The high you can't get from your cousin's brownies..

SUCCESS! Huge, heaping piles of it!

My first week four run is complete - my longest and most difficult run to date. And I loved every minute of it. I'll admit, I was feeling pretty anxious about it this morning, and even secretly hoped for some ominous snow clouds to appear so that I could stay bundled up in bed, guilt-free. But despite temperatures barely reaching 20 degrees, the skies were blue and clear and by mid afternoon the wind had cooled down as well. So, fresh out of good excuses, I mapped a new run that I have been wanting to try on dailymile and headed for the door.

After being caught unprepared in ridiculously low temperatures two days in a row, I was determined to be as prepared as possible. I wore a jogging tank top, a sweatshirt, and an insulated wind-breaker with leggings and long pants. I also borrowed a thick beanie from Big_Shoes and picked up a pair of gloves for $1.00 at the Salvation Army on my way (I lost the left glove to my other pair on the bus yesterday). In the end, I stayed just warm enough to keep the circulation going, without getting too warm or burdened down with bulky clothes. I can see why people shell out the bucks for special sweat-wicking material though, and if I had the money you can bet I would be investing in some, particularly as my runs get longer and.. well.. sweatier. I had to peel of the layers when I got home.

But let's get back to the run itself. As I moved on to Week 4, I knew I needed a longer route, something that would keep me more focused than just running circles around the neighborhood blocks. When I tracked my run, I was worried it was a bit ambitious for the weather and my first workout at a new week, but I figured I would just turn back early if I couldn't do it. Not only did I not turn back, but I made it to my destination (a train station in the next town) with perfect timing, just as I was finishing the last running segment of the workout. I took the subway back, hoping I could catch the bus home, but when I realized the bus did not come for another hour, it just made more sense to run home as well (It was WAY too cold to walk).

In total, I ran/walked 4.07 miles, and although the last five minutes were the toughest part of the program I have faced so far, I still felt amazing! Maybe this is the elusive "running high" I have been hearing so much about. Or maybe it just feels great to see progress happen, and know that my body is stronger and healthier and more comfortable in its own skin. I can hardly even remember the person who was out of breath with a horrible side-ache after a ten minute trip around the corner. Maybe someday, when 4 mile runs are about as challenging as a hangnail, I will look back and try to remember who I was now.

So now I am off to take the longest, hottest shower of my life (did I mention heat and hot water is included in our rent?) and spend the rest of my night snuggled up in doors and drinking my hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps. Mmmm.. Schnapps. Somehow, a lazy evening at home seems way more enticing now that I know I have earned it.

Battle Scars

I finally got my last Week 3 run in, and I was surprised at how easy it had become - even after missing a few days. In the interest of keeping it challenging, I am planning on moving to Week 4 this weekend, even though the butterflies in my stomach would prefer to hang out in my comfort zone.

Not that putting one foot in front of the other doesn't have its own challenges. As I type, I proudly display my very first battle scar in the form of a quarter-sized scrape on my knee. For over a month I have been running in snow and ice, and the one day we get blue skies and sunshine, I manage to fall on my face. Luckily for me, I was wearing gloves and leggings that softened the blow from the rough concrete. Even luckier, no one was around to see me trip over my own feet. The whole thing seemed to happen in slow motion, and by the time I picked myself up I was laughing rather loudly (again, thankfully their were no witnesses to my clumsiness). I don't know what I found funny, but I do know that I can't even REMEMBER the last time I scraped my knee. Probably hasn't happened since I was at least eleven or so (around the age where the Big Toy brings more embarrassment than adventure), so the whole thing was just exciting for some inexplicable reason.

After my near-death experience, I realized that the same day-dreaming that had caused me to trip over a crack in the sidewalk had also caused me to get pretty well lost (yes, it is possible to get lost in your own neighborhood, thank you). Getting back on familiar ground tacked on another 10-15 minutes on my normal run, so it ended up being a pretty exerting work out, which is good because it has to last me awhile. I won't have the opportunity to run (or blog) until Saturday, thanks to a ridiculous class schedule, a growing stack of thesis research, and the obligations of three part-time jobs. It seems as though I am either doing absolutely nothing, or everything at once, and I haven't quite figured out how to balance that. Maybe running will help me find that balance.

Don't rain on my parade ...

The good news: The streets are officially clear of ice and snow! The bad news? It's been pouring down rain for the past three days. Wind, hail, the whole bit. I've been waiting it out in my apartment thus far, but I'm beginning to think that I will just have to suck it up and get used to running in soggy shoes. I have already missed two scheduled runs, and I suspect that I will need to extend Week 3 by a run or two just to feel prepared for Week 4.

