Running Out Of 2010

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Coco

Today I went for my last run of 2010. I know there is one more day left in the year, but I am planning to start the new year with a long run on Saturday and I prefer to keep my runs to alternate days. Plus, I needed a good hit of cardio to balance out the rest of my day sitting in the bleachers at my son’s wrestling tournament.

The day didn’t start the way I planned. First, I woke up at 4:44. That’s too early on a work day and WAY too early on a day off when my first “appointment” is to check out BJs with my husband when they open at 9:00. I had set my alarm for 6:00 and still thought that was a good plan, so I stayed in bed and luckily fell back asleep.

When I woke up again and checked the time it was 6:30. Ack! Well, I still had plenty of time for my run, but I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a bottomless cup of coffee afterwards. (It turns out I’d turned on my 6:00 am “weekend” alarm, and of course it’s not the weekend yet, even though it feels like it. Sometimes a smart phone can be too smart!)

It was a “balmy” 30F, so I put on my lighter running tights, new fuzzy top (with thumb holes), windbreaker, hat and gloves.

Getting a head start on my Runner’s Resolutions, I walked for about 1/3 mile before starting my run. I chose my “Xmas Run” playlist and started on my “usual” 4.5 mile route. Everything felt good (my ITB just whispered) and I could tell that my pace was good.

Somewhere along the way I decided that I should end the year with a 5 mile run. I could have added a lap or two on the high school track, but I didn’t want to risk embarrassing my son in case any teammates were running laps to make weight. So, I had to add another segment on my neighborhood streets, which meant another hill.

I hit mile 5 a bit sooner than I expected, but I stopped running to leave myself a decent distance to walk for my cool down. (Maybe there is something to this notion of writing down your goals!)

As soon as I got in the house, I started the coffee pot and headed to my basement gym to stretch. I even threw in some time on the foam roller. I am willing to do what it takes to stay healthy, even if it means waiting 10 more minutes for that cup of coffee!

My Garmin tells me that I covered 5.06 miles at an average pace of 9:36. That includes my usually slower first mile (9:45) and several slightly faster miles (9:25). It seems that my pace is getting faster, and I’m sure the fact that my ITB doesn’t feel like a cable wound too tight is making a difference. I also have to give credit to finally losing those “last 5 pounds” and my three-days-per-week weight training routine.

Running is just plain awesome when all the pieces come together.

I’m so glad to be ending 2010 on a “runner’s high” note. What are you doing to finish the year strong? How are you going to start 2011 on the right foot?

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My Runner’s Resolutions

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Coco

This year I don’t need to make a resolution to “exercise” or “lose weight,” but there are definitely some things that I could do more often or more consistently to improve my chances of staying healthy as a runner.

  1. Warm up.  When I run on the treadmill, I usually walk for 5 minutes, run at an easy pace for at least 5 minutes, and then work up to my planned pace over another 5 minutes or so. I think that’s a decent warm up.  When I run outside, I might walk for 5 minutes, but I have a hard time easing into my running pace. And, depending on my route or how cold it is outside, I may only walk for a few minutes. I really need to commit to a solid 5 minutes of walking and 5 min of easy running.
  2. Cool down. My treadmill had a built-in 5 minute cool down, but that’s probably not enough, especially if I am running hard to the end of the program time. For my outside runs, I usually walk for about 5 minutes from my stopping point back to my house or car, but I don’t really have any running cool down.
  3. Stretch. I actually have gotten much better at this. A tight ITB will convince you of the importance of stretching. Still, if I’ve run outside and get distracted when I get back to the house or if I’m in a hurry to get home from my running trail, I may skimp on my stretches or skip them completely.
  4. Strength train. This is another thing that running injuries have brought into my fitness life. I used to view weights as a necessary evil, but now I really enjoy my weight workouts.  And, I really do think that they have helped me keep injuries at bay.
  5. Cross-train. Running is my favorite form of cardio, but I don’t do it every day. I try to mix things up with the elliptical and walking outside in my hilly neighborhood. I also have exercise DVDs that get me moving and sweating. Like strength training, cross-training with different forms of cardio helps keep my body balanced and adds variety to my routine that fends off boredom.
  6. Yoga. Yes, I said yoga. Another thing I used to resist, but I found some Rodney Yee programs that I really like. They feel sooo goood.  And, they are only about 20 minutes long! Even so, I couldn’t tell you the last time I did one–maybe in my hotel room on a business trip in early December?
  7. Listen to my body. I know it’s good to set goals and make plans to accomplish them, but when it comes to running I need to listen to my body. If I am tired from my previous day’s workout, run down from lack of sleep, or worn out from a hard day/week/month at work, I need to listen to my body and opt for an easier workout or even an extra rest day.

How long do spend warming up? What does your cool down look like?

Do you have any resolutions to improve your fitness in 2011?

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Fitting Gifts

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Coco

I’ve been running for almost 10 years, but it didn’t take me long to learn that the best way to be motivated for a holiday workout is to get cool running gear for Christmas. Even though I am pretty well-equipped now, my family surprised me with some great stuff.

  • Two new pairs of gloves:

One is medium weight and perfect for most of my runs. The other is heavier and with “touch” fingers that actually work with my iPhone–perfect for cheering my son on during those early season lacrosse games.

  •  Two new running tops:

The one on the left is thick and fuzzy and has those thumb-hole sleeves. I wore it today and it was awesome! The other is bit lighter and has a little LED light near the right cuff. You can use it as a flashlight or set it to flash to make yourself more visible. Perfect for my o’dark-thirty runs.

