Virtual Running Buddies - 1/30

[SusanMac]

Happy Friday runners! Can you believe that January is already over? This is surreal.

Had a great bike spin with core & weights yesterday. I am going to a wedding next weekend, and hoping for nice-looking arms. Hopefully I can keep the weights habit up after the wedding b/c I know it's good for me. And the progress feels really rewarding.

I got the training plan for my new running group yesterday! The coach decided from my entry form that I needed the 'advanced' marathon plan instead of 'intermediate' b/c one of my goals is to get faster. Doh! That means more speedwork & mileage. Not sure I like that -- I don't have to get faster NOW -- it's cold out! :-) Anyway, I'm really looking forward to meeting new people, and hitting some running routes that will be new to me (I've really been in a route rut lately)

So...question of the week....do you guys get in ruts where you run the same routes all the time & get really tired of it? What do you do to get out of it?

[1MegMeg]

Hi Susan - I completely agree! It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year. Oooh advanced training? You rock! :) I know you'll do great. Regarding routes, yes I am in a major rut. I run from my house 99.9% of the time and always run the same 3.1 mile route. I need to get on mapmyrun and at least make a route in the other direction or something. And I need to run at work more. Well not at work, but right after work in the neighborhoods around here.

I have not run since Monday and my leg/tendinitis feels really good, no pain. I rode the stationary bike yesterday and did some yoga this week. So I am going to run my race tomorrow and then go back on rest. 7:30am it's going to be a chilly 38 degrees, with a wind chill of 33.

[KValley]

I realized that I did not contribute a single post to last week's thread. Had no intention of playing hard to get- it was just a busy week that sped by. THought of you all, though!

Susan, in a word yes. Because I'm an early morning worker-outer, most of my runs this time of year are on the much-maligned treadmill. I have a pretty easy time mixing things up on the TM- I never get on and just run- I'm always switching up speed and elevation.

But more to your point, I do get locked into outside routes. I like to simply step out my front door and hit the pavement, which leads to route fatigue. Ironically for me, it's easier to break out of these ruts living in the city than in the country. Country routes always held the spectre of loose dogs, which frighten me more than cars or scary people. So it takes a bit of planning to find new routes close to home. I don't really have novel way to break a routine. Oftentimes I scout out routes with
Brendan when we go walking and we'll track the distance with the odometer on the way home. I've got about 4 non-neighborhood routes in my pocket that are no more than a ten minute drive and I go through periods where I won't go someplace for several weeks.

A good, consistent week of w/o for me- runs, yoga, weight-lifting- I'm focusing the next few weeks on upper-body/chest, so I'm doing handstands & pushups- lots of work with a ball so I get core in there.

Susan- congratulations on being bumped into the advanced group!!
Meg I just read your post. 38 degrees in Florida?! Yowza- batten the hatches! I'm so glad your leg is feeling better and I wish you fleet feet tomorrow!

Happy Weekend, everyone- look forward to your updates. Julie

[VictoriaL]

Thanks for starting us out, Susan! So you're advanced now...? From your accomplishments (most notably, the Ironman), I would that that it would be cake for you. :)

It's easiest for me to step out of the back door and run on the same ol' trails so, yes, I often feel that I am in a rut. But short of driving to the nearby park (slightly over 1/4 mile away, but DH refuses to allow me to traverse the hilly, curvy road because it's teeming with speeding dump trucks...), there's not much of an alternative. So all I can do it vary the order which I run the separate parts of the trail...

Meg, good luck tomorrow! Great news that the leg pain hasn't been an issue this week. Honestly, right now I would be thrilled to run in 38 degrees!

Sounds as though you've been varying your workouts quite nicely, Julie. Handstands. Wow. ;)

Another day, another ride to nowhere on the EB... I've bumped up the time to 40 minutes this week after hitting my "weight-ceiling" on the recent weigh-in. Thank heaven the Christmas cookies are gone, but my sweet cravings have not subsided much. The usual January-February dilemma for me!

A wave to Nat, Les, KathyB, and the others whose names I am unable to recall since it's almost 11pm :D Have a nice weekend, all!

[oceanjasper]

Hi everyone! Congrats on all the hard work this week. You are an inspiration.

I am printing like crazy from the coolrunning website. :) Thanks again for the recommendation. I think I am going to start with the beginner 10k program.

I skipped my run on Tuesday, because a joint in the ball of my foot was sore. It was still sore before I went for a run on Thursday (followed up by soccer practice), but afterwards it was completely better. It doesn't hurt at all anymore, which makes no sense, unless maybe a bone was out of place or something. Is that possible? I guess I can't complain!

Tomorrow I am heading up the mountain for a day of skate skiing. Have a great weekend!

