in total or maybe a little less and I was just dripping. It really felt like New Orleans. Yuck! I was pretty tired when I got home and I hadn't really done anything! I got to work packing up a lot of clothes and things in the bedroom and then rewarded myself with some reading on the couch and a short nap. We just ordered sushi and are planning on watching that HBO movie about the 2000 election in a bit. I just hope the a/c keeps on pumping!
Posted by becky at 8:43 PM | Comments (0)
June 6, 2008
Late one
I can't believe I made it this long on a Friday night without falling asleep. We just got home from a 30th birthday party on a rooftop not too far from us. Being that high off the ground really cooled things off (we are having a major heat wave) and the views were great too. One of my favorite things about the party was that the theme was kid food--a bucket of candy when you walked in, and none of the food was fancy--mini hot dogs, mac and cheese, and little burgers. A very nice idea and it worked well.
Earlier in the day, I spent a good chunk of time on the bike and caught up with the latest (to me) episodes of "Weeds." I didn't feel too much soreness from yesterday's "run" and the workout seemed to go by quickly. I was glad that it was Friday and I think that was part of it!
Before the birthday party, my colleagues and I all went to a baby shower for a co-worker who is due in August. This particular co-worker works from Philly but a local person hosted the shower. It was nice and we all got to leave the office a bit early, a nice bonus!
Happy Friday to all!
Posted by becky at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
June 5, 2008
A different perspective
I was surprised that the late-night storms didn't wake me up--I slept as soundly as I usually do and had a hard time waking up, also as usual. But I managed to get out of bed with enough time for a decent workout and even enjoyed today's episode of "Boston Legal." I was also entertained by "Real World" while I sweated through my hills. I tried to throw in a few longer hills today to mix it up (I know, living on the edge). It was a good trainer ride.
Next on the agenda was Dr. Toerge, my rehab medicine guy I see every few months (I would go more often, but it is standard to have to wait five or six months for an appointment with him). I last saw him in January when I didn't anticipate having surgery so soon. So we had a lot to talk about! He is awesome--he looks at things from a longevity perspective and knows how important running is to me. He is also one of the only docs I know who spends nearly an hour with a patient! It is a luxury. He has a very good memory and once he started examining me (he works on the muscles, but it is very hard to explain what he does because it is not like PT or anything else I've ever done) he said that things in my knee and hip felt much looser than they did before. He said he doesn't always recommend surgery but that he really believes I did the right thing because something was limiting my range of motion and ability to stride normally. He worked on a couple of areas and I told him about my remaining issues. He said that the incision bumps are swelling, but very localized swelling in the fat pad in the knee and they will go down if I continue to massage them. He also said that it is quite possible that my biomechanics are bad (worse) because my body learned how to limp/avoid the knee pain. He suggested some easy things to do (marching, walking down stairs backwards) and was encouraging when I asked if a gait analysis would be good for me. He said that the more I can correct my biomechanics, the longer I will stay healthy. Even though I had to wait 30 minutes to see him today, it was one of the most worthwhile mornings I've had in awhile!
The work day went by quickly (especially since I spent half the morning at Georgetown) and I was soon sweating on my walk to the gym. It was quite disgusting out today--I didn't check but my internal thermometer said high 80s or low 90s and it was very humid. I was already sweaty when I got to the gym. I was encouraged to try some more running with the biomechanical tips fresh in my mind, and sure enough, I was able to do three five-minute runs. They were extremely slow as I was focusing on my form, but I was so relieved to feel better! I don't know how things will proceed, but today's "run" made me a little encouraged. Wahoo!
Posted by becky at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)
June 4, 2008
Caught in another monsoon
This week is going faster than last week, but I am having such a hard time getting out of bed! Matt was up really early to catch a 7am flight to Newark (he was in Jersey City for the day) and I thought that would encourage me to get out of bed...but after he got out of bed, the next thing I knew it was late already. Sigh. I got on the bike as quickly as I could and watched another "Boston Legal" (still finishing the DVD) and the rest of that "Legally Blonde" show. My legs felt pretty heavy and tired today--it was probably a good thing that my time was relatively limited. My other complaint was that something has been sore in my knee, not where it used to hurt before the surgery but not far from there. I will ask the rehab medicine guy about it when I go there tomorrow.
It was very swampy out today so I wasn't that surprised when the skies darkened around 3pm. But then my office-mate and I realized just how dark it was getting, and then the storm started. It was windy, thundering and lightening, and it appeared that some lights around our office were out. Cars were pulled over—it was crazy out there. Our lights flickered but luckily stayed on. We all checked the weather online and learned that our county was under a tornado warning. Some of my colleagues headed down to the first floor, but I just got away from the window. The storm died down pretty quickly but apparently caused widespread damage in our area.
