Saturday

WORKOUT

40 minutes

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

Easy pace around downtown.

WEATHER

It was chilly! I wore a hat and gloves.

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

Well, my left ankle was a bit sore, and I was kind of tired, but I tried to keep it easy. Maybe 3-4

DAYS EVENTS

Out and about for most of the day.

SLEEP

Didn't sleep well. Only got about 5 hours.

DIET

logged everything

RESTING HR

How on earth am I supposed to know this?

WEIGHT

Hovering between 158 and 159 which, yes, light-weights, is actually an improvement. My ultimate goal is to get it down to about, what, 135-140 or something?

NIGGLES

Strained the calf a bit last couple of days. May stay off of it tomorrow.

OTHER CONDITIONING

A Bit of a Weepy Day

Saturday

WORKOUT

12-13 miles.

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

We really mixed it up today. I did intervals of 2 miles with Karen for the first 6 miles of the run. We did anywhere between about 9:10 and 9:30 per mile. On the way back, I kept it more between 9:30 and 10:00, with the last mile being possibly a little longer than 1o:00 but I don't think so.

WEATHER

Wet, and it snowed, and rained. I was so cold by the end!

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

We were up to 6-7.5 for the first half. 5-6 for the last half.

DAYS EVENTS

I was tired for a good part of the day and I felt like resisting. So I declared my own rebellion and lied around between 1 and 5. I was totally sedentary for the rest of the day.

SLEEP

Got to bed by about 11 or so. Got up at 7:30.

DIET

Good today. Too much fat and not enough protein, but the calories stayed in range.

RESTING HR

How on earth am I supposed to know this?

WEIGHT

Hovering between 158 and 159 which, yes, light-weights, is actually an improvement. My ultimate goal is to get it down to about, what, 135-140 or something?

NIGGLES

So Much better! A little pain in the leg, probably a direct result of not stretching enough.

OTHER CONDITIONING

Nope

Weekend Runs

Hey, Gang!

I am in the midst of taking a break. I have the weirdest task tonight! I have to write letters of recommendation for myself! No kidding! I need two recs to apply to this new masters program I'm going to try for and both parties who I have asked to write them want me to write them first and then send these to them for editing. I guess it makes sense, but, how do you write a letter of recommendation for yourself?? I'm having a difficult with time with one, an easier time with the other.

To clarify, the runs I refer to in this e-mail are the actual distance-crossing kind of runs, not the medical condition you get when you each too much fatty food before a race. (Though I've had those, too.)

Saturday

WORKOUT

12-13 miles through the goose poop.

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

I think it took a little over two hours. We stayed strictly on the greenbelt and tried to keep approximately a 10-minute pace. I may have gone a bit slower at the end. (not sure)

WEATHER

Chilly but beautiful. No ice, snow, sleet, or hail.

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

Effort level was moderate, probably ranging between 5-7. The first part of the run was sloped up, and I think this caused some stress, though my muscles felt fine. My stomach was feeling really sour through the whole run, even making me quite nauseous during the short time I walked at around mile 8 or 9. Once I started running again, though, the nausea subsided quickly.

I felt pretty spent by the end, but, even so I was happy that my left calf felt only a tiny bit sore. Nothing to worry about, in other words.

DAYS EVENTS

My stomach felt queasy for the rest of the day, so I pretty much lied around and watched TV.

SLEEP

I got to bed the night before by about 9:30. Slept well, despite waking up three of four times.

DIET

Friday's diet was not great. I ate some sweets, though I did stop around my calorie limit.

RESTING HR

I assume I have one. Is that good enough?

WEIGHT

I hope I'm losing! We'll find out on Wednesday.

NIGGLES

So Much better! Only a minimal amount of pain and strain! Woohoo!

OTHER CONDITIONING

Nope

Sunday

WORKOUT

6 miles

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

I kept it pretty well at a 10-minute pace. Kept it mostly on asphalt. (Trying to avoid concrete.) Took about an hour.

WEATHER

Chilly but beautiful. No ice, snow, sleet, or hail.

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

Effort level was a 3-5. This was the first pleasant run I'd had in a really long time. My leg barely hurt and my stomach wasn't acting up. Oh yeah!

