Quick run, day two of my streak!

So, I went for my run this morning.  Just a short one, so that I could say that I ran today - I planned to do a mile.  Once I got going, I figured that I might as well make it  a little more worth my while so I made it 2 miles.  I'll be running again tomorrow - W6D1 of Couch to 10K for a total of 73 minutes.  I think it's supposed to be raining!


Today's "seen on my run" photo (below) shows what I ran by in the middle of my second mile.  Two police cars sitting in front of a neighbor's house.  Always a curious occurrence.  The van pulled in after the police were there and when she finally got out, she stayed by the garage, talking to the police from across the driveway.  No idea what was happening, but they were there when I turned the last corner.  I'm not sure if the fact that they were there made me more, or less, comfortable.

I did my fastest miles ever, today!  Probably because my run was so short! It felt awesome and then I showered and went out for breakfast.  Great way to start my Saturday.  Catch you all tomorrow after a longer run...

One week + NO running = Naughty Runner!

Yes, it's been a week - just over, actually - since I have run.  I allowed the onset of chilly weather, some rain and a holiday to interfere with my running schedule and I shouldn't have.  I decided back on November 17 (the last day that I ran) to doing some running every day from Thanksgiving until the end of the year.  Here's my tweet making that commitment:

mishlnaz mishlnaz 

@ 

I'm in! @runnersworld We're pledging to run every day from Thanksgiving through New Year's. ow.ly/7wTE1 Who's with us? #RWRunStreak

I can't believe that I skipped out on running yesterday and already messed that up.  Maybe I can start it today...


During my little hiatus I did go to a 5K to cheer on some of my fellow DetermiNation team members.  That was fun, and it was great to get to know them after the run!  It was a cool, sunny day in Wyandotte and they all did well.  I did see a couple of scary things while I was there, though.  One poor little girl (about 9) was at mile 3 and she ended up along side the trail, on her hands and knees, throwing up in the grass.  I felt so bad for her.  Hopefully, that experience won't be the thing that she takes away from this race so early in her life.  She did get up and run to the finish when she was done getting sick.  I also saw an older man running along (also at mile 3) and he could see the finish line when he veered off the track.  Medics ran to help him but he kept telling them "no" as he got further and further off the track, when he collapsed.  They got him up and to the medical tent, but I don't know what happened to him.  I hope that turned out well.


Today was a gorgeous day to run!  Blue sky, 51 degrees.  Beautiful!  It was pretty windy - 19 mph - but I only really noticed it a few times.  I actually improved my pace a bit - probably all that rest from not running for a week!  I went just over 4 miles and then did some stretching back at the car.  It felt SO good! I can't believe I have neglected this for a week!  Something for me to remember, and think about, next time I want to ditch my run!


As I look ahead at things that I want to accomplish, like next year's half-marathon and running over the Mackinaw Bridge, I don't see the appeal of doing a triathalon.  Well, I SEE the appeal, but it doesn't appeal to me!  I've never been sure why, maybe because I'm not much of a swimmer.  Okay, okay... I haven't been swimming in years!  When I was doing my cool-down walk, and headed back to the car, I walked by the pond and saw this sign, which cleared it all up for me!


Well, that's it for me, today.  I'll be back for a quick post tomorrow, after a short run, then will do a longer one on Sunday.  

Well, I got up early and went for my run this morning and, if I thought it was chilly out on Tuesday, it didn't really compare with today!  It was 45 degrees on Tuesday, but today the temp was 30 with a wind chill of 22!  I was prepared for the weather and wore my new cushy running sock which were AWESOME!  They kept me feet warm and dry and now I want a pair for every day that I run!  I also wore gloves and a hat, and a new running jacket (having a pocket is very convenient for my iPhone and house key).  My running tights left my legs a little cold, but otherwise I was comfortably toasty.


While I was out I saw all the usual suspects, except for the guy who was warming up his car for half an hour on Tuesday.  His truck was there, although it wasn't running.  It probably ran out of gas!  The air was really clear and there were loads of stars visible when I started out.  By the time I finished the eastern horizon had begun to lighten and was turning a wonderful royal blue.  I was pretty sure that I could have seen my breath when I exhaled, but it was too dark to actually see.  I'm guessing that you could, though, because about a second after I would breathe out, I would hear my frozen breath crash to the pavement and shatter into a million pieces.

