Running Commentary: February 2009 Archives

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February 28, 2009

Slowly but surely

It may have been in the 60s yesterday, but I could tell the temperature had dropped when I woke up. We went to bed pretty early last night (for a weekend) so I felt somewhat well-rested and ready to try another jog/bike combo. I bundled up (although it really wasn't bad out) and did another variation on the 30-minute neighborhood loop. I was definitely struggling on the hills but focused on my form and am glad to say I didn't have any major aches or pains. I don't even mind how slow I am running right now--just glad to have had a couple of non-painful outdoor runs.

When I came back I got right on the bike (Matt was still sleeping). I watched a rather graphic episode of "The Shield" (someone tried to put his murder victim down the garbage disposal!) and then wound up on ESPN because there was nothing else on. I'll have to find a movie for tomorrow to keep me occupied as I am out of Netflix (can that be both singular AND plural?) right now.

Speaking of Netflix, earlier this week I reported a disc missing because I put it in the mailbox on Monday and Netflix never received it. This morning, Matt was checking out the budding bulbs he planted in the fall and noticed a red envelope under the house near the mailbox. Sure enough, it must have blown out of the mailbox since it was so windy on Monday. Oops! Netflix already shipped my next movie though so I was quite happy with the customer service.

We had several ideas of what to do today percolating (a Cornell ice skating event, mattress shopping) but none of them really panned out. We're heading downtown in a few to walk around before meeting Liz and her husband and another couple in town for the weekend for dinner at a modern Indian place that is supposed to be excellent. I'm sure the company will be too!

Posted by becky at 4:28 PM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2009

Easy end of the week

Matt and I had dueling alarms going off this morning and we were ignoring both of them. I finally dragged myself out of bed knowing that I would only have a little more than an hour on the bike and decided that was okay for a Friday. I took it pretty easy during the workout too although my knee and Achilles (which I remembered to tape) were feeling pretty decent. I watched last night's "ER" and then caught some of "Today" featuring an interview with the founder of Facebook. Little known fact: his sister and mine went to elementary and middle school together. I kept picturing her face as I watched him talk about how concerned Facebook is about privacy (I may not believe that, but as a communications professional, I must say that he stayed on message well).

Our office was quiet today but still lots going on behind the scenes. Tonight Matt and I met after my manicure for Vietnamese food. I really like the traditional beef soup (pho) but tonight it tasted like cilantro even after I requested that they leave it out. Yuck. I had to order something else because I couldn't take it!

Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2009

A little excitement

I actually ran a little bit today, can you believe it? I'm not going to get too excited about it but it went okay. I focused on my form and nothing really bothered me (my arms, which are sore, did a bit). I did one one of my neighborhood loops and since it was a mild day, it was nice to be outside even for 25 minutes. My Achilles--or my calf, really--was a little sore when I got back and has been stiff today but I am trying not to dwell on it since it often gets that way after biking.

Speaking of biking, I did do a bit of that when I got home from the run. I must admit that I am enjoying "Real World" this season more than I thought I would. Soon there is a new MTV show starting where college freshman film themselves going to class, partying, etc...not sure about that one (but with all the crap on TV, I'm willing to try!).

I felt much more energetic during my run than during most of the other times of the day. A mini-Powerbar (has anyone else seen these? They have mini-Luna bars now too) at the gym helped and I made it through my routine. I also started a new book while I was on the bike, Christopher Buckley's "Supreme Courtship." I'm not usually a fan of political satire but it is hilarious so far. I need to speed read because it is already overdue at the library with no renewals allowed. So I guess I have my evening cut out for me.

Posted by becky at 9:44 PM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2009

Chugging along

I apologize in advance for another boring blog entry--I'll make it quick. This morning was a typical trainer ride although I was in a bit more of a rush than usual because I had a doctor's appointment. I decided to catch up on "ER" while doing my hill intervals. First I watched the episode from a couple of weeks ago and then I started to watch last week's. Just as my favorite character Carter walked back into the ER after years away, the DVR decided to stop. I tried numerous times to get past that point to no avail. I'm going to try and finish it tonight online. The DVR incident, sadly, was probably the most exciting part of the trainer ride.

My office mate found out today that she has strep throat. The rapid test she had on Monday gave her a false negative. Hopefully the germs will stay on her side of the office!

