Monthly Archives: January 2010
School’s back in session
I took last week off from running. No real reason, just a tiny excuse each day as to why it wasn’t a good day to run. (Mostly the forecast each night for the next day, which somehow never seemed to be correct.)
Today I couldn’t generate an excuse; the weather had warmed up somewhat, and the rain had held off, and I had no commitments or pressing errands. Godzilla and I went out for four miles, longer than I expected for both of us – every so often the iPod would pause, giving me great fear that it was out …
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Tagged fatigue, iPod, motivation, Perryville path, training program
A myth-busting day
This morning, I ran four miles in 40 minutes, out in the fresh air, and did some pushups and crunches afterward, then took a hot shower. This afternoon, my roomie’s boyfriend drove us to Schaumburg for a shopping trip. Guess which part of the day knocked the snot out of me?
Shopping, hands-down. I was completely alert and felt physically good all the way to Woodfield. We got back around 7 p.m., and it was a struggle not to succumb to sleep before midnight.
At first I thought, geez, how can you run for so long and move without difficulty …
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Feeling a little weak
The temperature was still in the 20s; the path was still dry; my sides didn’t split; and I did four miles in 40 minutes. I’m happy with all of these facts, really, but a couple of other things briefly troubled me.
Halfway through, I usually catch my second wind. Today – and maybe it’s because my turnaround spot brought me into an icy valley, then up to an icy peak – my legs just felt wimpy. Nothing painful, but in pasta terms they’d have been al dente.
What came closer to painful was the top of my foot. Periodically in …
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Tagged foot pain, hills, ice, Perryville path, short run
There’s a spring in my step
… especially when I’m hopping gingerly across half-melted ice sheets stubbornly lingering on the recreation path!
Not to sound ungrateful. Today I shed yet another of my winter layers, and for the most part the path was (surprisingly) clear and dry. I’d driven from my place to one of the trailheads for two reasons: to avoid all the road slush, and to gradually step up my mileage.
Emphasis on gradually. I did four miles instead of 3.5. Wow. My pace was OK, though; 10-minute miles aren’t really anything to brag about, unless you’re being dragged down by slush, hills and …
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Reasons to be cheerful
1. The same warm front that prompted me to break out the sweater dress yesterday (hey, it was finally in the 20s!) made my 3.5-mile route a piece of cake compared with Monday’s exertions. And for the most part, the wind – except when it whipped through my sweatpants – was a nonfactor.
2. At lunch, I discovered that two friends who are sometimes off during the day are getting back into running. Hm …
3. After a month and a half of winging it, I’m conceding defeat. It’s time to buy some more sophisticated outdoor running gear, and payday’s …
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Tagged clothing, cross-training, Perryville path, running buddy
