Like A Wide-Eyed Baby!

This was me last night, like a wide eyed baby, I couldn't sleep.   After a day which included a 10 mile run (more on this later) and some construction work on our shop, in the freezing cold. 
Freezing for the South - windy, cloudy, and wind chills in the 30's.  Don't laugh my Nothern and Western friends - remember we have humidity that makes the temp feel really cold.   It's running weather, but that's about it. Anyway, I was exhausted and headed to bed at 9:00pm.  Around 11:30, I woke up and couldn't sleep.  This is so frustrating.  It was around 2:30 when I finally went back to sleep.  Urgh!  So this morning I wake up feeling like I have a hangover, and I didn't have a drink. 
(Me thinks, me will go for a short run to snap out of the tired feeling.)

Sat. morning we had another group run.  We had 8 runners in our group and 3 other runners, running a different pace.( The Unsung Runner was in the small group.  She is training for her 1st full marathon ) It's fun to run as a group because the miles go by so fast.  The plan was to run around 9:30-10:00 pace, but I forgot my Garmin.   I think we ended up running around 9:15?????  Sweet!  No problems with the hip, and so far today, it feels ok.  To get the group organized, I posted a message on facebook, twitter, and our running club website forum.  Sometimes no one can make it, other times we have a nice group.

This week's training:
Monday - Jog 2 miles, 10 min walk am, push-ups, yoga @ The Yoga Room, and walk 2 miles pm.
Tues - 3 miles - 1 mile w/u 9:38, 1 mile tempo @ 8:10 pace, and 1 mile c/d @ 9:38 pace
Wed. - walk 3 + miles with a friend
Thur. - jog 3 miles on dirt
Fri - 24 min core dvd and 30 min walk
Sat. - 10 miles around 9:15 pace, short weight workout, and 15 min stretch pm
Sun - today will be a 2 mile run and 10 min walk for sure and we will see if I get to any other training
So I will end with 20 miles of running. (normally, I would be around 35 miles at this point in training)

The Hip:
Last week I didn't feel the hip at all, and this week after adding the 1 mile tempo, on Wed., I could feel it again.  I felt it Tues. and Wed. and that was all for this week.  I am not having issues with easy running and I am happy about that.  I plan to do another short tempo this week.  If I continue to have issues after the tempos, I may be "running easy" to Boston.  You guys know this is not my first choice, but my main goal is to be able to run it.

Overall a good week!  Happy to still be running!

My favorite time of year to run.

For me, Jan and Feb are prime time for running.  I just love it!  Yes, you guys know, I love to run all the time, but this part of the year is my absolute FAV.    At this point in the winter, I am adjusted to the cold weather and I just feel absolutely great.  The cool mornings, the fresh air, I can breathe and run better now.  This week has been perfect.  The morning temps are in the upper 30's and lower 40's and it's sunny and bright.

This week, I decided to add 1 day with a quality run.  Tempo - oh the tempo.  It's the hardest run that I do personally, but not today.  First day back to tempo and quality, so I just want to "test the waters a little."  So the plan for the day, 1 mile w/u, 1 mile tempo, 1 mile c/d.  (9:38, 8:10 tempo, and 9:38).  Not bad at all.  When you start with the perfect temp. and only go 1 mile @ tempo, it's not bad at all.  For the next few weeks, I will add 1/2 mile to my tempo run each week.  After the run I did some lunges in the yard and 10 min yoga/stretch.  This evening I lifted weights.  Will do a little more stretching this evening and plan to take it easy on Wed.  1 day of quality done - I am a happy camper.

Next up - Sat. 10 miles.

Life update - it's a little crazy here.  We are redoing the siding on my shop.  Pulling siding off (that's Chad's job), putting more insulation in the walls, painting the siding with 2 coats, cutting and installing the new siding.  So I am trying to work, and help with the siding project too.  Also, we make routine runs to Lowe's and Home Depot for supplies.  In 2008, we totally remodeled the inside of our house.  It took a full year to complete that project.  I was not totally "over" that project and we have started this new one.   CRAZY!  We are under a timing issue because Chad's work will pick up in March.  We have a long way to go and a short time to get there.  This may turn into a 2 year project.