I did not sign up to "become" a runner expecting 365 days of sunshine and delicate breezes. But it's so HARD to get myself out there in this mess! I don't have class until 1:00 tomorrow, so I hope to get in today's run then. No, let me try that again: I WILL get my run in tomorrow. Rain or shine, but can we pretty please have shine?

Did someone say "Pancakes"?

I did my second Week 3 workout today, running home from the university where I am doing my TAship (which is, oddly, different from the university I actually attend). This Week 3 run felt much easier than the first - running for three minutes blocks really wasn't too difficult, even uphill! Between my five courses and three part-time jobs, I probably won't get around to my third run until this Saturday - so I'm hoping to make it a good one. I'd like to find a nice park or a new neighborhood, something just a bit more interesting than usual that will get me excited.

I've noticed that the last couple times I've ran, my ankles feel a bit sore for the first minute or so, and then seem to feel better as I keep going. I wouldn't describe it as actual pain, more like uncomfortable stiffness. It doesn't both me at all when I'm not running, so I think I'll just keep an eye on it. I am hoping that it is not a problem with my shoes because I really can't afford to get fitted for fancy new shoes right now. I was hoping to get by until spring for that.

Anyway, with my run out of the way, I can start looking forward to Pancake Wednesday! Every week, Big_Shoes and I trade off on who makes pancakes. When we remember to wake up a bit earlier, we do it for breakfast, but 80% of the time it ends up being dinner . You'd think pancakes every week would get old quickly, but we like to be pretty experimental with our pancakes and we never have the same kind in any month. We are always hunting down an interesting recipe or just coming up with new ways to use what is on hand in the fridge. Last week I made some delicious latkes (potato pancakes), and I don't know what he's up to this week but he seems to have a plan. I need to start preparing for next Wednesday so if you have any good recipes you're hiding, let me know! (Psss.. they don't have to be healthy!)

WorkoutFAIL.

So there was a random blizzard last night. Winds kept me up all night, and when I woke up the streets (and sidewalks) were covered in slush and snow. Just as I was trying to decide whether or not I should brave the weather for a run it started to snow again. That was enough of a sign for me.

After trying a Pilates video last night (and I discovering that I'm about as flexible as a pretzel stick) I decided to try to find some kind of cardio on my Netflix Instant Queue. The best I could do were a few different "dance" mixes. Apparently the word "dance" is used very broadly. These people looked ridiculous (as did I, to any peeping neighbors who may have witnessed my half-hearted attempt). I just couldn't get into it, and finally stopped about 10 minutes in.

Screw that, I thought. I can dance. I don't need a bunch of cheerleaders in matching spandex showing me how. So I created an upbeat, hip-hop-ish station on Pandora (Norah Jones just wasn't going to cut it), closed the blinds, and danced! It was fun... for all of two songs. And then I suddenly started hacking up a lung. I think all of the flem and congestion from my head cold is just now getting around to coughing itself up. Sorry if you're lunch ended up on your keyboard there ...

Anyway. I think the extent of my cardio for the rest of today will involve cleaning my apartment. The insanity that is graduate school starts up again tomorrow, and I'm actually looking forward to starting classes. I am pretty sure my brain has gone to mush in the six weeks I've been sitting at home ignoring adult responsibilities; I can hear it sloshing around in there when I tilt my head. Hmm ... or maybe that is the flem?

Hopefully having a class and work schedule will give me the opportunity to stick to a running schedule as well. Right now, it looks like I'll be running Mondays, Wednesdays, and at least once on the weekends. Those are the days I don't have to commute. I may throw another one in there once I see how the current schedule is working. I really need to find more opportunities to run, because flipping off the TV is getting old.

Oh... and I think I may have some ideas for some running related, long-term relief efforts in Haiti. But more on that when I find out more. Suddenly I'm craving pretzel sticks... must go find some.

New Shoes for Big_Shoes

Have I mentioned how much I actively dislike FedEx? They refuse to drop packages off in our building's entry way like every other delivery service does, and our apartment bell doesn't work, so if we can't spend all day with our heads out the window playing "Spot the Delivery Guy" we don't get our packages. They claim our street is a "high risk" area, and absolutely refuse to leave it unless someone is able to sign for it... EVEN when I sign the box on the delivery notification acknowledging that I release them from liability, and please leave the damn package. Can someone explain this to me? No one at FedEx seems able to.

