Day #2: CHECK!!

I woke up at 3:30 am (please put your eyebrow down!) and worked for a couple of hours. My oldest son came upstairs (where the home office is located) and we headed downstairs to start the breakfast-making-putting-uniform-changing-diaper-let-me-have-my-cup-coffee show.  After I dropped my oldest at school, I went to the park. I had an honestly hard time yesterday with the heat, so early morning run it was.

The morning was cool, but it could have been way cooler. After a guy asked me if the wheels of my car where of two different colors and I corrected him with a big smile: No, the ones in the back are just dirty, I stretched, and warmed up and starting running.

My right knee was hurting so I had no other choice but to go very slow for the first 1 ½ mile, after this, I was able to speed up, until I felt that I needed to start slowing down again (usually after 3 or 4 minutes once my heart monitor reaches 184), but then, all of the sudden this pretty, skinny with super good running attire decided to outrun me and …we just don’t do that, so my competitive side mixed with envy and jealousy decided to show her… you see me, now you don’t. And as I outrun her, I finished my 3 mile run and continue to run for another ¼ mile and finished the last ¾ mile by doing the 1-1-1 minute intervals (as yesterday).

It was good, it was tiring, it was rewarding. Today was a good running day! Oh and the pretty girl? I finally saw her again on my post stretch work out and yes, I smiled (nicely) to her.

Best Song in my Ipod today?  Fireworks from Katy Perry!! 

DAY #1 - CHECK!

DAY #1

So right after I wrote about the Challenge, I started having doubts (excuses), but I brushed them off, put my running shoes on and drove to the park. The sun was burning me and there were probably 4 other people doing exercises (not running I may add). It was that hot.

I did my first 1 ¼ mile and had to do a  quick bathroom trip and continue for the next 1 ¾, when this was done I did the last mile as

1 minute walking

30 minute slow pace

1 minute high speed

30 minute slow pace

1 minute walking

It was pretty good and finished the four mile, tired, sweating, dehydrated, but hey, I finished.

First day: check!

Wondering: What is the best food to eat after a work out? Today was yogurt and fruits, I read somewhere (Running World maybe?) that is was good. It felt great. But what else I can eat right after the run that is refreshing, filling, and most important that it tastes good!.

Below is the picture that resumes the whole run

30 DAY CHALLENGE : 3 MILE EVERY DAY!

Starting TODAY! 30 days of sticking to a 3 mile every day no matter what!   I am thinking this is the inspiration I might need, so here it goes. We start today and in about a hour I will start my first 3 mile at the park.

Its hot so it will be a great run. I will be posting through the 30 days challenge. 

I am not a happy camper. It seems that for every four / five day of consistent training comes the meltdown of letting go.  I believe I am doing plenty taking into consideration that I work over 40 hours a week, that I have a husband that also work and that is a priority in my life, that I have to young sons under 5 and that I live in a home with 9 other people (we are in the process of moving to Houston and we sold our house and are currently living with my Mother-in-law and sister-in-law and on top I try to put my work out on top. But is hard, I am tired (exhausted), I don’t like been away from my kids after I finish work or they come back from school and after waking up at 3:30 am to get my work done by 2 pm well, is overwhelming.

What makes me happy? Running!, yes is a great escape to clear the mind, body and soul. But on what time? As I try hard to figure this one out, I am keeping myself motivated. I failed to do the half marathon in October here in New Orleans, but I am determined to do the Houston one in January.

Can we have more hours on a day? I urgently need some more!

Keep on running, keep on moving…

Oct 17^th, 2011.

Room for Improvement...

        

Me!

Does Speed matter?

I am a slow runner… I am not ashamed, but not happy or proud either. Whenever I am below the 10 m/minute range I feel as is somebody is chasing me and I am running for my life, which is tiring and not fun. I can sprint, but just for one minute top four, more than that and nope, is not fun.

But I do want to run faster, so I am trying different approaches, following some advises from experienced runners and hopefully I will get there.  

 My goal right now is to keep a 45 minutes run at a pace that is less than 10:30… so far I am at 10:22 but hey, is less than 10:30 right?

Here we go again... inspired.

SHHH…HALF-MARATHON TRAINING IN PROGRESS….

Well I started, for the third time and some say third is the charm, my Half-Marathon training.  I don’t have any scheduled Half-Marathon, but I am doing it anyway. There are several beginning next year that are close by so that’s is my motivation.

I started Monday with a 2 mile run, Tuesday with cross training (weights) and Wednesday with a 3 mile run. Both runs where done around the neighborhood and will try to keep it this way for 4 and below. More than 4 mile run will be done at the park.

So how is it going? Great!!! Yesterday run was great, I did I new route which is further from my house, but it was a nice change of scenery. Truly enjoyed. Today I am running 3 more! And I am thinking… levy?

So, so far I have:

Monday: 2 mil run ( I did 2.5)

Tuesday: Cross Training (45 min at the gym)

Wednesday: 3 mil run (I did 3.69)

Back and hopefully to stay!

Many things have changed since the last time I posted.

