Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Light workout

My back has been a bit sore from my crazy run on Sunday.  I broke the 10% rule and jumped from 6 miles to 8 miles for my long run this week.  I wasn't training for anything, it was just a beautiful day and I had the time and interest to keep going and going. 

Today I took it easy and warmed up with 15 minutes on a rowing machine.  Then I stretched a little, ran a mile, stretched a little more, ran another mile, and ended with a 30 minute stretching session.  So I only put in 2 miles today but I was working out for about an hour.

We are behind on Christmas planning and shopping, as usual.  It's the busy season at home and work these days.  Tomorrow, we expect our first snow showers.  They won't stick, but it will be fun to see some big, fluffy flakes.  'Tis the season.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

8 miles!

Ken took the kids to swimming today and I got to run in my neighborhood again.  I've been running primarily at OSU campus while the kids are at RPAC, so it was a treat to mix it up a little and get back into suburb (vs city) running. 

Today was beautiful.  When I went out, the temp was 38 or something like that, so I had on tights with shorts on over them, a stocking cap, long sleeved shirt, and my 13.1 (half marathon) gloves.  I thought the gloves would encourage a long run and they must have done their job despite being put in my pocket within the first mile.  I put in 8 miles today.  Actually, I did 8.43 but the decimal was all walking and stretching for a cool down.  When I got home, I took off my shoes and spent probably 30 minutes stretching before hitting the shower. 

My miles today were 10:24, 11:02, 11:00, 10:03, 10:46, 10:23, 11:30, and 10:45.  I didn't catch my 5K time, but my 10K time was 1:05:30.  I did the run-walk-run routine again with about 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking, though I varied it a bit to walk up hills and sometimes just because I forgot to keep an eye on the time.  I don't have the Garmin set to alert me other than at each mile so I'm doing the interval thing manually right now.  I've thought about getting a gym boss to buzz me at intervals but then I'd have to carry yet another gadget.  Still, it is small and might be worth it.  I could probably do the same thing with an app on my Blackberry, but then it would interrupt my Steverunner Intervals podcast and I'd have to mess with the alarm all the time.

It felt really good to get out there today.  I'm tired and hungry now, but I looked at my face in the mirror when I got out of the shower and I saw that glow and realized I looked much happier and healthier than before I went out.  Sometimes it's tough to take that first step out the door, especially when it's cold out, but about 2 miles into it, I'm most often very glad I'm out there.

So now I can enjoy the rest of the day.  I can feel good about getting some exercise in and doing something for myself.  I'll probably be a lot more fun to be around, too.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  We had a wonderful holiday weekend with a full house of family and friends, wonderful food, and lots of football, including the Buckeye's big win over rival Michigan.

I didn't get out for the Turkey Trot on Thursday morning.  It was pouring rain in the morning and I was warm and dry inside making chili and prepping the house for the big day.  I am very impressed with the brave souls who ignored the weather and ran the 5 mile race anyway.

I had a good run on Monday.  I put in 4 miles while the kids were at swimming before it got dark.  I didn't have my Garmin, so I had to guess at the mileage based on time.  I also did about 15 minutes of arm weights (pecs and tris) and 20 minutes of stretching.  I was actually sore the next day from the stretching, which wasn't a good plan because I was on my feet constantly Tuesday through today with all the cooking and cleaning and such.  I had to stretch my hamstrings out several times because they were pulling on my lower back and making it very sore.

Although it was Thanksgiving, I don't think I ate way too much food or sweets.  I did have 2 pieces of Jan's fabulous pumpkin pie though - one last night and one today.  I think the standing for hours in the kitchen for several days and walking around with a baby all day today was a good to balance out the extra food.  We also walked quite a bit for about 2 hours at the zoo last night.   It was cold, but we dressed well for it and went inside several buildings along the way.


I should have gone out running this weekend, too.  It was a chilly weekend - the first we've had that was consistently cold this season.  However, several days it was sunny and looked beautiful outside.  If I dressed wisely, running would have felt great, I'm sure.  Oh well, it was better to spend with the family and be hostess.  I enjoyed orchestrating all the meals and snacks and schedules.  It was great seeing everyone and having a break from our daily crazy schedules.