Later, it started to rain when I was walking to the gym and I knew we were probably getting another storm. I missed that one while I was downstairs ellipticalling but by the time I left after lifting and everything, the skies looked threatening again. I didn't have far to go to get to my parking lot, but it was far enough. The rain started and I was totally drenched (despite my umbrella) in about three minutes. Driving home was very scary. A lot of roads were flooded and several traffic lights were out. I made it home safe and sound but it was not fun. I keep hearing how global warming is causing more severe weather…and I'm starting to believe it!
Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)
June 3, 2008
Change is on his way to Washington
I am really not into politics. Even living here in D.C. for so long hasn't turned me onto politics--but then again, Bush was inaugurated just a year and a half after I moved here, and I am not a fan. I am an Obama fan, though, and have been quietly rooting for him to win the nomination for a few months. I've even started to pay attention to political news a little. Although the general election is still a few months away, I have to say that I am very excited to be watching Obama make his first speech since clinching the Democratic nomination right now!
Anyway...back to real life while I listen with half an ear to Obama's speech. I started the day out on the bike, as usual, and watched another "Boston Legal" that barely held my attention. But then I watched a new MTV show, "Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods" and it was perfect bike mind candy! It's a reality show where all these girls who are trying out for the lead role in a Broadway play compete and cause all sorts of backstage drama. Terrific. I had a good workout too.
Later, at the gym, I was due for another try at running. I did just two five-minute running intervals at a ridiculously slow pace on the treadmill and then biked. It wasn't pretty, but I felt slightly better than last time. The back of my knee/hamstring bothered me the most but stretching afterwards helped a little. I didn't feel too bad afterwards and got a decent amount of lifting in. It's amazing how much easier to lift when your skin isn't on fire!
Posted by becky at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)
June 2, 2008
Pet peeve revisited
I'm too lazy to look up the last time I blogged about this, but I was reminded of one of my big pet peeves tonight at the gym: when people on the machines next to me breathe out of their mouths and blow their bad breath all over me. Tonight's situation was really bad, but I was sort of stuck because I grabbed the last elliptical. Eew. I just focused on my own workout, which luckily was fairly quick because it was my warm-up for lifting. But the experience made me want to create signs for the gym encouraging people to be aware of their open-mouth breathing habits. (Other than that, my time at the gym was good--much better than last week because my sunburn doesn't hurt anymore.)
Not surprisingly, my main workout of the day was riding my trainer. I was watching "Boston Legal" but it just doesn't capture my attention like many of my other shows. I finished one episode and then just channel-flipped until it was time to get off the bike. My knee felt fine on the bike but it has been bothering me a bit since my ellipticalling tonight. I actually have an appointment (made six months ago) with that rehab specialist that I like later this week--it is good timing and maybe he can help explain some of the lingering symptoms I'm having.
Posted by becky at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)
June 1, 2008
Sweaty Sun.
I am glad to be enjoying a relaxing evening at home reading the paper tonight after a busy day. Well, not that busy, but just a lot of time spent outside being hot. We got home pretty late after "SATC" (it was a 10:15 show) and I was exhausted, having stayed up way past my usual bedtime, even for a weekend. I got about 6 hours of sleep and woke up feeling a little tired, but not too bad. I got on the bike and hammered away to "Weeds" and then the ESPN coverage of the Reebok Grand Prix meet. I knew about Bolt's world record but I hadn't checked any other results so all of it was "live" to me. I love watching track when I bike because I get so pumped up, even for the sprints. It made me excited for the Trials. Matt and I went to that Reebok meet in 2005 and it was great. I was happy to hear that they sold out this year. So the TV kept me occupied. The post-run verdict on my knee is that my pes area hurts. Not terribly, but I noticed it while biking. I'm hoping it's just the readjustment of getting back to running. I'll see how it feels the next few days.
The majority of our afternoon was spent at the Orioles-Red Sox game in Baltimore. I was paranoid about getting sunburned again so I did a good job of covering up and using sunscreen. It wasn't as uncomfortable as it could have been in Baltimore in June, but I was pretty sweaty and sort of waiting for the game to be over. (I'm not the biggest baseball fan in the world and I was with three very vocal ones!) I fell asleep in the car on the way home. I tried to muster up the motivation to go to the gym, but the thought of showering and making dinner was much more palatable. Like I said, it's nice to have at least a little time during the weekend to chill out on the couch!
Posted by becky at 8:39 PM | Comments (0)