34:10 minutes, half:half lap run/walk ratio
Blergh. Today was One of Those Days—I barely slept last night, got up at 6 am, finally dragged myself out of the house at 8:30 am, and felt completely enervated during my whole run. Still, my time wasn't that bad, especially considering that I stopped for at least 30 seconds to pick foxtails out of my shoe and let the timer run. Also, my time on my last lap was 1:51, which is only a few seconds more than my time for my initial laps. So I kept up my pace pretty well.
Tomorrow I head out of town for the weekend. I may or may not try to get in a short run sometime along the way, but if I don't, I'm not going to worry about it.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday 19 laps
32:16 minutes, half:half lap run/walk ratio
My time is improving a bit on the midweek runs. This is really only my second week of doing them, so I mustn't get impatient.
I had a pretty good run this morning, keeping up my pace and feeling good. I've begun switching directions after each 9 or ten laps on all my runs, in order to work out both legs equally. My right foot has been stiff and creaky, and I thought it was perhaps because of always running clockwise and pivoting more on that foot. But then at temple the other day, I realized it was in fact because I've been doing a lot of sitting in half-lotus position with my right foot pulled up on top of my left leg. D'oh! Oh well, I think the change-up of directions will help, anyway.
I hooked my iPod shuffle (which I seem to have named "shufflet" in iTunes) so I could see what was on it, and both the audiobooks, the Dalai Lama's and Pema Chodron's, were there, neatly in order, so today I was determined to find the beginning of The Art of Happiness to listen to while I ran. It took about five minutes of clicking back and forth, but I finally found it. Yay! Now, if only I can keep from scrambling it again, I'll be able to listen to the book all the way through while I run.
Also, after I'd already gone and bought a new bottle of sunscreen at Kmart, the free sample packet of sunscreen that I knew I had but couldn't find when I needed it on Saturday fell out of the bathroom cabinet right in front of me last night when I was looking for something else. D'oh! again. I tried it this morning and it's really rather nice. Has a fresh, almost citrusy scent, and is thick and waterproof while not being sticky and greasy. If I hadn't already bought a big bottle of something else, I might try to find some. Probably couldn't find it around here, anyway.
I found the info about this year's Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon. Apparently, it's now part of the Rock'n'Roll series, and has a different website. It's December 6, a week closer than Honolulu, but has a half marathon, which Honolulu doesn't. I wouldn't be able to do the full marathon at Las Vegas, anyway, since the time limit is 7 hours, but the limit for the half is 4 hours, which is eminently doable. So I think I'll plan for the Las Vegas Half Marathon this year. That will give me plenty of time to train, and it will be much cheaper than going to Hawaii, since I can drive instead of flying.
My time is improving a bit on the midweek runs. This is really only my second week of doing them, so I mustn't get impatient.
I had a pretty good run this morning, keeping up my pace and feeling good. I've begun switching directions after each 9 or ten laps on all my runs, in order to work out both legs equally. My right foot has been stiff and creaky, and I thought it was perhaps because of always running clockwise and pivoting more on that foot. But then at temple the other day, I realized it was in fact because I've been doing a lot of sitting in half-lotus position with my right foot pulled up on top of my left leg. D'oh! Oh well, I think the change-up of directions will help, anyway.
I hooked my iPod shuffle (which I seem to have named "shufflet" in iTunes) so I could see what was on it, and both the audiobooks, the Dalai Lama's and Pema Chodron's, were there, neatly in order, so today I was determined to find the beginning of The Art of Happiness to listen to while I ran. It took about five minutes of clicking back and forth, but I finally found it. Yay! Now, if only I can keep from scrambling it again, I'll be able to listen to the book all the way through while I run.
Also, after I'd already gone and bought a new bottle of sunscreen at Kmart, the free sample packet of sunscreen that I knew I had but couldn't find when I needed it on Saturday fell out of the bathroom cabinet right in front of me last night when I was looking for something else. D'oh! again. I tried it this morning and it's really rather nice. Has a fresh, almost citrusy scent, and is thick and waterproof while not being sticky and greasy. If I hadn't already bought a big bottle of something else, I might try to find some. Probably couldn't find it around here, anyway.
