Running faster

It never felt that easy to run 6 miles. Okay, I treated myself with a route that was more downhill than uphill but there were still pretty hilly parts involved. And strong winds. Against me. But I felt really good and strong until the very end. It might be a kind of reward after having struggled through 8 miles that 6 miles actually feel easy. I also drove down the prospective route of the half marathon and feel a little relieved. The second half is not as terrible uphill as I was afraid of. Everything seems doable for a change today. And the sun is out too. It's even supposed to warm up on the weekend. Goooood!

Mexico - James Taylor

Rain and Rock and Roll

Pouring rain outside. A good time to try to get onto the treadmill for my daily run. Like Sue suggested but I resisted. Because I like it outside. 3 miles on the treadmill, 5.0 - 5.2 pace. How did I ever ran 10:21 minutes per mile in a 10k??? "When you run with other people you'll get faster...", said the guy in the Arcadian Shop to me. Hmm. Usually, I run with other people for about one mile and after that everybody is gone. Far ahead of me. I didn't tell him that when I officially signed up for the run. Go to the Arcadian Shop and you'll get a $10 rebate. Considering certain humiliating feelings while punching in my age and my anticipated finish time in front of the sales guy, I'm not quite sure whether it was worth it...

Apropos humiliation. I haven't talked about my scale for awhile. It's still around and it is safe to say that I've gained four pounds so far. All muscles??? I definitely look more toned, (I want to believe!), but that constant weight gain while exercising like I never did before is weird. Or scary. Or both. Jeanet advised to have six small meals per day. I'm afraid she didn't mean a package of Oreos or a bucket of ice cream or a large cheese pizza... I guess one needs a personal trainer AND a personal cook. Any takers?

Shakira - Whenever, wherever (and always very sexy)

On the long run...

Ran more than 8 miles today. I've never ran this far. And long. It took me almost 2 hours. I felt I was moving in slow motion for the last mile or two. My legs didn't seem to belong to me anymore although they hurt. A lot. I cannot imagine to run 5.2 miles more. There is one more month left until race day and I'm hoping for a miracle to happen.

Feeling sentimental after hearing Pam singing "So anyway" yesterday...

So anyway... Alice Ripley

Running On Water

I didn't turn into a goddess who walks over water. But I became a certified scuba diver. What feels actually good. Like back in the days when I got my driver license. So, for the last week I spent a lot of time in the water, swimming, watching, breathing. I tried to keep up with my training schedule. I did well until the one and only treadmill broke down. I don't want to make any excuses but it IS hard to run in very hot, humid weather AND a very (up-)hilly terrain. To make a long story short, I missed some miles last week. The Caribbean is a challenging training turf. Beach, sand, cocktails, sun, and more... Early to bed tonight to be prepared for my long run tomorrow. And my son's 9th birthday.

Bob Marley - Every little thing gonna be alright

OFF TO THE BEACH

I still like exercising. It starts hurting a little though. Downhill should be fun but my back doesn't think so. So, I'm actually enjoying running uphill. Which is weird. 4.2 miles this morning, super low heart rate and 20 % fat burned. Don't see where - sigh... Ear lobes??? Still, I'm very energized after every run and add about 20 minutes of exercises without getting terrible bored. Which is weird too. I'm off to the Caribbean - Peter Island. So, no more blogs for 8 days I guess. I'll continue my training but might be to busy with diving, sunbathing, cocktail drinking and sleeping.

Bob Marley - Jamming

On the fast track

4 miles run, 3 minutes faster than last week. Yeah!!! Maintained a good heart rate, didn't get worked up AND battled hard wind. Again. So, all good today. Going to bed early. See you tomorrow.

Fast music to dance to

Marathon Moms

Found a site at Runners magazine online where moms talk about getting ready for a marathon. They all seem to have one main problem: being tired. Only that they usually have babies, are pregnant (?!) and sometimes work full time too. So, I feel I have NO reason to complain. My kids sleep through the night (one actually sleeps til noon whenever possible), I work only sometimes and I train for a half marathon...