The gym was suspiciously empty tonight--I think there was a Maryland basketball game on TV. It's too bad that I was not in a really chipper or energetic mood and couldn't really take advantage of it. I got there kind of late and was really dragging--I did what I could and then called it a night.

Posted by becky at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2009

Some progress

I felt a lot more energetic on the bike today than I have in recent days. This is a good thing although I am not going to rest on my laurels because things lately have been day to day (injuries, etc.). My knee has also been bothering me less this week than it was during the weekend. I haven't done anything different so I assume it just is taking its time to calm down. As for my recent nemesis, the Achilles has been a little bit stiff/twingey of late; I notice it mostly in the gym. I'm sure I am oversensitive but I do know that there is no way that this could be related to running as I haven't done any of that lately. I know I've played around with the seat height lately but what to do if that makes my knee feel better?

Work has been fairly quiet this week, allowing me to chug along and get things accomplished. This doesn't always happen at the end of the month so I am grateful. I got to the gym at a reasonable time tonight and did what I needed to do, although I must say that my weird pinched nerve/shoulder strain from a couple of weeks ago is still plaguing me. Whatever I did makes my hand go numb and tingly whenever I lean down or have my arm in a certain position. Lifting doesn't seem to exacerbate it, but I don't know if it is helping. Mental note to seek medical opinion...or at least acupuncturist opinion.

We are watching Obama's rousing speech right now and it is so strange to think that all this excitement is happening just a few miles from here!

Posted by becky at 9:35 PM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2009

Post-Oscars Monday

I actually stayed up for the entire Oscars broadcast last night. That's what happens when you take a nap during the day (it wasn't intentional). Like everyone else, I only cared about the big awards, so most of it was boring. Matt was watching with me although he was also working on our taxes at the same time.

I don't know if it was the late bedtime or what, but I must have shut my alarm off because I woke up finally to Matt's. I was lucky. I got on the bike as quickly as I could but definitely felt a little rushed. I am back into "The Shield" and enjoyed one episode and then some of last night's Barbara Walters special. I am not a big "Baba Wawa" fan but I like Ann Hathaway so I decided to record it. It was not too exciting but I did learn that the youngest Jonas brother has diabetes.

I did feel less tired on the bike this morning but it still wasn't my best workout ever. I've recently raised the seat on my bike just a bit and although it isn't as comfortable when I'm in the saddle, it seems to feel better on my knee. I always do worry in the back of my mind that I am incurring more knee damage on the bike...but it is something I try not to worry about too much.

I sought some advice on swimming today from a couple of my more aquatic-minded friends. I got completely burnt out on swimming when it was all I could do a few years ago, but there is a part of me that wonders whether I would enjoy a Masters workout...if I got in better swimming shape first of course. There is a small pool at the gym so maybe I will "test the waters" with a little bit of swimming in the coming weeks.

As for the gym today, it was my usual routine--biking and lifting. I have added a few new things to my routine in the last few weeks and am trying to stick to them. It is always hard to break out of the same old, same old...

Posted by becky at 9:25 PM | Comments (2)

February 22, 2009

Different venue, same result

Since I've been feeling pretty crappy on the bike, I did decide to go for a change of scenery this morning and head to the gym. On the way there, it was snowing a little bit and I passed a few runners of whom I was very jealous. When I got to the locker room, I took off my jacket and this girl who is clearly a runner saw that I was wearing a National Marathon t-shirt and asked if I was running this year's version of it. I wasn't too mean about it but I certainly didn't want to engage her when she started describing how her hamstring has been sore since last weekend's Austin Marathon.

Sigh.

I didn't have a terrible outing on the elliptical but I had trouble finding the right level/resistance that felt right for my knee (I've written before about how there are way too many "height" levels on the ellipticals at the gym). I can't say it was mostly pain-free and in fact I was bothered a bit during the night by my knee as well. I also still had that tired/lethargic feeling that has been plaguing me for a few days. I have been meaning to find a primary care doctor for months now and I think this is going to spur me on.

I switched to the spin bike for a bit after about an hour on the elliptical. I must say I was relieved to be finished--I usually enjoy 90 percent of my workout but this was just not one of those days. I did one variation of my ab routine and then headed home.