I found the info about this year's Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon. Apparently, it's now part of the Rock'n'Roll series, and has a different website. It's December 6, a week closer than Honolulu, but has a half marathon, which Honolulu doesn't. I wouldn't be able to do the full marathon at Las Vegas, anyway, since the time limit is 7 hours, but the limit for the half is 4 hours, which is eminently doable. So I think I'll plan for the Las Vegas Half Marathon this year. That will give me plenty of time to train, and it will be much cheaper than going to Hawaii, since I can drive instead of flying.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Week 2: 4 miles
1:08 hr, 30:60 sec run/walk ratio
Today's run was okay, but not great. I managed to get out by 8:30 am, but was still getting uncomfortably hot by the time I finished. It's becoming clear to me that I'm going to have to try to get up early enough on Saturdays to finish my long runs by 9 am, or else start running at a gym, or run in the evenings, or something, because it's not even the hottest part of the summer and already it's too hot. I wonder if I could get up early, do my run, then go back to bed to finish my night's sleep? Hm.
I used my vibrating timer to time my intervals, clipping it to my watchband part of the time and holding it in my hand the rest of the time. If I'm going to listen to my iPod while I run, I'll need to use the vibrating timer, because I can't hear beeps, but I'm still not satisfied with how to hold/wear it. I wonder if I hung it on my iPod lanyard?
I listened to the rest of Pema Chodron's audiobook, which took about 35 minutes, but then my iPod shuffle seems to have gotten scrambled. I couldn't find the beginning of the Dalai Lama's book, only a few random chapters. Then I couldn't find the beginning of Pema Chodron's book, either. So I stopped my watch at 23 laps and came inside to take off my iPod, and also to put some sunscreen on my arm, because my left arm was starting to feel hot and I didn't want to get a sunburn. But it seems I tossed my sunscreen (I vaguely recall that it was way out of date), so I changed my singlet for a short-sleeved shirt, and continued my run.
My time wasn't that great, but I felt pretty good the whole way. Two long runs down!
Today's run was okay, but not great. I managed to get out by 8:30 am, but was still getting uncomfortably hot by the time I finished. It's becoming clear to me that I'm going to have to try to get up early enough on Saturdays to finish my long runs by 9 am, or else start running at a gym, or run in the evenings, or something, because it's not even the hottest part of the summer and already it's too hot. I wonder if I could get up early, do my run, then go back to bed to finish my night's sleep? Hm.
I used my vibrating timer to time my intervals, clipping it to my watchband part of the time and holding it in my hand the rest of the time. If I'm going to listen to my iPod while I run, I'll need to use the vibrating timer, because I can't hear beeps, but I'm still not satisfied with how to hold/wear it. I wonder if I hung it on my iPod lanyard?
I listened to the rest of Pema Chodron's audiobook, which took about 35 minutes, but then my iPod shuffle seems to have gotten scrambled. I couldn't find the beginning of the Dalai Lama's book, only a few random chapters. Then I couldn't find the beginning of Pema Chodron's book, either. So I stopped my watch at 23 laps and came inside to take off my iPod, and also to put some sunscreen on my arm, because my left arm was starting to feel hot and I didn't want to get a sunburn. But it seems I tossed my sunscreen (I vaguely recall that it was way out of date), so I changed my singlet for a short-sleeved shirt, and continued my run.
My time wasn't that great, but I felt pretty good the whole way. Two long runs down!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thursday 19 laps
33:08 minutes, half:half lap run/walk ratio
I don't really know how to write my run/walk ratio on these runs, because it's not really a set time or distance. I just run approximately 30 seconds, or half a lap, then walk the rest of the way. I think it was more 30:60 seconds on the first mile, and half/half lap on the second. Oh well! Close enough.
I'd hoped to get up early enough to start running at 8 am, when it would be a little cooler, but it was not to be. First of all, I had an allergy attack last night, and ended up getting up at 2 am to take a pill. (I took half a dose of my Walgreens Allergy Sinus-D, which is the chlorpheniramine maleate-pseudoephedrine HCL combo I used to use all the time, which has become really hard to find now that pseudoephedrine HCL has been taken off the shelf and you have to show your ID and sign a form to get it. The stuff I buy at Walgreens also has acetaminophen in it, which I don't need, and I don't like taking drugs I don't need, but it's the only one I can find that has the other two drugs in it. I was glad to find that half a dose works just as well, and I don't feel as groggy today as I do when I take a full dose.) Then I slept in later to make up for missing an hour or so of sleep, and then I found a chipmunk in the kitties' room when I went to scoop their litter boxes, and spent half an hour or so chasing that around till it finally escaped under the door into the utility room, so I gave up and set the live trap and hope to catch it later.