Somehow in the craziness I almost missed a milestone.  I was reminded by Ken and Jan that a year ago I was just out of surgery.  I had just chosen the bilateral mastectomy and had the surgery on Nov 23.  Although this was certainly a significant date in my life, the real anniversary for me was the day I found out about the cancer.  I'm not sure why that day was more important for me to mark than the surgery.  Maybe I'd just rather forget the surgery ever happened.  Or maybe since I was on pain meds and pretty much "out of it" for several days around this date, I don't remember much about it anyway. 

Anyway, I haven't had time or focus to dwell on what was going on last year at this time.  I suppose that is good.  It certainly is a much better time this year.  I've come a very long way since then.  Thank you all who have helped me do so!


Sunday, November 21, 2010

Swim meet

We had a very busy week and weekend.  Our first OSU-sponsored swim meet was this weekend and we were at the pool from about 11:30am to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Friday we were at the Worthington pool for a relay-only swim meet from 4:30pm to 8:30pm. 

Since I officiated, I was on my feet a lot and my back has been complaining quite a bit.  I tried to run a little today before the meet and realized I couldn't/shouldn't.  My back might have loosened up if I'd kept at it, but after just a block, I decided it wasn't worth making it worse right before I had to stand on deck for 8+ hours.

The kids did very well at the meet.  Val has the advantage this year because she is 12 in the 11/12 age group.  She made it to the finals and placed (earned points for her team) in every event she swam (free, fly, breast, and IM).  She also improved most of her times.  Most notably, she took 2.5 seconds off her 50 breaststroke.

Jason is 9 in the 9/10 age group and there are 5 boys in his age group who are ranked at the state level.  And those 5 are all OSU Swim Club members (our team).  There were also state ranked boys from other clubs who attended this meet.  Very tough competition for the 9/10 boys! 

Jason beat most of his previous swim times.  His most impressive drop was almost 4 seconds on his 50 backstroke, which was already his best stroke going in to the meet.  In his back and freestyle events, only 1 or 2 nine-year-olds beat him.  Unfortunately, the meet only took the top ten 9/10 year olds for finals, so Jason did not get to swim in the finals.  He was an alternate (#11 and #12) twice, though; for the 100 IM and the 100 free.

We have to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week and then have 24 coming for Thanksgiving on Thursday.  We'll have a crowd, but everyone is bringing something, so we should be just fine.  We're setting up 4 tables for 6 and putting the food out buffet style. 

I'm really looking forward to the long holiday weekend with no work, no swimming, no church school, and no basketball.  It will be good to get a break after such a tough week.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

5 miles and ended strong

Work has been getting me down lately, so it was great that I got out to run this evening.  Though it was getting dark by the end, I was glad I decided to run outside.  It was a bit chilly today, so I broke out the running tights for the first time this year.  I wore a long sleeved t-shirt and gloves and a hat.  The gloves came off before I finished the first mile and the hat lasted just a few minutes longer. 

It turned out to be a good run.  I was surprised during my last 15 minutes or so because I got in a zone and felt like I was running with momentum.  I usually feel like I'm forcing myself along in an ungraceful fight against gravity and the urge to walk.  But toward the end of the run I was just gliding right along.  And it wasn't just downhill, either; most of it was flat but I also ran up a couple small hills. 

My miles today were 10:39, 10:38, 10:47, 10:01, and 10:13.  I could have run a couple of miles further at least, but it was already dark and time to cool down, get a shower, find something to eat, and then pick up Val from swimming. 

By the way, I'm impressed with the food at RPAC.  It's semi-healthy and very good.  Tonight I had a Mexican style salad with a full grilled chicken breast on it.  Yum.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

10K in 1:07:22

I did another 10K this week, but it was a minute slower than a few weeks ago.  Today my miles were 10:50, 10:58, 11:07, 10:54, 10:41, and 10:57.  My 5K was 33:50 and I hit 10K at 1:07:22, so I was fairly even paced for each 5K.  I did a walk-run-walk pattern at 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking throughout. 

