Constant Cravings

For the past few days, I've been craving greek yogurt (honey), nutty granola and dark chocolate chips.
Breakfast, lunch (except for one day of thai curry), and dessert. Heck, I'd be eating the same combo for supper too, if not for the rest of the family.

Then, this morning, I'm feeling a bit out of sorts, so opt for a slow lope with the dogs, instead of a tempo run. When I get back home, pour my coffee and put together my yogurt/granola/dark chocolate combo, I sit down at the computer to this at MizFit:

MIZ. What do you eat when you have your period and crave sweets. Lots of sweets. I cant do treat days through my whole cycle. HELP!

Ahhh, that’s me (and many of us) to the proverbial T.

I used to think it was all in my head but, the older I get, the more I realize it isnt. My body truly craves sugar during that time of the month.

Interesting timing, no?

And then, part two of the post:

Miz, I’ve heard you talk about active rest and I wondered if you could define this for me. As a former overexerciser I tend to use the term active rest to pretend to myself I am taking a day off (doctor’s orders) when I am probably still doing too much. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

I loved this email because active rest is a concept which took me a while to wrap my training-brain around as well.

I tend toward the other end of the spectrum from our emailer and, when I was following a set program/training for competition, wanted my days of active rest to be more the latter word than the former.

By definition active rest is when we do lightlight activity (walking, slow swimming etc) in order to spark the RECOVERY process and not in an effort to calorie burn or tax our bodies in any fashion.

What?! How did MizFit and her readers get into my head this morning?

In all seriousness though, there's great information in the post and comments about the connections between particular cravings and missing essential nutrients they signal, along with discussion of active rest and recovery exercises.

How I spent my Mommy Pool Camp free time...

You can lead a horse to water...

...then pop the trunk bag and grab a drink.

That's a 10 calorie Vitamin Water sticking out of the bag. I'm usually a water only person, but have to switch to alternating water and electrolyte beverages for the summer months. I'm not one of those women who "glisten" during workouts in the heat. I'm a completely-drenched-with-a-flaky-shell-of-salt-crust woman. The lemon and orange low cal vitamin water flavors are okay, but I prefer the Cherry Lemonade enhanced water from Whole Foods, as it actually tastes like cherry lemonade, and not just a chemical representation. (Fortunately, Whole Foods is not far from the house... great excuse for a ride.)

Next week's Mommy Pool Camp free time will be spent as plain old "Mom" (frequently said in exasperated tone, sometimes with eye roll), as I'll be going for a trail ride with the 15 year old. OMG - still can't get used to saying that number in reference to B1

Home again!

Took a detour on the way home from Colorado. Spent time in New Mexico and Texas, and took some extra time to wander an hour - or four - off the interstates.

I'm working through the mountain of laundry, restocking the pantry & fridge, and organizing photos. Will begin posting some of our "off the beaten path" gems (to borrow a segment from Slamdunk) in another day or two, along with regular topics. There's the best rootbeer float of my life, delicious BBQ, stunning scenery, cattle roadblocks... and more.

Until then*, here's a snapshot from Pike's Peak. We rode the Cog Railway up to the summit. Went from sunny summer to big old snowbanks in an hour. (iPhone photo, as I'm still sorting the images from the two cameras.)


*To be honest, I'm stalling. Haven't been on a run since the GOTG 10 mile over a week ago. It's been almost three weeks away from the bikes. I'm relying on the 15 year old and the Xbox 360 to keep the younger two busy tomorrow morning, while I go for a two hour ride. Love the children, but need the mental health break.
Will take them swimming or out for a hike after lunch, lest anyone think I'm letting them become complete couch potatoes.

I don't want to run

Patty and The Duchess are calling to me from across the front room, tucked into the official bicycle parking behind the piano. Pleading to be taken out for a spin in the spring morning. I have to ignore them.

