Welcome Back: Good Habits On Hiatus

I finally purchased my 2010 weekly calendar. I've been using pretty much the same standard 5 2/3" by 8" weekly calendar for almost 10 years now (since my college days). And knowing my OCD self, this is coming rather late.

I usually transition into the oncoming year 2 weeks ahead of time but this year I have languidly relaxed into 2010 (a sign that I am taking myself less seriously, which is actually a good thing).

So today, upon purchasing my calendar, I looked back over the last month or so of my 2009 calendar and noted that prior to my running hiatus I was filling my off days with Cross Training and Yoga for Runners. I also noted that I was making noticeable improvements but suddenly it stopped.

But rather than try to figure why I stopped (not that I am ignoring the importance of finding that out) I am going to focus firstly on getting back on the wagon and yesterday I welcomed my favorite Yoga Is Yummy: Yoga For Runners back into my life.

The video is a short Yoga routine focusing on hamstrings. It was just what the doctor ordered. The stretches felt great and I drifted right off to sleep feeling limber and lithe.

I say: Figure out what got you off track later, work on getting back on track NOW!

Thankful Thursday

Well, last night's run stunk!

S.T.U.N.K.!

I felt like I might as well have been running backwards.

No, REALLY! I ran that slow!

I decided to go run at my 1 Mile Park Loop, which I hadn't done in quite some time and I did a little recalibrating on my Garmin (was just a little bit off ... not alot but I adjusted it).

Mile 1 0:11:02
Mile 2 0:11:43
Mile 3 0:11:45
Mile 4 0:14:25 (What the H.E.Double Hockey Sticks! I must have been sucked up into the chrono-synclastic infundibula and 2 minutes of time disappeared!)
Mile 5 0:11:30

Though I WAS impressed with the fact that I did 5 miles and I didn't feel very tired at all. I even caught up with my Mom and did an extra lap with her finishing up with a full 6 Miles.

Then when I got home I did some of the exercises for Yoga for Runners and a bit of Foam Rolling followed by my challenges. I wasn't sure I would even start them much less finish them but gladly I did both :)

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Push-Ups W3:L3:D2	20	25	15	15	25+25
Sit-Ups W3:L2:D2	21	28	21	21	28+28
Squats W3:L3:D2	27	34	21	21	34+50

Not too shabby, if I do say so meee-self!

On, to my Thankfulness List:

1. I am thankful that Frozen Strawberry's work just as well as ice on Ginger Ale ... actually, they're even better :)
   


2. I am thankful that I am able to register for the ING Miami Marathon and physically able to take on this challenge.


3. I am thankful for the support of my blog-gy-peeps who are cheering me on this adventure! :) (Thanks guys!)
   


4. I am thankful that Mr. Boyfriend doesn't think I'm absolutely insane :D Well, maybe he does, but he loves me anyway! :}
   

I leave you with this VERY COOL video of the ING Miami Marathon Race Course:



Have a great day!

Weary Wednesday

I am exhausted.

Last night, on our 3 mile co-worker walk/run (i.e. they walk while I run) we were joined by a one of the Lady Developers and became a 4 Mile walk/run.

I had a little trouble with my calves. They knotted up so bad I had to stop 3 times in the first 1.5M to stretch them.

Mind you I was doing pretty good.

The first half mile FELT like I was running at an AVERAGE pace but turns out I was hitting 7.0 mph (i.e. FAST!) and later looking at my Garmin I saw I hit as high as 10.0 mph (i.e. FLYING!) TWICE!?!?!

Splits were GOOD-UGH-OK-UGH!:

10:18.4
11:51.2
11:07.4
11:51.3

After the run, we cooled down and got to talking and it turns out the Developer who joined us today had done a brief stint as a Yoga Instructor in India (you know misspent youth and all that ;) and she walked us through a few MARVELOUS stretches.

Later on when I got home I remembered that Bobbi from N Her Shoes recommended a Yoga for Runners Video on Youtube so I decided to give it a shot!

I do declare, I believe I am HOOKED!




Today I'm a little sore but nothing I can't handle. Probably a 2 on a scale of 0-10. I'm thinking I will squeeze in a 10 min YOGA before the concert to stretch it all out.

On deck for this evening: Rest and She Wants Revenge

Have a great day!