DAYS EVENTS

Church, shopping, work on the computer.

SLEEP

Slept about 8 hours.

DIET

Pretty good! Staying w/i the calorie limit for the most part.

RESTING HR

I assume I have one. Is that good enough?

WEIGHT

I hope I'm losing! We'll find out on Wednesday.

NIGGLES

So Much better! Only a minimal amount of pain and strain! Woohoo!

OTHER CONDITIONING

Nope

Now I have to write a "personal statement". I would rather write in response to a question instead of a simple request for a "personal statement." It's only 500-1000 words, though. I'll do my best.

Liz

Wednesday Run

WORKOUT

4 miles through the goose poop.

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

I still haven't found my watch

4 miles

On the greenbelt to Petra's

Slow

WEATHER

Chilly but beautiful. About 34 degrees according to weatherman Dave.

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

Effort level was somewhere between 3 and 4, but speed was low, I think. My leg hurts (not as bad today, actually, which was encouraging) but it has affected my form, I think. I think I've been using even smaller steps and rubbing my ankles more, because not only my shoe but my sock was all bloody by the time I got there.

DAYS EVENTS

It was a pretty even split between being up and around and sitting at the computer.
SLEEP

Didn't sleep too well. Too much caffeine at the shindig last night. 6-7 hours.

DIET

Okay. Today is not one of those touting days, but it wasn't horrible.

RESTING HR

I assume I have one. Is that good enough?

WEIGHT

Yup. Got some of that, too! Though I have noticed less cellulite around my hips. Kinda cool.

NIGGLES

It didn't hurt as bad today. It was sore after and during the run, but I hope it doesn't come back to avenge itself as it seems to have in past days.

OTHER CONDITIONING

Nope

Sick of not feeling good

Hello!

I wish I could say that today's 3-miler was all fun and pleasantness because it should have been; there were plenty of people out on the greenbelt and the weather was really nice. Unfortunately that was not the case. Here's how it went.

WORKOUT

easy 3 miles

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

I don't know exactly what my pace was. It was slow, though, and I ran on the greenbelt though for all 3 miles.

WEATHER

Beautiful

FEELINGS & EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

Feelings are where it's at right now. I feel exhausted, drained, very given to frustration, frustrated tears, and I find myself asking why I'm even doing this.

My stomach was not cooperating during this run and did not take kindly to being jiggled. That was to be expected since it's sensitive anyway.

My calf didn't really hurt at all at the beginning and only hurt a bit during the run. This did not help my overall sense of futility, frustration, and -- to a certain extent -- hopelessness, though

Emotionally, my running lately has felt a lot like it does at the very end of the race, when you're so frustrated with your body, with the amount of distance you have left to cover, you hurt, and you have kind of lost your reason to even keep going.

What's with all this depression? I find I've been on a roller coaster lately, feeling great in the morning and really down by the afternoon. There has been a lot of stress, and my social relationships have been in turmoil lately as well, especially since there have been some adjustments there. Another possibility is this generic Accutane stuff I started taking 6 days ago; Accutane has been known to cause depression, violence, and even suicidal tendencies in some people. I'm not ready to conclude that that is what it is, though. It's only the sixth day.

Effort level? The effort was in continuing despite my stomach, my frustration, my leg, and even this fatigue I'm feeling.

TRAINING PARTNERS

None. I ran alone.

DAYS EVENTS

I've been feeling pretty crummy for the last couple of days. Yesterday I did nothing but lie around all day, which probably helped my leg feel better today. Today I went to church, went out to lunch, and then came home to take a nap. Nothing too stressful.

SLEEP

I rested all day yesterday, got about 9 hours last night, then rested for an hour this afternoon. (It was actually more like hiding under the covers.) I should be rested up. I've also had quite a bit of water today because it makes my stomach feel better.

DIET
Pretty good. Didn't each much at all yesterday because my stomach felt crappy. I was stupid enough to have a doughnut after church today, though, and the fried yickiness of it made me sick. My bad on that one.

RESTING HR

Who knows?

WEIGHT
We've been through this.

NIGGLES

Same old.

Liz

Saturday Fitness Evaluation

I don't feel good so this won't take long.

