Running On...My Quest for C2FM

 Just putting this up as I think I read blogger will be deleted April 1st IF there has been no action on the blog in over two years. Look - there's action. Yes, I am that ego-centric that I need to keep my very small blog alive and well for...well, posterity! Happy Running, Janet

It's been almost a month since my last post! Wow - time flies. Best catch up... After my last post ( Running on - A Plan (Sort of)... ), I not only fell off the blog posting, I fell off the exercise wagon. The first bump was a rainy Thursday where I decided not to run (cue the 'uh ohs'). The second, and ultimate unseating, was back spasms. There was no way I could run - I didn't even walk. I did spend the time with a heating pad and ibuprofen became my new best friend. On a side note, the back issues tend to arise when I am working on my editing job...hmmm??? Anyway, it was what it was. After a week, though, I thought I had better get out and at least walk. So, after 6 full days off I got out for a walk with Zoe. We had a good friend visiting and he and Ron were golfing, so I had to (I make it sound like I was all gung-ho about getting back to exercising - truth was, Zoe needs the walk to curtail some of her residual puppy energy, and I was the only one around). I e...

Me and my plans! Today's plan was a tempo run - now for me, that's (in a perfect world) around an 11:30 minute mile. So I had a couple of options. Go out and do 2/1s like I did last week . Do 4/1s like I did a couple of weeks ago . OR ditch the plan altogether and do either a Willy Nilly Run or a non-stop, like last week. It's a wonder I get anything done with my poor decision making skills! Luckily, I didn't include the option of NOT running!! Once I got out the door and opened the workouts on my watch, I knew it was going to be 4/1s - with the run segments holding steady at 11:30m/M pace. My other goal was to do all the intervals (two weeks ago, I had to change up on the fly). Check and check! The run segments were even steven. I felt great. Turnover was good. There was only one segment where I dropped below the 11:30 pacing right before the turn around point. I managed to do 8 intervals...the 9th had a bit of a wobble and ended up being 1 minute run, 1 mi...

Garth Brooks is in my head today! Decided to get out there to do a much overdue Heart Rate Training Day - and had to move quickly once I made that decision as a thunderstorm was headed our way. I made my planned time (30 minutes) and was on the cool down walk home as 'the thunder rolled'. Then the rain started - so my cool down was upgraded to a sprint - especially since the thunder was getting closer (had visions of being a perfect target in my hot pink shirt for a bolt of lightening)! Surprisingly, this is only my 3rd recorded Heart Rate Training Run (I thought I had done more - but, to be honest, I have been slacking on my Monday runs). Pleasantly surprising is the fact that there is improvement. March 11 - 30 minute run in an effort* to keep heart rate around the 124bpm mark equalled 1.88 miles April 9 - 30 minute run in an effort* to keep heart rate around the 124bpm mark equalled 2.08 miles June 3 - 30 minute run in an effort* to keep heart rate around the 124bpm ...

After last week's onset of vertigo and reading that dehydration could be a cause (and having run over an hour and a half without any water intake), I was prepared for this week's long run. On a side note, I had planned on switching my run/walk time to 7&2s, but I couldn't get my watch to upload the workout. Frustrating!! I opted for a Gatorade type drink - got it all prepared and headed it out the door. And I was diligent at sipping during my walk breaks. Problem arose when, half way into the run, my bladder indicated it's fullness. The hill this week gave me grief and I walked most of the incline, which settled the bladder somewhat. Until I started running again...and my water bottle was half empty and making sloshing noises. Similar to a tap running, it did not help the issue at hand. Nor did my determination to finish the run/walk segments as planned. No worries, I did make it home without incident (whew). Once the most pressing issue was taken care of, I s...

It was a blistering fast (for me) speed workout today. Considering I had no gumption to get out there and get it done, very pleased with the effort and result. The plan was 2/1s x 15, looking for speed. I had done a 2/1 x 10 workout two weeks ago and it taxed me, so 15 reps was really going to take focus and determination. I had neither - so the plan was to go out and do at least 10. If I really felt like crap, less. The main thing would be getting out there - not sitting at home on the computer dreaming of chips!! At the 5th interval, I thought I may throw-up. I tried to get myself to slow down, but the feet were all about fast...and, truth be told, my 5K personal best was niggling into my thoughts. I kept going, promising myself that I could quit this speed workout at 10 reps. When I got to my turn around point and had yet to do 8 reps, I was inspired (and doing math). 10 reps saw me doing more math and wondering if I could post a PB. Overriding all those thoughts and the simple ...

Vertigo - it is not a pleasant experience. When I came back from my run on Saturday, I got on the floor to do my stretching, as per usual. The standard plank, bridge, clams, hamstring, hip flexor routine got cut short when the room started spinning. 'Uh oh' flashed through my head (OK, I may have said the word that rhymes with #grit out loud). You see, this has happened once before. After a run. And I was out (in bed, immobile, sick-to-my-stomach) for 3 days before the room stopped spinning. I did not want that to happen again. So, I immediately got up - to hell with stretching! And sent a silent wish out to The Universe to keep the vertigo at bay. The rest of the day was fine. I spent three hours in the garden - weeding, planting, weeding, cutting back, weeding (seriously, why don't I just go with weeds instead of flowers) and no problem whatsoever. Ron and I walked Zoe (yes, that took me to 10 miles for the day - and with all the gardening, my watch told me I had step...