1MegMeg, good luck on your race tomorrow!

[Natasha]

Maureen, great story!

Susan, thanks for starting us off this week. The advanced marathon plan sounds challenging but fun. I admit I don't get bored with my routes... there are quite a few that I do and I still love them all. :o Our club does 3 and alternates between them, and then there are a few I do on my own.

Meg, hope the race went well!

Oceanjasper, I bet the skiing was fun. DH and I plan to go snowshoeing tomorrow. We have had a ton of snow so far and it's snowing right now as well.

Vicci, nice job on the EB!

Got a few workouts to report despite a hectic week. Also booked a vacation for later this winter and have been spending some time planning that - I'm more than a little stoked.

Hope Les enjoyed/is enjoying Boston.

Best to all. :) Got to go... DH wants to know whether I'd like to go out for dinner tonight, and I haven't yet figured it out!

Nat

[1MegMeg]

Nat - Where are you going on vacation? And if you are looking for opinions, I vote yes for out to dinner. :p

oceanjasper - Have fun skiing! I would also be interested to hear how you like to Coolrunning 10K program...I've been looking at a few different 10K programs to.

Vicci - Nice pedal on the EB. I have one too and I know it gets mudane. Riding to no where... hehe

Julie - Handstands?! Awesome!! How do you do your push-ups? Do you do repeated sets of a certain number or max out, or something else? I've been trying to do them 3-4x week (when I remember).

Thank you everyone for the good race vibes! It went really well this morning! I stayed bundled in my jacket almost up to the start so I was only cold for 3-4 minutes. As soon as I started moving though I warmed right up. The race went through City Walk, Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studios. It was very fun! My time was 2:23 minutes faster than my other 5k race time, so I am super happy about that. I was not expecting to do that well. And most importantly my leg/ankle barely hurts at all. It was a tiny bit sore at the end of the race, but now it feels fine!

Happy weekend friends!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Quick drop in. I have had a chance to skim the posts en route from dinner to final preparations for Church (and a sermon) tomorrow morning. Boston was grand - cold but grand. I think you'll have fun with the Advanced routine Susan - it's tough but definitely a change of pace. I too want to know where you're going for vacation Nat, someplace warm I'd bet. I'm impressed Julie considering I can't do a handstand (or even a head stand - from a tripod).

I spun this afternoon - not what I had planned but practicing my sermon took me out of my game today. It was a great hour with the only down side that I found a terrible CD to listen too. Not bad music per se, just nothing that I really want to listen to on my bike (it's a compilation album with contemporary Christian singers from 2003 and not in my favorite genre... hip hop mostly). Still, just over an hour was great.

Off to finish my note cards and do a little core work. I'll see you on the 'morrow. Happy trails,
Les

[Natasha]

Meg, congrats! That's a significant improvement and I'm especially glad to hear that your leg feels good afterwards.

We didn't end up going out for dinner... I opted to go to the supermarket and we picked up a variety of goodies and then had a lovely, slightly over the top dinner at home. Just the ticket. And mocha cake for dessert - yum!

Oceanjasper, good to hear that the 10k program looks like it will work for you!

Les, welcome back from Boston and that's great that it was grand. How was today's sermon? I hear you on the less-than-ideal music. I've had workouts with music that was not well suited to training, and it is TOUGH!

Susan, hope you enjoyed the new group! Forgot to mention that another thing the club does that helps with variety of routes is that we have approx. 1 hosted run per month, other than in summer. Those events start from club members' homes and take in different routes than the three we normally do on weekends, so... it adds up to more neat places to explore. Probably your club has all those kinds of events too?

Speaking of run clubs, I'm back from a great run with the group. I did almost 1 hour and 25 minutes and it is mild and sunny today! Such a difference from last week's temps, though that was fun too. Now off to social coffee and hopefully snowshoeing this afternoon.

Oh yes, our vacation. We're planning to do a Caribbean cruise. I've never cruised before and wasn't sure it was for me but the more we read about this one cruise, the more fun it sounded, and the prices are amazingly low this year. We got a ridiculously nice sounding room for a fraction of what I'd have expected to pay. Should be very interesting and neat! I jumped out of bed yesterday and started packing and am now about 1/3 packed. Hey, it's not like I need those warm-weather clothes here anytime soon, so I may as well pack them! :p Can you tell I'm excited?

Best to all!

Smiles,
Nat

[KValley]

Nat- Cruises haven't appealed to me either, but to be honest a few days in the Caribbean, soaking up warmth and sun, would be heavenly right now. It was beautiful here yesterday, but today is cloudy and dull. :( Have a wonderful time planning - it sounds like such fun.

Meg- how was the race?! How is your leg?

