Interval Running

I read in Maxim that in order to lose weight, you need to focus on high intensity, rather than long sessions at a lower intensity. Well, I enjoy a challenge, and I'm always looking for ways to change my routine, so I decided to try the intervals in the article.

Warm up walk: 3 minues
Sprint: 1 minute
Walk: 1 minute

Repeat sprint/walk intervals 8-10 times. I repeated 8 times, because I didn't want to injure myself on the first try. They didn't define "sprinting" but they did say that if you're not out of breath after a minute, then you're not running fast enough. I ran at a 9:40 pace, which for me is pretty fast, but I think I was still holding back a little. I was afraid I would either wear myself out too quickly or injure myself. By the last two sprint intervals, I was pushing the speed up a little, just to see if I could handle it. I'll try a little harder next time.

After the intervals, I still had some time to kill at the gym, so I kept doing intervals, but at more of a "jogging" pace of about 11:00 minute miles. The funny thing is, that's a fast pace for me, too! My usual "training" pace is about 11:30 to 12:00. But after running fast intervals, it was really hard for me to slow down. I wanted to keep running fast!

Good news: I haven't had shin splints for a long time!
Bad news: Hip flexor pain pretty much every time I run...

More good news: I ran with my sister on Saturday! It was the first time I'd ever run with another person, and I really enjoyed it! The time went by really fast, and I think we both ran a little faster because we had someone to compete with. I hope we can run together again soon!

A List of Things About Myself

I'm snowed-in again today. This happens in PA in February. No running for me. I'll probably lay on the couch and watch Smallville on DVD all day. With a break in the middle to do an EA Sports Active workout. Now for a different kind of entry...

10 Bests

1. Best Meal Ever - When my husband and I celebrated our first year of dating, we went to a local seafood restaurant for dinner. We were the only ones in the restaurant, and it made the evening so romantic! I don't remember much about the food (although I'm sure it was good), but I loved the atmosphere.

2. Best Sleep Ever - These questions are tough to answer! (And I'm only on number 2!) I used to go out to see bands, and sometimes I'd be out all night. I'd usually drink something with caffeine, which would help keep me awake for the long drive home, but it would disrupt my sleep once I actually got home. So I'd sleep maybe a few hours and feel like a zombie the next day. But the next night, I'd have the best sleep ever. (Looking back, I really miss those crazy nights hanging out with bands, but I don't miss being so tired all the time.)

3. Best Cup of Coffee - I was going to say the one that I'm drinking right now, but I thought of something else. Last August (I think), I tried to go a whole month drinking only water. I think I made it a few days before I gave in and drank a cup of coffee. That was the best cup of coffee ever.

4. Best Romantic Moment - When my husband surprised me with roses. It wasn't a holiday or anniversary, so I wasn't expecting it at all.

5. Best Childhood Memory - Ooh, tough one! I'd have to say, any time I went camping. Especially with my Gram. She would wake up early and make the best breakfasts.

6. Best Moment of Your Life - It would be nearly impossible for me to pick the best moment. Graduating from college, getting married, driving to Chicago for a conference, driving to Delaware to see a band, seeing Muse for the first time, seeing The Drama Club for the first time, finishing my first 5k race. Oh, and the first song I learned to play on my grandfather's electric organ. There are probably a million moments that could qualify.

7. Best Moment of Revenge - Getting to tease my husband for falling asleep at work. He teases me all the time, and I finally have something on him! lol

8. Best Thing that Someone Has Done for You - Love and support me unconditionally

9. Best Thing You Have Ever Done for Someone - see #8

10. Best Life Changing Moment - Probably finishing my first 5k. That's something that, through most of my life, I NEVER thought I could accomplish, and I knew that it would change how I felt about myself for the rest of my life.

Shin Pain

Sorry for not blogging much. I keep having shin pain, so it's keeping me from running. I'm seriously doubting that I'll be ready for that half marathon.

Today's run was depressing. I ran for 4 minutes and had throbbing, aching pain in my shins (mostly the right one, but also the left), so I stopped and walked the rest of the time that I had. Depressing...but I'll try again. I'm wondering if I should see a doctor about my shin pain. I'm also wondering if I'm wearing the wrong type of shoes...

I did it! GOAL Achieved!

(Can you tell that the sign says "30" in this picture?)

When I started running, I couldn't help but think of the Presidential Fitness Test in high school where you had to (among other things) run a 10-minute mile. I was not athletic as a teenager. I couldn't even run a quarter of a mile without stopping.







So, when I started running last May, I always had it in my mind that I might one day be able to run that 10-minute mile. I tried once last year, and I ran for about 8.5 minutes at the right pace bfore stopping. I felt like if I didn't stop, I'd fly off the treadmill, and I didn't want to hurt myself.







I thought that my 30th Birthday might be a good day to attempt the 10-minute mile again. This time I made it! I tried not to get my hopes up too much, because there was a chance that I wouldn't be able to do it, but I knew that if I tried hard enough, I probably could.