Anyway, the package we were expecting this time was for Big_Shoes - a college buddy had sent him some zombie video game he's been drooling over for months, and needless to say, he was a bit anxious to get it. Worked out well for me, because I was able to convince him to join me for my first Week 3 run, which just happened to end at the local FedEx center, about 2 miles away.

It wasn't the prettiest run; most of it was spent dodging ice patches and poorly paved sidewalks in a high-traffic industrial hell zone. But it was the longest run I've done to date (just over 2 miles) and I think we followed the Week 3 training schedule pretty well! Package in hand, we rewarded ourselves with a quick lunch and caught a bus most of the way home.

In what is quickly becoming a pattern of behavior, I suggested we drop in to the Salvation Army to see if they had gotten any more waffle irons in. No luck, but we did find Big_Shoes some (almost) new_shoes! We got a great pair of durable snow boots and and a new pair of running shoes for twenty bucks. Both need laces, but they are brand name, his size, in incredible shape, and should last him awhile. This is a huge accomplishment for me because I can almost never convince Big_Shoes to own more than one pair of shoes at any given time. He'd rather pretend not to notice when the shreds of rubber and cloth on his feet cease to resemble his original purchase. Only downside: with two new pairs of size 13s floating around, our apartment is starting to feel a bit smaller..

"Running" Errands

It's official. I now have two weeks of training under my (hopefully?) slimmer belt. Yesterday's run was tough; I still felt a bit congested and it took me awhile to convince myself to go out. When I did, however, I was pleasantly surprised with sunshine and less-than frigid temperatures. My surprise was somewhat diminished when I came across a series of steep hills that I was probably less than prepared for. I ran a full 20 minutes, but I am pretty sure the distance was a bit shorter because of how long it took me to lug myself up those hills. I will be avoiding that route in the future. Hills are not my friend.

After my run, I went to meet a friend downtown and walked the mile and a half home from the bus station to my apartment both ways. So even though my actual "run" was a bit short in distance, I happy to tack almost 3 extra walking miles onto my total distance for the day, totaling just over 4 miles.

If getting off my butt to go run after several sniffley days off wasn't enough to put me in a better mood and back on track, my incredible good fortune today has done the trick. After sleeping in and enjoying delicious homemade egg McMuffins (Thanks Big_Shoes!) I leisurely start skimming through my inbox, and come across my beloved Groupon deal of the day, which just so happened to be two skate passes to the outdoor ice rink, including rentals, for only $10.00. I know I am constantly finding ways to plug Groupon in my posts, but I've been bugging Big_Shoes to strap on some big_skates and take me ice skating for awhile now, and so when the opportunity presented itself I got out my credit card. But much to my surprise, when I went to purchase my Groupon I realized that I still had $10.00 in Groupon credit for referring a friend on my account, so we didn't end up spending a dime. After spamming the hell out of my unfortunate Facebook friends, we were able to get a group together (all of whom got the amazing discount) and now all we need to do is pick a date. So there you have it, three of the four important Fs in my life: Fun, Friends, and Free, all rolled into one. And just for good measure, I'll shamelessly spam my own blog too, just in case anyone is in the mood to check out the holy grail that is collective buying power while providing me with my next $10.00 credit: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu533334

Anyway, after I stopped patting myself on the back for this ingenious freebie, I wandered down to check the mail and found a sparkly new pay check made out to me for a decent chunk of cash. FOR THE JOB I HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED YET. Yes, you heard me right. I just got paid for the Teaching Assistantship I start on Thursday. Basically, I get a predetermined stipend for showing up to class, coming up with a few moderately intelligent things to say, and grading a few papers once every six weeks. Doesn't even matter that classes haven't even started yet. This goes far beyond instant gratification. Preemptive gratification, perhaps?

So how does any of this relate to running? Well, I, of course, needed to get this check in the bank so that I could start spending my future earnings, which made for a great opportunity for a run. I strapped on my shoes, zipped the check and my bus pass safely into my coat pocket and set off for the bank, about a mile and half away. I was hoping to stick to the C25K program and run the full 20 minutes, but I found myself standing in front of my bank in just over 15 minutes (less time than it takes me to get there via public transportation), so after depositing my check and picking up some groceries I made up for the shorter run by lugging the groceries up the stairs on the subway, instead of coasting along on the crowded rush-hour escalators. I am finding that using running as a primary means of transportation is much more rewarding than taking a few repetitive loops around the block. For one, I can't talk myself into stopping early, because I won't get to where I need to go. It also tends to be faster than waiting on the bus (which I guess would be relative to the city that you live in), and I can incorporate my run into the tasks that I'm already doing, instead of trying to tack it on as something completely separate. I guess I'm just less likely to procrastinate on my run if it means three or four other things will not get done either.