Oceanjasper- how great to have found inspiration for a 10k plan! I'll have to take a look at the website- needing some inspiration....

Les Glad you got through a good spin despite the music drag. I've just loaded the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack onto my Ipod and I'm loving it- great beats and loads of joy and whimsy...

Vicci- the ride to nowhere- your body doesn't know the difference, so congrats on bumping up your time!

Don't be impressed at all by my handstands- I can hold one unassisted for about 3 seconds. Once I get frustrated with trying that I handstand against a pillar or wall and hold as long as I can. It's a great upper body strengthener. Meg- I like to use a bosu ball for push ups, as well as varying my hand width and using my triceps (holding my elbows to my side instead of out). And yoga uses the push up and plank positions so much- both reminding me how weak I am and how I'm gradually getting stronger. I couldn't do an unassisted pull-up to save my life. Well, maybe one.

Doing some cooking this morning, then off for a long walk with Brendan before heading to the office to catch up on paperwork while no one is around... WIsh the day weren't so dreary...

Happy week, runners!

[Robyn1007]

Hey guys. Sorry, I've been MIA for awhile. I've just been struggling lately with some exhaustion and other issues. I took Friday off work to ski with friends and try to wrap my head around things. Here are a couple of pics from the day. It was absolutely incredible with great snow, great friends and lots of laughter and whooping it up on the snow. For those of you on Facebook I just posted a video of us skiing right below the second picture here, I'm the second one in the video.

My friend and I skiing the trees.
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2100/10/117/830505017/n830505017_5593120_856.jpg

About to ski that fresh snow right below me. Of course I'm grinning!
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2100/10/117/830505017/n830505017_5593119_626.jpg

[Leslie Ferguson]

Congrats on your race and good time Meg. Like Nat, I'm also glad that your leg is feeling pretty good.
Nat - Going on a cruise? Amazingly, I don't think I can be of assistance except to say that it's cooler at sea than you would imagine, at least at night. I can't imagine why you might want to go someplace warmer right now. ;) Great work on your runs too. Sermon(s) (three services worth) were interesting - each one was a little different than the other, all the main points were the same but the path I traversed to get there was a little different each time. That's one of the joys of preaching without a manuscript.
Julie - Dreary weather... Seattle... never in a million years. ;) I hope you had a good day around the house.
Robyn - Sorry things have been a little weird for you (my impression) but I hope that a little time to get things "straight" in your head was helpful.

Today was a bust but I figured that would be the case. Not only were there 3 services at church, there was a parish meeting that took about an hour in the middle and a 2 1/2 hour meeting with a group from the church that helps me hone my skills as a leader/pastor in the church. All helpful but in the long run, I didn't leave out there (40 minutes from home) until ~4:00 after leaving the house at 6:50 am.

Brain is frazzled so I'm going to read the paper and do some core work. See you all tomorrow - I think there may be a run after class tomorrow (yep, I'm back at it tomorrow).

Happy trails,
Les

[Kathy B]

Hi, all! Hope everyone had a good weekend. We just got back in town after being gone since mid-day on Friday, and we currently have a house full of teenage boys noisily enjoying the superbowl. :D I don't even know who is playing, but my role is strictly to supply the food, so no worries. I was not able to get in any workouts this weekend whatsoever, but we did spend a fair amount of time walking, so that will have to do. Hoping to get back on track tomorrow....

Sounds like your day was similar, Les, in that it was too full for working out. Hope you can get the run in tomorrow!

Robyn, glad to hear you had such a good day skiing. Sometimes a day off from work is required to get back on track. Nice when it turns out to be a great day! :)

Natasha, the cruise sounds wonderful! I love having a trip to plan, although I imagine with a cruise there isn't much planning required....just anticipation! :D Good job on your long run today, too!

Meg, congratulations on your race and your new PR! Glad to hear the leg is feeling fine, too. Sounds like a very fun route!

oceanjasper, have fun with the skate skiing. And take care of that foot!!

Julie, I am always impressed by handstands! I might be able to do one, but I am too afraid of falling. I'd have to do it in a class with help, but I don't take yoga classes (just do it with the TV). I have managed the crane for a couple of seconds on occasion, but even that one makes me nervous. :o Way to be consistent with your workouts!

Vicci, I hear you about the Jan/Feb thing....right after the holidays, we have GS cookie deliveries, then a few family celebrations, then valentine's day. Lent comes along just in time to keep things from getting out of control!

Susan, to answer your question, I have several routes I run, all starting from our house, but there are quite a few possible variations which helps. I kind of like knowing the routes so well, because it makes it easy for me to know how much I am adding to my route if I take a different street or how to cut things short if I am not very energetic. As opposed to a less familiar route where I don't really know how much further/longer I have to go to get back to the starting point. Hope your new running club brings you lots of interesting new places to run to help you beat the rut!