I had great music to run to today! Everything from Def Leppard to Katie Perry and Adam Ant to Pink.  My tunes all had a great tempo to run to, but I was just a hair slower than Tuesday.  I did W4D2 of Couch to 10K and it was a little shorter than the last time.  The one I do this weekend will be 5 minutes longer and then longer, yet, when I move on to Week 5.  So today, I am proudly wearing my Runner Girl necklace (see left), and am happily going to skip the bagels that I'm taking to work today to celebrate an office birthday.  I have no intention of undoing the good I've done by eating as many calories as I just burned in simple carbs. 


Well, I'll be  back on the weekend for more of the same!

Cool, damp, November morning run...

Just got back from my first run after my Sunday race.  Went further than 5K this morning.  Just a hair short of 4 miles, in fact.  I was planning to cover the full 4, but my neighbor, Kirby, and her person were outside, and Kirby ran over to say good morning to me (with person in tow), so how could I pass that  up.  I was actually done with my Couch to 10K portion and just cooling down to finish up the last 10th of the mile, anyway.


So, today I moved on to W4D1 of the C210K program and it went really well.  I was a bit slower than during the race, but I expected that.  It was a chilly 45 degrees and the air was heavy and damp, with fog and 89% humidity.  Besides that, I didn't have the great adrenaline that racing provides, along with the desire to pass that girl in the black shorts and purple jacket.  Next run - this Thursday - will be a teeny bit shorter, with the same running/walking intervals.  


The circumference of my neighborhood is just about a mile, so I circled it 4 times.  Twice, when I approached one of the houses, I noticed that their sensor light was on, but there was no one around.  Usually I can walk by on the sidewalk and not activate the light, so it had to be something IN the yard, or on their deck.  Both times, the air was heavy with the unmistakable (and overwhelming) aroma of skunk!  I was glad not to have any reason to go into their yard, because I imagine my shoes would really hold on to that!


There was also a fair amount of traffic in my neighborhood this morning!  It was the same time that I've been going, so I don't know what the difference was, but several people were leaving between 5:30 and 6:00 today.  I went by one house and the guy was outside starting up his truck and I nodded to him.  Then next time I came by, his truck was on,  but he wasn't in it.  Keep in mind, I had gone about a mile.  The next time I came by... STILL running and he was indoors.  I can't imagine why he had to warm his truck up that much on a day like today.  Yes, it was chilly, but there wasn't any frost on the windows, or anything.  Seems like a huge waste of gas, to me!


That's how things went for me today.  Unremarkable, but that's fine.  It felt great and I enjoyed it.  Had a great musical soundtrack for today's run, which is always great.  I'm wearing my Runner Girl necklace today, since I earned it!  I'll be back on Thursday to tell you about the next one.

I did it again! (But better, this time!)

Yep! Ran my 5K Jingle Bell Run today and improved my time over the Detroit 5K a month ago by a good 5 minutes. When you're as slow as I am, that's less of a big deal than it is to someone who is actually speedy, but still... I was very happy for the improvement! Especially since it was really windy!  22 MPH!  I've included a picture taken about 5 minutes before the race started.


I ran a good portion of the route and met up with Karrie, Rachel and Mary at the finish line. I started out feeling a bit intimidated by the whole thing because I know that I am slow and have to remember that I am only competing with myself. My mantra was one of my favorite Penguin quotes today: "The only person I have to outrun is the person that I used to be." And that's true. And I did!


I don't know how many people were in this race, but I certainly didn't finish last. I have no idea how I ranked in my age group and am hoping that I wasn't last, but if I was, I was. I went to the starting line and I finished along with lots of other people. I passed some people and got passed by others. Sometimes I passed them, then they passed me back and then I passed them again!  All in all, it was a very good experience and I'm really glad that I did it.


Here is Karrie, Rachel and me at the finish. Piper and Digby ran, too! They are great runners! We all had a really good time (and Karrie is an awesome cheerleader - thanks for running that last bit with me)!

Sunny November Run... Beautiful!