So it's on to Week 3, but the big challenge on the horizon is seeing how all of this running business fits into my schedule when classes start and the stress piles on. Stay tuned!

And she's off...

Feeling better today. Throat is still pretty sore, but I can breathe normally again. A friend called me today and asked if I wanted to go out with her to run some errands, and since I've been cooped up in the house with very little human interaction, I decided that I really wanted to go. I also decided that if I felt good enough to venture outside for some shopping, I felt good enough for a run. Still trying to finish up Week 2, and I think I might do one more Week 2 run after this, just to make sure I am back to my normal pace. At least that is what I'm telling myself right now. It may also be that I'm afraid Week 3 is going to be significantly harder and I'm stalling reaching that point. Either way, I am running today and that is the point.

While I run I am going to try to think about the situation in Haiti, and try to figure out what I could do to be of some small help. Not a lot of money in the bank to donate, and I don't exactly speak French well enough to hop on a plane, but I think they are going to need even more help in the coming weeks, months, years as people get tired of the tragedy and it starts to fade from the international headlines. Hopefully that gives me plenty of time to come up with something creative and useful with my limited resources.

Brick Wall #1

I'm SIIICCCKKK (insert screechy whiny voice here). My throat was a bit scratchy after my last run, but within a few hours that quickly turned into a full-blown head cold, complete with plenty of mucus, a sore throat, itchy eyes, a head that feels like it's about to explode. I had no idea my nose could be running and stuffed up at the same time. How does this happen?

It doesn't help that I am the worst sick person ever. I like to play strong, independent woman most days of the week, but once the sniffles start up I turn into a pathetic lump of flannel-wearing snot sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself and penning multiple drafts of my last will and testament, just in case my poor virus-ridden body doesn't pull through.

Did I mention I won't be running today?

So I'm taking Dayquil (now) and Nyquil (later) and really hope that I will be able to get something resembling a run in tomorrow, before the whole idea of running just gets too big and scary to think about again. Even in my slight drug-induced fog I can see some positives here. For one, I would rather be sick now than once my classes start up next week. More importantly though, I know I will run up against many more daunting hurdles than this one on my journey toward becoming a "runner", and if I can get through this little test with my resolve and motivation in tact, I have a somewhat better chance of making it through the other ones coming my way.

For the Love of Links!

"Sit as little as possible. Give no credence to any thought that was not born outdoors while moving about freely." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Today was an off day. No run for me, but I did spend some quality time with the lovely Ms. Ten Minutes. The DVD doesn't have a menu, so instead of trying to fast forward and rewind to particular workouts, I just went straight through and did them all: Thighs, Arms, Buns, Abs, and Stretching. At ten minutes each, the whole thing took just under an hour, but I hardly noticed the time passing. I got smart this time and played music in the background to drown out the high-pitched squeak of the trainers nagg - erh.. I mean encouragement. So it was much more bearable. Although short, the workouts weren't easy; I have a feeling I will wake up sore tomorrow, but I think the extra muscle building will help me on my runs, so its probably worth it. Even more exciting, I've discovered that I've been using Pandora radio for so long now that it now plays a never-ending stream of songs I absolutely love. Singing along to Tracy Chapman's Fast Car made my glutes workout particularly enjoyable.

In other exciting news, I found two new running websites today, and I have no idea how I have been living without them for so long (cough... 12 days). Dailymile.com describes itself as a "social training log" and is pretty much Facebook for runners, as far as I can tell. The amazing thing is that it has an easy-to-use route tracker that allows you to calculate the exact distance, calories and pace of any run in seconds. This is infinitely better than struggling with Googlemaps to track my route, which doesn't allow you to go the "wrong" way on one-way streets or utilize roads without vehicle access (both of which I do regularly). Even better, Dailymile keeps a running tab (ha ha, get it?) of all of my runs, including obvious things like total distance and time and way more interesting things like gallons of gas saved, numbers of TVs powered and, my personal favorite, the exact number of donuts burned (In my past two runs I have burned 3.51 donuts!). It also seems like a great way to connect with other local runners, although I haven't taken advantage of that particular feature yet.

