11/30/10--Out of the box...

Today's run: 3.08 miles
Week to date: 7.08 miles
Month to date: 40.68 miles

Another month complete! I thought it would be interesting to look at my monthly totals, so here they are:
January: 18.1
February: 16
March: 4 (Oh goodness...)
April: 37
May: 45.76
June: 26
July: 69.4
August: 70
September: 32.1
October: 35.1
November: 40.68

Yeah, I realize that most of those monthly totals are some people's WEEKLY totals, but that's OK. This is my journey, and even the smallest of those is better than what I had been doing before 2010. So, while they're not stellar compared to some, I'm proud, especially of from April on. It just shows how far I've come this year, and it makes me want to keep going.

Anyway, on to today's adventure!
The weather:

And the outfit: 

(Yup!! I decorated the apartment yesterday!)

And, it has made its triumphant seasonal return: the All-Star Toque! 

I had some fun while ransacking my winter clothes stash to find this hat:

First, I found my Grandpa's band jacket.

And then I found mine!

Then, I found something that is NOT mine, and that I do NOT approve of.

Eventually, I stopped playing with PhotoBooth and decided to, you know, actually go for a run.

I noticed on my drives to and from town yesterday and today that the shoulder of the highway was probably going to be my safest bet for running for a while. They were surprisingly clear, and it's not like it's a terribly busy stretch anyway. 

There was a bit of climb involved, too.

And boy, did I feel that coming back! It wasn't anything daunting, but just enough to feel.

I felt much safer today than I did yesterday. I don't think this will be a run I try right after a snowfall, but knowing HoCo, I think this will be safer than trying the streets in Houghton overall. Plus, the hills will only make me stronger in the end, right?

OK--time for breakfast! I had a basically empty peanut butter jar in the cupboard that I was saving just for some Oats-in-a-jar! :D

Have a great day, all!

11/29/10 pt 2--Ice and Snow

Today's run: 4 miles
Week to date: 4 miles
Month to date: 37.6 miles

Today's weather:

(Lies. I saw sun TWICE the entire time.)

What I wore:

I was almost too warm in that. My hands definitely got warm.

So. Houghton. You and I are fighting. Your trail is buried under the 8 inches of snow, as are most of your public parking lots. And the sidewalks? Ice. Iceiceice. Needless, my run today was a challenge just because of that. I had to change my route a bit. For example, instead of starting at Chutes-and-Ladders Park, I started downtown by the Suomi Cafe and ran along Lakeshore Drive to the park (no sidewalk, very slippery shoulder) and back. Then, I dodged the shoppers and other pedestrians along Shelden Ave and College Ave. My route was to take me along Cliff Drive behind Michigan Tech's campus, but that was a nightmare! After my 3rd near miss with a car, I decided to take my chances running through campus. They at least had done a decent job cleaning things up: 

This meant dodging students though, and that was decidedly awkward. I felt like I was getting looks that said, "Who is this freaky girl and what is she doing running through campus?" At least I wasn't wearing NMU gear today...

I then headed back down College and Shelden to my truck. No injuries, thank goodness, though I'm left with the distinct feeling that pre-training is going to be interesting up here. Coach Mom told me I should be averaging at least 15 miles per week leading up to the start of my training program that they're going to do for me. The Bill Nichols is currently buried, and Houghton streets felt so dangerous. I'm frustrated and concerned. But, in the infamous words of Tim Gunn, I'm just going to have to "make it work", right?

Besides, this is what I'm working toward:

And, I know every snowy, icy, student-dodging mile will be worth it in May.

Have a great day, all! 

11/29/10 pt 1--Catch Up Post

Saturday's run: 5 miles
Last week total: 13.1 miles (hahah!)
Month to date: 33.6 miles

Well, I did one last run in TC for the holiday week/end. I did a 5 miler along the TART in TC.