It's now only one month until the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile up in Manitou Springs, Colorado. It was my idea to sign up for a vacation race in a beautiful destination for my birthday. It's a stop on our cross-country trek this June. It will be gorgeous, but if there's going to be a hope of surviving hill after hill at higher elevations (6,210' up to 6,530'), it's got to be all about the hills here in humid ol' Atlanta for the next few weeks.

Sigh.


Will be keeping photos like this in mind while lacing up the shoes, even though the course elevation map (see below) will be right there with it.

Chattahoochee Challenge

Saturday, Feb. 7th, was the first race of the year for the clan. Part of the clan, at least. I ran the 10k, the kidlets ran the 1-mile Fun Run. (The oldest kid was away for the weekend.)

Complaints:
Had to get out of bed at 5:30.
It was cold.
I didn't get any coffee before the race.
Did I mention the cold?

Anyway. I'd picked up our numbers at Big Peach Running Co., so we were not pressured to get to the Chattahoochee Nature Center too early. Parked at St. Francis, and walked the mile to the start/finish. The boys walked; DD & I alternated walking and skipping, because it annoyed the boys. It was quite fun, and I think it helped keep us warmer than our walking pals.

The fun run started at 7:30. Here's my little runners:

DD - 11:37
B2 - 12:58

Rough times, noted by glancing at clock and trying to see where the munchkins were wandering off to after they crossed the finish line. I'm super proud of them, and will be helping them put together a playlist for the 5k they'll be run/walking with Dad next Saturday.

The 10k was at 8:00. Started in my normal back of the pack position. Hit the first mile in 8:43, then blew the official time by veering off to the park restroom at 1.5 miles. (There were no blue boxes at the start line! They had them for the summer race - where were they this time?) Made up some of my time by only walking through the water stops. The knee went numb & painful all at once at 5 miles, on the only mini-hill of the race. Slowed down to stretch out, then was fine coming back over the same hill in that last half mile.

Official time: 1:01:06

Watch time: 58:53

Got the first win for the 2009 goals - have gone faster than last year's 10k time. Now, let's get officially signed up for Run the Reagan Half Marathon, and see if I can knock out another one next week.

Once again, the race photos taken of me were all at the worst possible moments - while blowing out a breath, scrunching my face & squinting into the sun, etc., but the running kid pics were good, so I'll likely order one or two of my little runners.

Fun with Fitness & Organization on the iPhone

It will take me some time to see how I feel about these in the longer term, but here's how I've spent what little free time I had over the past couple of weeks:

iMapMyRide / Distance Meter
I keep track of runs & rides on the MapMyFitness website, via another app, Distance Meter. Have been using it since October, but I was willing to be wooed away from it. I tried to use this iMapMyRide, because it is from MapMyRun / Ride / Fitness. I don't like it. It's hard to say why. Sometimes the GPS is funky. Sometimes it randomly quits, mid-run.

It's not as easy to use as Distance, so I'm sticking with what I know. Distance had it's problems, but many of the random drops and trouble with incoming calls and texts interrupting the workout have been fixed. The screenlock feature is handy - really handy. Since it requires a triple tap to reactivate, there's no accidental switch offs when the iPhone is bouncing around in the zipper pocket on the back of my jacket or shirt.

Grocery iQ
Love, Love, LOVE this one. It's so easy to tap up my grocery list, especially when I'm heading to the Farmers Market. Quantities and notes about possible substitutions can go right into the phone, and it's really easy to navigate in the aisles. I can have one of the kids reading the list and doing the checking, which keeps them busy. (I know, they can do it on paper too. But since it's on a screen, there's not even a hint of complaining.)

After shopping, all the checked items can be moved into my history, making the staples quick to add to the next list or transfer to Favorites. I've gone back in and added notes about quantities for the next trip, so when I put it on the next list, it's automatic. Example: Bought flour on the stock up trip. Turns out I underestimated again this month, but not as badly as last month. What I purchased lasted 2 weeks, so I've doubled the qty in the favorites list, to have it come up properly for the next Farmers Market / Bulk trip.