WORKOUT
3-mile fitness evaluation

TIME/DISTANCE/COURSE/PACE

My first mile was about 8:04
My second was about 9 minutes (including a stop to take off my pants in the middle)
I finished the third mile was at about 8:21

WEATHER
Below freezing

FEELINGS
My leg didn't hurt. (Ibuprofen right before may have done the trick)
Emotionally, my patience and resistance to frustration was very low. (I was ready to stop by the side of the road and cry at about .5 miles in.)
Mentally, somewhat difficult to maintain the will to keep going.
Physically, tired. (Why?? I sleep fine and plenty long enough.)

Now, about three hours later, I have a headache and I'm nauseous. Perhaps this is a gift from my sniffly babies?

EFFORT LEVEL (1-10, 10=all out):

I was working pretty hard, 7-8

TRAINING PARTNERS
Didn't run w/ anyone

DAYS' EVENTS
Came home and cleaned. Now logging. Will rest for a while today. I want pizza.

SLEEP

Somewhere between 7.5 and 9 hours

DIET
Pretty good, aside from the Pizza. (Wed. dinner and Thurs for lunch)

RESTING HR
??

WEIGHT
Ha! If you don't know I'm not going to tell you!

NIGGLES
Frickin' left calf/tendons/joining tissue. Starts in my left foot (when I run) and moves up the back of my leg, eventually hitting my knee and the left side of my left hamstring.

OTHER CONDITIONING

I didn't condition my hair today, nor will I run anymore or swim or lift weights or even get up to change the channel -- at least not for the next couple of hours.

Thursday Solo Run

After a month of visiting family in Germany "my" three babies, Abraham, Noah, and Helena (and their folks) returned last night. I got to pick them up from the airport. Since I was so anxious to see them I opted to skip the run tonight and, instead, run from my apartment to their house (right around 4 miles) and visit them instead.

The run was really frustrating. For one thing, my body was tired and I didn't feel like I had much energy. I felt like I was putting forth too much effort for how slow the run was going and this was frustrating. Also, it seems my default stride has become this pathetic limpy compensating gait since my left leg has been hurting now for a while. On this run, only my left ankle hurt at first. (Pretty much 360 around) I thought about it and I thought maybe it was the flexor tendons that hold your leg muscles to your foot? My achilles tendon even hurt. As I ran, the discomfort started going up the back of my calk and even a bit into my shin. I kept trying to improve my stride but it was hard. My patience was low, my body was tired, and I was going too slow. It was pretty frustrating. I stopped a few times, gave a few angry breaths, and then kept tripping along, always frustrating with the gait that favored the right side and kept my stride short.

Finally and with a really sore calf, I arrived at Petra and Hubert's. Poor Noah took a dive off a bunk bed earlier this week and has a swollen nose. He is also sick with a sore throat/headcold/something along those lines. So, he's been unpleasant to say the least. Actually, I don't blame him. He looks like he feels miserable. Poor kid. Abraham feels quite a bit better. He ran right out to show me the new train he got in Germany and to tell me that it goes really fast. Helena has ballooned a bit and grown a lot. She's starting to look like her chubby, red headed aunt who came to visit Petra and Hubert a few months back. She's as cute as ever, though. All three kids are still adjusting to being home. Everyone is worried about Noah. I hope his folks take him to the doctor to see what's up with his nose. It's awfully swollen and he looks miserable.

I am seriously considering taking ice baths again. That always seemed to solve whatever problem I was having, even though they're terribly unpleasant and my ice bath buddy is a lot busier and less willing to talk my ear off while I'm freezing in the tub these days. Would one or two people be willing to switch off as my "ice bath buddies?" Despite the base thoughts that I'm sure some of you (Mike, Scott, Dave, Monica!) are thinking, an "ice bath buddy" is nothing racey. Being my ice bath buddy simply means that you talk my ear off for half-an-hour on the phone while I freeze my fanny to help get my mind off how cold my body is. You can talk about just about anything -- movies, your kids, your recent nose job, your uncle's sex-change operation . . .I don't care. Just be willing to talk a lot without too much response. Usually that's my job, but, when I'm in the ice bath, it's not my job anymore.

Thanks, All! I'm going to go say good night to three grumpy babies and skedaddle my hiney on home!

Liz