Anyway. It was after 9 am by the time I finally got out onto the driveway. I listened to Pema Chodron on my iPod as I ran. I hadn't loaded in any sutras or anything else, because I didn't want to lose my place where I was in the book last time I listened to it. Then I accidentally shuffled it anyway, and ended up with it starting on part of the next audiobook. Heh. Oh well, I went back and found a chapter of Pema Chodron's book that I don't think I'd heard before. (It's been so long since I listened to it anyway, I might as well start over and listen to the whole thing again.) I listened to Part 5.
The run itself was fine. I shortened my time a bit from Tuesday, but I'm still getting my strength back after being off for so long. One week down, twenty-six to go!
I don't really know how to write my run/walk ratio on these runs, because it's not really a set time or distance. I just run approximately 30 seconds, or half a lap, then walk the rest of the way. I think it was more 30:60 seconds on the first mile, and half/half lap on the second. Oh well! Close enough.
I'd hoped to get up early enough to start running at 8 am, when it would be a little cooler, but it was not to be. First of all, I had an allergy attack last night, and ended up getting up at 2 am to take a pill. (I took half a dose of my Walgreens Allergy Sinus-D, which is the chlorpheniramine maleate-pseudoephedrine HCL combo I used to use all the time, which has become really hard to find now that pseudoephedrine HCL has been taken off the shelf and you have to show your ID and sign a form to get it. The stuff I buy at Walgreens also has acetaminophen in it, which I don't need, and I don't like taking drugs I don't need, but it's the only one I can find that has the other two drugs in it. I was glad to find that half a dose works just as well, and I don't feel as groggy today as I do when I take a full dose.) Then I slept in later to make up for missing an hour or so of sleep, and then I found a chipmunk in the kitties' room when I went to scoop their litter boxes, and spent half an hour or so chasing that around till it finally escaped under the door into the utility room, so I gave up and set the live trap and hope to catch it later.
Anyway. It was after 9 am by the time I finally got out onto the driveway. I listened to Pema Chodron on my iPod as I ran. I hadn't loaded in any sutras or anything else, because I didn't want to lose my place where I was in the book last time I listened to it. Then I accidentally shuffled it anyway, and ended up with it starting on part of the next audiobook. Heh. Oh well, I went back and found a chapter of Pema Chodron's book that I don't think I'd heard before. (It's been so long since I listened to it anyway, I might as well start over and listen to the whole thing again.) I listened to Part 5.
The run itself was fine. I shortened my time a bit from Tuesday, but I'm still getting my strength back after being off for so long. One week down, twenty-six to go!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday 19 laps
33:30 minutes, 30:60 sec run/walk ratio
After running three miles on Saturday, then doing 15–20 minutes of prostrations at the Zen Center Sunday, then working five hours on the porch screens yesterday, I was pretty low energy today, and my shins were still sore. So I set out to take it easy on today's run, but still did a decent time. I went out at 9 am and it was already getting a bit hot; it wasn't a big problem, but I'd probably do better if I tried to get out by 8 am, especially as it's not even really hot yet this year.
I've been thinking about how I'm going to coordinate morning runs with morning Buddhist practice, and it occurred to me that I could just do my practice while running on alternate mornings, instead of sitting in front of my altar. I could load the Heart Sutra, or whatever sutra I'm working on, on my iPod, along with some Kwan Seum Bosal chanting, maybe listen to more of Pema Chodron's book for a Dharma talk, or empty my mind and meditate while I'm running and walking around the house.
I charted out my long runs with the Honolulu Marathon as a goal, and it works out pretty well, except that I've got my 23-mile run the weekend of Yaoi-con. This actually might be an advantage—I could go do my run in Golden Gate Park, where it's beautiful and the weather's nice and there are bathrooms and water fountains readily available. The disadvantage is having to leave my roommate to her own devices for the entire day while I'm off running, but I don't really care about the con, so if she doesn't mind it wouldn't really be a problem.
We'll see. I still haven't settled on Honolulu. The expense and hassle of flying to Hawaii might be a deal-breaker this year. The 2009 Las Vegas Marathon doesn't appear to have been scheduled yet, but it's generally also in December, so it might be a good alternative.
After running three miles on Saturday, then doing 15–20 minutes of prostrations at the Zen Center Sunday, then working five hours on the porch screens yesterday, I was pretty low energy today, and my shins were still sore. So I set out to take it easy on today's run, but still did a decent time. I went out at 9 am and it was already getting a bit hot; it wasn't a big problem, but I'd probably do better if I tried to get out by 8 am, especially as it's not even really hot yet this year.
I've been thinking about how I'm going to coordinate morning runs with morning Buddhist practice, and it occurred to me that I could just do my practice while running on alternate mornings, instead of sitting in front of my altar. I could load the Heart Sutra, or whatever sutra I'm working on, on my iPod, along with some Kwan Seum Bosal chanting, maybe listen to more of Pema Chodron's book for a Dharma talk, or empty my mind and meditate while I'm running and walking around the house.
