Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A Pavlovian Response

Last year when I first started running, I downloaded an app, UltraTimer, that let me set in my own running program. I could put in a 5 minute warm up followed by run/walk intervals of any lengths that I chose. It was great as I moved from 2 minute running/1 minute walking up to a combo of 4 and 5 minutes running with 1 minute walking breaks. As I ran more and more, I relied on it less, walking when I needed to and running for as long as I could. I eventually got to the point that I could run a full 5k without any walking breaks.

I’ve been away from running for a few months and I’m easing myself back into it. That means that I’m back to doing run/walk intervals till I build up my stamina again. So I set up my UltraTimer and headed out. When each interval finishes, you have the option to set a sound to play, that comes up over any music you might be listening too. I have mine set with a car horn beep when it’s time to run and a group of people sighing a big long AHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh when it’s time to walk. I never in a million years expected to have such a Pavlovian response to sound! Even if I was have a great running segment, had found my stride and was enjoying myself, the second I heard the AHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh I would break stride and start walking. And the same would happen with the beeping car horn. Even if I hadn’t recovered and was still huffing and puffing, I would start to run.

I need to be more confident and learn to listen to my body instead of some pre-programmed designated running time. I bet I can go longer and farther on my own, but I’m limiting myself to what the timer says right now.

Do you use a timer when you run? What apps do you use?

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Weigh In - April 27

Last Weigh In - 219.8
Current Weight - 219.8

Weight Lost - 0


I was pretty hesitant to get on the scale again.  It has been nearly 2 weeks since my last weigh in and during that time I had a lovely visit from my MIL which involved lots of yummy meals at home, eating out, wine and a more than a couple of martinis.  In the middle of her visit we also had Easter which involved a lot of chocolate and Peeps.  There was also very little exercise in the last 2 weeks.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had not gained any weight and had stayed  the same.

So now the journey continues.  My goals are to run 4 days a week, to get back to TKD on a regular basis and to eat well.  Becka from Fat to Happy shared a FB group called Mileage May that I've also joined.  My goal is to walk/run 5 miles a day (approx. 10,000 steps) every day in May, for a total of 155 miles.  So far for April I only have 92.4 miles, so it will be a push to get 5 miles in every day!

Want to join in the Mileage May challenge?  Let me know and I'll send you an invite.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

17 seconds

I set a new PR today for a timed 5k by a whopping 17 seconds!


route from Lung Association of Nova Scotia on Vimeo.


This is only the 2nd time I've run a chip timed race.  I had no expectation of even being close to my time from last summer, so I was very pleased when I got home and found out my official chip time of 41:59.  This was also the first race where they "corralled" runners based on their estimated finish time.  30-40 minutes was the slowest option, with the walkers lining up behind us.  I felt better knowing there were walkers, since I figured I would at least be able to stay ahead of them and not finish last.



The day started out cold and pouring with rain.  I figured it was going to be a miserable wet run, but about an hour before the start, the rain cleared up, the sun came out and it was beautiful out.  This was a great course to run, mostly all along the waterfront.  It was very flat which suits me just fine. I love that I live in such a beautiful city with such great places to run.


So I have another race in the books and I feel pretty great about it.  I'm still on the fence if I'm going to run the 5k or the 10k in June, but I'm mostly not sick now and I can start training a bit more, so I'll have to decide soon.


I loved that our race bibs had our names on them.  All the volunteers and other runners would shout out personalized encouragement and as I crossed the line the announcer was calling out my name!


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Commitment

The best ways to ensure that I do something is to first publicly declare it so that my friends and family can help keep me accountable. Secondly is to pay money or officially sign up for it.

So I’m now telling all of you that as of last night I am officially registered for the Nova Scotia ITF TaeKwon-Do Open Championship tournament on May 3rd.

That gives me three and half weeks to conquer my 24 step pattern Do-San  and to practice my contact sparring  – hopefully with other adults and not the little kids I usually train with. This is the same tournament that I entered last year, so I at least have a sense of familiarity for how it will be run. That doesn’t help my sense of nervousness and fear however!



Sunday, April 6, 2014

Weigh In - April 6

Last Weigh In - 219.8
Current Weight - 215.1

Weight Lost This Month- 4.7


So it's been a month since my last weigh in.  I got hit with a stomach bug two weeks in a row and life just seems to have been extra busy.  But the good news is that I've lost 4.7 pounds!  I do chalk at least half of that up to being sick.  Not the way I want to lose weight, but I'll take it.

The weather has finally turned to spring, and I'm back to running outside.  We started the 10 week Learn To Run Programme at Liam's school on Friday.  My goal is to be ready to run a 10k by June.  I was really feeling how out of shape I've gotten over the last month, and was glad that I was running with the newbies with a run 1 minute/ walk 1 minute intro.  I hope to build up my endurance and speed by getting out and running at least 4 times a week.

I'm also back to TKD.  I hope to test at the end of the month and there is a tournament the first weekend in May that I would like to enter.  I've been so inconsistent with attending classes for the last 6 months, that I really need to not miss any being now and then.  So far I'm 2 for 2!

I'm still drinking the Shakeology shakes for breakfast, but have stopped with the DVD workouts in lieu of running and TKD.  I think they will make a nice back up if the weather is horrible, or I just don't have time for more then a 30 minute workout.

I'm hoping that April is the turning point and that I can keep to all my goals.  What are your April goals?