Well, last Sunday I was wondering how many more chances I was going to have to run on a beautiful, sunny, fall day.  I'm not sure what the answer is, but I had at least ONE more.  Today!


I did a combo of walking and running (Week 3 Day 3 of Couch to 10K) and covered nearly 4 miles.  Not great speed, but an improvement over last time.  It was 55 degrees with wind hitting me at 17MPH.  The last two running segments that I did were facing the wind and the last one was up a hill, so I was okay with my pace.


Something that I suddenly realized was that I am the girl that I talk about when I see someone running, and turn to my husband and say "Woa!  She needs a better sports bra!"  I definitely need to get a new one.  I guess the ones that I was wearing at the beginning of the year - weighing almost 50 pounds more - just don't do the job any more.  


I felt really good about today's run.  I wore my brand new go-fasters!  Got them yesterday and they feel like there were made just for my feet.  They are Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10s and they feel great!  Much better than the shoes I've been wearing since I started running in the spring, that have now lost the grippy nubs on the soles and loosened up so that they were rubbing the balls of my feet.  I am sure that the new shoes did, indeed, help me to go faster, although I made every effort to keep it under 10 MPH, since that's the speed limit on the trails in the Metro Park.


I am doing a 5K tomorrow in Kalamazoo.  well, Portage, actually.  It's a Jingle Bell Run for the Arthritis Foundation and I'll be hanging with my pals Karrie and Rachel.  Also my old friend, Mary, will be there, so I hope to catch up with her, too.


I'll report in tomorrow to tell you about my race.  If you happen to be at the Jingle Bell Run tomorrow, I'll be the one with the reindeer antlers!

Awesome run on a chilly morning!

So, on Tuesday I started with Week 2, Day 1 of Couch to 10K and then decided to bump up a little and today did Week 3, Day 2, which increased my run to walk ratio.  It felt great and I really enjoyed it!  It was 39 degrees and pretty windy - the weather report said 8 MPH, but the gusts were a lot stronger than that!  Either way, it was chilly and breezy but it felt really good to be out there getting a morning run in.


I have realized that I truly need to refresh my playlist that I use for running because it's getting quite stale.  There are a handful of songs that I am still excited about when they pop up but, for the most part, I feel pretty indifferent to the music on my iPhone.  I plan to remedy that this week!  Some of my favorite tunes for running are "I Hate Myself for Loving You" (Joan Jett), "Because I'm Awesome" (Dollyrots), "Unskinny Bop" (Poison), "I Wanna be Sedated" (Ramones) and "Baby Got Back" (Sir Mixalot).  I know, I know... That last one got into that mix and I don't know how, but it's really fun to run to.

I only saw two people out and about at 5:35am.  One guy was getting into his car as I was trotting by and actually said "good morning" to me.  The other person was driving away, presumably to work.  Other than that, not another person, dog, cat or skunk to be seen.  Well, I did see something run across the road a ways ahead of me, but I couldn't tell what it was, so I'm just going to assume it was a cat!  That seems pretty safe.  I took this picture at the end of my run and it is representative of the whole time I was out.  The neighborhood was dark and deserted, as far as I could tell.  I'll be interested to see what it's like when we start getting a little snow!  Well, I know what the neighborhood is like when it snows, but I haven't run in it before, so that will be a whole new experience! 


I decided that, as an incentive to do my runs on my scheduled mornings, I am going to reward myself by wearing my new favorite necklace.  I got a runner girl necklace when I did the 5K in Detroit last month and I just love wearing it.  If I run in the morning, I get to wear it that day.  If I don't, I have to pick a different necklace.  I have several necklaces that are special, but that one has a little different meaning right now.  Wearing it reminds me of my accomplishment, so it seemed like a fitting way to reward myself for sticking to my schedule.  I'm proudly wearing it today, and will get to again on Saturday (Sunday, too, because I'm participating in a Jingle Bell Run).  


If you are reading, I'd love it if you would leave a comment.  I can see stats on how many people ready my blog (more than I would expect), but it would be great to hear from you, and learn how you came across my blog and where you are.  On that note, I'll sign off for today, but will be back the day after tomorrow.

It's official! I run slow!

