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January 31, 2010
Early start
This morning started earlier than most Sundays because I had an appointment for some blood work at 10 a.m. (yes, on a Sunday; we're very progressive here in Washington). I had hoped to get out of bed even earlier than I did but I didn't go to sleep until pretty late since we were out at that benefit last night. I managed to get in 90 minutes on the bike this morning and was thrilled to have some soreness in my quads while doing it!
My soreness can probably be attributed mostly to yesterday's snow, but anytime I have soreness--and not pain--equally on both sides rather than one sore knee, I'm happy. And of course I've been working on trying to get my quads to remember to be involved in my stride through my PT exercises, so that's a good sign. Who knows what will happen the next time I run, but I'm happy for now.
My bike workout was pretty standard; nothing much to report. I do have to share the fact that I watched an episode of "The O.C." followed by an episode of "Gossip Girl" (both conceived and produced by the same two writers) and both featured a cotillion/debutante ball. The story lines were very different, but it was a funny coincidence. Oh, the things that entertain me after more than an hour on the bike.
The appointment didn't take too long and Matt came with me. When we got back, it wasn't too much later than the time we are sometimes brunching on the weekends anyway. We relaxed and read the paper and both did a little work. Then Matt decided he wanted to go sledding (we do have a sled that we bought in Boston, it just hasn't gotten much use the past few years). We followed the neighborhood kids to the hill in front of the elementary school and Matt had his fun. I didn't sled because of my propensity to get injured doing odd things (for example, I was examining something on my bike tonight and clocked myself in the nose with something I was holding) but he got his fill and we socialized with some six-year-olds (okay, and their parents).
I got in another 30 minutes on the bike this evening following my hip/quad strengthening routine, but I wasn't feeling too energetic. I can't believe the weekend is over and it's nearly another Monday...and another month!
Posted by becky at 8:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 30, 2010
Snowpocalypse 2
We were only supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow today, so I wasn't too concerned about getting up early to beat it. I needed the sleep, that was for sure. The snow had just started when I woke up and it looked pretty light. But I took my time getting all my layers on (Matt told me the real feel was zero, although it didn't feel that cold) and there was already an inch or so on the ground by the time I was putting my sneakers on. It was coming down hard and I figured I better go.
Despite the fact that I had a winter hat over my baseball cap, my biggest problem was snow in the face. Snow freezing on my face, to be exact. The roads weren't too bad and cars were going slowly enough as people always get very nervous with snow here. My knees felt great (well, for me) for about 3/4 of my run but never were really too bad. The last couple of miles of the run were on the Capital Crescent and I was impressed to see how many other running footprints had already come through. But that made the ground kind of uneven, which was an extra challenge for my knee.
I could tell I was going to be sore when I got home, but it really wasn't terrible. And my total running time was longer than it's been in weeks. Once I thawed out I got on the bike for a little bit--but like yesterday, because I was cold, I never really got my heart rate up. Plus I was hungry and needed breakfast.
The snow has continued throughout the day and we probably have close to 8 inches. It's been a cozy day inside but we are headed to a benefit tonight. Not looking forward to putting on stockings in 20 degrees but I'm sure it will be warm inside.
Knowing that my good running days are often followed by not-so-good ones, I think I'll be on the bike in the morning for tomorrow's workout. I am off to do my hip work and then get ready for tonight's event.
Posted by becky at 5:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2010
Fighting a cold
I set out running clothes last night to try two days in a row again, but I woke up cold (I had a sweat attack during the night and apparently slept in a cold, wet t-shirt) and didn't really feel like going outside. I'm still not sure about if I've got a cold or not--just a headache and sore throat. It's a rare day when I don't feel like running, though, so I went with it and headed down to the bike.
I had a better workout than I thought I might based on the way I was feeling. I was glad to note that my quads were both a little sore while I was climbing hills. Just a tad, but better than nothing. Today's entertainment was the rest of "Big Love" that I started watching the other day and "Make it or Break It," the show about teenage gymnasts. Some quality television, I know. Whatever--it got me through my workout.
My day at work was a blur, again. I am tired of the constant frenzy. There was a period of a couple of hours where I actually got a lot done today, but here I am with a couple of things to do before I go to bed. The gym was extremely quiet today. Not sure where all my "friends" were, but it was easy to get to the equipment and weights I wanted.
It's almost Friday, right?
Posted by becky at 9:35 PM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2010
Please don't race me
I realized today that I hadn't been on the Capital Crescent Trail (at least the part that goes toward Georgetown) for weeks. I was trying to think of a different route than my usuals to mix things up a bit--so that is where I headed. Always a challenge because it is slightly downhill on the way out and (of course) the opposite on the way back.
It seemed lighter out in the morning today, finally, and I was even out a bit earlier than usual. Maybe the days are finally getting longer in the mornings too.