I ended up taking a long nap later in the day and felt somewhat better after that--less tired, anyway. I even got on the bike in the early evening to watch the pre-Oscar, red carpet show and felt a lot better than I did in the morning.

We're watching the Oscars tonight along with the rest of the world...it's so hard not to be sucked in. Go Mickey Rourke!

Posted by becky at 7:56 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2009

Another quiet one

My blog entries are super boring lately. Believe me, I wish I had some exciting activities to report, or even a little bit of running. My knee has been in a funk (i.e. bothering me when walking down the stairs and stepping in a certain way) for the past few days and as much as I want to try running, I don't want to be limping through a 15-minute jog; it isn't good for me physically or mentally. Perhaps tomorrow I will go to the gym and mix things up a bit.

I was very bored on the bike this morning and I just did not have much energy. I also forgot to press start on my watch so I'm not even sure how long I was on there. I watched most of this movie called "Pride," about a group of inner-city Philly kids who become a swim team, so I guess that's a good gauge of time. It wasn't really all that good. Are you getting the sense that I didn't have a great workout this morning?

I did some errands in the afternoon, came home and promptly fell asleep reading. Matt and I walked up to a Chinese restaurant about a mile from us to get takeout tonight. I always enjoy Sat. night on the couch and this one should be no exception.

Posted by becky at 8:11 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2009

Another light day

I did feel a little less tired when I woke up this morning, but still kind of dragging on the bike. It frustrated me to no end when I'm not feeling my best, but what can you do?I took it easy, doing fewer hill intervals than usual. I am without any DVDs to watch right now, but luckily last night was a good TV night. I am much more impressed with " Grey's" these days than I was at the beginning of the season. I am dreading the end of February sweeps!

My work day flew by today. Lots of calls, meetings, etc. I had about 90 minutes to kill tonight while waiting to meet Matt and it did cross my mind to go to the gym quickly, but I am trying to be good and listen to my tired body. I am in Barnes and Noble instead getting my Us Weekly fix. Much better!

I am looking forward to hopefully a quiet weekend. Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 6:18 PM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2009

Quick update

Matt and I are watching a movie ("21") tonight so my update will be a bare bones one. I have been feeling kind of tired this week so I took it easy on the bike this morning. My knee didn't feel too bad but I just had a hard time getting into it. I watched a way-too-religion-focused episode of "House" and then it was a dose of "reality" on "The Real World."

This evening I did my usual biking and lifting routine at the gym. It was really empty--I wondered it I was missing something. Most likely people were out at happy hour. The aforementioned tiredness was still lingering so I again took it easy. Chances are I won't make it through this whole movie without a nap!

Posted by becky at 8:55 PM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2009

Learning to run again

Before I went to bed last night, I put out running clothes with the intention of doing 20 or 30 minutes before biking. But when I woke up, I got out of bed and felt my knee immediately, so I decided to hold off. I was bummed but I knew the bike was waiting. My legs were pretty tired today but I managed to get in a good workout while watching my usual medley of "The Shield" and some MTV shows. I will be stuck with DVR'd shows for the next couple of days after finishing my latest Netflix full of "The Shield" episodes.

Fast forward to my next workout...where I actually did some running. My knee hadn't been feeling too bad during the day and I decided to get on the treadmill and do 15 minutes of gait re-re-training. I'm pretty sure that my Achilles layoff caused me to forget what had become my new natural stride after the U of Delaware gait analysis, and that is causing me lingering problems (last Thursday's fall didn't help either). I worked really hard to jog (hah hah) my muscle memory to remember the pattern that is best for my knee. And you know what? After a couple of minutes to settle in, it didn't feel half bad, with no problems afterward (I hopped on the bike for a few and then lifted). So, I am going to try this for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I'm hoping I won't be as confined to the treadmill as I was last time since I have had some experience with this gait. I'm not sure if it will make any difference, but like all of my other options, it is worth a shot.

Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2009

Starting the week on a Tues.

One of the nicest parts of a three-day weekend is the four-day work week that follows. It wasn't too hard to get up and I was glad to remember that it was already Tuesday. As I said yesterday, I intended to give my knee another day on the bike and that is what I did. I watched another episode of "The Shield" and then started to catch up on "ER"--I'm behind by a couple of weeks but every episode I watch brings me closer to the series finale...so sad. I have recently increased the resistance on the trainer (making every gear shift level harder) and fared well--my knee did not bother me and I felt good overall.