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That's the same trail I ran during summer training and early season for Cross Country back in high school, and also during my brief stints of running during breaks in college. If I had a dollar for every mile I've put in along that trail in my lifetime...
Anyway, it was pretty cold that day. I had a fantastic tailwind going out, but the headwind coming back was vicious!! Assistant Coach Little Sister gave some guidance as I went--my arms were all out of whack, so she guided me so they were more relaxed. She also informed me that I was not going nearly as slow as I thought I was. I have no idea what my time was--I wasn't timing, nor was the Coaching Staff, but it felt fantastic! :)

I also have some amazing news! :) Santa-Coach Mom came early this year! :)

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I'm registered for half-marathon #2!! :D
The Bayshore Marathon is an amazing race in my hometown! I've been wanting to run one of the races there since I was 14 and worked an aid station with my track team. One of Coach Mom's (former?) runners posted on her Facebook Friday afternoon that she was signed up, even though official registration doesn't open until Wednesday. She told CM that people could register early over the weekend by stopping in at Running Fit  in Downtown TC. After the Coaching Staff sent out a flurry of text messages, we headed downtown to sign up! After I asked nicely, Coach Mom agreed to cover my entry cost as a Christmas present!! :) I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! Like I said, this is the race I've been wanting to do for over 10 years now! To know that it is actually going to happen this year makes me so beyond happy!
Bayshore 2011, here I come!! :D
OK--I need to find a safe spot to go run. See you later today! :)

11/25/10--Lindsey's Negative Split Treadmill Turkey Trot 5K

Yesterday's run: 3 miles
Today's run: 3.1 miles
Week to date: 8.1 miles
Month to date: 28.6 miles

First off, Happy Thanksgiving!!


(Yeah, that just boils down to my family being, well, my family. They're crazy in that awesome way!)

Yesterday, I ran in downtown TC with my mom. Short and sweet 3 miler, and it was a nice but COLD morning!

This morning, they were up and ready to leave by the time I finally woke up, so while they did their 10 miler, I ran through my options. I first thought about going 6, but my knee (I banged up Monday trying to load my car in the ice and snow of South Range) wasn't going to handle it. So, I opted to do my own Turkey Trot 5K! (We didn't do the one in TC because the course wasn't that great, it was $35/person, and they capped it at 2,000 people and it filled quickly! I was going slowish in anticipation of a 6, so I had ground to make up. I wound up finishing in 29:06, taking a brief pause right toward the end when I started gagging. (Gross, sorry, but it happened.) I'm not overly proud of that time, but oh well. I ran, I did it, I saved $35.

I'm so happy it's Thanksgiving!! This is probably my favorite holiday, because it centers around such amazing ideas--being grateful and thankful for the things in your life, enjoying the company of friends and family, and of course delicious food! :) I know most people lately have been bombarded with tips and whatnot for staying healthy today, so I almost feel compelled to share my viewpoint on this:
Look. It's one day. It's one meal. Have a little of everything. Do not deprive yourself. I know I've been watching what I've been eating a little more carefully all week in anticipation of today, knowing what is coming with this meal. And then tomorrow and going in to next week, I'll do my best to eat clean and healthier again to balance it out. It may not work for everyone, but this is what works for me. I'm going to enjoy this meal today with no guilt, no deprivation, and tomorrow, I'll go for another run (hopefully long? keep your fingers crossed) and pick up right where I left off with trying to eat healthier.
And, this year, I have so much for which to be thankful. I'm thankful for all the wonderful people in my life--my family, my friends, my goofy but amazing boyfriend, all the new friends I've made this year. I'm thankful for the new opportunities coming up in the near future (to be announced once details are finalized). I'm thankful for every step that I have ran and will run, and that I had the amazing opportunity to run my first half marathon this year.

What are you thankful for this year?

OK--I need to hit the shower before Coach Mom and Assistant Coach Little Sister get back. Have a great holiday, everyone!

11/23/10--Feels Like Home!

Today's run: 2 miles
Week to date: 2 miles
Month to date: 22.5 miles

Be it ever so humble... :)



Source
Traverse City, how I've missed you!!
I opted to bolt while the weather was good and headed home for the Thanksgiving holiday yesterday. 7 hours alone in the car... blech! Thankfully, the weather held out, the roads were clear, and there was very little traffic until after I crossed the Mackinac Bridge.
I kicked the time home off with a bang last night! Assistant Coach Little Sister took me downstairs to show me some arm exercises I could do without weights. Ow. They were awesome, but I came upstairs this morning yelling, "Jillian! Jillian! You killed me, Jillian!"*
*Not my sister's name--I was comparing her to Jillian Michaels... though she was much much nicer than I'm sure Jillian would be!
This morning, I revisited my old friend, the treadmill. I wanted to do 3 miles, with 3 800's at my half pace. I only made it 2 before I felt this horrid sick to my stomach feeling and opted to stop. Hrmph.
All right, I should shower. Have a great day, all! :)

11/15/10 pt 2--I worked out, I promise!

