Friday, December 31, 2010

Days 222 & 223: Operation continued...

Yesterday I went to my new gym for an hour of pilates and an hour of yoga. Pilates was much more difficult than I expected... my abs were really sore. It does feel great to be doing yoga again. I think that every time I come back after a break. Maybe I should just stop taking breaks...

Today I had every intention of getting up to go to a spinning class. Supposedly this gym has the best spinning instructors in Georgia or something. But I was so sore after the past two days that I knew my legs could not handle a spin class and the run I needed to get in. So I went back to bed for a little, and then went for a 6m run. The weather was amazing... 60 degrees, ran in shorts. Picked a hilly, muddy course, which didn't help my time, but at least I felt better. I also did 45 minutes of strength training at home, and got in a good 45 minutes of stretching to help ease the soreness.

Moment of truth is rapidly approaching... here's hoping for a fabulous new year... and for looking fabulous in my dress.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Days 219 - 221: Title too long, see below

Operation crap-I-ate-too-much-over-break-and-didn't-exercise-enough-because-I've-been-sick-but-still-need-to-fit-into-a-sexy-New-Year's-dress-Friday-night-and-maintain-fitness-for-the-marathon

Monday and Tuesday I was traveling and did nothing. I meant to get up and run on Monday, but the temperature was 12 degrees. The army has a cutoff for doing PT outside of like 20, so I figured if the army was staying inside, it was probably not a good idea for me to go outside, especially since I was FINALLY feeling better. Instead, I attempted to eat a 4 pound grilled cheese sandwich with an accompanying pound of fries and coleslaw for lunch (the Melt challenge! As featured on Man vs Food! http://www.meltbarandgrilled.com/melt-challenge/). Sadly for my pride but lucky for my thighs and tummy, I only made it half way. It was delicious, but really didn't help the bloated holiday cow feeling.

I was gently reminded that I have a sexy dress to fit into for New Year's Eve. And since I've been pathetic about training, I'm still super worried about being able to finish the marathon. So... time to get serious.

I had a Groupon for a new gym called Jeanne's Body Tech, so I decided to activate it today. 3 month membership for use of their enormous gym with every type of equipment you could ever want and all of their classes. So, after a 5 mile run outside (slow, but I made it, and thankfully it was in the 40s), I went to the "Diesel" class, which is essentially death. It's an interval class, which means high intensity cardio and strength, and I thought I was going to die. I realized how not in overall shape I am (my upper body is pathetic), and I had to modify or cut down the reps for almost all the exercises. I was probably also tired from running and it was my first time doing a class like that, but still. I ended my day with a nice easy yoga class. Nothing fast or intense, just got everything stretched out and loosened up. I'm trying to watch how much I eat too, but hopefully just getting super active again will help, although starting Sunday I am going on a super healthy get-ready-for-marathon-day diet. Back to quinoa and fish and veggies. Figure I should be reasonable and get through New Year's first though, since I'm a sucker for champagne.

Tomorrow the goal is at least pilates and yoga. Depending on how sore I am maybe another class or a run or even just a walk. I just don't want to look bloated and jiggly in my dress. It's too pretty for that.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Days 212 - 218: Christmas break... in more ways than one

What a crazy week... I don't know if I can even remember what happened. I just know there was no work, too much food, and not enough exercise.

Monday and Tuesday I did nothing. I drove to Dayton, and then to Cleveland, and I was so sick I couldn't even sleep. I actually started taking medicine, which I usually try to avoid at all cost. But it hurt to breath and the cold, dry Ohio air just made it worse, so I had to try something.

Wednesday I did some "cross training." The baseball stadium in Cleveland started this thing called "Snow Days" this year. They basically converted the park into a winter wonderland, with a maze, a skating path around the field, a place for snow ball fights, and a tubing hill. My friends and I decided to try it out. It was AWESOME! So much fun and a brilliant way to put the field to use and earn some extra revenue during the off season. The cross training part was climbing the stairs five times to go tubing and ice skating, which for me, since I'm so bad, is a lot of work. The cold air was a little irritating to my diseased lungs, but I was outside and moving and it was a good way to ease back into some exercise after 12 hours in the car and two days of nothing.

Thursday I used the gym my mom and sister go to and got a real work out in. I wanted to try some running, but I didn't want to push my luck, so I tried circuit training for the first time. I ran a mile, and then did one ab, one leg, and one arm workout. Completed 3 circuits. For not having run since Sunday and for being so sick, I feel that was a pretty good start.