I think I need to stop doing acupuncture because I am reaching my insurance limit, but today I asked her to do a little bit on my knee as well. As always, it's no miracle cure but I like to think of it as speeding the healing process. (Speaking of healing, I was fascinated by this article in the New York Times about athletes using injections of their own blood cells to heal injuries.)

I rushed my gym workout tonight a little bit because I was late getting off a call and then knew I had a bunch of work to do tonight. But I did some biking and tried a few new lifting moves I've been eyeing other people do (could be dangerous). Speaking of that work I need to do...

Posted by becky at 9:39 PM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2009

Lazy day

I feel sort of guilty writing about the fact that I didn't do too much today (aside from work out) but I guess that was my choice on an extra weekend day. Plus, I did get a bunch of stuff done around the house that I had been putting off for weeks--including unpacking, sorting and putting away our good (silver) silverware. Not that I'm expecting to use it anytime soon...but we are ready for a dinner party should the need for one arise.

My first order of business this morning was a trainer ride, and my knee definitely is improving. I will take another day of cross-training tomorrow in the hopes that a run on Wed. might be more like the ones last week. In any case, this morning I watched the rest of the ESPN coverage of the Tyson Invite. I always enjoy watching track but the announcers continue to bug me because they often get names of runners wrong and they never devote enough coverage to the distance events. In the women's mile, Anna Willard was singled out not for her Olympic experience but for her "funky hair", and in the men's mile, there was a lot of confusion about which Nike runner was which. And the best was at the very end of the broadcast, when Shalonda Solomon was being awarded the athlete of the meet award and Dwight Stones or whoever it was said to her, "Well, I'm sure you will really be able to use that money!" as she stared at him in disbelief.

But aside from my frustration, I enjoyed watching the meet and then "Grey's" and its continuation on "Private Practice." It was nice not to have to rush to get ready for work.

Matt went to work again for most of the afternoon so I hung out until it was late afternoon and I was ready for the gym. It was extremely crowded--probably because of the "holiday"--and I had to deal with a (very loud) grunter, an equipment stealer and--I kid you not--a farter. Lovely. But I did manage to do a little bit of ellipticalling, a little bit of stationary biking and a pretty good lifting session.

I don't know how it got to be almost 11pm, but it's time to get back to the real world and go to bed.

Posted by becky at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2009

So-so

I knew that my decision to run today was somewhat questionable, but I decided to go for it since my knee wasn't any more sore than it has been during other points in this injury cycle that I ran through. I actually didn't feel too bad but definitely rustier than the last outing on Thursday. I did a variation on my 30-minute loop and it felt like it took a lot longer than that--not really a good sign. By the time I got back I was ready for the bike although my knee did not seem worse for the wear. It is still bothering me when getting out of the saddle so I mostly just did intervals by changing the resistance but staying seated. I entertained myself with "Real World" and "Grey's" so I was pretty content.

Matt went to the office for most of the day so I did a bunch of things around the house, read, went grocery shopping, etc.--definitely a quiet day. When 5pm rolled around I was still waiting to hear from Matt and coverage of Friday's Tyson Invitational was starting so I biked while watching the first 45 or so minutes. They also showed footage from last weekend's cross country meet so I looked to see if I was visible on the sidelines (no)!

I hope most people have tomorrow off--I always look forward to an extra weekend day!

Posted by becky at 9:18 PM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2009

Becky in real life

It felt really nice to sleep in this morning--sometimes I really like weekends with nothing on the agenda. I was pleased that my knee felt a little less sore when I woke up--I could still feel the tender spot, but it was definitely less painful. I spent about 10 minutes when I first got on the bike trying to find a movie to watch, since I like to do that when I know I'll be on for at least 90 minutes. I decided on "Dan in Real Life," since it wasn't too long and it looked like a bike-type flick. It was okay--watchable but definitely predictable. As for my knee, it was definitely improved from yesterday but still a bit tender when I was out of the saddle. I was happy though because I could tell I was babying it less and thus able to get in a better workout.

I got kind of a late start to the day because I slept in, but it didn't matter too much since we didn't have any plans. Matt had some work to do and I walked up to a shopping area about a mile from our house to do some looking around for t-shirts. My work uniform is pretty much a t-shirt and jeans and many of my older shirts are short on me because I have more muscles now than when I got them...many years ago. Banana Republic was actually having great sales so it worked out well.