That's it for now....have a good week everyone!

[SusanMac]

Happy Monday / Groundhog Day / Post-Super Bowl Feast Day :-)

Nat - when is your cruise? Sounds fun! I'm also packing right now, as DH & I leave this Thursday for London.

Les - I'm sure you'll get some endorphins in this week to make up for your crazy weekend. Hope the sermon went well.

MegMeg - Congrats on an awesome race! The course sounds really fun. And the rest clearly did your leg good.

Julie - I did handstands all the time as a kid & loved them. Need to give them another shot. Whenever I do a headstand (which is rarely) I always feel sooooo energized. That fascinates me.

I had a blast w/my new running group! There were about 20 people. Paces were all over the map, which is a good thing (you know that persistent fear of being last!) The group definitely forced me to push my pace, and I feel it today. Very quiet at the start & during the run. But, we met/finished at a coffee shop, so I hung out and chatted with a lot of people afterwards. Met some very cool people, and one woman doing the same race as me. I saw one of the group's coaches doing walking breaks w/one runner -- a very good sign of a cool club.

As a bonus....I took a closer look at my training plan....it doesn't officially start until MARCH 1 (not FEB 1)! Woo hoo! That means I can really focus on building a base in Feb. Meeting again with the group tonight after work for another 5 miler.

Howdy to the rest o' the gang....OceanJasper, TKay, Aggie, Kathy, and the rest of the VRBs

[TKay]

Sounds like a productive weekend for all.

Susan - Glad the new group appears to be a good fit. Great job on graduating to the advanced class. As for route ruts, yes, I get in them. Mostly because I run the same thing almost every time I'm out. And I do rely on the TM a lot. The strange thing is I rather enjoy a good rut. It allows me to really check out and be in my head--or focus on the iPod--while I run. And that helps me keep at it longer.

KathyB - Funny about being the food-supplier for the Super Bowl. Hope you get in a good workout today.

Les - Glad the sermons went well. Here's to getting in a run (or something) after class today. Sounds like you could use a little me-time.

Robyn - Those photos are gorgeous! Wow, what scenery. I hope the skiing did the trick for you. How could a view like that be anything but invigorating? :)

KValley - Oh, come on. Let us be impressed by the handstands. :D

Nat - The Caribbean sounds wonderful. I've only been on one cruise in my life and unfortunately, I got seasick. If you are prone to such things at all, I'd recommend heading it off at the past with your treatment of choice before you even set sail. I ended up being behind and never fully recovered from it. Still, the cruise was fun. Happy summer-clothing-packing!

Meg - Great race report. Yeah! I'm so glad your leg/ankle is feeling good. Congrats on the fantastic time too.

Oceanjasper - Glad you found a training schedule you like. How was skate skiing?

Vicci - 40 minutes on the EB is great. Good for you. I hear you about the weight-ceiling and that's all I'll say. ;)

Nothing to report from Friday or Saturday. Fri was ds's 9th birthday and we had a party here. This on the heels of a burst pipe that took forever to repair (complete with water flooding the downstairs and ruining the laminate flooring). I went on a lengthy dog-walk followed by 35 minutes on the TM yesterday. Repeated the dog-walk this morning and am planning about a half-hour of yoga. I started to get a migraine last night and want to up my relaxation today if at all possible.

Happy week ahead to all. :)

[SusanMac]

TKay - when are you going to get that puppy on the TM?? ;-)

[TKay]

TKay - when are you going to get that puppy on the TM?? ;-)

Hey, if the dog whisperer can do it, I can, right? :D We talk about it. Actually, it's the chubby cat that needs to get on a regular schedule. ;) Have you ever had your pooch on the TM?

[Leslie Ferguson]

Sailing by... no time to make individual comments considering I had my first day of classes (only one class so far) and I'm already behind (not badly but there's 120+ pages to read for Wednesday's class). :eek: My me time today was baking -- I did a double batch of bread for church which takes a couple hours ("unleavened" [uses baking powder] with whole wheat flour and honey). Oh how I love my KA mixer - 8 cups of flour and 4 cups of liquid without even batting an eye. Still, it would be nice to get some more "me" time soon - but that will have to wait.

I had a decent afternoon although I didn't run like I planned but I still got a 30 minute spin after all was said and done. I think I didn't feel up to running as the weather was changing quickly - it was cooling down very quickly and the wind was picking up. Luckily my bike is in the basement and it's relatively warm down there.