The other handy link I ran across was Mapmyrun.com which, true to its name, also allows you to track your route, although I don't find its system to be as user-friendly as Dailymile, and I noticed a lot more obnoxious pop-up ads. For me, the most exciting thing about this site is the "Search for Runs" feature. I typed in my city and the maximum/minimum mileage I was looking for and got a list of more than 30 runs very close to my apartment, even a few that were an exact 5k distance - which will be very useful when I get to that point. Some are definitely more exciting than others, but all of them include the total distance, a brief description of the terrain, and a detailed map. The site has some other features, but I wasn't as impressed with any of them in the ten minutes I spent skimming the rest of the site. Might still be worth checking out though.

For me, the process of learning about running is just as important as the act of running itself. I love finding new links, tips, and small pieces of motivation. It keeps me from getting bored and gives me even more reasons to keep going. So if you have any links or tips that you use to keep track of your health, fitness, or sanity, please feel free to share, and I will continue to share mine!

Check, please.

Yesterday's little photograph gave me a bit more inspiration than I bargained for. Today was a seriously productive day, and we were able to check many things off our growing list entitled Things-That-Should-Really-Probably-Get-Done-Soon.

This morning, Big_Shoes and I spent some time writing out much-overdo thank you notes to just a couple of the MANY wonderful people in our lives and were even able to deliver them to the mailbox before the post service came and went. That's two boxes checked. Then I got dressed for a run and set off with a bag full of a half dozen or so library books that needed to be returned. Caught the bus and a train to the downtown library, dropped off the books (Check), and then ran home from the train station via my new favorite community path. Another check. I even popped into the drugstore on the way home to pick up some face wash and FINALLY conquered the hill to our apartment. Check, check.

While I was gone, Big_Shoes stayed home and got some serious cleaning done - even scrubbing the infamously stubborn cooked-on grit off of the stove top, which probably deserves an extra check. After getting some quarters from the local laundromat (by pretending to do someone else's laundry) we were even able to do 2 loads of our own laundry in the basement of our apartment complex - which now costs us a ridiculous $3.50/load! That's at least one check for each load.

Now, I'm winding down the night by folding said clothes (which, regrettably, I almost never do) and finishing up some readings for my quickly approaching spring semester. Double check. Of course, all of this is happening to the soundtrack of the lovely Nora Jones playing on Pandora.com with the relaxing hint of gunfire and explosives in the background. (Big_Shoes got a new shoot 'em up video game from GameFly today and ours is a small apartment to say the least). I'm sure I could say something about the value of compromise in cohabitation here, but instead I'll just turn Norah's volume up.

So all in all, that looks like a total of... 12 items checked off of my list, in a single productive but enjoyable Saturday. Oh wait, let's make that 13; looks like I finally got around to updating the blog! Check.

Cleared Paths and Bubble Baths

Hey Look! I have found me a little piece of motivation! Now if only I could get it blown up to 6'x4' dimensions to hang on my ceiling I may actually be inspired to get up and get moving in the morning instead of throwing my alarm across the room and hiding under the covers. Why did I choose this picture as my motivation, you ask? Well, Lucky for you I have made a list for your convenience:

• The sunrise makes me think of new days, and new chances. Doesn't matter what happened yesterday, today is a brand new day!
  

• Oh.. it's a sunset you say? Well then... sunsets make me think of the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have made it through another day. Looking into the distance, you can see just how far you have come, and the road ahead doesn't seem so far.
  

• Hello - It's the open road. What better symbolism could there be for the endless range of possibilities that every day holds. What better way to show that life really does have direction, and you, my friend, are on that path! Only one way to go - forward! So get moving.
  

• It's purty.

• Yes, I'd like to be running on that road. But I'd also like to be driving on it. It makes me think of the cross-country road trip Big_Shoes and I are taking this August. The road trip symbolizes the end of my Master's program, the completion of a major life goal, the reward of adventure, and my first chance to see my family in over a year. Being healthy and energetic for this trip of a lifetime makes me WANT to go out and run, and reminds me of other dreams I am accomplishing.
  

Just looking at it makes me want to go out and run right now. Except not. Because I already got a great run in today. I am officially on the second week of C25K, and I tweaked the program just a little so that I am running for two minutes, walking for two. Not much different from what I was doing before - but it feels good to be making PROGRESS! Big_Shoes had to go into work today for an hour this morning, but we decided that when he was done we would meet in town for lunch at this new restaurant we've been dying to try. Yesterday, I stumbled upon a GREAT little bike path near our apartment that goes straight into town and is kept clear all year round, and meeting for lunch gave me the perfect opportunity to try it out. It was the perfect length/time, I didn't have to worry about ice or traffic, and most importantly, there were plenty of cute PUPPIES to look at!