On the "out" part of the run, I hardly saw any runners, just a lot of bikers. I actually felt pretty comfortable and my knees weren't bothering me too much. On the way back, I passed one woman who looked almost elderly to me and I was disturbed by how difficult it was to pass her. I'm going to hope that I just didn't get a good look at her. Then I was cruising along for 10 minutes or so and actually feeling like things were clicking (despite the slight uphill) and all of a sudden I started to hear footsteps behind me. I could tell the person was stalking me. I tried to pick up my pace to hold the mystery person off (and succeeded) but soon realized that I wasn't able to maintain my form. My shoelace was also loose, so I took the opportunity to pull over and fix that. Turned out it was a guy behind me and he took no time at all to blow by me. But I'm glad I let him go--I'm not in racing shape!!
I had my usual post-run soreness but it wasn't too terrible and it went away quickly. By the time I walked to the gym this evening, I was a little sore in the quads (that's the goal) but otherwise feeling pretty loose. Too bad I was dragging again at the gym though; I was tired and my throat is a little sore. Hope I'm not getting a cold but it wouldn't be a shock as I probably haven't gotten enough sleep ever since returning to work after the holidays. Speaking of sleep--here's to another attempt to be asleep at a reasonable hour tonight.
Posted by becky at 8:55 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2010
And the week goes on
I felt even more tired than usual when I got out of bed (eventually) this morning. I tried to go to bed at a reasonable time but I was finishing an interesting book about the intern year of medical education and probably stayed up a bit later than intended. Jeez, it's only Tuesday. And the way this week is going work wise, it seems highly likely that I will be toiling away for at least a few hours this weekend.
Not to complain too much. A lot of people work a lot more hours than I do. And my knees were feeling pretty good today on the bike post-PT. I intend to run tomorrow so we'll see how that works out. I tried out this new show about first-year associates at a law firm that premiered last week ("The Deep End") and couldn't even make it through the whole episode (switched to Sunday's "Big Love," which was shot mostly in D.C.). Something about the lawyer show just annoyed me--in addition to the fact that there couldn't possibly be a group of 5 first-years that attractive--and we all know how low my bar is for shows. So I'll cross that one off the list and hope that the highly-anticipated "Parenthood," which premieres in March, can become a new show for me.
There are a few new regulars at the gym lately, and one is even a woman. She and I say hi and chat a bit and today I was happy to be able to introduce her to the joys of the foam roller for back pain relief. I told her how I have one foam roller at home and one at work (which I always forget about, but it's there should I even need it). That was the gym excitement for tonight; I was actually feeling pretty sluggish while I lifted.
Matt is at an event downtown tonight. He is missing a new frittata (sp?) recipe, but maybe I'll save some for him if he returns in time.
Posted by becky at 9:00 PM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2010
Heat wave
We kept hearing about this flash flood warning all day yesterday and wondering when it was going to actually start raining hard enough for that. It did start raining when I went to bed and I expected to have to brave a big storm in the morning. But when I woke up and checked the weather, I saw that it was windy but already 60 degrees. It felt a lot warmer because it was so humid--I got hot in shorts and a t-shirt after a few minutes. But even I will admit it was nice not to have cold hands or cold anything for the first time in a long time.
My knee did start to bug me a bit at the usual 45-minute mark, but I felt pretty good before that. I could have chosen a route without so many hills, but I am on autopilot these days with a handful of routes. The rain started again just as I was getting home--and it rained on and off a couple of times today--so I guess I got lucky with the weather today.
I worked from home for an hour or so this morning and then headed to physical therapy. I learned two new exercises for my hamstrings and then she did some manual work on my IT bands and kneecaps again. I don't think I'll be as sore as last time but the "massage" was not pleasant. Pain is good!
Once I got back to the office I didn't step foot outside until I left to go to the gym. It was a lot cooler than it had been hours before that, that's for sure. I got a late start after getting caught up with something at work so I didn't quite get to everything I wanted to in terms of lifting. But I did okay. I also started a new book that I can't decide whether I like. I guess I'll give it some more time.
Both Matt and I are going to make an attempt to get to bed "early" (i.e. before midnight) tonight. Wish us luck!
Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2010
End of football season (for Jets fans)
We're a little down tonight after a great first half by the Jets slipped away and the Colts ended up Super Bowl bound, but it was a good run. I actually missed most of the first half because I was at and on my way home from a baby shower for a good friend. Thank goodness for the highlights at halftime (and time to do my hip exercises, too).
I got up earlier than usual for a Sunday to get a bike workout in before leaving for the shower (I was helping set up and stuff so I had to be there a little early). I got in just under 2 hours but somehow never felt like I was working all that hard. The new pedals seem okay on the bike, but I think I'm nervous about doing something accidentally that will cause that same problem, so maybe I'm subconsciously not pedaling as hard? Or I could have just been feeling strong today. In any case, I did finish watching "My Sister's Keeper" and was surprised by the ending because it was very different than the book. I'd give it a B+ overall. I also watched this week's "Grey's" and was kind of annoyed by all of the fighting between couples.
