Tag: running

September 18, 2001

What a two weeks it’s been. Yesterday was the first time I’ve run since Chris and I ran our virtual 5Ks, but surprisingly, I did better than ever. First though, a recap:

– Thursday, 6 Sept: Arrived in California that evening.

– Friday, 7 Sept: After I woke up and puttered around Evan and Jennifer’s apartment for a while, I walked to Old Town Pasadena. Just a street with lots of shops, some that we don’t have here, but nothing terribly exciting. I spent the morning looking for a particular bookstore, but didn’t find it, and then Evan and I had lunch (fish tacos – not nearly as bad as it sounds!) and then, after lunch, he dropped me back at his place so I could rest (I didn’t sleep well the night before). Later that afternoon, I walked to his office (and noticed for the first time that there are mountains very close to Pasadena!) and then we picked Jennifer up from work and headed to Los Angeles to the studios for Whose Line Is It Anyway? We thought we wouldn’t make it it, there’s only room for about 300 people, and our numbers were 302, 303, and 304. But we made it in and despite it lasting almost five hours, our hands being blistered from clapping, and our throats sore from laughing, it was fun. Just very tiring. After the show was completed (Halloween show! We’re in the front row!) we went to some diner that’s supposedly famous.

– Saturday, 8 Sept: Drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, where we ate at a biker bar/seafood restaurant. I’m sure the bikers are more like rich actors than Hells Angel’s, but whatever. We didn’t see anyone famous there. Then we walked on the beach a little, then drove to Santa Monica. We had planned on going to the Getty that night, but we decided not to, and walked on the pier and ate at some Japanese soul food restaurant instead. We also drove around Hollywood, and I saw some of the “sights.” Finally, we drove around looking for some old ice cream shop that was on the radio that morning. We finally found it and got some ice cream.

– Sunday, 9 Sept: Jennifer had to work, so Evan and I went to Chinatown for dim sum (my first time – interesting to have barbecue for breakfast…hmmm) and then to the Getty. Nice museum, we didn’t have much time for it. My favorite part was definitely the garden. Beautiful. When we got back to Pasadena, Jennifer and I went and had tea at the Rose Tree Cottage. It was nice (if overpriced) but the best part was not the cucumber sandwiches, but the earthquake I felt! It wasn’t bad, it only lasted a few seconds, but it was a real jolt! Cool! Later we grilled steaks and mashed the organic potatoes we had purchased at an organic farm the day before.

– Monday, 10 Sept: Not much went on today, I made it to the bookshop I had been looking for on Friday and went to Target as well. We cooked again that night and I prepared to go home the next morning.

– Tuesday, 11 Sept through Friday, 14 Sept: Well, obviously I didn’t make it home on Tuesday. I finally made it home on Saturday afternoon after a long and wearying trip. But that’s ok. Spent most of my “vacation extension” watching tv, emailing friends, reading the news. What else could I do, really? Watched some movies. Walked for 2.5 hours one day around Pasadena, then later that evening went walking around the Rose Bowl with Jennifer.

Now, about last night….Kristina and I only had a limited amount of time before the Weakest Link came on, so we just started running as soon as we got onto the pathway at the park….and didn’t stop running until we went all the way around, and got back to the car! 1.8 miles! A new record! Afterwards, I felt fine, though my knees felt a bit wobbly and my hip got sore while I was running. I think that’s just because my back was sore from the trashcan game on Sunday (don’t ask.)

September 4, 2001

The long, lazy Labor Day weekend is over. Thank god. It was a little too long for me. I took Friday off work, and went to Baton Rouge on Thursday night, and the whole weekend, until I couldn’t take it anymore on Sunday, was spent seeing people, meeting up, and being afraid of missing someone (which I did do.) So Sunday, I decided to pack up and head back home to my apartment, where I could curl up with some books and read and watch TV until it was time to pick Kristina up on Monday night.

Running was somewhat put on the back burner this weekend, I only ran twice since Thursday. Mom and I went to dinner at Macaroni Grill on Friday night, and afterwards I was so full I went for a run around her street. I only went 4 times around, about 1.3 miles. I knew it was a bad idea to run on an extremely full stomach, but it really did make me feel somewhat better.

Saturday morning, Chris and I were going to go run around the lakes, and do a virtual 5K for the Runner’s World Beginner’s Forum. It was pouring and thundering, etc, so we decided to go to CC’s until 8 a.m. and then go to the gym and run on the treadmill. That was a first for me, running a distance on a treadmill. I ran the 3.1 miles in 39:49, which was 44 seconds slower than my Run for the Angels 5K. Still, all in all, I ran a lot more of it than I did the other 5K, albeit at an obviously slower pace. I felt like I did better this time.