Well, 5 inches of fresh, wet, heavy snow kept me inside today. However, I'm heading back to Marquette tomorrow, where they didn't receive any of this white, blankety goodness. My friends' townhouse complex also has a fitness center that I can access with the key they gave me, so that's my backup plan while I'm there. No excuses this week!

Here was my inside workout for today:
Week 1, Day 2 of the two hundred sit ups challenge

I'm doing the middle level, and I maxed 11 on my last set.
During the 1 minute rests, I did speed-skaters.



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After that, I did Bob's Boxing Challenge!


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I don't have weights, though, so I had to improvise.

Whatever works, eh?
I then did the "Butt Burns" challenge:


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Again, I improvised a bit, though this was probably a bit dangerous and definitely absurd. I didn't have a step or anything to use, so Harry Potter helped out.

Yeah... I didn't want to run outside because the snow could have been dangerous, so instead I decided to balance on some books. I'm a real smart one...
I ended by attempting the Genghis Khan burpees challenge...

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...and I only managed about 15 of the 50. Gah.
Overall, I feel satisfied with my workout. Short and sweet, and certainly better than just calling the whole thing off. I have decided, though, that I am asking for a gym membership for Christmas. I mean, boxing with cans and balancing on books is fun and all, but there has to be a better way. Besides, when we end up moving, it will be a decent way to meet people, right?
That's all for today! Have a great one, everybody!

11/15/10 pt 1--Winter Wonderland

I promise there will be a workout update at some point today, but I just have to share some photos of this weekend and this morning.
This weekend, the snow finally arrived, as did my best friends! Our college was playing the local/rival/Boyfriend's college this weekend, so they came up to visit.

Christy and me

Jacki and Christy--my beautiful besties!

While we were freezing in the stands, the VIP's of MTU were able to watch the game from the warmth of their cars

It was snowing HARD during the game, so some action had to be taken to keep the lines visible:

First, they tried shovels, but when they proved ineffective, the Kybota-plow came out to play

I think the shoveling/plows were more entertaining than the "band" and their "halftime show"... until the whole herd of them dropped and made snow angels.

The snow changed to rain after we left (which was just after halftime--we were frozen and soaked), but it picked back up last night, and we woke up to this in the Copper Country this morning:

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Also, game photos are courtesy of Jacki

All the snow has left this song stuck in my head!

The solid 5 inches we have on the ground have me sorting through YouTube and My Trainer Bob videos for a backup plan, for which I will provide an update later!

11/11/10--Veterans' Day.

Today's run: 2 miles
Week to date: 13 miles
Month to date: 20.5 miles

So, this was the weather before I left on what I thought was going to be a 4 mile run:

Yeah, awesome morning, right?

Well, as I was going around the first 2 mile loop of said 4 miler, I started to notice that it was looking more and more like this:

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I really didn't feel like getting caught in some kind of rainstorm, so I opted to cut my run short. Again, 2 is better than nothing, right?

Well, I get back to the apartment, and lo and behold, there is nothing on the radar but thick, dark clouds. No storm.

Well damn.

Side note: no "this is what I wore" pic today. Boyfriend has the morning off, and as he is planted on the couch that is usually in the background of those pics, I opted to not take the pic. For the record, I am wearing shorts yet again. Third day in a row, and in November no less!!

I'm also in red, white, and blue, a bit of unintended patriotism on this Veterans' Day. While I was out on my run, my thoughts were with one vet who is no longer with us: 

This is my Grandpa. He served in the Air Force during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was also a Type 2 Diabetic, and had Parkinson's and heart troubles. He died when I was only 15. He was also a musician like I am, and according to my mom was a pretty darn good skater. I saw the stopwatch he used to use for timing at track meets, too, and I wonder what could have been if he had only taken care of himself better. Would he have had the chance to see me play in band, or run at the Conference finals my senior year? Would he have been there to see my sister compete at regionals or states?

I never told anyone this, but the track season after he died, I ran every meet with his initials on my hand.

This is why I take care of myself now. I don't want my descendants to sit at a computer someday with tears in their eyes, wondering what might have been. I want to be the crazy old lady with the stopwatch, or to sit and share band stories at holiday family gatherings.

Be sure to take a moment to think about and thank a Vet today. 

11/10/10--Dear Winter, please never ever come...