I did some abs, push ups, etc. when I got back and then we left for an early Valentine's Day dinner in that same area that where I had shopped in the afternoon (we walked up there again). We of course bumped into someone Matt knew from the real estate world eating at the same restaurant. The meal was pretty good and we had awesome sorbet for dessert. It was a fun night and because we ate early, we're also going to try to fit in a movie.

Happy V Day to all! I just read that Jenny Barringer ran close to 15-flat at UW tonight, so she must be having a great Valentine's Day :)

Posted by becky at 8:15 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2009

Don't assume anything

Just as I was feeling more positive about my various injuries...I tripped on the bottom of my pajama pants walking up the stairs last night on my way to bed. I caught myself but stepped down extremely hard on my right side, sending a jolt of pain into the exact spot on my knee that continues to plague me off and on. I couldn't believe it. I took two Advil right away but I lay awake for a few minutes (long time for me) worrying about how it would feel in the morning.

And unfortunately it didn't feel great. Not as painful as my Achilles had been a few weeks ago, but certainly not what I want. I planned to bike today anyway, and I was super conscious of how I was feeling to the point that I wanted to shut my brain off. I ended up getting in a decent workout but I felt like I was holding back, and I didn't do as much out of the saddle because that is when it put the most pressure on that spot.

I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a bit down today because of last night's incident on the stairs. I have three weekend days coming up and was really hoping to get out there for two of them. I've been icing all day and I will plan to bike tomorrow and then take it from there. I know there are people out there with much bigger problems (plane crashes, layoffs, etc.) so I don't mean to be selfish and a complainer. It's just...frustrating.

But it is Friday. Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 8:26 PM | Comments (0)

February 12, 2009

Damn wind

I really hate the wind--even when it's not that cold out--but secretly I am glad to be able to complain about it today, because that means that I ran outside! Just a little bit, but it felt okay: 13 minutes and then I turned around and came back (and got on the bike, of course). If I can make it to 30 straight minutes this weekend, I'll keep it there for a couple of weeks and see how I do and whether I get less slow or things start to break down.

Back inside and safe from the wind (although it actually seemed to be worse this afternoon), I watched last week's "Grey's Anatomy" and a bit of "90210." Very exciting stuff. I had less post-run/during bike soreness than I had after my run on Tuesday, so I am pleased with that. I was pretty stiff, however, after sitting at my desk for the first couple of hours of the work day. I guess that's to be expected especially with my old knees.

Not too much else exciting to report from today. My arm/hand tingling is still noticeable but getting a little better and didn't bother me too much at the gym. I had the misfortune of sharing the mat with a talkative trainer and his (female) friend, who were debating the hotness level of different women in a magazine. Nothing like being a stereotypical gym trainer!

Posted by becky at 9:46 PM | Comments (0)

February 11, 2009

Flip-flops in Feb.

Today's high reached 72--so of course everyone was talking about the weather and running outside in it. I was just glad that my Achilles felt pretty normal this morning on the bike--no ill effects from yesterday's run as far as I could tell. Unfortunately I woke up a little late and didn't have all that much time for my workout, but I made the most of it. I just received a few more episodes of "The Shield," which apparently has been around for 8 seasons or something. That is a big commitment...but it is a good show for the bike. I did longer intervals today since I had less time.

I didn't notice it so much on the bike, but my arm and hand have been continually getting all tingly since yesterday. I probably did something to my shoulder at the gym because it feels like it is coming from there. I can't figure out how to make it feel better and it is most annoying when it happens while typing! Hopefully it will just get better on its own. At the gym tonight I decided to lay low on the lifting and just did some ellipticalling and leg stuff as well as foam rolling my shoulder and back. We'll see if that makes a difference.

We are watching the rare weeknight movie--"You Don't Mess With the Zohan"--so I am going to tear myself away from my computer and tune in!

Posted by becky at 9:25 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2009

Slow and steady

We are experiencing another bout of springlike weather, so it was much easier to get motivated to do a little bit of running before getting on the bike. It's always tough to figure out how to progress when you're just getting back into running, but I am trying (hard) to err on the side of caution. I stayed in my neighborhood--which included two very small hills--and just jogged for 12 minutes, walked one, and jogged back. My Achilles and knee were both a tiny bit sore upon my return, but it definitely wasn't too bad. I was glad to have been outside at least for a few minutes and it made getting on the bike even easier. My Achilles did feel a little stiff on the bike but I might have been just paying too much attention to it.