I hope that everyone is well out there and keeping warm and dry. Studies call so until later, happy trails,
Les

[oceanjasper]

Natasha - Have a wonderful time on your cruise! I did a Western Carribean cruise quite a few years ago. I tend to prefer a stay in one place kind of holiday, but the food was AMAZING! Enjoy the sunshine! Skiing was great. I also did a bit of snowshoeing. Since we don't have much snow right now, I tried out a newly packed trail that went alongside a snow covered lake. It was beautiful.

Meg - I will definitely let you know how I like it, once I actually start it. I was going to start today, but I am sore and bruised from my soccer game yesterday and decided to give myself a day off. I have quite the impressive ball imprint on my quad. :) If you come across a running program that you like, I would love to hear about it. I'm such a newbie at this. Thanks! And way to go on your race time!

TKay - Skate skiing was wonderful, although I didn't tackle quite as many hills as I normally would. Some days are just like that! Sorry to hear about your ruined floor. Hope you are feeling better today!

Les - Sounds like your life is pretty crazy right now. Hang in there!

SusanMac - Your running group sounds like a lot of fun. My cousin has been doing lots of running lately and invited me to join a group of her running buddies for a run on Sunday mornings. Unfortunately, I usually have soccer games on Sundays and it might be a bit much to do both! :)

KathyB - Thanks! Foot still hasn't bugged me since my run last week, so I am very happy about that!

KValley - Hope you were able to find some inspiration!

Robyn - There is just something so replenishing about spending the day on the slopes, especially when the sun comes out to greet you. I haven't done any downhill skiing in years, but I do love my skinny skis!

You guys are such a nice bunch. Thanks for making me feel so welcome. Hopefully I will have more running to report soon...

[SusanMac]

Robyn - I love it when you post photos! That fresh snow definitely looks great

OceanJasper - I didn't know you also played soccer. All that agility and sprint work must be fantastic for your run training.

TKay - we don't have access to a TM with Bode. I'd be nervous to try it! But once he got the hang of it, he might love it. Too funny about the chubby cat :-)

My group run was fun last night. It was dark & I had no idea where we were going, so another girl (who I had met on Sun) said she'd run w/me. That was so nice b/c I would have been completely lost. And the boys were quickly out ahead of us. They were also more brave on the ice. She was pushing me hard but I tried to not act like it ;-) So, another 5-mile tempo run in the books. I feel really refreshed today, and my legs are a bit tired.

Afterwards, I quickly scooted off to meet DH for one of UW's Distinguished Lecture Series. Neil deGrasse Tyson from PBS' Nova ScienceNow spoke last night & we were lucky enough to get tix. Wow! What a fun, passionate, fascinating & funny guy!! I'm still reeling. Who knew astrophysics could be so entertaining?

I'll probably spin later today

[Robyn1007]

Another quick drive by. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the photos. It did do me a lot of good to get out and enjoy some good snow. The First picture was taken at the top of an area that requires a bit of hiking to get to. I'd not been over there before because I didn't know where I was going and didn't want to get myself into trouble. This time I had someone to lead the way and I'm so excited to know about this stuff now. It's got those little trees up top then drops in to some bigger trees that are still pretty open and there was all sorts of fresh tracks. Later in the trees the first picture was taken in I was following my friend in the picture through which was a lot of fun. She's a beautiful skier, looks like ballet on skis and with her picking the lines I just had to keep up and concentrate on using the bumps and trees to turn. Really an area I need to work on more so this was perfect. Only problem was that both of our outfits kind of camouflaged us a bit within the trees so we did a lot of calling out to each other to figure out where everyone was. :eek::p

I did a swim test last night. 3x500 all out. My shoulders hurt today. Yes, I'm the world's slowest swimmer and I know it. Yowza. And, the website for my first triathlon is up! http://www.danskinsheroxtri.com/Denver.htm

[Kathy B]

Yesterday was weights at the CC, but all of the EB's were taken and when I went home to do the TM, that was taken, too! (DH went in late, so did a workout before leaving). I never did get my TM time in. Did a bit of yoga this AM, and just now finished up 50 minutes on the TM while watching 24 (yea! it's back! :D) and a little of Colbert. Having a good show to watch makes ALL the difference! Hoping for weights and EB tomorrow....

oceanjaspar, do you play indoor soccer? I am thinking you must since it is cold enough there for you to be skate skiing. DS used to play indoor, and it is a really fast moving and noisy game. As hard as the ball hits the walls, I am not surprised it left an imprint. Ouch!!

Full afternoon/evening ahead, and I still need to get some cleaning done, so signing off!

[TKay]

Les - Glad you at least got that spin in.
Susan - I love that whole pretending that the pace isn't pushing you. It's like breathing through your nose when you pass someone, right? :D
Robyn - I'm quite sure you're not the slowest swimmer alive. That would be me. :p How exciting about the tri!
KathyB - I swore I wasn't going to watch 24 this season and here I am again, hooked. I can see how running through an episode would certainly make the time fly.