Yep!  I always figured that I walk faster than I run, but now I have concrete proof of that!  Well, maybe not faster, but I do have confirmation that my running pace isn't far ahead of my walking pace.  I'm using an APP on my iPhone called iSmoothRun and it gives me a ton of information about my run, including: Where I ran; Running time; Total time (running time + time that I was stopped to take pictures, tie my shoes and things like that); Total distance; How I felt (I have to input that - it doesn't automagically know); Average pace; Average speed; Total calories burned; Ascend; Descend; Weight (again, I have to input that); Weather and something called Track points (no clue what that is!).


I went out at 5:40 this morning and did Week 2, Day 1 of Couch to 10K.  I probably could have started a little further along,  but wasn't sure, so I stuck to the program today.  I may bump up a little more in a week or so.  When I headed out it was drizzling and not particularly nice out.  The drops stopped coming down about  halfway through, but it was still misty and foggy.  When I was done, my hair and clothes were wet from it.  On the up side... when I was done I looked like I had worked really hard!


If I were to attach a picture from this morning's run, it would just look like a black square on the screen.  It was really dark!  I hope that I didn't step on any (or at least very many) worms, of which there were many, squiggling along on the sidewalks and streets.  I could see them, and did look out for them, when I was near a street lamp, but in the areas where there was no light... I have no idea how many worms were around.  My co-workers all laugh at me because they found out that I pick the ones in the driveway up and toss them into the lawn so I don't drive over them on wet mornings, but I don't think that's really so odd.  Certainly, the worms have done nothing to deserve to be squashed into the oblivion, but I also don't want to see them later, or have them stuck onto my tires - or the bottoms of my running shoes.


So that's about it for today.  Tomorrow I have Zumba after work, but will hit the streets again on Thursday for my next running adventure.  This morning's run was just over 3 miles.  Will try to spped things up a bit.

Still plagued, but better...

I haven't done much of anything since my last good walk because I've still been sick and just not feeling well, and really tired with no energy.  After an ear infection (both ears), a 10-day round of antibiotics and a bit of rest, I think I'm ready to go again.  Yesterday was World Run Day and I was supposed to be doing an individual run for that in the Metro Park.  I did a walk, instead, that was just shy of 4 miles.  It felt good and I enjoyed it.  More about that in a minute.


I downloaded an app for the Couch to 10K program, which I am going to start using tomorrow.  Although I'm not really down at the "couch" level, I thought that would be a good program to work with, since I haven't been as active for some time, and I want to work some strength training into the program.  That should put me at the 10K level by the end of January and I'll maintain that, while improving my speed, until I start the Half-Marathon program in the Spring/Summer.  My goal is to do my Half in 2:30 or less.  I have no idea whether that is realistic or not.  I chose it because it was smack-dab in the middle of my age group for the 2011 Half.  I may adjust it later if I learn that it's not an appropriate goal to aim for.

While I was walking yesterday it was beautiful out!  Almost 65 degrees and sunny.  Quite breezy and late in the day, so I watched the sun (nearly) set as I was finishing up.  As the sun began to sink to the horizon, the temperature certainly did begin to dip.  Daylight Savings Time has caused it to get dark by 5:45, so I knew my time was limited when I got to the park, but really wanted to walk for an hour.  I took a new route and looped back to the car a little early, so I ended up starting the loop again, but only going for about 10 minutes before I turned back to the parking area, so I could finish just before it got dark out.  While I was winding through the trails, in the woods, I didn't really see any wildlife, other than geese gathering to leave on their winter break.  I suppose it's just as well that I didn't, given that there are coyotes and other gnarly critters out there.


There were a handful of other people on the trails.  I crossed paths with another woman twice and was relieved to see her the 2nd time, since it help me to verify that I wasn't lost on this new trail.  Only saw a couple of cyclers and 2 other runners.  There was a couple walking in front of me but they were clearly there for leisure purposes... I could tell by their slow, meandering, gate, and because they kept stopping to make out.  Not to mention that they were wearing jeans and coats!  I had on running capris and a t-shirt.


I will report in tomorrow after my first day of Couch to 10K.  I'm doing a Jingle Bell Run 5K this weekend, and will likely walk most of it... we'll see how things go.