  • And, I won’t show you the purple Patagonia panties my daughter picked out for me. 😉

The other thing motivating me is my “new” (refurbished) Garmin. After 3 1/2 years my Garmin just wouldn’t hold a charge anymore. When I finally got around to calling customer support, they said I could get a refurbished one for $89. It has a 90 day warranty, so I need to put it to the test!

In the two weeks since I’ve had it, I’ve taken it out for 5 runs:

  1. 12/16: 4.5 miles, 44:44 minutes
  2. 12/20: 5.0 miles, 50:23 minutes
  3. 12/22: 5.16 miles, 51:25 minutes
  4. 12/24: 6.6 miles, 1:06 hour/minutes
  5. 12/26: 8 miles, 1:14 hour/minutes

Not a bad record for this hectic time of year, especially considering that weather has been a complicating factor.

Do you have any awesome new fitness gear? Have you tried it out yet?

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Basking in the Glow of Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Coco

Our Christmas sermon drew on this passage from Isaiah 9:2:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

It is such a beautiful passage, and can be interpreted and applied in so many ways.

Church At Christmas

Our priest drew on the message of Jesus being “the Light of the world,” and noted that that theme took hold in early Christendom, long before the Virgin Birth and Holy Trinity became part of our doctrine. He encouraged us to really celebrate the light of Christmas.

From the bright star that led the wise men to find the little baby born in a manger

 

To the divine light that shines in our own lives in moments of darkness–when we find comfort, strength, or hope in the midst of trying times.

 

Reflecting on times when we have felt that Light in our lives can bring more meaning to Christmas. As we celebrate the holiday, we can bask in the Light, with awe, wonder, and joy.

White Christmas Tree

Today, I soaked up everything Christmas–relaxing by the light of the Christmas tree, enjoying our favorite Christmas music, exchanging gifts with my family, playing games with my children, eating my fill of Christmas cookies and chocolates. As I wrap up this Christmas, I am feeling truly blessed to have so much Light in my life.

 

How did you feel blessed this Christmas? What Christmas memory brought light to your day?

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Christmas Eve In The Kitchen

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Coco

Merry Christmas!

We had a lovely Christmas Eve, although it got a bit dicey in the morning when I was in the kitchen with my daughter and we were both stressed about getting everything done in time. We worked through it and ended up having a nice time together. I think some Christmas angels must have intervened!

I woke up @ 5:30 (I had my alarm set for 6:00) and decided to get up and go out for my “Christmas Eve” run. I love my Christmas playlist (featuring an electic mix of Harry Connick, Jr., Elvis, and The Blind Boys of Alabama) and that helps get me out the door.  I was aiming for 6 miles, which means I had to take my hilly route.  I was really pumped up and happy and had a great run. There was one stretch when I was going up hill and into the wind so I felt like I was doing resistance training too! My ITB did feel tight, so when I got back I did lots of stretching – felt sooo goooood! Then it was time for a shower, coffee and the marathon of Christmas Eve in the kitchen.

My daughter made two batches of mini loaves of pumpkin bread to give away, a double batch of jam thumbprint cookies, and our apple pie.

At the same time, I was slicing brussel sprouts for a raw brussel sprout salad for our dinner, helping my daughter where she would let me, and getting the table set up (although my husband was a big help and ironed the tablecloth once I realized that the one I had gotten ready was too small!).

That came right after my freak-out moment. The mail had come and he said that there were a bunch of Christmas cards. My reply:

Maybe I can enjoy them tomorrow. I can’t do ONE MORE THING today.

Yeah, I was feeling stressed. But really, just one freak-out moment is a pretty good record for me getting ready for a big family dinner. And, I did get to enjoy the cards before going to bed last night.

I managed to get everything ready before my parents arrived, and was able to enjoy some cheese & crackers and veggies & dip while we opened presents with them before I had to do the rest of the dinner preparations. My kids were a big help too, although I have to wonder if they were joining me in the kitchen to get a break from the grandparents!

I had wanted to be eating @ 6:00 and we came pretty close by sitting down at 6:15.  I felt amazingly relaxed (much more so than at Thanksgiving for some reason) and really enjoyed our meal.  We had a Honeybaked ham and lots of side dishes.  I had mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, that brussel sprout salad and my mom’s whole cranberry sauce.  After a break it was time for dessert, and I did have a slice of both the apple pie and the pecan pie (my first and it turned out perfectly!) with a small scoop of ice cream.

Yes, I was stuffed, but ’tis the season!

I was worried about wrapping up dinner and being able to clean up the kitchen in time for our Christmas Eve candlelight service @ 10:00, but we were finished eating by around 8:00, so the bigger challenge was staying energized until our 9:30 departure time. I had told my son early in the evening that he was going to be our designated driver so my husband and I could both have a drink or two (we try not to drink AT ALL in front of the kids if we are going to drive). He knew it was a ploy to make sure he went to church, but he went along. We also got my parents to come, so it was a nice end to the evening. We got home @ 11:30 and I pretty much went straight to bed!

My daughter wants to do presents early today so she can go to her boyfriend’s family’s house @ 10.  So, I set my alarm for 6:00 to do final “Santa” stuff and I finally needed it to wake up! My husband and I got the stockings stuffed and now are sitting side-by-side on the sofa enjoying the glow of the Christmas tree with all the pretty presents before the Christmas chaos begins!

Yesterday I was cursing having our family dinner on Christmas Eve–I was so stressed in the morning and wished I had more time to get ready at a slower pace–but now that I don’t have any kitchen duties today I think it will be nice– it gives me an extra day to relax!

Merry Christmas!

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