I've got a little bit of work to do tonight but am hoping to get to bed at a reasonable hour to prep for what's sure to be a busy work week. Hope everyone had a good weekend!
Posted by becky at 8:25 PM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2010
What it is about Saturday runs?
I mentioned to a co-worker yesterday that I was encouraged by how I was feeling after a couple of physical therapy appointments. And as soon as I said anything, I started wondering if I jinxed it. I know that kind of stuff isn't really possible, but that's kind of how I felt this morning. I had "good" (not too painful) runs on Wed. and Thurs. and hoped to feel similarly today and maybe get in a "longer" run. But about 5 minutes in, I could tell it was not going to be a good day. And maddeningly, it was more IT band pain than anything--I haven't had that in a couple of weeks.
Stretching helped a little, but to be honest, this was an unpleasant run. It's really too bad, because it was nice out (sunny and not too cold). I was pretty bummed when I got home and my knee has been bothering me all day--not terrible but again, enough so that I was thinking about it.
As per my usual weekend routine, I biked for a bit after my run and tried not to think about my knee. I found the DVD of "My Sister's Keeper" when I was at the library the other night, so I started watching that this morning. I read the book ages ago (in my Jodi Picoult phase) and I know the movie wasn't supposed to be that great, but so far it's watchable. I had hoped to run tomorrow but I think I will probably just be on the bike.
Despite being down about my knee, the rest of the day went well. I had some errands to do in Bethesda and since it was nice out, Matt and I decided to walk there. It was a good idea and I think even loosened up my knee a bit. I made sure to spend some time doing my hip/quad work when I got home and before settling in on the couch...I have a feeling we'll be here for the next few hours!
Posted by becky at 7:02 PM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2010
Friday fun
It's time for my quick Friday update. I tried really hard to wake up on time so that I could get in some time on the bike and still be reasonably on time for work, but I think my hand hits snooze before my brain even has time to process it. The result was a little less time on the bike, but I did okay.
I had the bucket/basket pedals on my bike this morning because I determined last night that something was wrong with one of my clipless pedals. It didn't feel nearly as smooth but I was grateful that the pedals stayed on. I just put a new, pretty cheap set on the bike but I'm not 100% convinced that the same thing isn't going to happen again. We shall see.
In any case, nothing out of the ordinary during my workout. Probably a few less hills because it was harder to do them without being clipped in. I watched my guilty pleasure, "Make it or Break It," the ABC Family show about teenage gymnasts, and some "30 Rock." I really didn't have time for my full hip routine afterwards and I was too lazy to do anything tonight, so I will do my best to get to the hip exercises this weekend.
Matt's back from his little trip and we're relaxing in front of the TV. Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:59 PM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2010
The conservative route
I ran for a second day in a row today for the first time in what feels like ages. But I was careful--I didn't go for too long and finished up on the bike. The bike part was more of a test to see what I need to do about the pedal/crank arm problem. Unfortunately I think I need to replace the crank arm and my time tonight should really be spent catching up on work. Priorities, priorities.
Matt was waiting for a cab to take him to the airport for a quick trip to NY (and then Boston tomorrow) when I left for my run. We're like ships in the night. I chose a route that was probably a little too hilly for my conservative plan, but I did okay. Focused on form, etc. etc. as usual. I was a little worried that it would be icy out as the ground seemed wet but it was okay. I am definitely wary of hidden ice patches after my wipeout last week!
I was able to get in a little bit of biking, but one of my pedals in a weird frozen state and it wasn't the most comfortable of foot positions. I really hope I can remember how to replace the crank arm. I think I have a repair DVD around here somewhere...
My day today was really hectic. I kept starting things and getting interrupted. I hope to get some blocks of time tomorrow, but we'll see--you never know about Fridays. Everything at the gym was status quo--I am surprisingly not that sore from my kettle bell abs thing--and I even hit the library on the way home. It's sleeting a bit but now that I am inside it is nice and cozy.
Posted by becky at 9:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2010
Karma
I just walked home from the Metro (Matt has the car tonight for a poker game) and found 20 bucks on the ground! Very exciting, and I'm convinced that I got lucky because just as I had started my run this morning, I noticed a woman rushing/running from her house to what I assume was the bus stop and saw her Blackberry fall to the ground (it was dark so she might not have noticed (?). I caught up to her and gave it back to her and she was very grateful! As am for the fact that I'm now $20 richer.
That was definitely the most exciting part of this morning's run. But it's also somewhat exciting that my knees felt pretty good until the last mile or so. My lower quad/VMO area was very sore for a couple of hours afterward, but I tried to stretch it (and I did foam roll as soon as I got home) and it's felt fine since. I didn't do any major uphills or downhills today and maybe that helped. It wasn't intentional; I was just trying to think of a route that would be well-lit since I had to go a little earlier than usual. I have been good about doing my hip exercises--and the quad ones I learned at PT on Monday--and really trying to focus on my form as much as I can. (I also learned Monday that it's important to try and *not* run on my toes as much as I can--one more tweak to try.) It's hard to get excited about a decent run because mine tend to vary so much.