Gas Cubby
I think I'll end up liking this one, but it will take a month or two to know for sure. I plugged in my gas purchase 10 days ago, along with the mileage, oil change schedule, tire rotation, annual emissions testing, etc. In the 10 days, I've yet to use a whole tank of gas. I've not even used a half the tank yet. Like I said, it's going to take a month or so to see how handy it really is, but I like the idea of it.

Lose it
Saw this on one of Apple's ads. Downloaded it, and haven't stopped using it since. I've been using it for a little over a week, and keeping track of food & exercise. I have customized calorie burn on types of runs, based on my heart rate monitor, which is rather neat. There are a lot of restaurant and supermarket brand name foods and meals available, but what I really find handy is the section which allows you to add your own recipes. For example, I was able to plug in the ingredients for Butter Chicken, including the batch of rice and side of green peas, and get a per person nutritional count. (It's 530 calories, in case you were wondering.) I'm not tracking all of the available info., just calories, protein and fiber.

To give the weight loss goals part a trial run, I'm doing three weeks with my daily calories set for a one pound per week loss. I did put on a couple pounds over the holidays, but it was within my "window", 3 lbs. either side of my average weight. I finished up the first week, and - sure enough - dropped one pound.

What's more - this app has made me aware I've not been eating enough calories. For the first few days, I was coming in 300-500 calories below the amount recommended for weight loss. Some days were fine, but seeing the actual numbers on days with 90 minutes of either running or hot yoga, I've probably been slowing down my metabolism. A bowl of blueberries and sliced strawberries may be super healthy eating, but it's not enough to make up for a 7 mile run, unless I use a much bigger bowl. Lose it had me tossing on an extra scoop of flax meal, and using 1/2-2/3 cup of yogurt, instead of just a couple of spoonful. (spoonsful? spoonfuls?)

Anyway, I'll keep using it, then switch over to "maintenance" as my goal after the three weeks are up. I'll have a virtual cookbook finished by then. I would really like to be able to sync the information for my custom foods and recipes to the computer. Not only would I not be in danger of losing all the data if there was a problem with the iPhone (touch wood), it would be nice to see it on the big screen while I'm doing menu planning and shopping lists. After all, I can't have both Grocery iQ and Lose it open on the screen at the same time.

My photos of the screen are lousy, I know. Here's the pretty version of the daily log screenshot from their website. For as much as you're entering each day, it's pretty simple. Doesn't feel as much like work as writing it all down. Of course, it can also be done through one of many websites, but that requires me to write it down too, so I don't forget it when I get home. If I'm writing it down, there's the little matter of having to also spend time digging up the quantities and remembering where I put the paper or notepad. I prefer Lose it.

Anticipating the "Ouch!"

Yesterday, when I said hot yoga was good, but not as exhausting as a 2 hour bike ride in August? I take that back. I went to a Power Yoga class today, and I can already tell it will be tough to roll out of bed into the cold tomorrow morning. Up dog, downward dog, planks, and a bunch of positions I couldn't begin to pronounce. I haven't done so many pushups at one time since 6th grade. (Broken arms, followed by 4 years of marching band meant no gym class after that.) The muscles of my upper body and core will be screaming, if the whimpering I'm hearing from them now are any gauge.

Putting away a stack of towels on the top shelf of the linen closet, my triceps trembled. From lifting bath towels over my head.

I think it's time to consult the trainers at the Y for an upper body / weight regimen. The running and cycling have given me lovely legs - it's a shame to keep them paired to these arms.

Boycotting resolutions

I don't do so well with New Year's Resolutions. For starters, I can never actually come up with them in time to make them officially part of the New Year. Then, there's the matter of specificity. If the resolution is too vague, there's no way to measure it, and I get discouraged. Too specific, and I feel locked in, and my natural rebellion to anything resembling authority kicks in. (Yes, I realize I'm technically staging a self-revolt.)

