Tuesday Training Update

Week of February 11-17, 2013:

Current Weight: 157.6

Total Lost to date (since September 2011): 63.2 lbs

Waist: 32"

Hips: 42"

Since things seem to keep conspiring so that I don't post my training updates until Tuesday, I decided to just embrace the trend and call it "Training Tuesday", why not?

Still on that good ole plateau, but I am fully aware that this is now a diet issue.  At some point, I will have to work this healthier eating nonsense out.  One step at a time.  So far, I am getting much better at accurately TRACKING what I eat, which is a pretty big eye opener.  I'm working at the water, protein and snacking thing.  Sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

How'd last week's workouts look?

Monday: 40 minute easy bike ride on the trainer in the basement (7.92 miles)

Tuesday:  Ran 5 miles in 51 minutes; 1 hour of strength training with Brandon

Wednesday: Ran 10.12 miles.  8 miles of it at marathon pace, 9:30 min/mile

Thursday:  Ran 3.4 recovery miles. 1 hour strength training with Brandon.

Friday:  Rest Day

Saturday:  Ran 14 miles, 10:30 min/mile avg.

Sunday: Hiked at High Banks, 4.4 miles, 30 lb pack, boots.  It was sunny enough that I wore my glacier glasses, because that was something that bothered me on my last Rainier attempt.  They were fine this time.

Can you tell how cold it was?  Hint: I'm actually wearing a hat!

I may have the workout thing covered.  Of course, on Sunday, I hosted book club at my house and tried to eat back all the calories I'd burned for the entire week.  HA!  Totally worth it.

Ribs slow cooking, the whole house smelled awesome.

The pre-rib spread.  And yes, there were only 4 of us this week.

This week, the goal is to make some good, healthy changes and not doing anything stupid before my vacation to Colorado.  It'll be interesting to see if skiing is easier this year.  I actually went back to see what my weight was for last year's ski trip: 185.8 lbs.  One reason why our first day in Colorado will be a shopping day, I need new ski clothes! 

Colorado will also bring my first attempt to "climb/hike" a ski slope in my Rainier gear. That should be fun.  Um. Yeah.

Mommy, that's crazier than dragging this dog bed into the bathroom!

How was your training week?  Anyone race?  Anyone try something new?

Any other skiers out there?  Anyone ever hiked a ski slope in winter?  Any tips?

The Great Shoe Mix-Up

As many runners do, I own several many pairs of running shoes. I have my favorite model of shoes, so all of my five active pairs are two different models.  Each of the models had one color option at the time of purchase.  To differentiate between pairs, I have utilized the every handy sharpie marker.  I wrote a number corresponding to how many of that particular model shoe I have on the heal of each shoe.

Seemingly genius, right????

Because I'd worn my Red Launch pair number 3 to speed work this week, I'd decided I'd wear my other low mileage Launch, number 4, for my 14 mile long run this morning.  I was the first one awake in my house, so I didn't turn on the big bright bathroom light, just grabbed everything I needed and headed downstairs to get ready.

I even made a return trip upstairs when I saw the temperature today (20*F, feels like 13) to get an extra layer for both the top and bottom.

I ran my 14 miles with my running group, it was cold, but still glorious.  The trail was icy, but no one fell.  The sun was periodically shining through the trees.  We were all talking, laughing and enjoying life.  All so innocent.

Sounds about as perfect as these homemade cookies Mommy!

I stopped for breakfast, came home, looked at the back of my shoe to log my dailymile entry (it's how I keep track of how many miles are on each pair), and I'm momentarily confused.  My left shoe had a big ole 3 on it.  Thinking I'd just goofed up about which pair I'd picked up, I went on blissfully unaware of my mistake.  Chatted with my husband until I started shivering and realized I needed to take a hot shower ASAP.

And that's when it happened.  I took off my shoes and saw, horror of all horrors, THIS.

Horror of all horrors!