I charted out my long runs with the Honolulu Marathon as a goal, and it works out pretty well, except that I've got my 23-mile run the weekend of Yaoi-con. This actually might be an advantage—I could go do my run in Golden Gate Park, where it's beautiful and the weather's nice and there are bathrooms and water fountains readily available. The disadvantage is having to leave my roommate to her own devices for the entire day while I'm off running, but I don't really care about the con, so if she doesn't mind it wouldn't really be a problem.
We'll see. I still haven't settled on Honolulu. The expense and hassle of flying to Hawaii might be a deal-breaker this year. The 2009 Las Vegas Marathon doesn't appear to have been scheduled yet, but it's generally also in December, so it might be a good alternative.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Week 1: 3 miles
28.1 laps, 30:60 sec run/walk ratio, 47:54 minutes
So, here I am again! After a long, hard winter of being sick five times, and then having a very hard time motivating myself to get back into it, I've finally gotten myself out running around the house again.
What happened was that my brother came over yesterday to help me fix up my porch, and we moved my vinyl couch onto the porch. Since the hallway & porch doors are too narrow for the couch, we carried it out the front, down the front steps, around the house, and up the porch steps. I found that I was able to lift my end of the couch easily enough, but I got tired really quickly and had to stop and rest about four times along the way. I have no stamina at all any more! Plus, I've gained weight, I'm not sleeping well, I'm fatigued all the time. I decided it was time to start running again.
I don't know which half marathon or marathon is my goal yet, or even if I'll end up running one. Right now, I'm sort of aiming at running Honolulu again. Counting today as Week 1, I have exactly 26 weeks till the marathon, so it's doable, although there's no leeway for missing runs built in, and I'm starting from zero. I don't know how I'll handle the long runs in the summer heat or winter cold, or if I'll be able to afford to go to Hawaii this winter, or any number of things. But it's a place to start.
Today's run wasn't too bad. My run/walk ratio was not timed exactly; I walked about two-thirds of a lap, then ran the rest of the way. I stopped twice because Mom stopped by; I stopped my watch so the pauses wouldn't count, but I don't know how much of an advantage those brief extra rests gave me. It got kind of hot in the last mile—I got a late start, because I had to go into town to pick up produce at 10:30. But this is the last week I'll be doing that, so I'll be able to start earlier on Saturdays from now on. (If I continue training for a full marathon, I'll have to either move my long runs to Friday or Monday, or take a few Saturdays off for the longest runs, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.)
I averaged 16 minute miles for my timing run, which is pretty good for not having run at all in six months. I sure would like to run a 16 minute/mile marathon!
So, here I am again! After a long, hard winter of being sick five times, and then having a very hard time motivating myself to get back into it, I've finally gotten myself out running around the house again.
What happened was that my brother came over yesterday to help me fix up my porch, and we moved my vinyl couch onto the porch. Since the hallway & porch doors are too narrow for the couch, we carried it out the front, down the front steps, around the house, and up the porch steps. I found that I was able to lift my end of the couch easily enough, but I got tired really quickly and had to stop and rest about four times along the way. I have no stamina at all any more! Plus, I've gained weight, I'm not sleeping well, I'm fatigued all the time. I decided it was time to start running again.
I don't know which half marathon or marathon is my goal yet, or even if I'll end up running one. Right now, I'm sort of aiming at running Honolulu again. Counting today as Week 1, I have exactly 26 weeks till the marathon, so it's doable, although there's no leeway for missing runs built in, and I'm starting from zero. I don't know how I'll handle the long runs in the summer heat or winter cold, or if I'll be able to afford to go to Hawaii this winter, or any number of things. But it's a place to start.
Today's run wasn't too bad. My run/walk ratio was not timed exactly; I walked about two-thirds of a lap, then ran the rest of the way. I stopped twice because Mom stopped by; I stopped my watch so the pauses wouldn't count, but I don't know how much of an advantage those brief extra rests gave me. It got kind of hot in the last mile—I got a late start, because I had to go into town to pick up produce at 10:30. But this is the last week I'll be doing that, so I'll be able to start earlier on Saturdays from now on. (If I continue training for a full marathon, I'll have to either move my long runs to Friday or Monday, or take a few Saturdays off for the longest runs, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.)
I averaged 16 minute miles for my timing run, which is pretty good for not having run at all in six months. I sure would like to run a 16 minute/mile marathon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