I do love a challenge though, so setting a goal works for me. Fitness goals for 2008 were:
Train for and complete a 5k, a 10k and a half marathon.

• Completed two 5k races on my own, and two with my children. This was spaced through the year.
• Finished two 10k races. One at the beginning of summer, one at the end.
• This October, ran my first half marathon. Thanksgiving Day was my second.

I also wanted train for and finish a half century, but trying to increase cycling mileage at the same time I was working up to 10+ mile long runs turned out to be a bit too much - both from the physical and schedule standpoint.

My stats for 2008:*
Cycling: 1,082 miles
Running: 502 miles
Hiking (with kids): 49 miles
*all the miles I remembered to tally - often short bicycle commute trips and kid hikes miss the training log.

This year, I want to kick my own butt. I'm going to go farther and faster than last year. And climb higher.
I'm shooting for:
2,000 miles, between running and cycling.
Beat my 2008 P.R.s (5k - 31:27; 10k - 1:01:56; half - 2:18:09)
Train for & complete an autumn half century
Finish a trail 10 mile or half marathon.

There are a few trail races not too far from home which should fit that last challenge. If the rescheduled holiday trip can be worked out for mid-June (which would make two grandfathers VERY happy), I'd love to try the Garden of the Gods 10 mile in Colorado. It's on paved roads and paths, so isn't technically a trail race. I'm pretty sure the higher altitude and big hills will be tougher than our little trails here in north Georgia, so as far as I'm concerned, it counts.

It really IS the humidity!

Last week was an awful week for my running. I ran four days, total of 18 miles, which doesn't sound too bad, but 14 of those miles were miserable.

I'd start out chipper. Glad to be outside. Glad to have a sanity break before dealing with either work or children's Christmas Parties - oops! - I mean Holiday Centers. (That's a whole 'nuther story.) About one mile in, I'd go from running to shuffling. I felt like I was overheating, even when I was running in sleeveless top & running skirt.

It wasn't a hydration issue. I wasn't injured. My sinus infection was long gone. It was in the mid-60s, which is usually a marvelous temperature for me. WTH?

Then it dawned on me. The temps were great, but I was running in 97-99% humidity each of those days. Without any noticeable breeze. I was running through a pea soup of mist, which only added to the slick of sweat. The rain had rinsed it away, which is why the 100% humidity runs during the previous week's rains had been comfortable.

If I needed any proof, I got it this morning. It's 31 degrees, with the humidity back under 40%, and my happy run was back. Didn't need any breaks, beyond the normal wait to cross the big intersection on my easy route. Ended winded, but not wiped. Shaved almost 90 seconds off my pace, compared with last week.

Now it's time to get my children bundled and outside, for a bit of fresh air & exercise. I think a walk by the Chattahoochee with the dog is in order. Then, lunch and house/yardwork. They want video games, and that means earning the time. An hour of chores or outside playtime = an hour of video games. No, the time does not generally accrue for future use. (Exceptions are made when we have a very active outdoor day followed by a rainy day.)

Counting Calories: My new hate/love relationship with food

Odd things are happening to my relationship with food. I used to not think of calories at all, or when I did, in a vague "ooh, I probably shouldn't eat this" way. Even as I was losing weight, I made myself think about healthy food choices and moderation, not calorie counts. That was a couple years ago, before I started cycling, then running. Even a few months ago, I was focusing on food choices and variety, not diet and weight loss.

But now that I'm playing outside (don't think of it as workout - too much fun) five or six times each week? I think about calories and food constantly.

My normal calorie intake for age, weight, and sex at a "normal" rate of activity should be in the 1650-1800 range. To offset the running and riding, I need to average 2,800 per day.