I had a productive day at work and then of course it was off to the (extremely crowded) gym. I made the mistake of not bringing my iPod upstairs and had to listen to an extremely macho/unpleasant conversation while I was biking--ugh. I managed to get the weight machines I wanted once I moved on to lifting but it was not easy. I must have had my "don't mess with me" face on.

My laundry and dirty dishes are calling so that is it for me tonight.

Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)

February 9, 2009

Another Monday

Anyone else feel like it is always Monday? The weekends definitely go by too quickly. I actually didn't have too much trouble getting up this morning--I was helped out by the fact that I heard something about the Chris Brown/Rihanna scandal when my alarm went off and I was curious. I made my way to the basement and the bike and was pleasantly surprised to see I had yesterday's coverage of the Boston Indoor Games to watch. There are a lot of commercials during those meets, but I was pleasantly surprised to see so much of the distance races. Watching track--or anything athletic--always makes biking go by so much faster. I had fun and didn't have any Achilles/knee pain to speak of.

I had another acupuncture appointment today. I reported on my run yesterday and she was glad to hear it went pretty well. The one area that is still tender to the touch is the outside of my foot near the ankle bone--she treated it and then massaged it and said it is probably some compensatory pain.

I arrived at the gym tonight to find the women's locker room drying out after a flood. I purposely did not ask what flooded and I just hoped for the best. I snagged a stationary bike but then had to navigate a very crowded floor. And when I got out of the shower, I reached for my towel only to discover that someone had grabbed it! It was just one of those nights...but nothing to really complain about.

Posted by becky at 9:51 PM | Comments (0)

February 8, 2009

Look Ma, no pain!

Well, hardly any pain/discomfort when running a few minutes at a time, that is--and I'll just try to be happy and take it from here. Today was of course another warm and spring-like day so I was certainly not the only runner out there but I was kind of wishing I was so I wouldn't have those silly thoughts of, "Wait! I'm not really that slow!" when being passed. But anyway, I did my 8 minutes, 8 minutes and 5 minutes with short walking breaks in between and arrived back not too much worse for the wear. Just a little bit of lower Achilles/foot soreness. My knee was a little sore too, but I've come to expect that.

I transitioned right to the bike when I got home and caught up on "Real World" and a couple of other shows. I was worried that my calf would bother me but it really didn't. I actually like getting onto the bike when I am already warmed up because it seems like I am able to get to a point of working hard without the warm-up period. All in all it was a solid 90 minutes or so (with the running) of working out and because I got up late, it was already almost noon by the time I got out of the shower.

Nothing too exciting to report from the rest of the afternoon--I did a few errands, got my manicure and pedicure (it's supposed to be unseasonably warm again later in the week) and then Matt and I met another couple for dinner in our old neighborhood. I'm home a little late for a "school night," but sometimes you have to make sacrifices to be social!

Posted by becky at 9:55 PM | Comments (0)

Look Ma, no pain!

Posted by becky at 9:55 PM | Comments (0)

February 7, 2009

A day at the races

I woke up excited to go and watch USATF nationals but also feeling like I didn't get enough sleep. We didn't get home from dinner/socializing last night until close to midnight--past my bedtime for sure but a couple of Advil melted that sleep deprivation headache right away. I hopped on the bike and watched some movie I'd never heard of (and wouldn't recommend) called "Love and Other Disasters." My legs/knees/Achilles felt fine, but I just had a hard time focusing and working as hard as I like to. I'm not sure why; it just happens sometimes. I'm sure I was also thinking about how nice it was forecast to be today and how many fair-weather runners would surely be celebrating the comfortable temps throughout the day. I finished what I had time for, called it a day and moved on to the next thing on my agenda.

I was lucky to have (great) company at the cross country meet today--Liz even volunteered to drive. Neither one of us was too familiar with the park where the meet was so we followed the suggestion on the USATF Web site and parked at the Metro where they were running shuttle buses. Once we actually found the parking lot, things were surprisingly well organized and we were onsite in no time. We hung around for about 45 minutes before the junior women's race began and I enjoyed picking out the runners I knew and reuniting with folks I hadn't seen in a really long time, including Alison.

