Saturday Morning Music

My run began with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-duPPLhqe0

It ended with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NidVUCC42N4

In between was a little of everything.  My iPod is my very favorite thing in the world.  It doesn't judge me for my ecclectic taste.  It just plays on as if going from Barbara Streisand to Lady Ga Ga to Harry Belafonte is the absolute most rational thing in the world to do. 

I had a lovely run this morning.  I was going to get up at 6:20 and run before my day started.  I woke up at 5.  I laid in bed until 5:30 and just got up and went.  I am growing weary of the treadmill, and I think I was eager to get out on the streets of Lakeland Hills.  It's bizarre.  I run faster when not on the treadmill.  I go further when not on the treadmill.  Common sense dictates that the treadmill would be easier since I have it on absolute zero incline.  I averaged an 11 minute mile on the roads where on the 'mill, it's at least a 12, more often a 13 minute mile.  I think I may need to re-think my whole training. 

I have discovered a lovely site called MapMyRun.  I have no idea how it works other than it can tell me distance I cover on the winding streets of this sprawling housing development.  I'm looking forward to really figuring it out and pre-planning routes and just turning into a running machine.  Dancing queen.  Yup, I had "Mama Mia" in the mix, too. 

I also made an unexpected connection today with a mom from Wendy's school.  We found ourselves in the same place for much longer than we had anticipated (it's such a long, long story, so just accept the surface explanation).  She is an avid runner, and she was excited to hear I'm going to do my first half.  She loves the Seattle half and said that my biggest goal for my first half is simply to finish.  It's a hilly run, and she said I will need to walk up the hills and then just book down them.  She assured me that having to incorporate some walking into the half is going to be essential and necessary.  I'm feeling reassured and more confident than ever! 

All in all, a very comforting day.  I was getting discouraged by my seeming failure on the treadmill, and am excited to find that when my feet hit actual pavement, I'm a lot better at everything! 

Half Marathon Training Has Begun!

And...I have a LONG ways to go to 13.1, my friends!  Now that the training is here, I'm fearful I may not make it.  I have less than 2 months to go.  Eek! 

But, if Tony taught me anything, it's to do my best and forget the rest.  Regardless of whether or not I manage to run every step of that 13.1, I will undoubtedly run the absolute furthest I have ever run in my life on race day.  That has to count for something. 

That said, I'm going to work like crazy to get there.  A bit of filler of what's happened between the end of P90X and the beginning of half marathon, or HM, as I will refer to if from now on: 

My life got, let's say, rearranged, in ways I did not anticipate.  Mostly the rearrangements have been difficult but also for a greater good.  Still, I fell back on my old, not-so-awesome habit of emotionally eating.  I've packed on a good 5 pounds dealing--or not dealing, as it were--with all of this.  When I emotionally eat, then I get depressed.  When the depression creeps in, so does fear and laziness.  I put off HM training for an entire week and ate myself into oblivion.  

Then this past Sunday came.  It was the day of my 5K.  I came into it having not run one step in well over a month.  It felt like a make or break kind of moment, and I knew finishing it without walking would be just the boost I needed to get back on track.  So, with one of my favorite friends by my side, I set out to conquer 3.1 miles.  Conquer it I did, my friends.  It was painful and grueling and I did it.

I'm now on track with an HM schedule.  I have to admit, I'm skeptical.  But, I'm just going to do what it says and trust the system. 

Monday:  I rested.
Tuesday:  I ran a couple miles.  I tried to buck the schedule, but I couldn't.  So, I'll listen to it from now on.  
Wednesday:  I did Jillian Michael's Yoga meltdown since it's a "cross-training" day.  I forgot how much I hate and love that woman.  She combines yoga and cardio in this workout, and it's pretty awesome.  

I'm also doing the Yoplait Yogurt 2-week Tune Up just to give me a little shot in the weight loss arm and get the eating back under control.  I do love yogurt!  :-)  

So, now we're up to speed.  I'll keep you posted, hopefully a bit more often than I have been.  Not every day, but definitely multiple times a week.  It keeps me accountable.  And, any of you who have running tips for me, now's a great time to share them!   

Day 90: Yoga X

Well, my friends, that's it.  I did 90 days of this craziness, and to be honest, I'm a bit let down.  I thought for sure when I finished today there would be fireworks and balloons and even a small marching band.  Instead, I had children demanding food.  Go figure.  :-) 

Still, I'm pretty damn proud of myself.  This was the biggest fitness endeavor I have ever undertaken, and I did it.  I DID IT! 