That's an extra 1,000 per day! I don't eat fast food. I don't load up on sweet coffee drinks with whipped cream. My idea of a good snack is a handful of almonds, or a couple fig newtons. That's nowhere near enough calories. So, I spend time each day thinking:

How much do I need to eat today?
I should probably grab some chips to eat with my veggies and hummus.
These miles mean how much extra food?
Will tossing avocado in my salad be enough?
What if I use the whole avocado?
I forgot my mid afternoon snack. Gotta eat.
Ugh. This yogurt's only 140 calories. What can I add?

It's exhausting. It's also necessary. After being in a very comfortable little range for almost one year, I've dropped weight fast this month. In the last six or seven weeks, almost 9 pounds. I think I might have just hit a point where my body was done at a certain plateau, and had decided it was okay to kick the metabolism up, since the increased exercise and food patterns were established. The body fat dropped by a full percentage point, so I think that seems reasonable.

My rings are loose. My clothes, other than running/cycling gear, are loose. My face seems different, too. I can see in the mirror which collarbone was broken when I was 12, and that bugs me. I feel pretty good, and have plenty of energy. (Not today, but that's normal girl stuff).

I'm still well within the healthy BMI, but am starting to grow a little concerned. It's probably nothing more than my body reshaping itself. I could keep researching online, reading the food discussions at Runners World, and pick up a couple books... I think it may be time to talk to a nutritionist. Build a good plan for the next several months. Between the half marathons this fall, then starting an official multi-sport training plan over the winter (duathalon - I'm a lousy swimmer), I'm not sure this is a time for me to stick with my normal trial & error methods.

Speaking of food, it's noon. I'd better go and grab some lunch, right now. Be a shame to ruin my appetite for that three o'clock snack.

Half Training, Week 9

Week 9 (9/1-9/7):
Monday: 11.5 miles, bike
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 3.1 miles, Hill
Friday: Off
Saturday: 1.5 miles, Speed (YMCA Track)
Sunday: 7.5 miles, Long

Total: Run - 12.1 miles; Bike - 11.5 miles

With the rough week, I didn't make my mileage. Did get in the long run on Sunday, thanks to my very helpful 14 year old son. In planning for the half marathons this fall, I tried to build in an extra three or four weeks, to make up for all the various school activities and minor kid illnesses which typically pop up. Never figured I'd need one of those weeks for something this big. I'm glad I planned ahead?

Tough Week

Now that we've made it through the surgery, and the orthopedic post-op is looking good, I'm ready to talk about our Labor Day adventure. It started out with a simple premise: Let's get the kids to round up their gear and go for a family ride on the Silver Comet Trail.

I thought it would be a little crowded, and a great opportunity for the little ones to practice signaling walkers and joggers when we pass, to practice passing safely in busy stretches, and to pay attention to where they are in relation to the center line. (The little ones drift a bit much for me to try bike lanes on even low traffic roads yet.)

While we're at it, why don't we have them supervise the safety & equipment check? Tires, orange safety flag on back of D's trail-a-bike, helmet adjustments, mini first aid kit, water bottles, the works. Get them thinking about being prepared, right?

Started off great. Parked at the elementary school. Unloaded, started tire check, then moved to helmets. All ready to go.

5-1/2 miles out, with a stop by the Depot for ice cream bars on the way back. Things were going great. Until B2 had a panic attack about his balance, and knocked Dad off the paved trail, a couple miles before we got back to the truck. If this had happened by the grassy shoulder, it would have been easy to recover. It happened where the shoulder was non-existent. Dad went straight into the graveled ditch. Caught himself, and the weight of his bike, on his left arm.

D & I usually ride a bit farther than the guys. With her on the tandem/trailer, we ride a little faster. (Plus, we just like chicking the boys.) We turned around at the 30 minute mark, and so were arriving at the scene about five minutes after it happened.
Dad was stretched out on the trail, arm completely limp by his side. It was obviously very broken. Looked like Harry Potter's arm after Professor Lockhart fixed a break by making all the bones in his arm disappear. I didn't dare move it.