Add in a little Boston training and it's insane.  So far my training has been so slow that it hasn't been an issue, but from here forward I will be picking up the training.  Rest will become priority, which is not anything new for me.  I always get a lot of sleep.  In fact, I must end here so that I can shower and head to bed.  Worn out!

Baby Steps and friends

I started back on Jan. 1st with a 1 mile run.  I am trying to be extra cautious with my running.  Today I ran an 8 mile group run with some friends at Canebrake.  Bummed now that I didn't take a picture.  Canebrake is a subdivision around a lake.  It has rolling hills so it is good for training.  6 runners = good times around the lake.  2 of the runners are signed up for the Mardi Gras marathon (thewaytoboston.)  I hope to be able to run something at Mardi Gras, even if it's a few miles with friends.    It's always a fun race and many runners from our area usually show up for the half or full.  Today, the run was very successful.  I ran the 8 miles at 9:28 avg pace and no problems with the hip.  Friends - what can I say, this is a great group of runners.  One of the runners in the group is a physical therapist and last week she did several ultra sound treatments on my hip.  I think that really helped to speed the healing in my hip.  Remember that most of my issues in the hip have been, not while running, but while driving or sitting.  This week, after the treatments, it seems that the issue is fading away.  (thanks my PT friend)  Bye Bye, adiós, hasta la vista, hip troubles  - hope I don't see ya again.

So far all of my runs have been "just running" no quality.  I hope to change that this week.  I will add one short quality run this week.  I will do a 1 mile w/u, 1 mile tempo, and 1 mile c/d on Tues.  The rest of the week, I will continue with what I have been doing in the past few weeks.  I will see how things go after the tempo, but I am hoping to do a 10 miler next weekend. 

Starting to get very excited, but trying to remain extra cautious.  So ready to train hard, but know I still have to wait this out a few more weeks for sure.  86 days to Boston - plenty of time to get ready, REALLY!

My Words Return!

My words return!

Like the flowers bursting into bloom in May,  my words return.

As my mileage slowly increases

-my heart, soul, and mind are restored

-my words return

-I find Peace

-I find Happiness

Sun on my face

Cool air on my skin

Running shoes on my feet (& my DryMax socks)

Open roads unending

My ipod plays songs new and old

Thoughts for blogs run through my head.

Gratitude at every turn

Life is Good!

As my mileage slowly increases

I have a better life

My gratitude quickly increases

I’m a better wife

My words return!

                                                                                                    -Ginny

On my way to Boston with a 4 miler completed.

Oh my!  100 days until Boston and I am at 4 miles for my long.  Yikes!  It is what it is and I am happy to have completed the 4 miles with no pain.  (although I haven't  been having the pain while running, so we will see).  No worries because I still have plenty of time to work up slowly.  Will I race like I wanted too, I think not, but it doesn't matter.  I qualified and I will go and enjoy it.   So this week, which actually ends on Sunday for me, I will have 10 miles running for the week.  Woo Hoo!  17-20 miles of walking, depending on how far I walk on Sunday, 2 yoga classes, 5 mornings of home yoga, and 3 X 24 min core DVD.  I feel good about the extra core work and  will try to add in some weight workouts this week.

Below is something that I posted yesterday to our local running club website.  Many of you are much more knowledgeable and structured in maintaining your weight, maybe you have some good ideas to recommend.

So it’s Jan. 2010 and most of us as runners have resolved to drop the holiday lbs. I wanted to start a discussion about balancing dropping some weight with trying to train for races. I would like to get some tips or ideas on what you do to “get back on track.” In addition to the desire to drop the extra weight, I continue to strive toward being healthy. In general I think I do ok, I try anyway. I do have too many boo boos, but I quickly get back on track. I have scary family history on both sides of the family so it’s important to me to be healthy inside and out.

