Well it was bound to happen....

I haven't had a 'bad' run in quite some time.

You know the type of run. Where your legs aren't working correctly. Where your shin, knee, ankle, thigh, hammy etc hurts in sucessive aches and pains. Where once nothing is hurting, you can't catch your breathe or your arm hits the machine and makes it hurt. Yes, that kind of run. The run that is over before you even really get started.

That was my run last night. I still managed to run/walk hills for 4m but it was majorly difficult and took most of 50 min. Embarassing as the guy next to me had been running for a bit before me but ran almost 8m in the same amount of time.

I made it to the trainer this am. Not too shabby for a Tuesday.

Weekend Update

I was wonderfully excited to be able to do my long run after work on Friday. However, I was delayed about 40 min getting out the door and only was able to run 9.3m before I had to call it a day because of dinner plans.

I was a bit bummed because I wouldve preferred to get in 11ish miles but at the end of the day, I'm running to be in shape not to break any world records so that mile isnt going to make or break me.

I slept amazingly on Friday after a wonderful dinner and wine with my boyfriend and friends. Saturday we had a great day and I made it to an hour of condititioning at a gym I had never been to (always fun). It was a great workout weekend with great weather.

This week I need to focus on my intake. I indulged quite a bit this weekend in wine and risotto and other yummy things (although I did have fish both nights and egg whites in the am's but still). The schedule:
Tonight: 4m and maybe even yoga (ambitious?)
Tomorrow: trainer in the am
Wednesday: trainer in the am, yoga in the pm
Thursday: run hills
Friday: weights/yoga
Saturday: weights/yoga
Sunday: 15k

Working out is hard to do

It really is hard to find the time to work, work out, be normal, run errands, do laundry etc. I have moaned about this before, but since I've been working a ton lately (let's repeat: A TON) its been harder and harder. PLUS I have reached a tipping point. Once I am consistently working 12+ hour days, I eat substantially more. I use breaks for eating. So now, when I'm tired and my body needs a break, it requests a snack, and me, in my zombie world, allows this. I realized this past Sunday (when I hadnt eaten in 6 hours, had walked all around town and wasnt hungry) that I am perpetually feeding the monster that is boredom/I need a break.

I intend to more conscientious of this new problem. I have gained about 7 lbs since October which is really when I started working a ton. Jan through now has been especially bad and I have had issues trying to lose a single pound.

I should also note that today I ate a glorious bagel. I do intend to run 11m tonight so I thought the 'treat' was appropriate esp given my dinner was grilled veggies. Lunch will be a salad and that will be that. My intention is to leave the office around 5 and head out for a run. I really prefer to run Friday nights (over Saturdays) for a multitude of reasons as follows:
1) You can enjoy the entire weekend if you finish your long runs Fridays
2) I can have wine at dinner Friday
3) Sleepign in Saturday is encouraged, not a problem
4) I sleep better Friday nights!
5) Did I mention, I will have the whole weekend? YIPEEEEEE

Now, just need to get out the door at 5. We have dinner resys at 8:30 so I will have to leave from the office so I brough clothes to change in- luckily we have towels and a shower in the office- as a last resort I would do Equinox too- nice showers.

I am running the MORE half in 2 weeks (as I've blabbed on and on about). In the beginner Hal Hidgeon (I think I'm def not a beginner) the longest run is 10m. In the intermediate plan, you run 12m 1x and 11m 1x, 10m 1x and 9m 1x. I have run 6m then 7.75, then almost 10, then 10.5... hmmm what to run tonight? I am looking to finish not puking, not to have this amazing race....

That time of year

It's about that time of year as the layers begin to peel off (however slowly) that I begin thinking about running. In fact, my first real race ever was the Scotland 10-k on March 31, 2008 in 1:10:17.

It's amazing to think in 3 short years how much I have accomplished. After that first race I trained myself for my first half which was Gretes Gallop in Central Park the first weekend in October in 2008 (2:20:18, my best time to date).

After that I signed up with TNT and ran my first Marathon- NJ Shore in May of 2009 (5:23:26)

I then entered the NYC lotto, got in and ran in November 2009- less than 18 months after my first 10-k!!! Pretty crazy huh? (4:59:46) What an amazing feeling that was.

Since my first 10-k I have run 24 races with NYRR and 3 marathons (2 NYC, 1 NJ Shore). I also ran a half marathon in San Diego (2:30?) Crazy times!!!