Did a lengthy dog-walk and 35 min on the TM. Then a very quick ab workout and some pushups. Delightful.

[Natasha]

Hi all!!

Checking back in after a lovely birthday and day off. Thanks for the birthday wishes on the other board! :) The weather was incredible, and I took full advantage (though didn't run, since I had done the longish run the day before).

TKay, sounds like you are enjoying your new puppy! But how could you not? Glad all worked well for the party after the burst pipe!

Kathy, were your DS's friends pleased with the SuperBowl result? It sounds like it was a close, interesting game! Glad you finally got the TM time in. How was your birthday??

Susan, sounds like a good group! It's nice when you find someone who can push you juuuuust the right amount, and only sometimes, of course.

Les, yum, now I want homemade bread.

Robyn, nice pics!

oceanjasper, even if you don't go out with your cousin and her friends, you can probably find a running group or club that goes out at times other than weekend mornings. Mine does Sundays and many times of the year also midweek runs, and of course the Running Room stores all do Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

Yesterday besides the walking and hiking I got in an energetic spin, and some yoga. Tonight should bring another spin or a run - not decided yet. Oh, wait - I just decided. Did all the logistics in my head and opted for a run.

Happy trails to one and all :D

[Natasha]

Back to say, gee, Les, I can't imagine why you don't do a lot of cruising vacations :p ;) :D Probably not your idea of relaxing and getting away from it all!

TKay, thanks for the tip! I will take something with me but did a choppy 6 hour crossing of the English Channel once, and was fine on a whale watching trip in rough conditions in Hawaii when many people got sick, so am crossing my fingers that I can take the movement. Never hurts to be prepared, though!

Vicci, that's sweet that your DH is so concerned about you and keeping you away from those crazy dump trucks.

Anyway, off to finish making dinner... chicken, salad, and leftover mocha cake and cheesecake brownies.

[oceanjasper]

SusanMac - Your post made me chuckle, since I technically haven't started my run training...yet. I'm really hoping you are right! :)

KathyB - Our practices are indoors right now since it is still pretty dark in the evenings, but all of our games are outdoors. Nothing like a cold hard ball against a cold flabby thigh. :D Our season runs from September to April, which is pretty much the opposite of everywhere else in Canada. We are lucky in that the snow mostly stays up on the mountain, which is only about a half hour drive from here.

Natasha - Happy belated birthday! I am pretty sure there are other running groups in town and maybe I will get enough courage to check them out, once I do a bit more running first... I'm going for a short run tonight. I better get ready!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Back to say, gee, Les, I can't imagine why you don't do a lot of cruising vacations :p ;) :D Probably not your idea of relaxing and getting away from it all!
Well... you're probably right. It may be different now considering I've been away from the Navy (at least ships) for a while.
TKay, thanks for the tip! I will take something with me but did a choppy 6 hour crossing of the English Channel once, and was fine on a whale watching trip in rough conditions in Hawaii when many people got sick, so am crossing my fingers that I can take the movement. Never hurts to be prepared, though!
I'd imagine that the two boats you were on were fairly small (relatively speaking). Cruise ships are very stable and the weather where you're headed isn't bad in the spring. Later in the year, all bets are off. Non-drowsy dramamine about an hour or two before departure may be something worth looking into just in case.

No rest for the weary today but better all things considered. No bread to bake, long classes but nothing too terribly arduous. I did have a small paper to write (500 words) so I took a long-ish spin this evening. Something about 1:15 or so. Feels good still but I may not be able to take too many more days of spinning - I may be relegated to riding if I'm not careful.

Time for bed... happy trails and happy hump day,
Les

[Kathy B]

Weights and EB at the CC this AM. (Got there bright and early!) We are supposed to hit 60's tomorrow and 72 on Friday or Saturday, so may get to hit the pavement this week. That would be really nice for a change. Today, lunch with a friend from work....should be fun.

Natasha, good job on your workouts....you are certainly getting in a lot of variety! How was your run? And what kind of temps are you having these days? Honestly, I have no idea how the superbowl came out...but I know DS and his friends had a good time, one way or the other. We actually did our celebrating while we were OOT over the weekend....shopping, a great concert, and of course eating out. It was quite nice! :)

Tkay, you forgot to add the winky face ( ;)) when you were telling us that your ab work and pushups were "delightful"! :p

Hope everyone is having a good week. Carry on!

[TKay]

Tkay, you forgot to add the winky face ( ;)) when you were telling us that your ab work and pushups were "delightful"! :p


The funny part is, they really were delightful. ;)

Les - Good going on squeezing in the 1:15.
Nat - Glad you had a lovely b-day. Sounds like the water doesn't bother you, but I guess it never hurts to be prepared. Did you get in a good run?
Oceanjasper - How was the run?
KathyB - Hope you get in that outdoor time over the next few days.