I was feeling rushed and uninspired at the gym tonight until the last few minutes of my workout. I was watching one of the trainers show his client an abs/arm thing involving the kettle bell and I knew I had to try it. Right now my arms are more sore than my abs, but any new soreness is great for me since I am so stuck in the same old routine. Clearly I need to try these things more often!
Posted by becky at 9:23 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2010
Bike problems again
I've been noticing a funny noise while pedaling for the past couple of days on my spin bike and today it became clear--in the last minute of my workout, ironically--that something is wrong with the way the pedal was threaded on to the crank arm. It fell off and I haven't had time to find out whether the threads are totally stripped again like last time, but I am about to investigate (another crank arm is on the way just in case, and I know I'll need it eventually). I'm concerned about why this is happening--I'm worried that it has to do with the way I am standing on the pedals when I come out of the saddle, but how do you change that?
Anyway, I was grateful to have gotten most of my planned workout in. I caught up on "Brothers & Sisters" from Sunday night and most of last night's "Big Love." Matt and I have traditionally watched "Big Love" together but after last weekend's season premiere, he decided he was done with it. I wasn't too impressed either, but I've given it all these seasons (3? 4?) already.
My knees felt good today, continuing on the post-PT high. I'm sure when I run next I'll have my usual aches and pains, so I'm enjoying this while it lasts.
I kept getting confused at work about what day it was. I'm glad it's already Tuesday, but we are super busy and stressed about the fact that it is already almost mid-week. The gym was also busy in the way that Mondays usually are. It was Member Appreciation Day and I enjoyed the DJ and the free bottles of G2 Gatorade. I did one thing with the kettle bells again so I may be sore tomorrow; otherwise it was status quo.
Off to fix the bike, read the depressing news about the Mass. election, and donate to my former employer the America Red Cross for Haiti relief. It's that kind of night...
Posted by becky at 9:33 PM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2010
Loving the extra day
These three-day weekends are awesome. But poor Matt had to work today so I did feel bad sleeping in while he was rushing around getting ready and didn't stay in bed too long. I took my time getting ready to get out the door (stretching, foam roller, etc.), which was nice. It felt like the day of biking yesterday calmed things down a bit but I knew I wouldn't be sure until I started running.
It was a lot warmer than I thought and I was actually a little overdressed. I tried really hard to focus on using my hips and quads and had a few decent stretches mixed in with some of the usual discomfort. I did my AU neighborhoods loop which has both uphills and downhills but nothing too crazy. The tell-tale sign of how my knees did comes post-run, and I wasn't terribly sore but it wasn't amazing either. I actually biked for about 20 minutes very easily when I got home to see if that would loosen things up and also iced afterwards.
I had a leisurely brunch and then finished up something I had been working on before heading to PT. It had been a few weeks since I went to PT because it's been hard to get away during the work day. It went really well--I learned a few more hip and quad exercises and then was "treated" to some manual loosening up of my most painful areas (IT bands and the VMO/lower quad area that continues to bother me on my left knee). I actually felt good when I walked out of there, and I went right to the gym to practice what I had learned (and do my usual routine).
Tonight I went downtown to meet two grad school friends for dinner. One is a local friend I see a lot but the other one was here for a meeting from out of town and I haven't seen her in ages. It was fun to chat and catch up. But the extra day of freedom has come to an end and now it's back to the grind.
Posted by becky at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2010
Physically inactive
Well, I did spend two hours on the bike this morning, but I am sitting here watching the Golden Globes after spending the last few hours sitting on my butt watching football (J-E-T-S!) and I'm feeling a little lazy. I suppose everyone needs a Sunday like that now and then, so I'll try not to feel too guilty.
It's been awhile since I've even tried running back-to-back days, and I didn't try today since my knee was bothering me so much post-run yesterday. It was raining when I woke up and it's really been a long time since I got the chance to run in the run, so I was kind of bummed. But then I remembered that it's not always that fun to be outside when it is chilly and wet, and I headed downstairs.
Lots of different shows entertained me today--from "The O.C." to "House" and a few others. I wanted to mix it up a bit today in terms of my workout so I tried some new patterns of hill/recovery intervals. It was probably pretty similar to what I usually do but maybe I fooled myself into making it seem a little different.
We had a few people over to watch the Jets game this afternoon and between grocery shopping and getting ready for my guests, I barely had time to do anything else today. I didn't even get through another round of hip exercises because the phone rang and I had to go grab it. But tomorrow is a day off from work and I also have a PT appointment (it's very hard for me to go when I don't have the day off) so I will devote some more time to the little things.
Posted by becky at 9:01 PM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2010
Uphills, downhills and all that lies in between
I didn't sleep that well last night and wasn't sure what to expect out of this morning's run. I wasn't even sure if I should run or bike. But it was nice out--shorts and long-sleeve weather again--so I ran with no expectations. And surprisingly, I felt pretty good, at least for 75% of the run (up from my usual two-thirds).