Several years ago, I counted calories and that worked very well for me, but I eventually tired of all of the calculations. This past summer, I implemented portion control and limited the “whites" and lots of spinach salads. Currently, the winter cravings have me up a few lbs again so I am trying to get back on track. The other issue is I am finding it hard to do the cold salads in the cold winter.

In counting calories, you need to first figure out your caloric needs. From Nancy Clark’s books(see titles at the bottom), she recommends the following:

1. Determine your resting metabolic rate, that is, the amount of calories you need to simply breathe, pump blood and be alive: Multiply your weight by 10 calories. She uses the example of 120 lb person (120 X 10), so this would be 1200 calories per day, to do nothing except exist. She recommends using an adjusted weight if you are significantly overweight: the weight that is halfway between your desired weight & your current weight.

2. Add more calories for general daily activity apart from running & other exercise.
Moderately active add 50% of your calories figured in step one. If you are sedentary add a little less than 50%, if very active, a little more than 50%. Back to the example 1200 to exist and another 600 for daily activities for a total of 1800 for the day.

3. Add more calories for purposeful exercise. Roughly 100 calories per mile of running. So if you are running, let’s just say 20 miles per week. That would calculate out to 2000 calories burned per week. If you divided that by 7 days per week you get around 285 calories per day. So if you take the previously calculated 1800 calories and add the 285 you come up with approximately 2100 calories per day to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, subtract 20% of your total calorie needs: 2100 – 20% = roughly 1700 calories per day.
If you are training for longer distances and getting in higher mileage, the calorie needs will be much more. With these calculations you can determine your calorie needs throughout the year as your training mileage goes up and down.

Because I am near my weight goal, (currently 5 lbs away), I use the weight I want to be, and I calculate my numbers based on 25 miles per week, and I come up with roughly 2000 calories per day to get my back down to my desired weight. This week I am not doing 25 mile so my calorie needs will be less than 2000. Probably around 1850 per day based on my current 10 mile week.

The key, as most of us know, is balance. If you restrict too much your performance will suffer just as quickly as your performance being hampered by too much weight. Below you will find a general guideline for healthy weight based on height.
Woman: 100 lbs for the first 5 feet of height and 5 lbs per inch thereafter.

(ex. I am 5' 10 so my recommended weight is 150 which is 100 for 5 feet, and then 5 X 10 because I am 5'10 = 150. If I subtract the 10%, because I want to be a little lighter than the general guideline, my lowest recommended weight will be 135, which I will not see for sure. My personal goal is 140-145, mostly 145. If I go below 140, I believe my race performance and my body will suffer. I have also read many times that our bodies have a "set weight." I do believe that my personal body craves to keep me at 150, so it is always work to stay at my most comfortable weight of 145.)

Men: 106 lbs for the first 5 feet of height
6 lbs per inch thereafter

Many runners prefer to be lower than the average public for better performance, myself included. The above calculations can be adjusted 10% up or down based on body frame, etc., but in my opinion, if you go much more than 10% either way, up or down, you are sacrificing your health and performance.

I would love to hear any tips or recommendations that you guys use in losing or maintaining weight.
I would recommend the following books if you want more info on sports nutrition.
My favorite is – Food Guide for Marathoners Nancy Clark, MS, RD (I would recommend it for non marathoners too)

Others:
Sports Nutrition Guidebook – Nancy Clark
Endurance Sports Nutrition – Suzanne Girard Eberle, MS, RD

Looking for some fresh ideas for 2010.

Mardi Gras - A Southern Tradition

In honor of our Southern tradition of Mardi Gras, I have updated my blog.

Also, I will have a slow return to running this week.

So far 2 runs down - 1 mile and 1.5 miles.  Yay!

Happy

Mardi Gras 

I am from Mobile, AL where Mardi Gras was first celebrated.  So in true Mardi Gras tradition, I am throwing some beads and moon pies your way.
Celebrate!