Just like old times

To help get myself motivated and to make sure I'm getting in my weekly mileage I started using the treadmills over at One-to-One a couple mornings a week before work.

Talk about old times. Walking into One-to-One is like walking into your old hometown ---- clients and trainers who have been there for years and who have been following you on your fitness path. It seems right that I found my way back to One-to-One.

It's great to get the workouts done early since trying to do them after work seems to be more challenging. Being the energizer bunny first thing in the morning isn't too shabby either.

From Russia With Love

It's Monday morning and I completely flaked out and forgot to get up for bootcamp and open swim practice. Granted I was super tired from yesterday's sprint tri...and I'm totally out of shape. This body needed rest I guess.

Once I finally got my act together I knew that I had to make up the time with something...but it was raining and I had no desire to run in the rain.

In the alternate I found my ways to Gold's for a 5k on the treadmill and a spin class.

Little did I know that the evening instructor was a high energy (and a bit nutty) Russian who had a love of sprints and hills. Did I say hills...many hills.

Her favorite phrase was, "Are you short of breathe and is your heart pounding really hard? Good...don't stop...that means that you're doing it right." After an hour I was drenched in sweat and happy to have hung in with the Russian.

After class we asked the Russian how she can basically keep up a conversation while pushing us so hard. She said that she teaches 15-20 classes a week. Enough said.

ISO Love of Running

[Stretching Bay-side post run]

Sounds very dramatic, but I've fallen slightly outta love...with Running.

I'm not sure exactly what happened or when, but the days when I'd bounce out of bed looking forward to putting on my running shoes seems to have slipped away and I am desperately trying to find that feeling again.

It likely all started with injuries and the time I had to take to recover. In my case, time away from running caused me to become smitten with something else --- biking. Oh how I love the black & white Cannondale.

As a result, I have to beg and bribe myself to set aside the Cannondale and instead grab the running shoes.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a run from Fenwick toward Bethany. It was sunny and warm and an all-around fine day for a summer run. The resulting 4.6 miles was ok. Not GREAT or FANTASTIC, but fine and acceptable. These days I'll take FINE and ACCEPTABLE.

Here's to HAPPY running in the future.

Hit The Defrost

Lots going on today, but the backdrop was definitely the bitter cold.

When I went to bed last night I had grand plans of organizational perfection that included:

• an early morning 8-mile run in the city
• shower and prep at my office
• check on a work-related project
• cruise over to the Snapple brunch in Arlington
• pick up some new winter running gear in Georgetown
• chill-out at home for the rest of the day

Though I had my bags packed and alarm set, my grand plans were shot to shit when I slept in and then got wrapped up with a work issue. Damn those work issues!

Needless to say my day started off rushing around to just get to the Snapple brunch on time.

The Snapple brunch was fun and informative. J presented info on how to read our VO2 test info (aka You Are An Inefficient Couch Potato report) and a fellow Snappler walked me through how to actually do the treadmill workouts. It'll be interesting to see the results in the coming weeks.

Next I headed over to the office to bang out a quick project and then bundled up to knock out my 8-mile run. As you can guess I was not looking forward to the sub-freezing temps. After deciding that attempting an 8-mile run on the treadmill would be a recipe for disaster (aka I've done 2 miles and I'm bored so I might as well just bail), I headed out for a run around the Mall and Hains Point.

All in all, it was not my best effort but I was proud of a few key things:

• I can run without an iPod. Silence is actually wonderful and without musical distraction you are much more in the moment. It's actually quite freeing. Definitely sounding more zen then I actually am.

• I am mentally strong enough to keep pushing through, even though I'm training alone and have no one to talk to.

• I can withstand sub-freezing temps. Everyone knows I hate the cold, but once you get rolling you might as well keep going or else you're just going to get cold.

After completing a bit more than 8 miles, I treated myself to a skinny vanilla latte and headed home for a ridiculously hot shower.

Hit the defrost...my bed and pjs are calling my name.

Beach!

On Saturday morning I headed back to the OC Boardwalk and knocked out another 4.5 miles. I headed out strong for the first half and then chilled a bit back on the backend. This was my recovery run after yesterday's longer run.

All in all the weather was a lot better than prior weeks. Almost a heat wave!

Lots of folks walking around and in town for the long weekend.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

After delaying my recovery run for as long as possible today --- hoping for the temps to creep up above freezing --- I finally just sucked it up and headed out to run the OC Boardwalk --- just shy of 4.5 miles round trip.

I layered up and pulled my ski cap down tight around my ears and got rolling.