I started out going uphill for about a mile and a half and then spent the next 20 minutes or so going gradually downhill into Rock Creek Park. Then pretty much just as I got into the park, I had to climb out. I chose a road out of the Park that I'd never been on before, and realized that there are some really cool houses up there. Many of them are all glass and all of the windows overlook woods. You are less than two miles from Connecticut Ave., one of the busiest roads in D.C., but it feels very isolated.
I was tempted to turn this into a longer run because I was feeling good, but I thought better of it and headed back home. It ended up being a little more than an hour and then I jumped on the bike for a bit. I could feel my knee tightening up as I was getting closer and closer to home, and even the foam roller didn't do much when I got home to loosen things. I was pretty sore all day after that.
Today went by quickly because we went to an early dinner at our friends' house and had an errand or two to do before that. We had a fun time and are tired from playing with a four-year-old, a three-year-old, a two-year-old and a three-month old (another family was there too). I have my doubts that I'll make it up until Saturday Night Live...but I will try.
Posted by becky at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2010
Sore
I'm not sure whether it was my fall yesterday or the kettle bells, but I woke up with sore arms. I clearly don't vary my lifting routine enough because that I am hardly ever sore anymore. Luckily, I had an easy day planned today--just a bike workout. I was a little worried that the position on the bike would exacerbate the soreness, but it didn't.
I didn't feel super energetic, but I got through it by reminding myself that it was Friday. I watched another episode of "The O.C." and am not convinced that it is even worth my time on the bike. I knew it would be predictable, but it's too slow for my taste. I also watched last night's "Grey's" but forgot to tape the "crossover" part on "Private Practice"--oh well. Nothing else too exciting to report.
We had a planned server outage at work beginning at 5pm tonight, so although I was stressed all day trying to get things done before that, it was kind of nice to be liberated from email for at least a few hours. We'll see how long that feeling lasts.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 14, 2010
Splat
I find it highly ironic that today of all days, when it was the warmest it's been in weeks, was the day I slipped on a tiny patch of ice and went down hard. The snow is all gone except for a few patches...but I guess I found one. I was actually having a pretty good run and was about 2 minutes away from home.
I got the wind knocked out of me for a second but it really wasn't too bad. I must have hit the side of my leg first, then my arm and then my ankle, because I have cuts/bruises on all those areas. I think it hurt more than I would have expected because my skin was cold. And thankfully no one was around to witness the fall! I got it all cleaned up when I got home and I'll be back to normal in no time.
As for my run, I focused really hard on lifting my knees and using my hips instead of my usual shuffle, which I think is harder on my knees. Running with some discomfort is just the way it is for me right now (or forever, maybe) but I'm doing my best to manage it by tweaking my stride. Going down hills is toughest for me right now. I was focusing so hard coming down my last hill that I missed the patch of snow/ice at the bottom!
I made it to work right on time for my first meeting and then basically stayed in the conference room for the next 4 hours. Fun! Lots of good calls but not a lot of time to get work done. I did get out to get a sandwich and was excited about how pleasant it was out--my favorite weather, high 40s and sunny.
The gym was crawling with people tonight, especially people working with trainers. My gym just got kettle bells and the trainers seem enthralled with them. I don't know much about them but I am going to do some research since I too get excited by new equipment.
I'm glad it's almost Friday!
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2010
Long day
You know it's a long week when you wake up and think, "It's only Wednesday?" That was me today (and probably will be again tomorrow). I was glad to know that I didn't have to go outside as it was a planned biking day, but I will need to get out there earlier than usual tomorrow as I have a meeting first thing.
All went well on the bike. My knees felt pretty good and I got off the bike with tired legs, which to me is a sign of a well-done workout. I intended to continue with my DVD of "The O.C.," but something funny is going on with the outlet that I plug my computer/DVD player into and my computer was out of juice. Luckily I've still got a backlog of embarrassing ABC Family and reality shows on the DVR and those got me through.
Work was crazy as usual and I got stuck at the office a little later than I intended to be there, so I was rushing through my workout. I did cut corners a bit but did most of what I wanted to do. Tonight Matt and I have been reading a bit about the earthquake in Haiti--it's really awful but I've been glad to see that so many people are coming together to think of creative ways (via Twitter, texting, etc.) to help the victims.
Posted by becky at 9:27 PM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2010
Enjoying the lack of wind
I'm not sure why, but it felt a lot colder to me when I was walking to my office than it did when I was running (sometimes it has to do with the fact that I have wet hair post-shower). It was hard getting out the door (dark, cold, etc.) but it wasn't as bad as last week once I got going. I did my loop that passes by American and saw lots of tracksters out on their morning run (a big pack of guys almost ran me over, actually) as well.