Once I got into town, I met up with Big_Shoes and we had the most amazing - although ridiculously unhealthy - lunch at an amazing deal, thanks to my new favorite website, Groupon. Each day they offer up a new deal, almost always at least 50 percent off at restaurants, bars, spas, gyms and all sorts of other services for the city you live in. We paid $15.00 for $30.00 worth of food, and I got my coupon emailed to me in a couple hours! Okay, so perhaps it's not "running" or "fitness" related per say, but I have seen some great deals on gym memberships, dancing classes, ski trips etc. so that is how I justify this particular shameless plug. Plus it helps me save up for those new running shoes, right? Yeah..

Anyway, after we gorged ourselves on pulled chicken sandwiches (me) and pig and cow ribs (him) we took the much-needed walk home, and enjoyed the time laughing and joking with each other. We stopped by the Salvation Army on the way home- we were hoping to pick up the waffle maker we've been eying for the past couple weeks but it was gone! - and I found the coolest old bathroom scale, probably from the 70s at least. It was in fine working condition, according to the grimace on my face when I hopped on, so for $3.00 it got to come home with us, along with a nifty 1980's style ear warmer that they threw in for free. So now I will be able to protect my ears from frostbite AND track my progress in a whole new way.

After all of that excitement and productivity (and cholesterol) I can't think of anything better right now than a hot bath and a good book, followed by my first **gasp** OFFICIAL weigh in of 2010.

Dragging my feet

I can feel. my motivation. slipping.

I didn't blog yesterday - which is a good indicator that I didn't run either. I wasn't too worried about it then - the C25K program recommends days off, and I had a ton of research to dig through for my teaching assistantship next semester anyway. But in the back of my mind I was worried that one day off would mean two, and then three. And then my running shoes would get pushed back into the depths of my closet, never to be seen again until January 1, 2011.

That fear is not unfounded. I have a long history of short, energized bursts of physical activity followed by long periods in a relatively comatose state. Still, I usually last longer than a WEEK! So in spite of a lack of energy or motivation, my running shoes are on and I'm getting ready for my last Week 1 workout.

I am finding that I just can't over think it. If I spend too much time thinking about when to run, or where to run, or what to wear while running, I'll just talk myself out of it. Instead, I make this deal with myself: I tell myself that if I get all ready to run and am standing outside ready to go and I STILL don't want to run, I can turn around and go back inside, no questions asked. By the time I'm down there though, it just doesn't make sense not to run, and I almost always end up doing it. Even if I start out feeling pessimistic and grouchy, I always end my run feeling proud, energized, and accomplished.

So that's where I am now. Feeling unmotivated, but hoping that a self-imposed run will help me to beat some of that and start being productive with my day (hmm.. a clean apartment would be nice...). I think I'd eventually like to make a list of ways to motivate myself, and keep it handy for days like today, when my butt would rather park itself on the couch with the laptop than truck its owner up a hill in the name of recreation. Now there's some good thinking material for my run.

Cheesecake Diaries

Great run today. Still icy, but enough clear pavement to make it work. Technically, it was my third workout of the C25K program, but it has not yet been a week ... so I'm stuck with whether I should move on to the second stage or continue with "week one". From all that I read, there is more risk to moving too quickly than taking it too slow, so I think I'll do at least one more run at the stage 1 before moving on. For those who have no idea what I am talking about right now, here is the first three weeks of my running schedule from the Cool Running website that I posted before.

Although while I'm running I consciously focus on envisioning the air in my lungs and the beat of my heart rather than the jiggle of my thighs, I'd be lying if I said I didn't care about the physical as well as mental benefits of running. So I'll go ahead and take the hit for being the broken record that reminds you that "exercise is only 50% of a healthy lifestyle". A modest supply of common sense and a few foggymemories from my Nutrition 101 class as an undergrad secured this little pearl of wisdom firmly in my rational, conscious brain. I am very aware that no amount of exercise that I am currently capable of can account for one too many of those late-night trips to the freezer, spoon in hand (We all know it's not the frozen peas I'm after). I just wish someone would tell this to my wholly irrational and subconscious stomach. I'm not a horrible eater. I don't eat any red meat or pork, I RARELY touch fast food, I love vegetables and am a huge fan of whole grains. I also just so happen to love devouring a slice of brownie double fudge cheesecake every now and again (and again, and again).

All of the reading out there - or at least the small slice of it that I have skimmed- suggests food journaling as the best way to get a realistic picture of the caloric and nutrition content of what actually goes into your stomach. But the idea of carrying around a little notepad with a list of every french fry and cheese puff that comes anywhere near my mouth makes me nauseous. See, I tend to misplace things, and call me judgmental but I can't imagine finding something like that and NOT thinking that person had issues. My solution? Online journaling.