Thanks for reading along with me and encouraging me all along the way.  I'm going to take a few days off to rest and recuperate, and on Monday, I will begin running, which will mark what I think will be an even bigger fitness endeavor.  I've enjoyed the regimen of blogging my workouts, so I think I will just keep going with it.  If you were in it just for the P90X, then I bid you adieu.  If not, then come along with me as I learn how to be an awesome runner, starting with a 5K next Sunday. 

Day 90:  Brought.
P90X:  BROUGHT! 

Day 89: Plyo

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  One more day!  One more day!  One more day!  If I had time in my schedule today, I'd just go ahead with that yoga and be done with it.  But that's not going to happen.  It's just mind-blowing to think that I'll be done in less than 24 hours, ya'll! 

Plyo was a delightful romp through mind-blowing pain today.  In other words, it was the same old same old.  I really can't stand hearing Tony say, "You can do anything for 30 seconds" without being able to explain to him that, yes, I can, but 30 seconds followed by 30 more followed by 30 more followed by a whole minute with 45 second breaks in between is quite different than just one 30 second trial.  I'm too sore to even go back and correct the horrible grammar in that last sentence.  Grammar matters, but not right this second. 

So, I worked up a good sweat and felt great when I was done.  Well, I felt great when I was done and in the shower.  There's that gross interlude between workout and shower where I feel, what's the word?  Disgusting?  No.  Flabbergasted?  Yes.  That's the word.  It really does take a bit of time to right my world after finishing a session of plyometrics with Tony. 

One day to go.  I think I mentioned that. 

Day 89:  Brought. 

Dy 88: Stretch

What can I really say about a 60 minute DIY massage?  That's what this video is, and that's why I love it so very, very much.  It makes my back feel better.  It makes my headaches go away.  It makes the world disappear.  It makes me smile and breathe and concentrate on every muscle in my body without demanding anything of them other than their elasticity.  It's a wonderful thing, my friends.

Then I get to jolt my body back to reality tomorrow morning with plyo.  These two workouts couldn't be in starker contrast if they tried. 

Now I'm 2 workouts away from being done.  What do I do with this blog? 

Day 88:  Brought. 

Days 86 and 87: Core and Kenpo

Soooo, I missed blogging yesterday.  I got to about the last 2 minutes of cool down and suddenly my tummy went all kinds of wonky.  I made a dash for the toilet, emptied everything inside my body including my kidneys and a lung and headed for bed for the rest of the day.  It wasn't a workout thing, though.  It was something else.  I don't know what. 

I was glad it came at the end of the workout so at least I got one in, you know?  Of course, drinking my Slim-Fast at the end was not an option.  Turns out ginger ale is a better choice.  Too bad I didn't have any.  Ah, well.  The workout was awesome.  It was my last CS workout of this round of P90X.  Good-bye, Core, you have been a faithful friend to me from day 1.  You and your backyard shelves.

Today I'm feeling better.  I'm keeping food down, and I just have residual weakness from yesterday's complete post-workout, bed-ridden inertia.  I tackled Kenpo with a bit less enthusiasm, but I'll be damned if I let a little vomit yesterday postpone my finishing this bad boy on Thursday!  Plus, I have some anger I'm trying to get out of my system.  I punched and kicked with less lethal force, but I still would have left some serious bruises.

Days 86 and 87:  Brought. 

Day 85: Yoga

It's a hot July--wait, September--afternoon, and I just finished yoga.  I feel all stretchy.  And hot.  I'm very, very hot.  I'm just glad it wasn't a plyo day. 

Wanna see my new shoes? 

Pretty good, right?  These are the shoes that will carry me to the half marathon, folks.  First they'll get me through the Fremont Brew Ha Ha at the end of the month, though.  It's a 5K that ends in a beer garden.  I believe I told you already, but it bears repeating.  I can't wait to tackle it with my pals!  The running and the microbrews, that is. 

But, before then, I finish with Tony.  Not permanently, though.  We'll meet on strength training days, and I will definitely keep him around for yoga and stretching.  Then he and I will have another 3 month long standing pre-breakfast date once the marathon is complete and I'm in the post-race blues.  Of course, Christmas is like 4 weeks after the marathon.  Who can be blue then?  Well, yes, my shoes will still be blue, but a cheery blue.   

Ah, Christmas.  Life's amazing when you have so much to look forward to, isn't it? 

Day 85:  Brought.