My knee behaved pretty typically today. Good for about 30 minutes and then not so much. Perhaps I should only run for 30 minutes at a time, but I am too stubborn for that. It's too tempting also when I start out feeling pretty decent. I'm going to keep doing my hip strengthening exercises (I was supposed to have another PT session this week but canceled it because work was crazy; I'll go next week) and run sparingly to see if anything improves. I iced when I got to work but felt like that stiffened things up a bit (plus, it was cold!).
I had an appointment this afternoon and decided to bag the idea of trying to lift afterwards. Since I went to the gym on Sunday, I've already got a couple of sessions under my belt for this week. Matt and I had an early dinner instead and I am going to try to keep the "early" --or at least on time--theme going by getting to bed at a reasonable hour!
Posted by becky at 7:13 PM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2010
New week, same shows
I biked again this morning in the hopes of settling my knees down. It seemed pitch black when my alarm went off and I was glad to just be going downstairs. It's definitely been getting darker out a little later each evening, but I haven't seen any evidence of that in the mornings. Is this the darkest time of year in the mornings? I have a mental block about those types of things--it reminds me of eighth grade earth science.
Anyway. As much as I like the winter, I am tired of the wind, and I was glad to see that it will be in the high 30s and 40s this week--those are temps I enjoy--when I turned on the TV this morning. I got into a good rhythm on the bike right away and had lots of good stuff to watch, including last night's "Brothers & Sisters" and the always-riveting "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." What did we do before reality TV? I had a good workout without too much knee discomfort today.
My work day went by pretty quickly and I realized that the holidays now seem so long ago. Funny how that happens. The gym was really empty for a Monday in January--it was only last Monday that I could barely get a bike! I was really surprised...but glad to be able to get in and out without having to wait for anything. I started a new book of short stories on the bike and am trying to plow through them because the book is already due back at the library this week. That is my priority tonight too even though I could stand to do a little work!
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2010
Blog milestone
Amazingly, this is my two-thousandth entry here. It's funny to think how blogs have evolved since I started sharing my boring workout data--now that I work at a communications firm, we talk daily about blogs, Twitter and other social media, and I doubt most people would suspect that I have blogged two thousand times over the past five-and-a-half years. While I don't have many loyal followers, it's neat for me to be able to look back over all that time and see what I was doing when.
It's too bad that this blog-versary has to be marked with a pretty boring workout report. I was pretty glad to be on the bike this morning though given my crappy run yesterday. Netflix recently recommended that I put "The O.C." in my queue given my interest in other silly high school shows (think "Gossip Girl"), so I decided to give it a try today. I missed it while it was actually on. It seems about right for biking, although a little slower than "GG." I was on the bike for 2 hours this morning though so I just needed stuff to pass the time.
My knees felt better today than they did yesterday...probably because I didn't run. I did a lot of hill intervals during my workout and was pretty spent when I was done.
I was near the gym this afternoon getting a hair cut, so I decided to get one of my weekly lifting sessions out of the way. It was nice and quiet there and I'm glad I went.
It's almost Monday again but at least we've got some new HBO shows to watch tonight...
Posted by becky at 8:31 PM | Comments (0)
January 9, 2010
This day flew by
I think this day went by especially quickly mostly because I didn't get out the door for my run until after 9:30. I did enjoy a little extra sleep though, and I think I needed it. It was cold today, but not too terrible especially since the sun was out and it wasn't too windy. Unfortunately despite the sunny day, I had a pretty depressing run. I can't say that all of it was terrible, but after a stretch of the Capital Crescent Trail that was slick with our two inches of snow from yesterday) over (poor choice), my knee was practically unusable. It did improve some when I got back on the road, but it wasn't great. I don't want to write too much because I'm getting down again thinking about it, but I think this knee should probably be scoped at some point in the future. It's not in the cards for the immediate future, so I'll keep strengthening, icing, etc., but it is super frustrating to stop and realize that in the spring, it will have been four years of dealing with my problematic knees--without any end in sight.
I got in a little bit of biking when I got back from my run, and by the time I was all finished with everything and showered it was past noon and I was starving (Matt too--he waited for me to have a real brunch!). I'm not sure where exactly the next few hours went, but it was a combination of work, cleaning and cooking. We ate an early dinner while watching the first half of the Jets game and then we recorded the rest of it in the hopes that we wouldn't hear anything about the end result while we attended a concert at the Kennedy Center. (It was hard, but we kept ourselves in the dark.)
The concert we went to was great--it was a special Cornell alumni event. The current Cornell Glee Club members performed as a stop on their winter break tour and many alumni joined them on stage for the last few songs. I had no idea there were so many Cornell singers in the D.C. area! We ran into a bunch of people we knew and had a lot of fun.
We just watched the end of the game and are very happy with the result!
Posted by becky at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
January 8, 2010
A bit more snow
We had a couple of inches of snow last night--maybe less--and it was pretty and powdery. And amazingly it didn't cause the metro area to grind to a halt (though schools were delayed this morning). I was inside on the bike this morning though so I missed most of it.