For the past year, I've been using FitDay.com on and off (okay, mostly off) to keep track of what I eat. Sometimes you have to find the approximate measurement for something or find the closest related food, but for the most part it sets up a pretty accurate picture of your nutrition intake and ...yes, calorie count (if you're into that sort of thing). I will say that I, for one, refuse to count calories. But that may have more to do with my childhood insecurities about performing simple math than the actual merit of calorie counting itself. Anyway, When I'm using FitDay, I love it! But even though I have fun doing it and it helps keep me on track, I always seem to stop using it after a week or two..

But to hell with it, I'm climbing back on that horse, at least until it bucks me off again. I don't plan on changing my diet drastically or restricting my calories (because that would require counting) but I do think it's important to know what exactly I'm eating. Maybe just knowing will result in subtle, subconscious changes, who knows? So back to food journaling it is, but if anyone out there has any tips for sticking with it this time, I'd love to hear them!

Running off into the sunset...

... is not as romantic as it sounds. I was a slacker today - after sitting around watching made for TV movies, eating a balanced diet of top ramen and leftover stocking candy, and attempting to catchup on my research, I looked at the time and realized it was FOUR O'CLOCK! After confirming that I had not inadvertently missed some obscure daylight savings time (wouldn't be the first time) I kicked myself in the butt, double knotted my running shoes, and hit the pavement in time to see the sun well on it's way to setting behind an urban horizon of brick buildings and telephone poles.

Shit. I don't even have glow-in-the-dark shoe laces.

But I was already out there and I was already freezing my butt off, so I figured at the very least a run might help restore the circulation to my extremities. Even better, maybe I could get hit by a car so that I would have something to blog about when I got home. In the end, it wasn't that eventful. By the time I did the 20 minutes of walking/running intervals, the last bit of daylight was all but gone but I had successfully avoided all oncoming traffic. The patches of compacted snow turning to ice under my feet were more treacherous than the darkness itself.

Being the proactive type that I am, I waited until I got home from this adventure (and had time to thoroughly de-thaw my fingers) to Google safety tips for running in the dark, and found a long list of tips for night time running. Among the many precautions that I failed to take were:

• run against traffic (I know this... but I run on a lot of one way streets! I should get points for avoiding the busy roads though).
  
• wear white, yellow, orange and other bright colors (I went for black and grey).
  
• run with a buddy (well... there was that stray cat that followed me for a few yards).
  
• carry a cell phone (I would have, but I couldn't operate the tiny buttons with gloves on!)
• wear a headlamp/reflective vest (ahh.. now THAT would really complete my ensemble).
  
• stick to a familiar route (I had the bright idea of trying something "new" today).
  
• carry identification (I misplace my license enough as it is, do I really need to stick it in my shoe while I'm jaunting around town?)

Now before you start slapping my wrists, I will say that these all sound like reasonable tips, and (hand over heart) I promise to do my best to follow them the next time I find myself trying to sneak in a run late in the day. That said.. I think I'll stick to day-time running for now, especially in this weather, where a couple of hours can mean the difference between cold toes and numb legs. So I guess that means in the future I will either need to procrastinate less and get it done early in the day or resolve myself to spending many more wonderful evenings in front of the TV with the lovely Ms. Ten Minutes.

... Neither option is particularly appealing at this moment.

I'd Rather be Running...

As predicted, even more snow today. If you're thinking I did not choose the best time of year to "become" a runner, I won't disagree with you. What I really need are a pair of YakTrax so that a quick jog does not amount to a possible threat to my life. Unfortunately, I am unwilling/unable to spend $30.00 plus s/h for a pair, so I'll be without until a sweet deal comes up on craigslist, amazon or ebay.

What started out as a quick run yesterday, soon became a careful walk, and I was determined to find a better solution for today. I considered running the stairs in my apartment a few times, but they are old and creaky, and I didn't feel like ticking off all of my neighbors at once (my neighbors could also be described as old and creaky I suppose). After running in place for all of 15 seconds, with my two cats running in between my feet, I crossed that off my list as well, in part for the safety of my cats but mostly because I felt like a moron.

I finally got the bright idea to search my Netflix instant queue, and sure enough, there are a decent amount of workout videos on there. Note: I said a decent AMOUNT of videos, not that the videos themselves were decent. The best of the mix - and the one I eventually decided on called "10 Minute Solution: Target Toning for Beginners" with some ripped, spunky blond woman on the cover.