However, another great workout with Sue this morning. My love affair with the treadmill continues. And I might move on to pink kettle bells. After a good nights sleep...

TIK TOK Ke$ha

NO RUN

I didn't run today but I ran around a lot. Having skipped two rest days for various reasons I felt somewhat exhausted this morning and just did crunches, push ups and stuff. No miles per foot but many in my car. I need new running shoes. Googling around I found the ASICS Store in NYC where one can get a 3D scan of his foot to find the perfect shoe. Pretty, pretty good, how Larry David would say...

The Times They Are A-Changin = Tracy Chapman

My German moment

I'm going into my third week of training. My heart rate is lower and so is my recovery time. I feel stronger. I exercise every day, eat more and I feel good about myself. My scale is still around but sometimes I forget to get onto it in the morning. Sometimes I do not want to see it at night... I'm still wondering how I'll be able to master a 13.1 miles run. But I'm not really concerned about it because I'm having really fun. We have this saying in German: The way is the goal. That's how I feel. On track. So, gym this morning, treadmill, kettle bells, some weird ball and really tough Klimmzuege. I'm having my German moment here. I just can't find the English word. I guess that's it. And a German song by Nena. She is the same Madonna age like me...

NENA - 99 Luftballons

A long run

Did you know how much the way you breathe can influence your heart-rate? Inhaling through the nose and exhaling out of my mouth decreased mine by 10. Amazing, I think. So, I took an extra effort to stick with a controlled breathing while running my long run. Yesterday. I know, I skipped one day. Can happen sometimes, can't it? So, I ran and the wind was against me. Literally. Very strong. But I did breathe stubbornly and it helped. Kept me focused. At the end a ran 7.4 miles in 1:40 hour. Still very slow but I felt I'm getting better in running longer distances. One can always hope, right??? Those long runs are a little bit like a meditation. Make you think about all kind of stuff: buy ice cream, call the guy at the bank, should stop by at the pharmacy, why was the girl at the gas station that unfriendly, can't wait to go on vacation next week, want to have a dinner party with friends, I have to pass that walker in front of me, aargh - how frustrating, can't wait to have coffee at home, shouldn't forget breathing, inhale through the nose, exhale out of my mouth...

Fuer Ronny

Post-Run-Posture

Ran 300 yards more during my 30 minute interval-treadmill training. Yeah! It feels great and improvements are so visible. Seems so much easier than running outside. Everything is controlled: speed, milage, heart-rate. No wind, no hills, no dogs, nobody who has to be passed by... Tomorrow is my long run and I'll be back in reality. I feel strong but also a little tired. Had a tough post-exercise today: made grilled cheese for 24 kids. Lunch bunch it's called and kettle balls feel very easy in comparison. However, I keep my head up and a strong posture. Just like Sue advised me this morning...

Matisyahu - One Day

Looking for a cause

First frustration this morning. It took me 2 minutes longer to run 4 miles than last week. Don't want to bore you with the time - too embarrassing. I watched my heart rate and slowed myself down several times to get back into a comfortable zone, that might have been the reason. I felt better while running but I have to get faster for the half marathon. It is only my second week of training. I know. But I'm not a patient person... However, I feel really strong overall and had a good post run workout. The push-ups are getting easier and, I like to believe, my arms look stronger... Also, I was thinking about devoting my run to a good cause. Any ideas, suggestions, opinions??? Wouldn't it be nice to see something else getting stronger than my arms?

MGMT - KIDS

CROSSROADS

I always hated gyms. When I still lived in Berlin I went sometimes. I would always get bored after awhile. And those were fancy gyms. With spas and 100 different classes and beautiful people and restaurants with famous chefs. But I never got a lot of fun out of it. Treadmills I hated even more. I can count my times on a treadmill on one hand. So, today I feel a little strange about myself. Because I like my gym and - even stranger - I like being on the treadmill. Sue does those Interval Exercises with me and I can FEEL how I get stronger by the minute. No kidding! I lift yellow kettle-bells and can't imagine having lived without them for so long... Amazing things are going to happen!