On Thursday, I put in 3 miles, but I walked most of it.  I was nervous about running 3 days in a row, especially given the fast 5K I put in on Wednesday.  I think it was a smart decision.  I wish I had gotten out to run a little on Saturday, but we spent the day at OSU.  We went to the OSU Marching Band's Skull Session before the game and then hung out with friends.  It was a beautiful day.  I probably walked 3 miles or more at OSU, so I suppose that should count for some exercise.

If I was more consistent with my training, I'd increase distance or speed, I'm sure.  However, my life schedule is anything but consistent, so I'm doing what I can, when I can.  Besides, I'm not a very effective "maintenance" type person, so my personality doesn't lend itself to the daily run routine, either.

We're headed out in a few minutes to put in 90 minutes of volleyball.  My legs certainly are getting a great workout today.  I'll probably be a step slower on the court tonight because I was pretty tired after my run.  Also, my knee was acting up a bit toward the end.  Hopefully all the parts will cooperate tonight and I'll have a good game.

Ken is tired too because he spent the day cleaning and doing home repair/upgrades on our basement.  He sanded some length off two very heavy solid core doors and painted the stairs.  Aside from taking the kids to swimming, buying Jason a Beyblade stadium, and running, all I got done was cleaning the oven and I did most of that last night.  Oh well. 

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Great 5K

I was able to run while the kids were at swim practice tonight.  Since it was dusk already, I kept to the stadium and ran around it 6 or 7 times to get in a 5K in 30:50.  I didn't watch the clock at all, but I heard the beeps as my Garmin counted the miles.  Later when I downloaded the stats, I learned my miles were 10:00, 10:05, and 9:55.  That's really good for me!  I set out to run just the 5K, so I didn't walk at all this time.  I ran the full 5K, which included 6 little but steep hills and was otherwise flat.  The weather was perfect too; sunny/dusk and upper 60's. 

After running, I stopped off at the weight room and did about 20 minutes of upperbody work - some benching (just the bar), biceps, and triceps. 

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and OSU is closed.  The kids have the day off, too.  I'm really looking forward to sleeping in.  Ken was talking about maybe going to the Hocking Hills area for a hike.  At some point, we should also begin some planning for Thanksgiving.  We are looking forward to a large group of family and friends celebrating with us at our house this year.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Motivation

Well, I didn't get to run on Monday as I would have liked, but I got out there today.  It was an incredible day, sunny and 67, and it felt good to be out there again because it's been almost a week since I last ran.

The run itself wasn't much to write about though.  I felt like I weighed 20 pounds more than I felt last week.  I was just pulling myself along and getting winded quickly.  I did the run-walk-run method with 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking pretty much throughout the run.  My miles were 10:39, 10:35, 9:59, and 10:14.  The 5K was 32:00.  I followed the run up with a 10 minute walk and put in 4.5 miles overall.

Work has been very busy and no end to the craziness is in sight.   I've got a lot on my plate because of a reorganization which resulted in 2 new manager positions that are unfilled and much transition work between staff members who are changing roles.  Until the new managers are in place and the staff is trained on their new positions, I'll be providing direction, supervision, training, and doing much of the work that others will eventually take independently.  In the meantime, I also need to be doing my Director job which has significant responsibilities and expectations.  Obviously, I won't be able to do everything well.  I'll just have to do what I can and hang in there until we can get past this transition.

I've been a bit stressed about it all and want to relax when I get home, but things are busy here too.  The kids both have swimming, church school, and regular homework.  Jason is also starting basketball.  I feel much more relaxed and on top of it all when I can get out to run regularly.  Since I know that's true, why is it so difficult to force myself to take the time?  A friend told me today that I need some motivation for running.  With no races or challenges scheduled for at least 6 months, and then it's only a 5K, I'm not really training for anything right now.  I'm afraid to commit to anything, though.  However, maybe that's exactly what I should do.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Insane weekend

Friday night wedding reception for Ken's trainer at the gym; a good time had by all.