Did some puppy training/walking this morning and I'm off to do some weights. I'm happy because my upper back is sore from the yoga DVD I've been doing. And here I thought the intensity was too easy. :p

Happy Wednesday all.

[SusanMac]

Belated happy bday, Nat!! Did DH get you any good running or foodie gifts?? Of course, a cruise is gift enough.

Didn't end up working out yesterday. Justified this due to having 2 5-mile tempo runs on Sun & Mon and my quads were a wee bit sore. Plus, I got pulled into a last minute mtg in the evening. So, today did a session on the bike trainer.

I've learned that I really need to workout in the a.m. whenever my schedule allows. There are just too many unpredictable things that pop up throughout the day.

Hope everyone's having a great day. It's so beautiful here today.

[Natasha]

I agree with TKay - ab work is delightful! Not push-ups, though - not for me. I find those hard. I actually started a new core workout a few weeks ago and it is so good but so tough (actually, that's a lot of what makes it so good)! Still fun, though. I need to work myself up to the full thing.

TKay, sounds like a great yoga workout.

Kathy, glad you enjoyed your birthday weekend! :)

Les, that's a long spin. Probably not too long 'til you can ride outdoors - just a few weeks or so, right?

I took last night off training, as it happens, to spend the time relaxing with DH. He's away today (actually, Kathy, he's in your state!). Today I had a great walk with the pup and do plan to spin, though. Quite looking forward to it, in fact. Just had a light dinner of tea and cinnamon toast. I was in the mood for something light (had a big lunch today) and comforting and it did the trick :)

Take care, all!

[SusanMac]

Nat - You did not really have just cinnamon toast for dinner! No wonder you are so tiny. You could make millions with this new diet craze!

[Natasha]

Checking back in to report a long spin. I watched the last 75 minutes or so of a movie, and spun for most of it. Now off to walk the dog but not for long... it's a very chilly evening!

'k, that's it for now. Keep on running!

Nat

[VictoriaL]

Good Evening, everybody! :)

Okay, I'll ask since I'm obviously the only one who doesn't know-- oceanjasper, what is skate skiing??? :o

Meg, great job on your race last Saturday! So when's the next one?

*sigh* Well, Nat, when do you leave for your *sigh* cruise? I've never been on one, but I can't remember being so sick and tired of cold and ice before. Friends asked us to go to Aruba with them next week, but we (I hate to admit this) don't have anyone to watch Spooky... You will have a wonderful time, I'm sure. Hey, those ships often have running tracks on one of the decks-- you'll be running in sun and warmth again!

And...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAT!!!

Robyn, what gorgeous scenery in those photos!

Julie, I do a cheater's version of a handstand-- I flip upside-down on an inversion table. ;) Doesn't strengthen my arms at all, but I read where blood rushing to the head "nourishes" the brain, so I do it. Need all of the help I can get (and the arms are taken care of with weights). You also, obviously, have balance!

I hear you, Les, about your KA-devotion. :) I have friends who swear by their bread machines, but the KA is almost as easy, but I feel that I have better "control". Good luck with this upcoming semester!

KathyB HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, too! Are you planning to get in some outdoor exercise time as the week begins to warm up for you?

Nice to see you back here regularly, TKay! I must have missed the announcement—so what kind of puppy do you have now?

Susan it sounds as though you’re enjoying this new running group. And you’re so fortunate to live in Madison. A cousin of DH’s was an instructor at UW and he loved it there, always telling us how wonderful it was (and we believed him).

I was feeling very out-of-sorts this morning-- headachy, watery eyes, sneezing… I couldn’t imagine where it came from since I haven’t been anywhere in 9 days! Anyway, I spent the day on the sofa, drinking juice and hot tea, and napping. Around midafternoon I was bored and started to play around with loading music into my new mp3 player. I also learned how to rip music from my cd collection. Since it was Aerobic Day, and I felt better, I took the mp3 and went on the EB. I have to say, I’ve never biked on the thing for 51 minutes before, and time absolutely flew. I could have done more, but I had to shower and get dinner started. DH is enjoying the tv while he bikes, but I really prefer music. Maybe I'll even do it tomorrow, too. Take that Christmas cookie chubbies!!!! :D

It is supposed to get warm this weekend, maybe 4 or 5 days in low 50’s and I am greatly anticipating it. Not only will the warmth melt the frozen water line at the lake house, but I will once again be able to run on my trails (and, now, with my mp3 player-- yay!).

