bad run...Emme's fault lol

So Emme and I were both inspired to run today because the weather is actually decent. Here is what happened: We started together and it turns out Emme runs a lot faster than I do. I was dying by like 4 minutes in. We slowed down a lot, but even after another 4ish minutes I was having difficulty breathing and keeping up. Plus I felt bad because she can go so much faster and further than I can. Eventually she went on without me and I tried to run home, but ended up walking probably 5/8 of the way. I would say half, but that would be a lie...and 2/3 is also wrong. :)

Anyway, I ran for like 9 minutes and then walked/ran for another 9.

And I experienced the ickypants dry caugh that I recently read about in Fitness magazine (ps Emme, I ordered Fitness for $5 a year today). It happens when the dry air is causing the natural moisture in your mouth/throat to dry up and it sucks-I sound all sick and its a bit painful. Maybe I should look into getting a silly mask.

Or I could just wear a scarf...but I dont think I would like that.

Emme is still out on her run-I hope hers is going better than mine! Also, I am pretty sure this means that we won't be running together for the half lol

~Claire

A month later...

So Emme and I are registered for the half, but we (or at least I) didn't do so well with exercising over the past month. Luckily, I got Wii Fit for Christmas! It's a lot of fun, and I have been using it every day. It really gives me a workout-I sweat and become out of breath and really feel it.

Today I went out and ran which hasn't happened in quite some time. It was AMAZING. Of course, the bike path was exceedingly icy, so I had to go a different route. I was going strong until I was going uphill for a while, and at about 26 minutes I was about to die so I took a walking break. At 29 minutes I sprinted the slight downhill back to the apartment-and I loved it. I made it just about to the parking lot before being unable to breathe. Not bad for my first run in like a month! This morning was perfect for it, too-cold and brisk but not windy.

Anyway, the holidays were not good to me. Now that I feel like I am getting back on track with exercise, I need to start eating better.

Ah that run was so nice! I need to live in a place that is not icy but is chilly all year round so I can be motivated to run every day!

~Claire

Registered! And back to training..

Today Claire and I registered for the half!!!!!!! SO there is absolutely no backing out now because they don't offer refunds! I'm excited all over again for it.

BUT. I have not run more than 2 miles in the past 2.5 weeks. Several reasons:
1. I was sick and in the hospital with a colon infection.
2. Family tragedy had me all depressed and in my hometown for a few days.
3. Then I had to try to catch up what I missed from #1 and 2.
4. Thanksgiving

Soo...it might be kind of a struggle to get back to where I was before all of this happened. But I've got over a month off of school for Christmas break so hopefully I will get lots of good training in then!

Love,
Emme

Yesterday-ok...today-not so much

Yesterday I ran 31 minutes again, but without the stroller. It was an ok run. Not great.

Today, my child decided to start bawling around 9 minutes, so I finally just turned around to go home. I ran 20 minutes. He pretty much cried the whole way home, too. Great. At least I ran some, though, and now I have tomorrow off and then 5k Saturday!!

Emme has all kinds of problems right now, and we spent a good portion of yesterday in the ER...so I hope she is ok soon so she can run the 5k! Poor Emme!!

I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow, even though I really will just have to get up early in order to work all day. Oh well!

~Claire

50min/strength+speed training/blisters

So, during my last 45 min run, I felt some rubbing on my arch. So I looked and my foot when I got done and sure enough, BLISTERs. I had a blister in the same exact spot on my other foot from my old shoes. So i researched it a bit and found these suggestions:
1. Get non-cotton socks for better moisture wicking
2. Use vaseline on the sore spot before running
3. Tape the inside of your shoe with duct tape or packing tape so that it won't rub
4. Use foot powder in your socks
5. Get some arch support
6. Make sure your shoes are laced tight enough

So today, I went out for my first 50-min run equipped with new socks, vaseline underneath a bandaid on my blister, and my shoes laced up pretty tight. And it felt fine, until I hit about 28 minutes or so, then it was rub, rub, rub, ow, ow, ow, with every step on my right foot. :( In high school when I ran track, they would tape my arches for support because my arches are really low. Maybe I should try that. And if that doesn't work, I guess I will just suck it up and wait for it to calus :(

Besides that, my run today was really good! Fifty minutes was not so bad at all. I do hate the wind though. It makes it harder to keep a good pace.

Yesterday, I didn't have a whole lot of time so I ran for twenty minutes and did some strength/speed training. I emailed my brother (aka personal trainer) to ask him some more questions. He said it is a good thing to incorporate stride-outs into a shorter run in order to strengthen your legs and start working on speed. So, I did 3 sets of stride-outs on my run yesterday and it felt pretty good, but I'm feeling them today! I think I'll try to do that once a week or so.

I'm going to run 50 again tomorrow, rest thursday, short and easy run friday, then 5k on saturday!!

Love,
Emme

31 minutes

Today was not as good as yesterday, but I did keep running for 31 minutes (the last minute was only because I wanted to get home faster than walking would have allowed). It wasn't bad, but it was a lot harder than running yesterday.

I'm still planning to go 30 tomorrow and 35 Thursday, and I am getting more and more excited for the 5k! I feel like it'll be the first thing I've accomplished in a long time!

30 minutes!!

I ran 30 minutes today! :) It was really good-I felt like turning around at 12.5 minutes and running 25, but I decided to keep on going. I'm so glad I finally got to 30...and I didn't die of exhaustion after! haha

I am so excited for the 5k Saturday. I have decided that I am gonna bring my kid because I am so used to running with the stroller now anyway. AND I now think that it is possible for me to actually run the entire thing without taking walking breaks!!

I am really proud of myself. I really enjoy running and I like knowing that I am doing something good for myself.

Plan for this week:
Tuesday and Wednesday-30 minutes
Thursday-35 minutes (i think maybe)
Friday-rest
Saturday-5K!!!!

~Claire