None of the races were too exciting except for the senior men's, where Meb would have been outkicked had the race been just 5 meters longer. But the course (a tough one!) was laid out pretty well for spectators and we really had fun cheering for people we knew and knew by reputation (okay, I led the charge on that one). It's not often that our region gets to host these events so I was definitely savoring it.

The temperature got up to the mid-60s in the afternoon (everyone and their relative was outside running, walking, playing, etc.) and Matt and I did take a nice walk when I got back from the meet. We have a movie on tap for tonight but I am already falling asleep so I seriously doubt that I will make it to the end!

Posted by becky at 8:34 PM | Comments (0)

February 6, 2009

Finally

It comes as no surprise that I am very glad that today is Friday, as I have been complaining all week about how tired I am. I somehow didn't set my alarm last night so I accidentally got a little more sleep (woke up to Matt's alarm) and I definitely feel more well-rested, but I am surely glad it is the weekend. And not just any weekend, USA XC Champs weekend. (You'd think I was an actual participant!)

My Achilles/ankle had a weird cramp in it for the first five minutes or so of my trainer ride and just as I was about to freak out, it went away and then I felt un-injured. Not sure what was up with that but maybe I just had my foot in a weird position. I finished my DVD of "The Shield" this morning but TV has been pretty good lately and I am racking up a bunch of shows on the DVR. I started one of them, this week's episode of "90210," this morning. I haven't heard much about this show since it premiered in the fall but I find it pretty watchable (that is not saying much considering my proclivity for MTV shows.) But still.

We are invited to a Shabbat dinner tonight at a friend's house and although I could have technically fit in a lifting session, I am just not motivated and am hoping to fit in a hair cut instead. I am pretty sore from lots of shoulder stuff last night so I'm trying not to feel too guilty.

Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 4:56 PM | Comments (0)

February 5, 2009

Longest week ever

Is it Friday yet? This week seems to be dragging and it probably all stems from my extra-long Monday. I did get to bed at a reasonable hour last night (before Matt came home, actually) but I still woke up a little tired, and I had a major case of the drowsies during my last meeting of the day today. I hope I can catch up a little this weekend.

So it was another day on the bike for me--it looks like my next trial run will be either Sat. or Sun. when I have more time and the weather will be better (who ever thought I would become a fair-weather runner?). I think my bike needs to be serviced but I am too lazy lately to take it in. There is actually a new bike store right near my office--maybe I will call in the morning and see if they do same-day service. Anyway--I felt good on the bike this morning and did my longer hill intervals for the first time in a few weeks while watching "The Shield" (I like it and the pace is just right for a biking show) and some MTV stuff.

I was supposed to go to acupuncture this afternoon but I had to cancel to be on a call. I will try and go back on Monday and hopefully will have had some jogging experiences to report on.

I started a new book (non-fiction) about twins adopted into separate families (they meet when they are in their 30s) while riding the bike at the gym and it is really interesting. Then I lifted and eventually braved the cold again to do a couple of errands and walk back to the garage where I was parked. I shouldn't complain about the cold as 1) Matt did all his commuting today without a car and 2) it is going to be spring-like in a couple of days! Just in time for USA XC nationals...

Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)

February 4, 2009

Getting over the hump

My early (and long) Monday is definitely taking a toll on me as the week goes on. I had designs on getting outside to do my test run before biking today but I chose the extra few minutes of sleep. I think it was a good choice, because even despite getting the extra sleep I was sleepy this afternoon.

I still got in a decent trainer ride today and caught up on "House" and "The Office" in the process. My Achilles is definitely improving and I am able to get a more efficient workout because I am feeling better. My quads have been pretty sore lately and that shows me I am working a bit harder. The only lingering issue I have is some soreness on the outside of my foot/ankle and I'm hoping that lessens as everything gets stronger.

I was dragging a bit at the gym tonight but I managed to get in some stationary biking and then of course lifting. I also made sure to spend some quality time with the foam roller at the end of everything. I've recently heard that some PTs think the foam roller is bad because it bruises your muscles, but anything that I can really feel working is good for my purposes. I'll continue to believe that until I hear otherwise from someone I trust!