From the 5 or so options, I chose to focus on legs and arms, which meant I got to spend 20 lovely minutes with said spunky blond girl. Thought about doing abs, but after looking at the trainers 8-pack, I decided I didn't want to go there. We'll wait for the next snowed-in day for that one. It got the job done - didn't feel like much cardio, but definitely worked the muscles. It may be that I was doing the floor exercises on the hardwood, but my knees started to hurt after a bit (not real pain, just achy), so I guess I'll keep an eye on how they feel. Ten Minute girl was obnoxious, but the time did go by quickly, and I would have done a third session if I could have figured out how to put the subtitles up and mute her voice.

All in all, running was more fun, more fulfilling, and more motivating than rolling around in front of the TV with two cans of kidney beans (What? I don't have hand weights...), so I genuinely hope the weather cooperates tomorrow. Uh oh, Big_Shoes is supposed to be home soon and I promised to start dinner! Better hop to it!

Snow Day

So it doesn't appear as though it will stop snowing today. After waiting it out for awhile, Big_Shoes and I decided to give it a shot, and hope some of the side streets are not too slick. We're hoping to continue with the C25K program (60 sec. running, 90 walking) but it may just turn into one brisk walk if we can't find a decent place to run.

Might be a blessing in disguise because despite having tons of energy, my butt and my sides are pretty sore (damn incline!) and I don't want to wear myself out too quickly!

Resolutions Schmesolutions.

Great run today. Thanks to some great online forum advice, I found this website, which gives a great outline for a "Couch to 5K" running program. Looks like you can buy a more interactive version, but I of course will be using the free one!

I was also more prepared for today's run - even though it was a toasty 33 degrees outside. This site tells you exactly what to wear based on the temperature and running conditions, which I found to be a great resource for the clueless runner (me). Of course I don't have all of the ultra specialized gear that the site "recommends" but a trip into the dark depths of my closet provided some pragmatic substitutions. The best addition was throwing on some black leggings under my shorts - it really helped the circulation to my legs, and I felt the difference in my stride. The whole look was a bit ... special, which was of course exactly what I was going for.

Since he had the day off, my burly fiance Big_Shoes joined me for the run. It was nice to have a running partner, and even though I was the one with the stopwatch he seemed to do a better job estimating intervals. This program works well with a partner, because you aren't running for a long enough period to get too separated, especially since Big_Shoes has a stride at least twice the length of what my 5'3'' frame can do.

Anyway, per the program, today's run consisted of a brisk five minute warm up, and twenty minutes of running for 1 minute and walking for a minute and a half. The snow left quite a few of the sidewalks too precarious for running, so we opted to run on side streets - which made our route a bit longer, but didn't slow us down as much. Total distance was 2.3 miles, and it took us about 35 minutes. The only change we made to the program was in sprinting the hill to our apartment on the way back, finish line style. I had slowed down for a few steps going up the hill, but finished strong. I will conquer that damn hill, just not today.

I was surprised to see only one other runner on New Years Day (Don't gym memberships skyrocket after the first of the year?), but I'm guessing that the weather kept a lot of people indoors, nursing their hangovers. My own champagne-induced headache, however, disappeared a minute or two into our run. With that out of the way, I spent most of my run thinking about the achievements of my past year and my goals for the approaching one. (Cheesy, yes, but hear me out!) It would be easy to classify this little experiment as a New Years Resolution - and I don't know if I could argue against that. The timing is what it is, right? It may just be my natural skepticism for resolutions in general, but right now I picture running as the means to achieve my goals, not the goal in of itself.

Now even the most adamant resolution critic should have goals, and certainly have goals of my own, although they may not fit neatly into the 365 day time line of a resolution. While running a 5K is a short-term goal of mine (I'd like to run my first this spring) I see it as a step toward reaching my longer-term goals. Feeling healthier and better about myself will give me more confidence to go after my goals and more energy to accomplish them. Daily runs can help me beat the stress that usually accompanies any goal, and give me time during the day to reflect on the direction of my life. I have a feeling 2010 will not be lacking in challenges and new experiences. I will be finishing up my Master's degree, moving across the country (again), living with the parents while I find a job and a house and eventually planning a wedding. And of course, the things that are not foreseeable are often the most challenging. But maybe... running can be my rock. And maybe it can help me accomplish some of these things, and get to the places I want to be, or places I never imagined. Or maybe I'll get bored or busy in three weeks and give up.

There's only one thing I can say for sure: It can't hurt to give it a shot.