Luckily the sun was high and bright above me and the wind was actually much worse on the bay-side vs. the ocean-side. That being said --- it was still only 33 degrees and likely colder with the wind-chill.

I saw one other runner out there and a few other folks just strolling around. As you can see...I had a lot of open space to do my own thing.

It's kinda wired to run on wooden slats. The good news is that there is a bit more give vs. running on pavement. Bummer that you need to keep your eyes open for odd nails and odd spots on the board. Luckily the Public Works folks look to be replacing sections that are a bit beat up.

I motored along and though planned to only do three miles I decided to just keep going and run the whole thing.

Needless to say, soon into the run I started to sweat and on the way back started to get cold since my shirt was now wet.

All I can say is...thank goodness for cars that heat up quickly and have seat warmers.

Still knocking the dust off

This morning I headed down to Hains Point to run the longer loop. Here's a pix from the bridge. I thought it would be 6 miles, but it was only 5.6 miles. Annoying...and I was running too late to make up the extra distance before wrapping up my run.

Overall, it was a good run. It started off cold and stiff, but I got into a rhythm and just kept pushing forward. I've also learned that running ipod-free is fabulous. As much as I love my tunes it feels great to free your mind and just focus on the moment.

My erratic training (aka "chill-ville") over the last two months definitely has been an obstacle, but I'm shifting to the positive and looking at it as a much needed break and a way to make me hungrier and more motivated for the upcoming spring, summer and fall races.

Bring it on bitches. I'm coming back.

Please pass the sunscreen

It's early October and I'm driving down the street with the windows down and the smell of suntan lotion is still lingering through the air.

I wasn't the only one enjoying this unseasonably awesome weather --- everyone seemed to be out walking, running, biking, tanning, picnicing, swimming and just lounging around.

This afternoon I headed down to Hains Point for a leisurely run/walk around the 5k loop, over to the Jefferson Memorial and eventually over my nemesis...the 14th Street Bridge.

Afterwards, I hooked up with some Snapple Tri Clubbers for an informal swim clinic in the uber-fantastic Hains Point 50-meter outdoor heated pool. Me likey!

We started out doing a handful of freestyle drills and then did a couple sets of 100's. Overall, it was great to be outside and even better to focus on improving my stroke with some fun folks. More swimming please!

This and That...CA Style

This week I was out in LA and Palo Alto for work. Though I drafted my gear out west I found myself only grabbing time on the treadmill vs finding a pool for a good workout or a bike to get some pedal-time in. Treadmill is better than no treadmill.

Nothing eventful...other than a realization that Nations is RIGHT around the corner. I need to get myself together.

Rum Runner...Minus the Rum and the Hangover

This morning I was scheduled to knock out 2 miles in order to be in sync with the Jump Start Kids whose program I am missing b/c I'm at the beach. I ended up doing 2.25 miles.

I headed out to cruise around the neighborhood.

I still am having focus issues while running and seem to flake out after 1.5 miles or so. Definitely not good. I think being around the Jump Starters in the future will force me to be more focused.

Viva Miami

Ok, so I'm not in Miami, but I am using the Miami vibe to help me motor through my run. Since the run has been difficult for me, I've tried hard to push through the frustration and started using positive visualization. I can't freaking believe I just said "positive visualization" without laughing, but it actually works.

I headed out tonight for an easy 35 minute run and the entire time I just kept thinking that I was going out for a casual run along the Venetian Causeway in Miami. The Venetian route is a nice 6-mile loop that I just loved to crush when I was last in Miami visiting my brother and sister-in-law. I just couldn't get enough of that route. It was relatively flat --- but for the slight inclines over the causeways --- and the scenery was just stunning. I literally ran it almost every day I was there.

Tonight I just kept thinking I was on the Venetian. For whatever reason...it worked. I was able to keep motoring along my neighborhood loop without stopping and didn't feel pressure to stop and start walking.

Another confidence builder!

Welcome to taper week.

I just can't freaking believe that I am DAYS away from race day. Man. The time has flown by.

I am nervous/excited/anxious about the whole thing. On Sunday, we drove most of the course so that I could prepare myself for what to expect. I've found this tactic to work best for me and help me from freaking out. It's nice to be racing in my home city. The routes are familiar to me and much of the run/bike route is over areas that I've covered on foot as part of the Army 10-Miler and National half-marathon training programs. Sweet!

Last night I received my bib and swim wave information, as well as details about the race. Looks like I have an early morning wake up call on Sunday. I have to have all my stuff set up in the transition area by 5:15 am. My swim wave starts at 6:35 am. Man...that's EARLY.