Saturday and Sunday mornings (and Saturday late night) we had to work on a major school project for Val.  Then in the afternoons and evenings the kids had a swim meet and I officiated.  Val improved her time on 50 free, 200 IM, and 200 free.  Jason improved his time on 50 free, 50 back, 100 IM, 50 breast, and 100 free.  Both kids had some major time drops, too.  Val dropped 12 seconds on her 200 free.  Jason dropped 8 seconds on 100 free and 13 seconds on a 50 breast.  Usually time improvements are less than a second. Even 3 seconds is a big time drop. 

The competition at this meet was fierce compared to most meets we've attended in the past.  The top 4 or 5 heats of each event had very little difference between the swimmer times.  Val was close to the top 25% in 50 breaststroke and 50 free and in the top 40% in 200 free.  She was about in the middle of the pack for the other events.  Jason is only 9 in the 9/10 age group.  He was in the middle of the pack for every event but when we look at only 9 year olds, his stats are quite a bit better.

It was a tiring weekend and now my week looks just as bad.  Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I'm book solid all the work day, including meetings over lunch.  Thursday we have off for Veteran's Day.  I'm looking forward to that day off! 

I didn't get any formal exercise in all weekend.  The dancing on Friday night should count for something though; as should being on my feet for 7 hours officiating the swim meet.  I hope I get to run tomorrow during swim practice, but I have a 4:30pm meeting, so I might not make it to RPAC with time to run.  We'll see how it goes. 

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Losing count on laps

Since I ran a 10K on Sunday and then played 90 minutes of volleyball, I decided to give the joints a break and lifted weights while the kids were at swimming on Monday.  I did 35 minutes of rigorous weights, mostly upper-body, but a little leg press and core work.  I'm still just benching the bar, but it's easier and I can do several sets (5-6) of 10 repetitions pretty much back to back.  I wasn't sore on Tuesday afterward, either.  So I think I'm making some progress.

On Tuesday, I took the day off from exercise and instead met up with a friend I haven't seen in over a year.  She saw Ken in the grocery store and learned about my cancer scare and subsequent surgeries.  She has had her own issues this year and we caught up on all that was going on.  It was great to touch base again.  We won't let another year go by without getting together, that's for sure.

Today, I ran a 5K.  Well, at least I think I did.  I got out of work late and had to hurry to get in a workout before the kids were out of swimming.  So I did the most expedient thing and ran inside on the 1/8 mile track at RPAC.  I think I did a 5K in 29:43, but I might have been off a lap - I lost count.  If I was off a lap, then I did 3 miles in 29:43, which is still movin' right along for me.  I know I did the first full mile in just over a 10 minute mile but my last 1/8 mile lap was at a little more than an 8:00 mile pace.  I think I was speeding up all the time throughout the run. I didn't wear my watch, though, so I was just sporadically watching the digital clocks hanging over the track. 

It wasn't a great day at work today, so I really needed to get the run in this evening.  It helped quite a bit so I'm glad I didn't skip it.  Work is a bit unstable right now as leadership/direction keeps changing and it's tough to strategize next steps with this dynamic landscape.  At this point, it feels more like luck if I'm headed the right direction or not.  I used to figure out the lay of the land by listening and envisioning and planning.

I'm interviewing candidates for a new manager position in my area and even that is a bit tough.  Again, the vision for the future is unclear, so I hope I'm making the right decisions about what skills to hire.  The budget situation is going to be tough for OSU next year and hope the position we got funding for is the one we need the most right now.  I guess that decision is really out of my hands - I have nothing to do with funding of FTE, so all I can do it make the best, most versatile hire. 

The update on the Lymphedma front is less encouraging than last week.  I was noticing a drop in swelling last week, but it's back to a 4 or 5 out of 10 most of the time now.  My pointer finger has decided to get back in the swelling game, too.  It must have felt left out as I was typing about it's neighbors.