I’d like to do a 5K in a few weeks, so we’ll see how much better I can do at another road race. I wanted to go running last night, but of course, it thunderstormed from 6-7 p.m., and by the time it stopped, it was too late to go.

I’ve been suffering from insomnia off and on, and am exhausted right now. So I don’t know if I’m going to run tonight or now. I’d like to say I will, I’d really like to, I just don’t know if I’m going to have the energy.

August 29, 2001

Yesterday, around 3 p.m., it started thunderstorming horribly, so a run after work was unfortunately out of the question. It was raining just hard enough to be yucky by the time I got home, though it wasn’t thundering or lightening anymore. So I decided to go this morning instead. It was nice! I hit the snooze button a few times, almost decided not to go, but then I figured it’d probably storm again this afternoon, and then I’d be screwed. So I got up, and went to the park at around 7.

Half of the park was closed off for resurfacing, so I just ran up to St. Charles and back down. But I really ran it! Both ways! When I got up to the St. Charles side, I walked a little, up to the sidewalk, and stretched, but then I ran back to the parking lot! I ran for at least 7-8 minutes each time, with maybe a 2 minute recovery, and I didn’t even feel all that bad. Had the park not been half closed, I probably would have gone around twice, but I really didn’t feel like going back and forth again.

Last night I had a really nice dream and I want to record it here, so I don’t forget it. It really has nothing to do with running. But anyway…I dreamed I was back at our old house (on Port Hudson, the house I grew up in and we moved out of when I was 17) in my parents’ bathroom, getting ready to take a bath (but I was still clothed.) I was the only one in the house, but then I heard a noise. I went out to investigate, and at the last minute, went into my parents’ closet to get something to defend myself with. Turns out, I grabbed one of my golf clubs that I got when I was little (the wood, as if it matters.) I don’t even know if I had my own wood when I was little, but I think I did. I went out into the kitchen, and there was Dad, bent over, putting papers in his briefcase or something like that. He was dressed like he was going to work, and there was someone else in the kitchen (some guy, don’t know who it was.) He stood up and I looked at him, and it wasn’t creepy or scary or anything, it was just normal. I looked him right in the eyes and he smiled and gave me a big hug. He was just as squashy as always, and it just felt so normal and nice. I can’t remember if he said anything to me. I feel like he felt proud of me for something. Maybe for quitting smoking, since that’s what probably killed him. Ironic then, that it was most likely a nicotine patch-induced dream. Ha ha!

Anyway, I woke up feeling good, like it was his way of visiting me and checking up on me, since I know I wouldn’t handle anything vaguely “supernatural” well at all.

Enough about dreams – might go running again this evening with Kristina. I won’t be able to go tomorrow since I’m going to Baton Rouge, so I should get it in now.

PS Whoever said running in the morning energizes you for the rest of the day was not talking about me. Hmmm.

August 28, 2001

Today is Jenny’s birthday. She is 29. Ack! I can’t believe she’s almost 30!

Last night, in lieu of going running (it was rainy all afternoon, but it stopped by the evening) we walked to Sav-a-Center. I wore my new Adidas Cairo ’01 shoes that I got in the mail yesterday from Road Runner Sports. Yay! Exciting! They’re motion control, but my other shoes are stability, so we’ll see if these are more appropriate. I would think so, but who knows. I’m no expert. They are pretty, and they were extremely cheap (something like 66% off!)

We only ran a little bit on the way to the store (wanted to test out the new shoes – so far so good) but we were so hungry there was no more running going on. Today is going to be a real running day, though. Maybe we can go further than 1.5 miles…who knows?

August 27, 2001

Ahhh, Monday. Fun weekend. Friday afternoon we went to the park, walked around twice. Ran about 1/4 of the way around at the end, though. At least it was something. But then we were too tired to go out so we just stayed home and watched Trainspotting.

Saturday, we went to the main library downtown, and I checked out some books. I had dreamt about going to the library the night before, so it seemed fitting. Then we went and ate lunch at TGI Friday’s in the Quarter. That seems like it should be very wrong, but whatever. I wasn’t feeling so hot, but after lunch, we went down to the French Market and Kristina bought some stuff – candles, a watch, and she had bought a t-shirt at Virgin earlier. I didn’t buy anything (because I’m currently broke) but after that we went and had coffee at CC’s. Then, we wandered back towards the Aquarium and went to the IMAX theatre and watched the Cyberworld 3-D movie. It was cool. I suppose the point of all this, is that we walked pretty far that day, so it wasn’t so important that we didn’t go running.