But, a question. The ear buds which came with my mp3 are killers. I’m using an old pair which have round plastic discs which actually fit into the ear (and have a metal over-the-head band), which are actually comfortable. The metal band kept working loose on the EB, so I imagine that it will be worthless while running outside. Is there something else I should be looking at for running? Ideas? Suggestions?

Off to bed, take care all!

[SusanMac]

Vicci - I'd just recommend new headphones. I've found the wires to wear out fairly quickly (which is your intermittent sound). The earbuds don't stay in my ears while running. And the over-the-head kind are the only ones I've found to fit. Glad you're getting used to the mp3 player. They are addictive!!

Well - DH and I are off to London today! The snow better be melted by the time we arrive. We have a wedding this weekend, then several days in the city playing tourist. We are definitely bringing the running shoes! See ya next Friday.

[TKay]

Did someone say cinnamon toast?

Nat - One of my fave things about having a TM at home now is that I can watch TV while running. It really makes the time go. Great going on finishing your movie and getting in 75 minutes at the same time.

Vicci - I use the headphones that came with my iPod, so I'm no expert. I hope you find some comfy ones. Thanks for the welcome back. It's good to be working out regularly again. The pup is a (Marley-looking) yellow lab named Sadie. She's almost 5 mos. I'm glad you gave the Christmas cookie chubbies the what-for. :D

Susan - Bon voyage! Have a wonderful trip.

Took the pooch on yet another lengthy walk. It's supposed to rain later, so she'll be cooped up. Did a 35 minute run on the TM.

Happy T-day, everyone.

[1MegMeg]

T-Kay - Nice run on the treadmill! And nice walk with your pup, I am sure he keeps you busy!

Susan - Have a *wonderful* time in London! *happy sigh* Glad to hear things are going well with your new running group.

Vicci - Thank you! I am planning to do an 8K in April and also the annual corporate 5K is in April, I am our department's team captain! :) Nice ride on the EB! I have an EB too and music makes all the difference. I like the TV sometimes, but usually just enjoy my ipod.

Nat - Happy belated birthday! Your cruise sounds like it's going to be so much fun. I've never been on one...one day I will go.

Kathy - Your weather is going to be as warm as it will be here over the weekend. Hope you get in some outdoor runs.

Les - Nice work on the long spin, and the short paper! :)

Robyn - Love your pictures! You look so happy being out in the snow. And great job on your swim test! I promise you you are not the world's slowest swimmer, I am. :p

Oceanjasper - Very cool that you play soccer too! I would think that will definitely help with your running training.

Julie - Yeah, no unassisted pull-ups for me either. I can pull myself to the top of the bar and stay there, but then when I let myself back down that's it, there is no more going back up hehe.

Thank you all for the good words about my race! I got in two nice runs and some pedaling to no where on the EB this week. Yesterday morning I ran and the temperature wasn't bad...low forties, but the wind! My home 5K route is a predominately north-south out and back so for second half of my run the 17mph winds out of the north made it feel like I had a parachute attached to my behind! So delightful! :p

Orlando has an annual corporate 5K every April and our department is going to have a team participate. I am going to be the team captain, it should be lots of fun! I am also thinking about doing an 8K race in April....we'll see how it goes over the next month or so.

In non-running news, I am doing some trip planning too. I have a couple of trips in the works for this year, but right now I am working on Vegas! My 30th birthday is this summer so we are thinking it would be very fun to spend a long weekend in Vegas. I haven't been since I was 12 and DBF has never been.

Hi to everyone, happy almost weekend!

[Natasha]

Meg, those corporate 5ks can be a lot of fun! I've done a couple of those too (captained one) many years ago - great evening. Vegas sounds fun!

Susan, enjoy London :cool:

Vicci, great work on the 51 minute EB ride. Too bad about Aruba but I would have done the same in your position. Pets are so important! We don't leave for a while yet, but that's okay... so much to do before then! Thanks for the birthday thoughts :)

TKay, your pup must be at that growing every day stage... gangly one day, oddly long the next. And with those big paws and ears. I love puppies!

Got in a nice 3.5m run - not as long as I would have liked, but I felt the need to stretch so figured I should cut it short and do more yoga, which I'll do after running out to get a couple of things from the store.

Take care, all,
Nat

[oceanjasper]

VictoriaL - Skate skiing is a form of cross country skiing. Instead of skiing in the tracks and using a forward walking movement, which is called classic skiing, you ski on a flat surface and use more of a skating movement. It is hard to describe, but you sort of glide on one ski on an angle forward and away from your starting point and then shift your weight to the other ski and glide out in the other direction. Your skis are generally in the shape of a V.

Youtube has a few videos showing the technique. This is a really short one (14 seconds) that will give you an idea of what it is like. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob7udEsMJ5g