B2 was dazed and upset, but seemed to have nothing but scraped knees, hands and cheek. (So glad we tightened the chin straps on his helmet.) A very nice jogger had already called 911, and a cyclist rode up to the nearest access point, to wave in the ambulance. (I really wish I'd thought to get their names, but am thinking a giant THANK YOU their way.)

Less than 10 minutes later, Dad was being packed in the ambulance, with a shot of morphine, and the Cobb Co. Sherrif's deputy was helping me get four bikes (3.5, technically) and three people back to the truck.

Rest of day spent at Cobb Wellstar, where they told us it was... broken. Finally got his arm splinted, a referral to Resurgens for an orthopedic surgeon, and an Rx for pain meds. Dinner at McDonalds (I skipped, can't make myself eat that anymore.), then home to try and sleep.

Tuesday was a bit of a blur. Wednesday, still blurry, but included consult with surgeon. Thursday, less of a blur for the four uninjured people, but a gigantic blur for Dad. I got all three kids where they needed to be, homework completed, clean uniforms, and fed. Even ran once or twice (short runs, during school day), and squeezed in some work along the way. Didn't sleep much.

Friday was surgery. Left radius and ulna lined back up, then reattached with plates and screws. I forget how many screws I counted in the post-op x-ray, but I seem to remember it being way more than a few.

Now that we're past those first couple of days where we needed to worry about nerve damage, bleeding and infection, things are looking up. Work, family and sleep schedules are still a bit off for everyone, but I think we're all starting to feel human again... even Dad.

Wake up call

A friend of DH had a heart attack recently. I say recently because the friend didn't even know he'd had a heart attack until well after the event. He was feeling off for a day or two, and went to the doctor to get checked out. A few tests later, he was sent off to the hospital. Mild heart attack, caused by two arteries with 90-95% blockage.

He is only in his mid thirties.

He's going to be fine. Stints were put in place. Medication, exercise, and better eating habits are being set up.

I look at this as a major wake up call for DH and his cronies. The guy with the heart attack was the youngest out of the gang. I'd think this would trigger alarm bells for others.

In talking with DH last night, he said "Nah, nothing to change. Nobody eats, drinks and lives like he does. I don't eat that much junk, I don't drink that much, and sure, I need more exercise, but I'm already working on that."

DH is almost 10 years older than his friend. He may live healthier now, but he hasn't always. I can count the number of doctor visits over the decade I've known him on one hand. The last visit was five years ago.

Healthier living now will help with the future, but what if there was already something wrong when we started making changes? What if he needs to do more?

He's not a kid. I can't take away video games or bribe him with ice cream to get him to the doctor for a long overdue physical.

It's the little things

Just in case the weather doesn't cooperate with plans for a 20+ mile this evening, I took Peter T. Dog out this morning for a lope. It rained most of last night, and everything is cool, damp, and lush. The kudzu is in bloom, adding the exotic scent of grape kool-aid to the air.

It was our very own, not-so-tropical, rainforest run.

---

Picked this little gem up from Dr. J at Calorie Lab.

A former olympic athlete has been banned from a department store in the UK, for running up the down escalator. What makes this snippet a gem?

You see, Mr. Hildreth just celebrated his 80th birthday, and unlike his previousathletic accomplishments, his celebratory behavior was not looked at favorably! At least not by the owners of Elphicks department store in Farnham, Surrey, where he decided to run up the down escalator to celebrate the event!

“‘I did it to celebrate my 80th birthday and it took me about six weeks to crack it,” he said, quite satisfied with his run!

It all started this past summer when Peter was making his daily visit to Elphicks, and was going up the escalator to their coffee shop. “It reminded me of 50 years ago, when I used to run up the escalators in London for a bit of a lark,” he said.