Today's run: 2 miles
Week to date: 11 miles
Month to date: 18.5 miles

I am being spoiled beyond all belief with this weather!

It is going to make all that you see there toward the end of the week so much harder. :( (Not to mention the outdoor football game I'm supposed to be going to on Saturday... oye.) I am SO not ready for winter to be here--I loved having the snow gone super early this year, and I'm loving this warm November.
Anyway... the weather being what it is, I took another chance and wore shorts again:

Two thoughts on this photo:
1. This was about the 27th attempt to get a semi-decent picture. I finally gave up on standing shots and just kept wheeling the chair back.
2. Recognize the outfit? Maybe from last spring? Yup--the GVRC shirt and GV shorts--thanks, Assistant Coach Little Sister! This time, though, I had a long-sleeve on underneath. I was OK with shorts, but if it's under 50 degrees, I need my arms covered.
Anyway, today was just one of those days where the spirit was willing, but the body wanted nothing to do with any of this. The whole time, my mind was like an over-excited Little Miss Sunshine, whereas my body was a straight up Ms. Grumpy Gills. I was so happy to be out in the nice weather, out on the trail, doing something I love to do, but I could not get in to a good groove. My knee was sore, too, and I had a hard time getting my breathing even. I still did it, though, and really, at this point that's all that matters. 2 more miles in the bank.
I came back, did some nice deep stretching, then took this on:

Two Hundred Sit Ups, Week 1 Day 1.
This was a challenge, but nothing overly difficult. Since I did 20 on my Initial Test the other day, I did the workout in the middle column: 9, 9, 6, 6, max, with 1 minute rests in between. My max was 12... I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. I suppose it's good, it's certainly better than nothing, right?
I'm planning on doing a little yoga later--after yesterday's 6, I'm feeling a little tight and sore.

Are you ready for winter weather? Or, are you like me and wishing fall would never end?

11/9/10--I've Got a Fever...

Today's run: 6 miles
Week to date: 9 miles
Month to date 16.5 miles

It is an absolutely fabulous morning!

I can't lie--Houghton is pretty.
Weather before I left:

I decided, between the beautiful weather and my apparent issues with overdressing lately, that I would try wearing shorts. Besides--this could be one of my last chances to run outside not dressed like this: 

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So, this is what I wore: 

(My half-marathon shirt!)

I finally made it out on the longer run that I have been wanting to do for a while. My 6 felt fantastic!

In other news, I came to this realization yesterday: 

It's true!

I have a friend right now who has baby fever really bad. One of her friends from back home and several of our friends from college have had babies in the last year or so. She and her husband (also a friend of mine) are taking steps toward beginning that process--looking in to buying a house, setting up savings, and a few medical steps as well. They're not quite there yet, though, but my friend is chomping at the bit to get started.

Then, there's me. I've just watched my little sister, one of my favorite bloggers, and a whole boatload of celebrities I look up to run marathons. I'm kind of preparing myself for it: I spend time researching races, logging miles, and taking on core and other strength training. I'm not quite there yet, though, but I'm chomping at the bit to get started.

And, I realize that it could happen within the next year. I could find a training plan, a race, and hit it next summer. However, I really want to be smart about this, and I respect the race enough to want to do it right. I got this advice from Coach Mom a few weeks ago:

I think it is so cool that you want to do a full! I suggest you do one more half and try to take some time off that 2:02 you ran. it will help you build up strength and help you better handle the muscle fatigue that comes with a full. i would suggest adding some core exercises and leg work to make your hips and back stronger. after watching you and your "pain" level after you finished i think it would really help you run a successful marathon. shoot for taking about 10 minutes off that half time! then gooooo for it dude!!!! i know that you can do it but it is a whole different beast!! love you!

So, I'm going to keep that yearning in the back of my mind, and keep doing the pre-prep work--core work, strength training, and (of course) building up my base running.
Is there anything you're absolutely dying to do, but you're just not quite at the right point yet?


OK, it is time for some lunch. Have a great day, all!

11/8/10--Paranoia, Paranoia...

Today's run: 3 miles

Week to date: 3 miles

Month to date: 10.5 miles

Welcome home, Lindsey!