I don't have too much to say about this morning's workout--I was glad to give my legs a break from running, but neither knee felt great today. Maybe they are tired at the end of the first week back from a break. (As I am.) But I did get some quality TV time in, as usual when I'm on the bike.
No other workout news to report. We're in tonight and unfortunately I have to finish some work before I can go to bed. But I am looking forward to sleeping in a bit tomorrow. Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:08 PM | Comments (0)
January 7, 2010
This morning seems long ago
When I was at the gym tonight, someone asked me if I ran this morning...and I could barely remember what I did this morning. I don't know why today seemed so long, but I am glad it is almost Friday.
So yes, I did run this morning. Matt had to get up early for a day trip to New York but I snoozed until I absolutely had to get up. I promised myself I would do a little bit of a shorter run than yesterday, but it ended up being about the same. Today's route was a hilly one and the downhills bothered me knees some. In general, I just felt a little rickety, but was glad to see that my hips were a little sore (it means I'm using them). It was definitely less windy this morning during my run than it's been lately, but when I was walking to my office about an hour later, it was ridiculously windy. Weird.
The long day feeling had me yawning my way to the gym tonight. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through my workout when I first started. I perked up a little on the bike, but I was really dragging through the rest of it--one of those days, I guess. Hope to get to bed a little earlier tonight; maybe it will help.
Posted by becky at 9:21 PM | Comments (0)
January 6, 2010
Still windy
Getting up early never used to bother me, but this week has been tough! It was a real struggle this morning, especially when I checked the weather on my phone and found out it was still sort of windy (but not nearly as cold as a few days ago). I tried to motivate myself by thinking about my friend who was probably already done with her run (in colder temps) already since she goes really early. That worked and I was soon dressed and ready to go.
My knees felt better on Monday than they did today, but overall I was pleased. The last time I did this route, there was barely a shoulder on the main road because of snow, so it was a lot more pleasant this time around. All of the dogs I passed stayed on leash and nothing out-of-the-ordinary happened. I was definitely a little sore when I got back (left knee) but it didn't last long. (I just realized I forgot to ice, though.)
After a meeting-filled work day when I didn't leave my office all day, I was psyched to get to the gym. It was far quieter today than it's been--have people already given up on their resolutions? I am getting tired of my hip-strengthening stuff but am forcing myself to do a few things each day to supplement my usual routine.
I chose to come home after the gym instead of going to meet Matt downtown to watch Cornell play #1-ranked Kansas in basketball. Wrong decision. Although I enjoyed watching in my pajamas, the game was amazing and Cornell led almost the whole time only to run out of steam in the last 5 minutes. They put up a great fight though and I'm excited to see what happens during the rest of the season. Go Big Red!
Posted by becky at 9:20 PM | Comments (0)
January 5, 2010
My shows are back
I was admittedly glad to wake up when it was still dark and know that it was a biking day and all I had to do was go downstairs. (Not glad to wake up, though--as expected, the week is already feeling long and it's only Tuesday.) I was also glad to know that I had a bunch of stuff to watch on the DVR as many of "my shows" are back after a holiday hiatus and the new season of "Real World" (set in Washington!) just started. I know that show is a brain drain but I heard all the gossip this summer when it was filming and even Matt watched the premiere with me last week.
My workout felt a little short because I've been able to bike for longer stretches recently, but I felt good. I watched Sunday's "Brothers & Sisters" and was totally annoyed with the episode the whole time--it was very unrealistic and made a bone marrow transplant seem like getting your wisdom teeth out or something. But the writers don't consult me, clearly.
My right knee was a little sore after the bike but nothing too terrible. I've actually begun sleeping with a small pillow between my knees because I suspect that I clench my knees together very tightly while I am asleep, causing me to wake up often with a lot of pain in the medial part of each knee--exactly where I have problems. It's hard to make sure it stays in place during the night but I have noticed a little bit of an improvement. Sometimes I wake up with jaw pain, too--probably from grinding my teeth during a bad dream.
I was tired at work today. I had to make a Starbucks run to get through the last couple of hours of the day. It helped though and I think gave me a boost at the gym too. Luckily it was a little less busy today and no one got in my way. I tried to hurry up a bit in order to get us home before it got too late--I have lofty goals of being in bed before 11 tonight--so felt a bit rushed. Speaking of that, it's already 10pm so I better get moving.
Posted by becky at 8:55 PM | Comments (0)
January 4, 2010
Not quite as windy
I was determined not to be bothered by the wind this morning (well, I was hoping that it had finally died down) but I forgot about the fact that it wouldn't be fully light out when I left. As much as I loved having almost two weeks off from work, it is not easy to get back into the swing of things! I actually didn't have too much trouble waking up, but that is only because I am starting out the week well-rested. This will not be the case as the week goes on--I can guarantee it.