When asked about his training, he said, “It’s best to begin in little bits, so you start by coming down — say about five or six steps — then turn around and sprint to the top. And then gradually increase it.

“The most difficult bit is getting on at the bottom, because the bottom steps are constantly moving towards you and disappearing.”

I'm inspired! But, I think I ought to keep my goal of getting in trouble for kid stunts in my senior years to myself. Not sure I should let my kids hear I'm planning to be a juvenile delinquent when I grow up.

Dinosaur Dash 5k & 1k

We got up in time! Mom & B1 ran the 5k; B2 & G (a.k.a. D) ran the 1k. Don't know exact times for anyone, since I was paying attention to where my little group members were wandering while crossing the finish.

I think I was under 31:30, which makes for a P.R. B1 was roughly 40 mins. He started out really fast. Too fast. I passed him not long after the first mile marker. It was his first race, and he didn't want to listen to any advice from his mom. Next time, I think he'll do better at pacing.

D. finished the 1k in 6:40, give or take a few seconds. B2 crossed the finish line about one minute later.

I'll have to take a look at the official times and race photos when they become available. Until then, this shot was taken after the races, and does almost as good a job at making us look cranky/crazy. (We're facing the sun.)

Some days, you're the windshield...

I've been in a bit of an exercise funk for a week or so. Sick kids. Sinus trouble. Dropping tree limb. School registration (times three). I've been keeping track of my half hearted workouts , but haven't even been feeling inspired enough to plug them into my training log on the mac. I have been running, but not as much. Struggled to get under 12:00/mile. I'm never very fast, but YUCK. The stuffy head didn't allow for easy breathing in the almost 100 degree heat index, so I focused on small trips. Grocery rides, tandem rides with the kids. Not high mileage, but something.

I know. Whine, whine, whine.

This week, I'm on the upswing. Monday's run was okay. I'm a little faster than the last time I ran that particular route. About three minutes faster. Not bad.

Wednesday's bike ride was cut short by pop-up storm, not by exhaustion. The 12.5 miles I rode were at a 17+ mph pace. Even better.

It rained this afternoon, not long before my run. There were more storm cells on the horizon. I considered driving to the Y for a treadmill run. Rush hour traffic? Not high on my To Do list. As I started to tick off the reasons I couldn't/shouldn't climb in the car, something clicked. I switched to my older shoes, sprayed myself head to toe with bug repellent, and headed to the trails near my house. I took off at what felt like an easy pace. 8:00 running, 2:00 recovery.

Beep. Run. Beep. Walk.

No stress. No glancing at my HRM, looking for the next break. I negotiated tree roots, dangling briar and kudzu vines, leapt over muddy patches. Climbed through a couple of young trees which had partially fallen across the path. Kept going. The sound of my shoes hitting the graveled portions of the trail were in perfect time with the music. It was beautiful.

As I headed back for the car, I realized I could have managed an extra loop. Didn't want to push it. When I opened the truck door and reached for my water, I glanced at my HRM.

38:05

I had an average pace of 9:32, over four miles. Temps in the upper 80s, thick air, none of it mattered. It was a good day, a very good day. Today, I was not the bug.

I'm looking forward to more days like this.

Something in the Air

I have a whole new appreciation for Air Conditioning this week. After the night of breathing unfiltered, 80+ degree, soupy air, we're all stuffy and drippy. Benadryl and Claritin, all around. Nobody feels ill. It's just that same thickness of brain and body that comes with the height of pollen season, mid-spring. Guess there's something to those Air Quality Index number I hear on the radio each morning.

I'm headed off to the gym, to give the indoor (AC!) track a try. Might make it around more times than I care to count during a full hour, might only be 10 laps followed by a race to find kleenex.

On the bright side, this gives me the chance to spend the time running to think of fun things to say about "the family that runs together..." with runny noses in mind.

Making Progress

I snapped this photo on the Silver Comet Trail. This little fellow was half way across the path, and I helped him out of traffic and over to the grass.