I have not run any runs since the NYC marathon last year. I consciously did not run my 9th run, as to not tempt and tease myself this year into a delusional NYC marathon entry. I want to run this summer, keep up my 1/2 marathon training but I do want to work on speed and effort and being uncomfortable. At the end of the day, I am not happy that my best half marathon time was my first. Sounds kinda crazy.

Bronx half 2010- 2:22:28
NYC half 2010- 2:26:08
Bronx half 2009- 2:27:12
Manhattan half 2009- 2:26:17

In terms of my goals for this half, I would love to beat my Manhattan half time of 2:26. That race was 'feels like below freezing' at the time which was terrible. I do think, that perhaps it wasnt a counterclockwise race as this one is.

Last week was a blur

Wow. Last week was a mailto:clusterf$%5E@!#%^! It really was.

Wednesday and Thursday were off days at the gym. Varying reasons. Wednesday was meant to be, Thursday I checked into the gym to realize I had no sneaks. Well instead of speedwork, I sped walked (get it- tee hee) to my massage. L-A-M-E

Friday I was meant to go to yoga HOWEVER I was at work from 730a-1030p so clearly there was no time fo that. Saturday I slept in a bit, went to brunch and ran almost 11miles. How proud am I? It's def not my best running, but hell, to even find the motivation after the week I had, was triumph enough. It really was. Because I had no Friday night, Saturday felt way too short. It was a bummer AND I was tired from my run. Clearly.

Sunday I really slept in- 1030! YIKES! And the stupid spring forward time change didnt help. Don't give me any of the 'isnt it nice it's light out when you leave the office?' because its NOT. I don't leave the office. I am still here and its dark. So now its dark when I enter and dark when I leave, fabulous. At least I was making headway on the dark when I enter. SCAM! I will not be happy for another month when the sun is rising pre 645 am as it well should. I made it to yoga on Sunday after a 3m power walk, again very proud of myself.

This am I made it to my trainer for MAX30 which is a great workout and really nice and quick which I like. I also hate trainers who make you do warmups and stretch-uhm that's not worth what I pay you an hour. The MAX30 is 2x a week, $100 a week. It's good. Well for me, supplementally it makes me get another hour of interval/weights so that's uber helpful.

Tonight I am maxing and relaxing solo.

Tomorrow- Up at the crack of dawn to run sprints because I have an event after work. Cocktails. YAY. Diet better be deliciously perfect tomorrow to compensate for the champy I intend to have! I won't stay out too too late.

The plan this week is to run 11-11.5 with less stops on Sat pm. We are going out Friday pm so that should be tricky. Working backwards I hope to make Friday an off day, Thursday I hope to workout with MAX30 and do cardio before. Wednesday is up for yoga. Tuesday is sprints- God help me!

it's ONLY tuesday???

I am in shock it's only Tuesday!!!

Sunday I did a Soul Cycle Bands class- My tri's def hurt Monday and this am. Theyre healed now.

Yesterday I didnt make it to the gym- a much needed off day as last week only had 1 off day. Funny enough, I've gained weight this week. Awesome. Where is my tipping point? Clearly I am not over consuming regardless of how many 'cheat' bites I may have taken.

This am I woke up and ran 2.25 on the treadmill. Yes I know I need to do 3-4 on my easy runs, but quite frankly I have not had the time. I have been working 12-14 hours a day. It's really hard. Not only hard to fit things in but its hard physically and its certainly hard mentally.

I got home around 830 today and just couldn't muster the gym. Tomorrow I have my fist 30 min MAX session at Equinox. Basically its 2 30 minute sessions a week for the cost of a personal training session (essentially) The idea is low rest and for me it will act as a weights supplement because I never have the time to fit it in.

Tomorrow I also will have a 3-4m run with my boss. I hope to ditch her and do a tempo run. Not to be rude, but I need me some speed!!!

On the personal front, my computer died today. It was a cheapo one- $399 on Dell back in 2008.... Oh well. Piece of crap! I am so annoyed in general. I am exhausted. Thats all the blog (albeit boring) I have in me.

another recap

Last Wednesday was an off day for me. Last Thurs am I ran yassos at the gym. Lame yassos, but yassos none the less. I only had time for 3 repeats in order to include a proper cooldown and I ran at a 9:40 pace whereas I used to do yassos at a 9 min pace. The good news is that I was not breathing hard and was not breathing out of my mouth- a nice surprise.

Friday I made it to a 60min yoga class before dinner which was nice. Yesterday was my long run day. I ran 10m in the park. Well ran/walked but still 10m is 10m. I am not sore today (well not yet anyway). Today I am taking a soulbands class at soul cycle which is a cult like spin class in NYC.

If I am bored later I might also hit up yoga.