Christmas Eve was a packed day, since that's when we celebrate, so I went for 30 minutes on the treadmill. I only got in 2.5 miles, so I felt pretty pathetic. I just hate the treadmill so much, I have no motivation to keep going. I used an interval program though, so I guess I can say I got some hill training in.

Saturday... Christmas Day... I braved the cold and went outside for a 4 mile run. It actually went much better than I thought. I ran the whole time, and although my pace was pretty slow, I didn't feel too cramped and cold and miserable until the last mile. I didn't cough up a lung afterward either, so I think I'm well into the recovery stages of the plague. I don't want to push it though, so I'm going to keep taking it slow. Better to be healthy, I think.

Today I tried circuit training again. Completed 4 circuits, so I feel like I did accomplish something. At least I'm getting a few miles in and trying to keep my overall fitness up. I think I'm just going to do a reverse taper and work on building my mileage back up during the next week. Definitely taking a real taper the week before the marathon though. Two weeks... craziness. I'm scared.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Days 205 - 211: There is a 0% chance I can do this

Seriously. I just want to give up now.

Monday and Tuesday I could feel the cold that has been plaguing me for almost a month now creeping into my chest, so I took both days off. Wednesday I did belly dancing times 2, and it seemed to go ok. Thursday I was feeling bad again, so I only made it through a 5k on the treadmill. Friday I was determined to make up for my slacking and try to get back into running, so I did 5 miles outside. Saturday I didn't want to run, but needed to do something besides pack, so I did about 30 minutes on the elliptical. I hate the elliptical. All 30 minutes were torture. I feel like my legs are too far apart and my butt sticks out and my posture is poor and I can't get a feel for how to change my speed significantly. Ugh. I don't know how people do it. I also did a little arm work, since I wasn't able to go to yoga this week, as I didn't figure me coughing up my lungs all through class would be a little disruptive to others' focus and peace.

Today was supposed to be 23 miles, or last long run. But it was fail. Huge, epic fail. My back and abs are so sore from coughing to much that I was physically unable to hold myself upright. My chest was burning and I kept having to stop to cough up all the crap from my lungs. I made it through 11 miles, and then we ended up doing a run walk for a total of 16.75. Pathetic.

I don't know what to do now. I haven't been running nearly as much as I should because I'm sick. So am I going to lose my stamina? But if I do run, I'm never going to get better, and I'm so scared of pneumonia since this stupid cold has gone from my head to my chest. I feel like a baby, I feel like I'm making excuses. And I have no one to ask what I should do. Take a week off? Start tapering like we're scheduled to? Try to get in one more long run? I don't know. This was a stupid idea. I really don't think I'm going to be able to finish.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Days 200 - 204: Cold and doubt

Wednesday I did belly dancing times 2. Walk-in and workout was intense as usual. I've decided from my choreography class though that I will never be "sexy." I'm pretty much stuck in the realm of "cute" forever. Oh well, at least I'm not afraid to look a little silly and have a lot of fun.

Thursday I ran in the afternoon. A bunch of people were going to Taco Mac for dinner and beer, so I just planned a route and ran there (it's too cold to sweat much and it's a sports bar, so does it really matter what I look like?) I ended up running 7.6 and walking the last 0.4 to make 8. But I think it might have been even colder than Tuesday, and so the run was even more of a struggle. I was feeling pretty down and a little sick before I got into Taco Mac, but some very nice people working for the city invited me in to their abandoned shop space for free hot chocolate and cookies if I looked at their new city action plan (it wasn't as sketchy as it sounds). I've never voted in my life (I'd never even been registered until this past November), but... never too late to start getting involved right? After warming up, I headed into Taco Mac where a couple beer and some french fries had me feeling better about life again.

Friday was supposed to be a rest day, but I ended up walking 4 miles since I had to go to campus and back twice. Poor planning on my part.

Saturday my cross training was AWESOME!!! I went to a 3 hour hula workshop and learned a Christmas hula to the song "Merriest Hawaiian Christmas." A Christmas hula!!! It was so fun... great way to spend a Saturday afternoon and way better than the gym. I might like hula better than belly dancing... my butt can stick out a little more so my back doesn't get as tired trying to keep it all tucked in. All I can say is... my hips don't lie. But my upper body might be a little... challenged. I definitely hope the studio offers more hula classes though.

Today we ran 13.1. When we started, it was in the 40s, but we had both checked the weather and it was only supposed to get colder, so we dressed warmly and took extra layers with us. Both of us swore sun was in the forecast... but 5 minutes into the run it started to rain. Then in turned to hail. And then snow. And not wimpy snow either. Actual flakes of snow. The temperature dropped to 29-feels-like-15 degrees. Everything was cramped. Chris couldn't feel his fingers. I was exhausted because I felt like I was working so hard but my cramped legs were barely moving. It was awful... it ended up taking us 3 hours. That's a personal worst.