Cuteness side story: I left notes everywhere in the apartment for Brandon (the Boyfriend) to find before I left on Tuesday. When I came home, he was standing at the door

holding up this:

In case it's hard to read, it just says "I love you too", and yes, my boyfriend probably does have better handwriting than me. Oh well. Still, he's so freaking cute sometimes... :)

Anyway, home sweet home, and back on the trail here. Today's weather:

And, once again, over-dressed:
To be fair, the report was cooler before I left. Oh well.

It was a pretty basic 3 miler. I hit a kind of second wind right around mile 2, and I felt awesome and strong, but other than that not much of note.

Hunting season is definitely approaching quickly, however. I heard all kinds of gunshots while I was out. I've made the unofficial decision that I'm going to run in town during deer season, just to be on the safe side of things. I mean, I trust hunters and all (my entire family does it), but I think since I'm running by myself all the time, and usually coming home to an empty apartment, it's probably in my best interest to err on the side of over-caution.

In other news, after reading Caitlin's blog this morning, I was inspired to take on a new challenge:

This site gives a 6 week training plan to work up to doing 200 consecutive sit-ups. My mom and I have talked about what I would need to do to work up to running my first marathon, and strengthening my core is high on that list. I did the initial test this morning, and sadly only eked out 20. :( Yeah, my core needs some serious work. I'm excited to see where this goes!

OK. Time for some food. Have a great day, all! :)

11/3/10-Back again!!

Today's run: 2.5 miles (I think??)
Week to date: 7.5 miles
Month to date: 7.5 miles

Hi, all! Just checking in quickly. I got a quick run in after school. I parked at Lakeview Arena and ran to Lower Harbor and back. I can't get mapmyfitness.com to load on my iPod, but I think it's 2.5. Not much, but better than the last time I stayed down here, right?
Sorry, no fun pictures today- no camera on the iPod.
Ok, it is way past my bedtime! G'night, everyone!!

11/2/10--*Head(nearesthardsurface)*

Today's run: 2 miles

Week to date: 5 miles

Month to date: 5 miles

It's been a morning.

Things got hairy with my subbing permit... long story short, I spent the morning playing e-mail tag to figure out what the heck was going on. Thankfully, it all got straightened out, and I'm once again headed back to the land of Wildcats and Ore Docks for 3 days.

Anyway...

I was feeling brave/ambitious/slightly cocky last night, so I tweeted this gem:

I meant it at the time. I wasn't, however, anticipating spending 3 hours playing e-mail tag, pulling my hair out, and looking like this:

So, realistically, I was not prepared for 10. I did know that I needed to do SOMETHING. So, I put on this:

and I took off running.

I was WAY too hot, though, because the weather was actually this, and not the 42 Weather.com told me:

Gah.

So I only made it 2. I also realized I should really arrange car pool and a place to crash in Marquette, so I turned around sooner than I really wanted anyway so I could handle these details.

I hope your day is going better than mine. If you want to send e-hugs, those would be appreciated as well...

11/1/10--"I'm sorry, but you threw off the Emperor's groove."

Today's run: 3 miles

Week to date: 3 miles

Month to date: 3 miles

Happy 1st of the month!

So... October goals were not met. I never did the double digit run, and I did not hit 50 miles. I'm a little bummed, but that's life.

I've noticed I'm lacking a bit of consistency with my running. I have GREAT weeks, and I have off weeks. There's very little middle ground. So, my November goal is to run consistently: 3-4 times per week. No mileage goals, just to get out and go.

So... on to today!

My groove was a bit thrown off this morning. I have developed a kind of routine for my mornings when I'm not subbing, and a lot of it really kind of centers on being home alone. Coffee, breakfast, listening to music or the TV to wake myself up, and at least 2 trips to the bathroom, among other things. The Boyfriend is usually gone pretty early, but he's not working this week as he wraps up his senior design. So, having him around kind of threw off my morning routine because I felt like I couldn't turn on my music or TV shows, I was waiting to use the bathroom until he got in and showered, I felt somewhat obligated to make him something for breakfast when I got my food, too. I wish I had an explanation why having him around threw me off so much, but it really did.

However, the run went on.

Today's weather:

And today's "I'm not an animal, please don't shoot me as I run through the woods" ensemble:

And here's me being a goofball with the Boyfriend's goalie stick:

And, finally, here's me being mad at said boyfriend for not eating his banana this morning:

(Seriously, who decided it would be a good idea for me to have PhotoBooth?)

My plan when I got back was to do the Core Challenge of Doom, but when I went to the site, I got this:

OK then.

All right, time to get on with my day. Hope you have a good one!