I looked back through my training log for the last few months. It's surprising how much mileage and time I've put in for this whole thing. Oh course I could have done this and that, but at the end of the day I've put in a ton of time to prepare for the Olympic. I'm looking forward to pushing myself to see if I can hang.

My goal is to just finish...any way that I can. :)

Scared of the Run

Who would have ever thought those words would come out of my mouth since joining the Try the Tri Program.  It's actually shocking.  I went into this whole thing knowing that I had a solid running base and thought that banging out a 10k in the race would be a piece of cake.  Having trained for the Army 10-Miler and completed two half marathons in less than a year,  I was pretty sure that running was the least of my worries.

Unfortunately I got injured in March and have been battling back into the world of running for the last two months.  It has been terribly discouraging.

During my neighborhood loop this evening I was really thinking about how quickly my running base evaporated after my injury and realized that it was my love of running and lack of moderation that got me here in the first place.  One would have thought given my medical history I would have learned my lessen about moderation.  Sometimes I guess you have to hit your head against the wall a few times before you realize it actually hurts.  Duh!

Looking backward from when my hip fell apart at the National half-marathon, I can trace the origins of my troubles all the way back to the Miami half-marathon.  I remember the day after that race...and nearly every day after that for two weeks...I hit the streets of Miami and Key West for 4-6 miles.  The weather was fantastic and there was nothing better then getting out there and pushing the miles.  No surprise that when I got back to DC and returned to my regular training group I just didn't seem right.  My long runs didn't feel right and I just felt off.  A couple of weeks of trying to get into the groove likely led to my hip finally deciding it couldn't take it any more and conking out at mile 10-ish of the National half-marathon.

The positive news is that I've given my hip time to heal and have separately strengthened it with targeted exercises.  My running is still not where I want it to be, but at least I can actually run vs the limping I had been doing for some time.  I guess the bonus is that the forced break from running gave me an opportunity to spend time focusing on swimming and biking.  There always is a bright side!

So during the 10k if you hear my muttering to myself don't be concerned.  I haven't lost my mind...I'm probably just encouraging myself toward the finish line.

Flip It And Reverse IT

Man...I'm tired.

I followed the suggested work-out...with a slight modification. We flipped our brick. We ran 6 miles and then biked 20 miles.

THE RUN:
Let's be serious. It was hard. Ever since I took 3-4 weeks off to heal this bum hip it's been a difficult road back. I'm seriously sucking wind each time I go out.

Though I'm glad that I actually can take a few steps without wincing in pain, it's as if I'm starting at square one again. It is incredible how much of your base is lost so quickly. Slowly but surely I'm motoring back to my half-marathon training distances...emphasis on "slowly."

Though we did 6 miles, I definitely took advantage of the rest moments waiting to cross the street every once in awhile.

THE BIKE:
We decided to bag The Bike Rack ride and instead. rolled over to Hains Point and rode loops for 20 miles. It was a 3 mile loop. At times it was monotonous, but it was good to get the distance in. Given the location on the water you would race half of the loop against the wind. Hello resistance training!! The other half was more manageable.

There were lots of fancy cyclists out there. I continue to be in awe of the them.

Needless to say, I'm super proud of what we accomplished today!

Making Deals

Somehow I was able to run 5 miles this morning with the Road Runners. Yay!!!! I am so happy.  Don't get me wrong, it was hard, but somehow I was able to keep going.

We started at Capitol Hill and headed to Georgetown.  As we looped back all I wanted to do was stop and start walk/running.

I was a bit tired --- probably just feeling lazy from not running much --- and at times felt mentally weak. I decided to use my old trick of making deals with myself --- "if I keep running and get to that street then I'll let myself walk" or "just get to that next spot and if I'm still tired I'll walk."

Somehow the tricks and being pushed by the girls kept me going.

Yay! Now...I just need to keep pushing a bit on the run portion of my training, as well as continuing to strengthen my hip muscles.

It's a double

It's Saturday at lunchtime and I've already knocked out a 4-mile run and a 60-min bike. After this week's slacking I felt like it was necessary.

Re the run:
I met up with the ladies from DC Road Runners for an informal run that starts at the Capitol every Saturday morning. I can't believe how long it's been since I've run with this crew! Three weeks is a heck of a long time to not run regularly and I'm here to tell you that it's complete bullshit that your base evaporates so quickly. Ugh. I was not rockin' the run. I seriously felt like a lumbering mess out there.

We decided just to knock out 4-miles, which frankly was more than I planned to do. I was grasping on to the fantasy that a 2-miler would cut it. Unfortunately that is unacceptably lame so I chugged along for the 4 miles while the larger group pushed on to do 6-8 miles. Jealous much.? Hell yes!