Every single run this week sucked. I just can't make my legs move. I hope that it's the cold, and subsequently hope that it will be warmer in Orlando. I don't need it to be perfect. I just need it not to snow. I need it to be at least 40. I want to believe that a flatter course and warmer weather and having tapered for 3 weeks will equal a good run. But I can't help but worry that it's me... that there's something wrong with me and I'm not going to be able to finish, or that it's going to take me right down until the very last second. Ugh. I'm feeling really depressed about this right now. I don't know why I thought this was a good idea.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Days 191 - 199: Baby, it's cold outside!

Wow, super blog fail this week. Sorry.

Monday: yoga. Tuesday: 6 a.m. yoga (I'm addicted... I wish I could get up that early every day because it's such a great way to get started, but by the end of the week I need sleep) and 8.5 miles on the treadmill because it rained ALL day. I used it as a chance for speed work--mile repeats increasing from 10 min/mile with 0.2 mi recoveries. It was a hard workout, definitely. Wednesday: belly dancing times two: walk-in and work-out, and the Upgrade U class. Walk-in and work-out was HARDCORE... my abs and thighs were super tired, but felt amazing. We finally started learning choreography to our dance in the Upgrade U class. Just the intro. I feel a little silly, but mostly it's just fun.

Then... Thursday happened. I was feeling a little under the weather all week, but chalked it up to a case of the sniffles. By Thursday, my throat was on fire, and I was incredibly congested. Combined with the fact that the temperature had started to drop significantly, I decided to take a rest day, with plans of running Friday. But Friday I woke up and couldn't even open my eyes. My face was so swollen, and I had no voice whatsoever. So I took rest day number 2. Saturday I could move again, but with 22 miles looming in front of me, I decided to take it easy again and just did some cleaning and got the apartment festively decorated for Christmas (more work than you might think, actually, so I don't feel too guilty).

Sunday I was down to a little sniffle, and despite the fact that it was snowing as I put out Gatorade along our route, I decided to go for the 22 mile run with Chris. It was chilly and overcast (but the snow stopped, thank goodness), but we bundled up and had a really great start. The first 10.5 flew by much faster than we expected. For some reason, though, when the sun came out and it got later in the afternoon, it actually started to get colder. We were definitely fighting some cramping. Just after mile 17, Chris pulled something in his knee... his turn for injury, I guess. We ran a little bit more, and then ended up just walking about the last 5 miles. My Garmin's battery died at 19.5 miles (I knew I should have charged it the night before...), but given where we were when it died, I'm certain we finished somewhere between 21 and 22. We actually ended up finishing in about 5 hours and 15 - 20 minutes, which isn't too bad with the walking. And the main point is that we kept moving and kept on our feet for that whole time. We're not going for time, we're just going to finish, and we have 7 hours to do it, so as long as we can keep moving for that whole 26.2 miles, we should be ok.

I'm especially inspired recently because I got a peek at the elevation chart for the Disney marathon. The first 15 miles are FLAT. I've never seen an elevation chart that looks like that. It's crazy. Then there's a few gentle hills. Mile 19 is entirely uphill, but I don't think it will actually be that steep. But after mile 20, it's flat again. Glorious. That's why I think we'll be just fine for the marathon. Hills are hard on your knees and your ankles and your lungs and... ok, well, everything. But we'll have so many fewer. And we'll have the aide stations to keep us vigilant about hydration and walk breaks. So I think we're ok.

Anyway... a 22 mile run is never helpful for the immune system, so I was feeling very congested again yesterday. Yoga was out of the question, since the heat would make me uncomfortable, and I couldn't breathe through my nose at all. So I did some "yogalates" (yoga + pilates) at home... about an hour and 45 minutes total. I must have done something right because my abs are sore today.

It's too cold to run in the mornings right now, so I ran this afternoon while there was still some sun. Cold... upper 30s when I started... and the temperature dropped rapidly towards the end once the sun went away. I did a total of 7.6 miles. It's a rest week so technically I only needed to do 7, but I'm trying to atone for my weekend of laziness (even though it's really not my fault, I mean, I was sick, right?). I really hope it's not this cold in Orlando... when the temperature is so close to freezing I can feel my muscles tighten and my blood turning to icy sludge. Definitely slows me down.

I have more inspiration to write about, but I'm being hurried along, so I'll save that for later. Perhaps that means I'll have to post before Sunday.