This being the last day of June, and the halfway point of the year, I decided to take a look at my mileage logs. First, the numbers:


June, 2008
Bike: 160.5 miles
Run: 44.4 miles

Year-to-date:
Bike: 566.2 miles
Run: 204.8 miles

I'm starting to rack up the miles now that summer is in full swing. 60-70 miles per week, once you figure the gaps for vacation and camp. The three times per week store commute still makes up the bulk of my trips; the weekly group and/or solo ride are now the bulk of the miles.

I'm still not fast. I'm still not up to the skill and endurance level where I'd like to be. I still need to learn how to fix a flat & do emergency repairs, which I want to accomplish before I bump up to 50+ mile rides. Just like my little turtle friend from the trail though, I'm getting there.

No rides today. Today, younger son (B2) and I are playing mechanic on B1's old bike. We'll be cleaning and oiling the chain, checking brakes and inflating tires. Then, we'll be heading over to Riverside park to practice riding without training wheels on the large grassy areas.

One good thing which came from my wipeout a couple weeks ago - B2 is ready to give it a shot. If mom can fall over and be okay, falling must not be that bad. B1 and G are off at sports/travel camps today, so he can be clumsy without being mocked by siblings. B2 is still worried about falling, but says he really wants to blow past the other two and call them the slowpokes. I'm more than glad to help.

Rethinking Necklines

Maybe I should have titled this "Up to my Neck". I'm fed up with my t-shirts. I have broad shoulders, which means the standard crewneck gives me the appearance of a linebacker with breasts. My solution has been scoopneck and tees with a wide V. This has worked well for me for years. Not anymore.

The last few times I've pulled on my basic scoopnecks (black, navy, brown) with skirts or slacks, I've felt overexposed. At first, I thought it was just mood-based. Leaning over to put on my shoes yesterday, I noticed a wide open space between my chest and my shirt.

Oh.

I've lost something. Two somethings, actually.

It's not weight loss. (You can relax, Mom.) All the running, cycling and other have changed my shape. The scoopneck sits almost an inch lower than it has in the past. I could go with the junior size versions of the top, but I'm not sure I want the tighter fit around my rib cage and belly.

So, it's back to the drawing board on my proportions. The crewnecks still won't work, but I may start trying out ballet- and boatneck tops. Rebecca has started many discussions on Space Between My Peers about necklines and proportion; it's time to get out the measuring tape and figure out where my new target range is. I'll also plug new numbers into MyShape, and see how that changes my recommendations.

For now, I'm going to be putting a layer under my scoopneck and wrap/cross tops... after I get a couple of size small tanks and camis.

1:05:26

Item number two of my health/fitness goals is checked off my 2008 list. I ran the my first 10k last Saturday. I've been running most weeks with the Atlanta Track Club Women on the Move Peachtree Training group. Wasn't sure I'd be up for the massive crush of the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, so I signed up for the Possum Trot 10k at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

Race morning was slightly overcast, cool (for Georgia in June), and misty. The kids ran the 1-mile Fun Run with dad at 7:00 a.m., and I started the road race at 7:30. Middle of the pack, of course. First mile split, 11:21. After that, I was closer to 10:00, but was unable to keep up with times and do the necessary math as I reached miles five and six.

My time, 1:05:26, was faster than I'd hoped. With a 5k time of 31:48, a banged up knee and a massive achy bruise on my thigh, I was shooting for finishing in 70 minutes. Of the 65 minutes, I only walked about five. Three of those were through the water stops, which means I only hit the wall once, around 5-1/2 miles. The two minutes of walking to recover did the trick. I was able to kick back up to my turtle-speed run and make it over the mini hill on the way back to the finish line.

I'll probably run a couple of races over the next two months, but am looking ahead to August/September, when the half-marathon training group starts up. Item number three on my checklist is the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon.

Now, back to my regular alternating days of running/cycling.