I have evidence! Now, technically, this says that I ran 1.00 miles in 10:03. The counter turned over to 1 mile at 10:02, and I pressed "stop" one second later. I'm counting this as a 10-minute mile because I ran at 6.0 mph (and even ran at 6.1 for about a minute in an attempt to make up for the time it took the treadmill to get up to speed).

I find it funny that for some people, a 10-minute mile is easy! For me, it's definitely a challenge. Speed isn't really my thing, but I was really happy to accomplish this goal. What a great way to celebrate turning 30, by proving that I'm in the best shape of my life!

Excuse my absence...

Ack, I haven't blogged in a while!

I was sick with a sinus cold last week. Luckily, it only lasted a few days, and I'm back to normal now. It's good that I got over it quickly, because my birthday is tomorrow! The last time I had a cold was on my birthday two years ago, and I was pretty miserable, so I'm happy to be over it!

So...I'm turning thirty tomorrow. Goodbye twenties! I'm not sad about it, because it's not something that's in my control. I'm just looking toward the future with a positive attitude. I guess I'm no spring chicken anymore, but I'm in the best shape of my life right now! I'm training for my first half marathon!



Speaking of training, I had to take about two weeks off because of shin splints. I finally feel like I'm really ready to get back out there and train again, so I'm planning on running tomorrow. I might try a special challenge tomorrow, just for my birthday. Tune in tomorrow to see what the challenge is...



In other news, I started reading the Beck Diet for Life. There are a bunch of bloggers reading and following this book right now, and it sounded like something that I'd like to try. I did the first experiment yesterday, where I ate a hearty breakfast and then waited until I got actual physical hunger pangs before eating lunch. Well, I didn't end up eating lunch until almost 2:00 pm! And you know what? I didn't really mind waiting that long. It was actually kind of boring. I felt like I was sitting around, waiting to feel hungry. But I learned a lesson in really paying attention to what I'm actually feeling. At one point, I wanted to eat because my cubicle neighbor was eating a taco salad that smelled really good. But I recognized that I only wanted to eat because I smelled food. I wasn't actually hungry.



So far, I really like the advice in the book!



I'll leave you with a picture of my sis and I at our birthday party last Sunday. The best thing about being a twin is having someone to share my life experiences with!

No LSD run today

I got all ready to run, and as soon as I got out there, it started to rain. At 33 degrees, I'm not prepared to run in the rain wearing a fleece jacket. I ran about 1 mile before going home.



Blah.



This is me being disappointed and angry at the rain that came early:







Wow, that's an ugly picture of me...well, the rain wasn't afraid of my "angry face" and just kept on falling. I'll have to try an 8-mile run on the track tomorrow after work. Ugh...I can't wait for Spring!


My shins were hurting anyway, so I could probably use another rest day. (Trying to see the positive in the situation.)

Rest Day - Learning to Take it Easy

Today is a rest day. My training plan includes four running days, two cross training days, and one rest day. But I'm so used to working out that it's hard to rest! I really need to rest, though. Yesterday during my three mile run, my shins started hurting. That's a sign of "too much too soon." I increased my mileage too quickly. I know what I'm doing wrong, but it's hard to stop. I hae a training plan, and I'm trying really hard to stick to it. It's just that for the past three weeks, I had to skip my long run. Now that I'm back on track, I'm doing too much at once.

I think I might need to eliminate one of my running days. Monday is a "recovery" run, so I might change it from a 3-mile easy run to a 3-mile walk. I don't really know what I'm doing. This is all trial and error for me.

So, today is a rest day, but I don't feel like resting. The weather is beautiful outside! It's almost 40 degrees! This is Northeastern Pennsylvania in January, people! I should take advantage of the nice weather!

I'll share an excerpt of the e-mail I just sent to my sister:

"I'm really fighting the urge to exercise right now! lol. I got an urge to get up and do some squats. I don't know why. Then I reminded myself that my legs are tired, and I need to rest before my 8-mile run tomorrow. So then I got an urge to those side crunches that I saw people doing at the gym. Ab work is okay on a rest day, right? Why is it so hard to rest?? LOL"

Reading back over that, it sounds sort of like I'm addicted to exercise! I don't think that I am, but I do tend to have an "all or nothing" mentality when it comes to diet and exercise. I think that's why it's hard for me to rest, or to have a "cheat" day in my diet. It feels like I'm giving up and going back to the days when I ate junk and didn't exercise.

My sister Tonia wrote a blog about her "all or nothing" approach: http://unorthodoxliving.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-or-nothing.html


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In other news, work has been really stressful this past week, but running has really helped me keep my sanity.

I got my picture taken for my new driver's license today! The picture came out okay, I guess. My face looks so wide! I think they stretched the picture or something.

I need to post more pictures in my blog. I like seeing pictures in other blogs.

Here's a picture of me feeling happy because the sun is shining: