Running and Fitness Tracker

10k #3

2007-05-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

Wake up at 4:45 am...

Breakfast:
1 mini whole wheat bagel with 1tbsp peanut butter and 1tbsp strawberry jelly
1 banana
1 cup black coffee
1 bottle water

RACE at 7 am:
Overall 10k (6.2 mi) time= 56:31. Not a PB, but not as bad as my North Carolina 10k (60:59)

-2 mile split time was 17:05. I decided to slow my pace down although I probably should have kept it.
-3 mile=26:35
-4 mile=35:13
-5 mile=45:46
-6 mile=54:15

It appears that I did not keep an even pace throughout the workout. Oh well, it's another training aid... and I did have a great time doing this race. The course was flat and the weather was chilly, but that didn't matter once we got started. I saw some old friends from JSU too... which was just icing on the cake.

Snack:
1 myoplex shake
1 pc watermelon

Then I went out to the obstacle course to watch James compete.

Lunch:
1 turkey wrap
1 cup hot green tea

Dinner:
Pecan-encrusted pork chop
Lima beans
Potatoes Au Gratin
Applesauce

Dessert:
Dove chocolate almond covered vanilla ice cream bar

Day8

2007-05-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
2 cups black coffee
1 bowl flaxseed bran cereal with milk

Lunch:
Subway 6" wheat turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich
plus baked lays
plus a couple of sips of my powerade

Workout:
Went extremely easy today. I have the 10k tomorrow, after all.
My normal lower body reps, same weight, except only 2 sets instead of 3. Cut situps in half.
Jogged 0.5 mile on treadmill at aprox 9:40 pace.

Just enough to get the legs moving... they were itching again. I always thought it was terrible to work out at all the day before a big race or PT test... but I did okay on my last PT test and I jogged a mile the night before.

Dinner:
Pasta with chicken and mushrooms.
Tried to make my own sun-dried tomato sauce. It was so very cheesy and thick and unenjoyable. I hope the carbs will count for something in the morning and that they weren't cancelled out by that horrible sauce!

Going to bed. Will begin 2-a-days again hopefully tomorrow, if not, then definitely the day after tomorrow.

DAY 7

2007-05-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

I slept in til 9:45 today, so my normal schedule was thrown off a bit...

Breakfast:
1 toasted mini-bagel, whole wheat
2 tsp strawberry jelly

Workout:
Upper body.
Same rotations and weights as previously mentioned (Day 2, I think)
Running: 1 mile warmup jog, 9 min pace, followed by 1 mile fartleks.

Snack:
1 myoplex shake

Lunch:
1 pc leftover pizza from last nite

Dinner:
Chinese tonight. I sure do miss Choi's in Daleville!
6 pcs assorted sushi
3-4 bites each of 1) general tso chicken and 2)mongolian beef, both yucky
Fist sized portion of lo-mein, pretty yucky

Dessert:
5 mini chocolate hazelnut wafers
plus a handful of dried apricots and figs, yum!

It stormed so badly tonight... at one point we thought we were caught up in the beginnings of a tornado on our drive home, which was pretty scary. It rained and lightninged (is that even a word?) for hours. I was hoping to be able to run 2 miles around the neighborhood tonight, but I couldn't. And my body feels pretty crappy for it!

It's amazing how much of a difference the 2-a-days make in how I feel~ if I thought that working out and running once a day was good for my well being, twice a day is double the pleasure and the past few days I have missed that!

DAY 6

2007-05-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/2 cup plain kefir with blackberries and wheat germ

Lunch:
Turkey Wrap
Baby carrots
1 large handful chips

Workout:
1 mile run around neighborhood

Dinner:
1 breadstick with marinara sauce
3 pieces pizza: pepperoni, black olive, mushroom.

Dessert:
Kefir shake:
1 cup plain kefir with:
splash of raspberry
1/2 banana
cinnamon sprinkled on top

DAY 5

2007-05-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

Can we say it's a Sunday? Leisurely weekend, pretty weather, laziness abounding? Overindulgence was the name of the game today!!! hahaha

Light Breakfast:
mini whole-wheat toasted bagel with 1 tsp strawberry jelly

Workout:
2 mile run around the neighborhood. No time.

Snack:
1/2 myoplex shake

--Church--

Lunch:
We grilled!
3 hot dogs with relish, ketchup, and mustard
1 hamburger with mayo, ketchup, and mustard
several handfuls of chips
What can I say, I splurged! This was definitely not a wholesome or reasonably sized meal :)

Snack:
3-5 Chocolate hazelnut wafers. So healthy, right?! :)

Dinner:
1 bowl of edamame (shared with James, of course)
2 rolls of sushi...
Spicy tuna roll
Music City Roll
Both raw, both dry, and both pretty bland. I believe this was the least impressive sushi I have ever experienced.

After dinner:
1 double tall 2% cafe latte

James & I went to see Spiderman 3. Of course, we had to buy popcorn and soda. I partook but did not overly indulge, amazingly. Bottled water when we got home!

Unfortunately, no workout #2 today :(

DAY 4 :(

2007-05-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday. Relaxed and slacked... didn't intend to, but unfortunately I did.

Breakfast: Usual. Flaxseed bran, handful blackberries, skim milk. Double tall whole latte.

Lunch: Turkey wrap, baby carrots.

Snack: 1 cup frozen yogurt (white chocolate mousse) from TCBY.

Dinner: James and I went to Tandoor, and Indian restaurant. I had a delicious serving of curried lamb with mint, onions, and yogurt. Served with rice and some special kind of garlic and cilantro flatbread.

Dessert: Chocolate dove bar.

No workout today :( You'd think I'd be pooped from my 7 miles yesterday, but I'm not! I was really up for about a 5k this morning... it was way too easy to just enjoy my Saturday than to spare half an hour to exercise. I can feel it in my gut that I didn't work out today though> my leg muscles feel kind of itchy and flacid and the rest of me feels lethargic. I hate that feeling. I think I'm going to try and go on at least a 2-miler tomorrow morning before church... yes, we're going to finally visit a church in this town!

Felt like I was coming down with something about midday. My throat was hurting me and I felt a flushy feeling in my face, kind of like an early fever. I tried to drink lots of water to combat the decline. Hopefully it was just a passing thing. I would like to be in peak form for Thursday's 10k.

DAY 3

2007-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/2 cup flaxseed bran cereal
1/2 cup milk
1 handful blackberries
1 cup black coffee

Snack:
1/2 banana

Workout #1:
Lower body today.
Pretty much the same sets I did on Day 1 at the same weights.
3x10 Leg Press at 100 lbs
3x10 Leg Lifts
3x10 Calf Raises at 80 lbs
3x10 Reverse Crunches
1x10 on each side: Side crunches
Full set of Dance Crunches x10 each
50 situps

Run:
Appx 6 miles on a very hilly trail. Began at extremely slow pace (appx 9:30-10 min) and gradually shuffled my way up to something faster (8:45-9:00), peaking at mile 3 and holding. I have found that everything improves after I hit mile 3. My stride opens more, I find a natural rhythm, and I start feeling really good. My scalp was tingling and adrenaline was surging through my body at mile 4... it felt pretty neat. Weather was hot and muggy and I had to go to the bathroom SO bad! It took a conscious effort to hold it in and I was cursing myself for not bringing some toilet paper so I could duck into the woods! On a scale of 1-10, my mood before the run was about a 6... and my mood after the run was about an 8. I think I will be in good shape for next Thursday's 10k. Must remember to use the bathroom BEFORE the race begins!

Good music accompanied this run.

Snack:
Myoplex shake made with water and ice.

Lunch:
Same as yesterday... Turkey wrap and baby carrots.

Snack:
1 cup plain kefir mixed with 1/2 banana (sliced), 5 blackberries, and 2 tbsp wheat germ

Dinner:
1 grilled 9-oz sirloin steak
1 loaded baked potato (butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, pepper)
1 mixed green salad with ranch dressing
Dessert: 1 frozen chocolate dove bar

Workout #2:
1 mile slow jog around the neighborhood.
Light drizzle.
When I got to the edge of the neighborhood, where the lights cut off and the train tracks lie, there were so many fireflies in the darkness that I couldn't look away. Like a child on Christmas morning, I beheld in awe a dazzling display of a light show. So many of these creatures blinking and sparkling jovially as they danced and played games. And then I had to make a turn back to my house... away from the festivities. But oh, this is why I run. Surprises like tonight when I get lost in the magic. This is why I enjoy what I do now...

DAY 2

2007-05-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/2 cup raspberry kefir
1/2 cup flaxseed bran cereal
1/2 cup skim milk
2 cups black coffee
1 bottle water

Feeling a bit too jittery to go run just yet. One cup would have been plenty!

Snack:
1/2 organic banana
1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 bottle water

Workout #1:
Upper body today. It is evident that I am much weaker in my upper body than lower.
Lat pulldowns, 3x10 at 40 lbs
Pec press, 3x10, 20 lbs
Pull-up Trainer, alternate 3x10 of dips, 1x10 wide-arm pull-up, 1x10 regular pull-up, 1x10 inner-grip pull-up, all at 80 lbs (with this machine, less weight = a harder workout)
Dips, 3x10 at 70 lbs
Chest press, 3x10, 20 lbs

Then I drove to the track.
2 laps slow jogging for a warm-up. My calves were on fire from yesterday!
1 mile fartleks-- Sprint 100 m, jog corners, never stop to walk.

Towards the end of my fartleks today, I came to the realization that I am giving forth just the effort that I deem necessary on my speed training. I don't push myself to the extent that I should. With this kind of mentality, my times will plateau and never improve. The last full lap of fartleks was a mental challenge... to continually speed up my sprint with each stride. Reaching a little bit further each time and pulling from within to accomplish a greater speed than seconds ago. My physical ability is improving, and it's time to bring my mind up to the challenge, too.

Post-workout snack:
1 Myoplex Shake
1 bottle of water

Lunch:
Exactly the same as yesterday: Turkey wrap, carrots, 1/2 banana

Snack:
Green apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter

Dinner:
1 heaping cup farfalle pasta
3 ladelfuls organic red wine sauce with sauteed vegetables
3 garlic breadsticks
1 cup organic mixed green salad + 2 tsp strawberry vinaigrette dressing

Workout #2:
Relaxed 1 mile jog around neighborhood, not for time
10 pushups (pathetic, I know! But my form was proper.)

Day 1

2007-05-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

Reflections on this weekend:
My PT test was Saturday and my arms and abs are STILL sore from it! I have been away from the gym for almost 2 months and it is blatantly apparent that I need to get stronger. It is unbelievable how easily I have lost strength and muscle tone. In 2 minutes each, I managed to max situps(80) and almost max pushups(45)-- missed max by 1-- and I could not believe how hard it was for me to crank them out! Usually that's the part of the test I find easiest. I laughed to James that this is the first PT test in my life where running was the easiest part for me. I suppose it should be, because that's what I have been training for the hardest. I scored a 283/300, which is about what I expected. I am always so nervous before a PT test, so I changed my mindset this time. Mentally, I placed myself in a road race as we lined up behind the start line and I pretended we weren't in our PT uniforms. As they called "GO," I imagined playing the song I always begin with (love my MP3 player) on any 5k and 10k race-- Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run"-- the song's speed and rhythm helps me set an ideal pace by not starting off too fast or too slow. By NOT associating the running with the ARMY I was able to enjoy it.

Breakfast:
1/2 cup flaxseed bran cereal w/ handful of blackberries
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 organic banana
1 cup black coffee

Workout: No music today.
2 miles: 17:14-- Held 8:20 pace for mile 1, slowed down to 9:00 pace for most of mile 2. Picked it up to a half-sprint on the last .10 mile. All on treadmill.
Lower Body Workout:
Pre-run:
3x10 leg presses @ 100 lbs
3x10 leg lifts on machine (difficulty on 1-10 scale= 8)
3x10 reverse crunches
3x10 calf raises @80 lbs
Post-run:
3x5 leg lifts on machine
3x10 reverse crunches
50 full-fledged situps
10 each "dance crunch" sets

Snack immediately after workout:
Myoplex Shake-- aids with muscle recovery

Drinking 6-8 bottles of water daily.

I have found that a good pair of running shoes and non-cotton, BREATHABLE clothing makes all the difference in the world. I used to swear by Asics running shoes (which I still endorse!) but my most recent purchase was the Mizuno Wave Creation 7. I have high arches on my feet and these shoes provide excellent arch support. They are extremely breathable, too.

Lunch was later-- about 2 pm-- turkey, organic hummus, and organic greens in a whole-wheat wrap served alongside organic baby carrots and 1/2 organic banana.

Snack: 1 green apple with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter.

Workout #2: James came home from work. We ran my 2-mile course around the neighborhood. I came in at 18:15. There are slight variations in elevation throughout the course and I was pretty darn hungry. James left me in the dust after mile 1.... Once again, mile 1 was my slowdown point, this is a problem that I need to address. Lots of stretching in our front yard followed this run.

Snack: 1/2 Myoplex shake... James and I split one. Drank bottled water, and watched Bill Cosby standup comedy from 1983.

Dinner: Homemade vegetable soup with a pesto base and ground beef. I helped myself to seconds. Also indulged in a grilled cheese sandwich. Drank another bottle of water. We should just invest in a Brita filter.

That's it for today. I am thoroughly pooped and I think this 2-a-day stuff is going to take some adjustment on my part! At least I know I'll sleep well tonight!

Getting Started

2007-05-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been getting serious about running and fitness for a little over a year now... I decided to post all things related to my goals, nutrition, workouts, and accomplishments on this blog as a tool to help me gauge my progress. Here it goes!

Past accomplishments:
17:15 PR, 2-mile portion of PT test, May 2007 (I have run 16's in training, but never for record)
54:53 10k PR, Destin FL, March 2007 (appx 9:00 mile pace)

Goals:
Army 10 miler goal (October): 1:30 or 90 minutes (appx a 9:00-mile pace)
10k goal: 52:30 (appx 8:45 pace)
5k goal: 26:00 (appx 8:30 pace)
2mile PT test goal: Break 17 mins (appx 8:20 pace)
1 mile goal: 7:30

Plan of action will follow. Rough outline: Run twice a day for a 30 days (mixing speed, distance, hill work), add strength training (alternating lower and upper every other day), custom-tailor nutritional needs, and gauge progress.

30 days beginning today, May 9, 2007.