I headed home and then immediately jumped on my bike to knock out a scheduled 60-minute/11-mile ride. I headed out on the Paint Branch Trail and circled the lake a few times to kill time and add some mileage. Relatively uneventful ride.

I do need to spend time figuring out all the gears on this bike vs just jamming through them without a clue. I was convinced I was going to drop a chain today when I moved from one ring to another.

45 min bike + 15 min run = OK

Given my schedule today, I jammed my bike and run into a consecutive workout after work today.
The bike was good. No issues. The bike wasn't as nice as the spin bike at work, but it'll do.

I was very anxious about my run. I started at an 11 minute pace; then shifted to 10.5 minute pace; then shifted the last 5 minutes to a little over a 9 minute pace.

The good news is that I made it all the way through. My hip left a little weird at the beginning, but felt better as the run progressed. I was worried about pushing it too much and I decided to stop at 15 minutes.
I do think all the stretching and using the foam roller definitely has helped. I have a consult with a sports medicine person tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. I hope to be back to my 6-10 mile runs very soon!

Welcome to the great indoors

Today I hit the gym for a combo long bike/short run workout.  The 45 minute bike went very well.  Felt great.  No issues.  Bonus that I used the time to catch up on watching the news and singing along to tunes on the iPod.

The bummer is that my hip is still not back to normal.  It is completely frustrating to not just be able to lace up your shoes and go for a run.  I really, really, really miss going out for a comfortable run.  The result is that I'm finally going to make an appointment with a specialist to look at what's going on.

Devastating

I don't mean to be overly dramatic and I hope that I am...but my running has not improved. It has been weeks after my mysterious hip injury at the National Half Marathon in DC. I've followed doctor's orders and taken pain pills, taken muscle relaxers and stopped running. The result is the pain and mobility issues are much better, but I am not able to run like I used to.

Last Tuesday, I decided to walk around the track with the rest of the early morning cruisers who are working off last night's dessert. After a half mile of fast walking I could feel some mild discomfort. It's like you know that something is "just not right."

I stopped and did some mild stretching to get the muscles loose and to see if I could work this area out. Mind you, yesterday I had an incredibly hard Swedish massage and though at times I cringed, I felt fantastic afterwards. My hip felt like a million bucks. In retrospect, I should have tried running on it immediately.

After walking a few laps, I decided to lightly run around the track. Laps one and two were hesitate and I focused on taking only short choppy steps. As I rounded the corner at lap three I could feel the gnawing pain return to my left hip. I decided to push a fourth lap. The discomfort was steady and not improving. At that point I gave up and headed back to my cabin. Mother f-er!!

After working so hard to improve my running over the last 10 months and finally finding an outlet I truly enjoy, it is truly devastating to not be able to just go out and run. If I was a crier, I could just sit down and cry.

Luckily, all hope is not lost. I still have an orthopedist out there that I have to see. The tough part is describing the pain since I can bike, swim and walk --- though long periods of walking and stair climbing I've noticed cause some mild discomfort.

If I had to guess, based on no medical training what so ever, I'd say that at times it feels like something in my hip is either rubbing or sliding out of place. Of course now that I've said that I have nightmares of the woman I met in the Galapagos who was in her early 40's, was an athlete and had double hip replacement surgery...or...visions similar to those who have to get knee replacement surgery. I'm sure the new doctor will say that it's an overuse injury. The next piece he tells me will be the piece that scares me.

As always, I gotta say..."Why me?" I've had so may bumps, bruises, scars, surgeries and near death experiences that I feel as if I'm finally owed some sort of break already. Grrrr!

Some wishes shouldn't come true

A few months ago I mentioned that I was burnt from running and needed a break. When I said "a break" I didn't mean an injury causing break!

The hip is still bothering me. I originally decided to take the "5-Day Approach" to dealing with this hip issue. Today is day four and I think it's fair to say that I should just make a decision. I'm not confident that another 24-hours is gonna make that much of a difference.

Sunday was definitely better than Saturday and Monday was better than Sunday....but my progress seems to have plateaued. Then again...I'm pretty impatient.

Yesterday, I headed to my buds at the gym to have them give me their assessment, since there is a group that specializes in injury recovery and they have known me for forever. I know they'll tell me the truth. After looking at my stride, hearing my story and stretching me around --- all were glad to hear that there had been positive improvement over the last few days, still agreed with the 5-7 day approach, but there was a resounding three votes that a visit to the doctor likely in my future.

It's a bummer that I'm still limping a bit, but at least it's not as bad as Sunday.