I bundled up to head outside but it actually wasn't too bad. There was less wind and I even got a little warm after a few minutes. I was happy to do one of my staple loops because with our travel last week and biking this weekend, it had been a few days. After I warmed up (muscle-wise), I actually felt pretty comfortable. I was especially careful on the two steep downhills on my route because I think the PA downhills did a number on me a few days ago. I was pleasantly surprised to be less sore post-run than I've been recently. I was good and even iced my knee when I got to work. I hope that my hips are responding to what I've been doing, but maybe it was just a good day. Either way, I am glad for it and will probably bike tomorrow in the hopes that running a little less recently has also been good for my knees.
Though it was tough to be back to a work schedule today, it was nice to catch up with my friends at work and revisit some projects that I hadn't thought about for a little while. The day went by quickly and as I walked to the gym, I realized (with horror) that I was going to be surrounded by new gym members--the January onslaught. It was definitely true--way too many people I didn't recognize taking up my bikes and my spot on the mat (they don't do much with the weights, though). I survived though and didn't even have to be that pushy. This, too, will get old as the week goes on!
Posted by becky at 9:43 PM | Comments (0)
January 3, 2010
I'm a wuss!
The wind was supposed to die down last night and into this morning, but I could still hear it when I woke up. It was sunny, but I checked Accuweather and the "real feel" was below zero. I agonized over what to do on my last day of vacation--tough it out and head outside, or just head downstairs to bike. I knew that the old me would have been outside for sure. I just didn't feel like fighting the wind today, especially when I feel like my running days are to be relished. Hopefully it was the right decision.
So downstairs I went, and my workout was very much like yesterday's. Lots of hill intervals and lots of "30 Rock." (I'm finally caught up to the current season.) I felt pretty energetic after having a good night's sleep--now that it's back to the real work world, that feeling may wane!
I had to do a couple of hours of work today to get my mind back into well, work. I think I'm as ready as can be. After a bunch of errands, it was 4pm and seemed less windy, so I decided to bundle up and take a walk. I was walking fast but it was still really cold. Still, I'm glad I got out. I did a little bit more biking to warm up when I got back and then my hip strengthening stuff.
Tonight we're watching the Jets-Bengals game and hoping for the best (Jets make the playoffs). Hope everyone had a good weekend!
Posted by becky at 6:20 PM | Comments (0)
January 2, 2010
Good day to be inside
It's been windy here a lot lately. That's never fun in the winter, but today even the actual temperatures were pretty low. I must admit I was glad I had a biking day planned. The wind's been howling all day and even now, more than 12 hours after I woke up, it still sounds like a hurricane out there (minus the rain).
So I was glad to be warm (once the heat came on) in the basement this morning. I watched "Away We Go," a movie that got good reviews sometime in 2008, along with a reality show that we'll just group into the not-worth-naming category. The movie was a little slow but pretty funny in certain parts and moving in others. I randomly found it in the library the other day, actually--my first time renting a DVD there because they are hard to find and not well-organized. Plus, you have the time pressure to return it whereas I can keep a Netflix DVD for weeks or months without worrying about it.
My knees felt good on the bike today and I did my hip exercises afterwards, along with another set of hips and abs this evening. Today was a day of many errands, including an epic grocery store trip that took forever for a lot of reasons. But we're well-stocked heading into the work week. That reminds me that I should not be staying up late tonight and tomorrow to ease myself into getting up early for work again, but it's so hard to self enforce that type of behavior! We are also planning to watch another movie tonight ("Funny People") and haven't even started it...
Posted by becky at 9:17 PM | Comments (0)
January 1, 2010
First run of the year
It was deja vu this morning as I did basically the same run as yesterday, although the scary dogs weren't out so I went a little further out on the road and my knee behaved a little bit better. A little bit, but I notice everything. The roads were a little slick after another light coating of snow, but not too bad. I definitely felt like one of the only people awake before 9am on New Year's Day--we went to bed shortly after midnight so it wasn't too tough!
I only saw a couple of cars today and only one actual person outside his house (yelling at his dogs for barking as I went by!). It was cool that my footprints were the first since the little bit of snow that I guess fell overnight. I struggled aerobically on the uphills, but it was the downhills on the way back that bothered my knee more. Nothing new; just more of the same with the formerly "good" knee. I actually feel more IT band discomfort while I am running and then some inner knee pain for a couple of hours afterwards. We also got in the car soon after I returned so that probably wasn't so great. I haven't had a chance to ice today but I will try tonight.
We decided to stop at the outlets in Hagerstown on our way home today. Neither one of us particularly loves shopping but we do this sort of thing about once a year. Matt found a good deal on a pair of rugged shoes for walking to work in bad weather at L.L. Bean and I had some fun at the Under Armour and Nike outlets. We stopped for a late lunch in "downtown" Hagerstown on our way out--we found a teeny Mexican place that was open, most everything was closed--and eventually got home around 5. We are glad to have the weekend and glad we took our little trip. Hope everyone had a nice start to 2010!
Posted by becky at 6:08 PM | Comments (0)