Baby it's cold outside!

So cold that I am back on the treadmill running…and doing more running than walking! I really need to get serious about all this running stuff if I think I’m going to do the Twenty 11 Resolution Run. The other day I was talking to one of the Captains at work and how hard running seems to be right now. Kristan confided that for some reason her running hasn’t been happening like it once was. That gave me a sense of normalcy, I’m not the only one. It might just be the season too. As much as I would like to go out for a road run, that’s not really so much an option. The mornings and evenings are just too dark. I’m pretty wary about weirdos and who might be watching so switching up where I run for now so I don’t have to feel freaked out all the time. The other issue is time. My lunch break is only an hour so my runs at work are pretty short. I suppose a short run is better than no run. At least I can look forward to the weekend to do a “long” run.

As we move into the holiday season I hope to continue running as much as possible and also getting into the pool too. My goal is to start looking at training plans at the start of the new year and figuring out how much time I’m going to need to get enough swim, bike and run time before my first tri.

I think things are starting to look up...well, at least I'm doing some running...

Finally - Running Again!

pre-Shamrock Run 2010

It has been a while since I did a decent run - pretty much since All Women's event. After the end of that event, I focused on time trialing - which I miss. A couple of weeks ago I got back on the treadmill at the gym and at work and just managed to run 5 minutes at a time, but that's to be expected, Treadmill running is not fun.

So we bundled up and went to the track and I made it my goal to run at least a mile with no stopping - goal attained! I even ran that mile at 12:37 so that's not bad for being such a slacker for the past couple of months! I've been really good about starting a running plan during the cold months - so getting out this morning while it was brisk did me good. Layers are gooood. I better go thru my running clothes and pull out all my cold weather running tops.

I'm looking forward to more running and our first event for 2011 - the Twenty 11 Resolution Run is on January 1 and I want to do a decent time!

Run Baby Run!

Dreading...

I have really been dreading having to start up running. I don't know why, but it's just something that I'm not feeling right now. Today was good though, I managed to run 10 out of 25 minutes on the treadmill at the station. I just have to remember it's not all awful! I know that in the past I was getting pretty comfortable with running, but when you take a very extended break from it, it's really hard to get back into it!

The only thing that I'm seeing that is making me want to start running again (besides the TRI) is that there are a couple of running events in the next 6 months that I want to do and I want to do them well. The first will be the TWENTY11 Resolution Run in Portland on Jan 1 and the other would be the Shamrock run. Just so I don't really over-extend my training, I'm just going to train for the 5K distances and try to improve my time doing that distance instead of trying to increase my distance overall. I don't see the point in running more than a 5K if all I need to be able to run for a tri is a 5K...makes sense to me.

I seem to have a knack of starting running again during the Fall/Winter months...it must be my own personal curse - I'm thankful for treadmills...they aren't so bad afterall.

(click pic to expand)

Feeling...

pretty good today!

We were up at o'dark thirty and off to the gym before the "neighborhood" had any inkling that it was Monday again. I was intentional about getting on the treadmill and doing some running this morning...it wasn't that bad - truly! Then after about 20 minutes of run/walking I made my way over to spin class for interval training with John. OH MY GOODNESS - Tough workout, but good. I think when we do the Lactate Threshold testing again my numbers may end up very different. I spent a lot of time in Zone 5 when I should have been in Zone 4. It was a good workout though, and I'm feeling all jazzed up right now - more than 4 hours later! John is a great instructor and I try to follow whatever he would have us do and not make the "ride" easier. I am prone to not liking to feel uncomfortable, I'm a wimp! I'm getting there, I have thoughts of easing off, but I power through - as Tom would say.

Now I know what my numbers are and am sporting a heart rate monitor I'm finding that I'm being a little more mindful of my training - which should be good. Maybe my times will be better during future multisport events whether I'm doing a tri or a du...I'm REALLY excited now! Even if my times don't change much I will at least have trained better than in the past.

Now all I need to do is my running LT test...