The OCD person in me, quickly ran to match the correct shoes with the other pair before paying enough attention as to which shoe was from which pair, i.e., so that I could make the same mistake in the opposite manner another week for logging purposes.  Which no fewer than two people have suggested I do.  HA!

All through my shower, I couldn't stop thinking about the Great Shoe Mix-Up.  The GLORIOUS, HOT shower.  I swear, there is nothing more fantastic than a really long, really hot shower after a cold long run.  But, I digress.

I came up with a solution.  Hot showers are good like that.  Immediately after my shower, I sat down with my launches and my Newtons and switched out some shoelaces.  I took the shoelaces from Newton 2 and switched them with the shoelaces on Launch 4.  Now, I'll have to be even MORE blind to make a similar mistake.

Ta-da!!!!!!
The blue on the red looks a tad silly, but the yellow on blue, not so bad.

Crisis averted.

Lady, THAT is not a crisis.  THIS is a crisis.

Do you have more than one pair of running shoes?  Do you rotate as I do?  How do you tell them apart?

Has anyone else have this experience: realizing how much you didn't fully appreciate hot showers until a hot shower post a cold run?

Anyone else ever run with a mismatched pair of shoes?  At least for me, they were the same model and color, so perhaps, I am the only one that noticed!  Well, until this post anyway.

Climbing out of a funk - training update

By now, those of you who read my blog regularly, have figured out that sometimes I get in a funk and need to step away from all things internet.  This happened to me last week.  I've been in some kind of depressive funk in general for a couple of weeks, and last week, I just couldn't get motivated to write a blog post.

Instead of recapping all my workouts for the past two weeks.  Let's sum up:

• I am consistently doing an hour of strength training with my trainer twice a week.  I don't log these on dailymile anymore because that's a lot of stuff to remember post-workout.  HA.  Strength training is going well though, and each time I find another reason to be very happy with this particular trainer.
• I have been running most of my scheduled runs with only a couple exceptions (none of them last week),
• I have completed TWO speed work sessions, and I think I may wholeheartedly puffy pink heart speed work.  That's right, I said it.  Speed work is fun.  Not during the actual speed part maybe, but I always remember it as being awesome.
• I have been drinking more water and working on the less sweets, more protein thing.  Trainer is going to be working with me on diet soon too.  This is an area where I still need a lot of work.
• Despite the above, I have gained weight both of the past two weeks.  Not a lot, but enough to put me on edge.  Maybe that explains the funk?
• I have done a Rainier-targeted training session the past two Sundays!

 A week ago, I wore a 22.5 lbs pack and hiked High Banks metro park in the snow and ice with my mountain boots and my soft shell layer on.

Me and High banks and the snow last week!

The scenery was beautiful, but for this first trip out for a Rainier targeted workout, I was reminded how running cardio does not translate to climbing cardio.  At. All.  The boots were pretty tough on my feet by the end of the hike.

Just an example of what I had to look at!

Yesterday, I added 5 more lbs to my pack and went back to High Banks.  I didn't stop much at all, and overall felt better the entire time.  My calves were tight for the first mile or so (but that could have been the 12 mile run the day before).  My feet felt much more comfortable in the boots and this time I had no hot spots at the end of the hike.

Both times I hiked for 4.4 miles and about 1600 feet in elevation gain.  This coming Sunday, I intend to do this hike again, and may follow it with a trip to the Dam Steps to get a little extra elevation.

I leave for a ski trip to Colorado in a couple of weeks.  My plan is to spend a couple of days climbing the ski slopes, so I'm trying to do what I can ahead of time to make sure that doesn't kill me.  I do not have high hopes for loving that experience.  I'm also trying to plan out what runs I'll be able to get in over there, the primary issue being that I cannot drive a stick.

How is everyone else doing?  Any big news or races on the horizon?

Any local people want to join me in my hikes?  

I promise not to make you carry a pack.  Pace is about 18 minute/miles.