CROSSROADS - TRACY CHAPMAN

DIVA

The great thing about long runs is that one will appreciate short runs so much more - feels almost like a vacation. Or like a reward. It was actually fun to run 2 miles this morning. Sooo short! I'm not quite sure but I think I was a little bit faster. Like 2,5 seconds??? However, it felt like a walk in the park and I'm definitely keep exploring new facets of workouts. Pretty amazing! Integrated some of Josh Cox' exercises in my post-running routine. Bird Dog - yeah... This afternoon a deluxe workout at the Winthrop Estate. How cool is this - push ups at one of the Big Estate of the Gilded Age?

Casta Diva - Maria Callas

BIRD DOG

Push ups, sit ups, crunches. Rest. Surprisingly, nothing hurts after yesterday's long run. Sue has a point to assign those rest days. Wasn't crazy about it first. But it works. And it won't last forever. I checked my training plan and noticed that the rest on Saturday will be gone next week. Sigh. It's good for writing this blog though. However, I looked into "Runner's magazine" online and found a cool workout video by marathon runner Josh Cox from Mammoth Lakes, one of my favorite places in the world. Might integrate those exercises. Not sure about the tattoo yet.

Israel Kamakawiwo - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

RACING THE BUNNIES

Easter Sunday. 7 miles run. 1:38, 1073 cal, average heart-rate 162. No eggs found. No easter bunnies seen. Legs felt very heavy for the last 2miles. Tried to imagine to run another round. Couldn't. Still 8 weeks until race day. Long but not that long. I'll do what I can. Have to do my sit-ups, push-ups. Abs don't look great yet... sigh.

Wayne Wade - Lady Reggae

How to make the most of a day of rest

Hard workout today! Brunch at Cynthia's and Chan's, cocktails, croissants, deviled eggs (it's Easter after all...) AND a very strenuous hike in Kennedy Park up to the pond. 30 minutes, 1/2 mile, 2500 calories consumed. Perfect heart-rate. Hmm... anything else? Oh yes - have to get ready for dinner at Lina's and Serge's: mussels, fries and white wine. So, nap for 2 hours, heart-rate low, some calories burned with hopefully sweet dreams... Exercise can be so much fun!

Sweet Dreams by Eurhytmics

GO ULTIMATE

30 minutes on the treadmill, 400 yards more this time. 2.33 miles. Felt good! Progress, slowly but surely(?). Well, it can only get better and it is actually fun. That is amazing! Don't recall ever having had fun with physical exercise. It was HORRIBLE in my teenage years! 100 yard dashes and I'd come in with the shortest and fattest girl or - even worse!- laps!!! The boys watching it... Every time I changed schools the PE teacher would get excited: I looked like the quintessential track and field student. Only that I was NOT!!! When I was in college I did judo but even then we had to do some lap runs for warm up. I thought the coach was cute and was thrown back when he mentioned that I might always come in last but nonetheless was the first one he could HEAR coming... Yeah, great... the trampling elephant. So, listen: it is never to late to start. What else is out there? Skateboarding, ultimate frisbee, curling... More ideas?

Death Cab for Cutie - Crooked Teeth

Don't get fooled!

Okay - I'm getting out this morning for my 4 miles run. Determined to breathe the right way... My heart-rate stays at 95, never gets higher than 101. This is aerobic pace! A pace I should feel I could go on forever. But I feel I'm ready to fall flat on my face any second! My legs are heavy, I try to push harder, heart-rate goes up to 103, I'm ready for a nap on the play ground I'm passing by. Resist it. Get to my house after 4 miles, 49 min, 578 cal and an average heart-rate of 170!!!

What??? That's what the summary says: 170 and a top of 189. I'm glad I made it... Did Polar program their monitors for April's fools day or what? At least I can trust my body, it was NOT a pace I could have went on forever. Might have to read the manual... However, did I mention that my scale is still around? Separation issues, I assume.

Happy Fools Day!

SILVERSUN PICKUPS - PANIC SWITCH