1. We sold our house
2. I am officially working from home (still trying to figure out if this is a good thing)
3. My youngest son, Andrew, turned 1 year old
4. I drop 5 lbs

Regarding  my running there a few issues that I am still working on, I guess once you start making 20 to 30 miles a week, a few things we come to the surface:

First, I started having a pain in my calf that just kept getting worse and worse, to the point that walking was a chore and going up and down the stairs was a real agony.  I kept on running, and it will hurt so bad the first few strikes, but 5 or 10 minutes later I was able to get the pace and keep it. The pain obviously returning a the moment I would stop for cooling down. My husband is a Physical Therapy Assistant which can be a blessing, but he considers running a dangerous sport that can deteriorate your joints, so to have an injury because of running comes with the “I told you so”, but at the end and under his insistence I kept on a 3 mile top and every other day or so.

Dear husband say you may strained your muscle, but I kept thinking no, is something with my running so I did research and research and finally hit me… I am an OVERPRONATOR. With this in mind and bought a pair of running shoes with more stability, a Brook pair (vs the Nike I was using) and got some insoles  for extra comfort.  The result? Yeah, that is what it was. I am running better than ever, and even though I get sore on the same leg, at least the horrible pain is gone and I am actually enjoying my me moment (running). Oh… Brook running shoes rule!

So, now that my life has more or less stabilized more, and my routine is slowly but surely coming along, I am back on my blog and continue to write about my running progress.

So.. Where are we?

Oh yes, I am still running. Defenitely I think that my love for running has been put to the test… there are many things that have been going on in the last  two weeks lets recap:

v     We packed our stuff and move out of the house one week and half ago, uff, only on that one I am feeling tired

v     We sold the house! Yep, last week we closed on the house and therefore we are officially HOMELESS!

v     We move with my mother-in-law, which we love dearly but we are cramped in a 300 sqft room (the four of us) and there are another 6 people living in the house, so yes, crowded and lacking privacy is an understatement… but very thankful!

v     My oldest got sick

v     My oldest got my younger sick

v     My younger got so sick he developed an upper inflammatory infection which included nose and eyes…

v     My younger got me sick

On all of this, I kept on running. My weekly miles decreased but is picking up again. I also got a running buddy! My 10 year old niece and I love it, its great to spend some time with her and she is also very good.

Oh well, next week is about to get as hectic or more than the last two so…. Yep. I will keep on running!

Running = Therapy

Yes, running has become my therapy to channel all my stress. In the past few weeks me (us including my family) has made important decisions that affect our future. We have decided to move to Houston, due to the relocation of my company. This brings me joy because we are making decisions so that I can “climb up” the corporate ladder, which makes me feel very proud and appreciative of my husband, on the other hand it scares the crap out me…. What if things do not work out… what if we do not like Houston… what if... I get fired tomorrow? My income as the sole income for a couple of weeks (or months) worries me and a lot.  There are many questions with no answers and just a big gulp of hope, faith and patience.

In the process of moving to Houston we sold our house.  In the housing market today we were extremely lucky to be able to sell the house with virtually no advertising… (our neighbor wanted it), and at a very good price. It was meant to be. But of course now we are in the “fun” part (being totally ironic here), we are living our of boxes, putting our furniture in a Pod and moving this weekend to my mother in law’s house, which already have three grown ups and three kids living there, plus us four… well that is five adults and five kids, yes a total of 10 people under the same roof.   Again pass me the glass so I can take another gulp of patience…

Nevertheless, I am appreciative to my husband’s family for making the move way more subtle while offering a home between homes… priceless.

So, the moving, the selling of the house, my demanding job, my two kids (3 y/o and 10 months), my fore coming living arrangements with 10 people, my little one upcoming surgery (supposed to be ok but surgery is surgery no matter how you see it)… well is taking a toll on me and this is when RUNNING has come handy.  I run so can release myself apart from my day and focus on me, me, me and more me.  Running is my therapy (and a good one like dear hubby would say).  I am looking forward every time for my next run, I am happier on my running days and my mood after a run changes from being all serious to relax.

In other words, RUNNING is keeping me together…

And I want an Oakley sporty sun glasses too.

Today I stopped and smelled the flowers and I realized that…

-         I have more patience that I think I have and is put the test every single day my 3 y/o ask me to put the same song over and over and over and over and over again…

-         The power of coffee can never be underestimated

-         A full time working mom that gets sick… is screwed but nobody notices…

Updates, Updates and more Updates…

Everything is going great. I run  15 miles last week. I got my first (and second) issue of Runner’s World Magazine (which I am devouring). I got my Polar Heart Monitor Watch and the Nike+ sensor together with two new Nike running shoes oh and my husband “donated” his Ipod to me so I could use the Nike+ sensor. I have new running shirts, new socks, new pants even new headband.  I am investing in my new passion and loving it.

This is how i feel when i am running with all my running gear!

 Actually this is the cup my son gave me for my birthday:

I am also using running tools from the web: www.logyourun.com and www.nike.com, both have been great at coaching, inspiring, questions, forum, products, etc. AWESOME!

From the beginning I was running in the treadmill, but thanks to my ever wise dad (who has been a runner for over 30 years – non stop – including marathons) he advise me to take my running on the road. I live near a levee, so I went four times last week AND I LOVE IT!!!.  The weather is a hot bitch, but I really enjoyed the runs, including the sweating…

AND… I am looking better and better every day. I am not loosing so much weight as I would like too, but I am slimming down and getting fit, I think this is much better than just loosing weight.  My husband is complimenting me and at the end, that is the best result I can get!.

I am still working on my food intake, or "food addiction" but I can see some remarkable changes, not only on the food I am eating but on the quantity, I guess when it takes you 42 minutes to burn 550 calories in a treadmill... yeah, i guess a candy bar next is not good idea...