I am getting excited for the USATF Cross Country Nationals this weekend--the races are in my county! It has been cold here but the weekend is supposed to be in the 50s or 60s, so it may even be pleasant to be a spectator. Definitely looking forward to it.

Posted by becky at 9:32 PM | Comments (0)

February 3, 2009

Grossed out at acupuncture

I was actually surprised that I wasn't more tired this morning after not getting home from the airport until after 10 last night. Sometimes it takes two days to hit me so I will be on the lookout tomorrow. But even though I didn't have too bad of a time getting out of bed, I did not wake up early enough to have time to get all bundled up for another 10-minute trial run before biking--so I just biked.

I knew I had an acupuncture appointment today so I tried to focus on where my lingering Achilles soreness is while biking (and going down stairs sometimes). I watched another episode of "The Shield" and then last night's "The City," which was much more serious than usual (tackling the taboo subject of eating disorders in the modeling industry). You never know when MTV will show its serious side...anyway, my Achilles continues to feel better on the bike and I definitely don't think about it as much during my workouts.

Everything was going fine at acupuncture--she had put the needles in around the area that still bothers me--and I was lying in the dark on the table. All of a sudden I started hearing this really creepy sound coming from inside the wall next to my head...a sound that unfortunately I know from experience. There was definitely some sort of rodent running around in there and it was totally grossing me out. When Dr. Z. came back I asked her about it and she said someone else had mentioned it and she was going to call the building manager. I hope they get it taken care of ASAP because I find it hard to relax when I'm not really alone in that room!

It was nice to be back in the gym tonight because I hadn't been since Friday. It was strangely empty so I had no problems going through my routine. Matt took the car tonight to go to poker at a friend's house, so it took me a long time to get home. But I made it safe and sound and being a track nerd, I am about to watch Jordan Hasay's press conference announcing her college choice!

Posted by becky at 9:52 PM | Comments (0)

February 2, 2009

Chicago for the day

I’m currently waiting to board my flight back to D.C. after spending the day in Chicago. Today was one of those long days that felt like a week—I can’t believe the Super Bowl was just last night and that probably doesn’t bode well for the rest of the week. I did drag myself out of bed a little before 4 this morning to get in a trainer ride. I probably wasn’t fully awake until I started sweating, and after that it wasn’t too bad. I knew it would be my only chance today so I made the most of it. I watched the pilot of “The Shield,” which was recommended to me by a friend. It was pretty good; I’ll make a series judgment after a few more episodes. I also watched some of last night’s post-Super Bowl episode of “The Office”—I had no idea it was even going to be on until last night. Whatever gets you ratings, I guess.

As for my aches and pains, all was pretty quiet. I had a little bit of calf tightness but nothing too bothersome. I ended up walking around today in boots—not high heels, but little heels—and as I got to the El station tonight, I noticed my calf was a bit more sore. I’m going to hope that it was just the shoes as I had intended to try another run tomorrow. We’ll see how I feel in the morning.

We are boarding so that’s all for now!

Posted by becky at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)

February 1, 2009

Thought-provoking bike ride

Today would have been a great day to be running outside and reveling in the very warm temperatures (62 or so by the afternoon). I did enjoy a bit of a walk during the day but as usual, the majority of my workout was spent inside on the bike. I rode for about 90 minutes this morning and for the first time, didn't have that achy calf/Achilles feeling. I did have a little discomfort right near my ankle and I will have my acupuncturist focus there when I go back on Tuesday. If that it the last remaining sensitive spot I will be glad.

I watched a really interesting documentary this morning, called "My Kid Could Paint That." It is about a four-year-old who becomes a hit modern artist and starts selling paintings for thousands of dollars. I missed the media coverage of the story when it hit (in 2004 I think) so it was all new to me. It was an interesting commentary on how much marketing can influence people's perceptions of what makes art "good." The pace was a little slow for a biking movie but I enjoyed it all the same.

We had a bunch of friends over tonight to watch the Super Bowl so I spent most of the day preparing for that. I did get another 30 minutes or so to bike but I only did it to take out some of my disappointment over not being about to run outside in the nice weather.

Tomorrow I am going to Chicago for the day for work, so if I get in any workout at all it is going to be at an ungodly hour. But I will do my best!

Posted by becky at 8:25 PM | Comments (0)