That night, Kristina, Jason, and I went to the pub in Algiers. That was fun. After that, we went to dba, then finally to the Avenue. It was a fun night, nothing terribly exciting, but fun. I really wanted to smoke, but of course, I didn’t. I think no matter how strong my cravings are, when it gets down to it, I really just don’t want to smoke. And if I can resist when I’ve been drinking, well…that’s some kind of willpower! It’s comforting, since Wednesday is my last day on the patch.

Sunday, we woke up late, and Kristina was very hungover. It’s amazing how not smoking can make you not hungover, because I drank almost as much as Kristina, but she smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes. So after lazing around the house, and giggling a lot (surely that must be good for something? abs?) we went to Rite-Aid and to LPK for dinner (thank god Kristina was too hungover to Somersize, or to care.)

That was pretty much it for the weekend. UKtoYou got two sales this weekend, seems like things are finally picking up. Yeah! I’m going to Baton Rouge after work on Thursday, and staying until Sunday or possibly Monday. Jenny’s coming into town on Saturday. Yippee.

Oh yeah, and the scale this morning read -7 lbs since I started running. Hmmmmm…

August 23, 2001

I can’t believe it! Yesterday, at around 7, Kristina and I went to the park. We planned on running, because we hadn’t on Tuesday. We walked for about a minute or so, and then when we hit the first turn, we started running. And we didn’t stop for 1.5 miles! Or 18 minutes!

We started off going very slowly. Kristina is faster than I am, and I usually just try to go as fast as she does, but yesterday I made sure we went slowly. And after we had made it up the first long side, I turned to her and said “this is easy!” And she said, “I know, but I didn’t want to say anything and jinx it.” And we just kept running! We ran all the way up the second long side, which put us at 19 minutes total, and I guess we walked for a minute before we started running, so we ran 12 minute miles.

Yesterday we ran further and longer than we ever have, in our entire lives! It was amazing.

My shins hurt a bit afterwards, but I iced them and stretched, so I think they’ll be ok.

August 22, 2001

Yesterday, Kristina and I went to the park again. We had to go relatively early (around 6) because she had to go study after dinner. Since it was so hot, we walked most of the way. We ran maybe a tenth of a mile at the beginning, but not at all after that. We went around twice, though. I guess I don’t mind walking when I go with Kristina, especially right now when it’s hot. The most important thing right now is just burning calories, since a) I need to lose weight and b) because it’s so hot. I don’t think my endurance is going to improve greatly when it’s the heat that stops me from going further. According to some website, going around the park burns 513 calories. Woah! That means every 7 days of doing that, I should lose 1 pound. Hmmm. Interesting.

I think I might start going around 3 times. Or running to the park, running around, the coming back. That would be different, at least. We shall see. For now, though, I want twice around not to be so tiring. No matter how I do it, walking or running.

Race for the Angels 5K – Race Report

Run for the Angels 5K
7:00 p.m.

My first 5K! On Sunday, Kristina and I went to a movie, then when we got home, I ate a bagel with peanut butter. Chris and Rebecca came over at about 5:45, then Kristina and I got ready and we left at 6:00 to get to Live Bait. I was really nervous (just because I didn’t know what to expect) and Kristina and I had been snapping at each other all day, so not only was I nervous, but Kristina wasn’t talking to me. Which was okay, really, because I knew if either of us spoke, we’d just get in more trouble. Gary and Ren showed up at around 6:20 or so, and were mad at me because I had (apparently) said that we were going to ride with them. So at this point, not only am I nervous, but I felt like everyone was mad at me (except for Chris and Rebecca, thank goodness.)

So, at about 6:45, everyone was calmer, and we stretched some and drank a little more water. Then everyone lined up and from then on, everything seemed to go quickly. They played the Star Spangled Banner, and everyone was quiet. It was a nice night, not too hot, not too humid, and the sun was going down. Suddenly, the horn went off, and the race began! Ack!

There were a lot of people there, and we started running slowly. As I thought we would, we got caught up in all of the other runners, got carried along, and we ran for the first 7 minutes or so of it, which we haven’t done in our afternoon runs for a while. I suspect that may have sapped us a bit, but we crossed the one mile marker at 11:45, which is our usual 1 mile pace, so considering we walked about 3-4 minutes of that, we must have been running faster than that. By the time we got to the turn around, I was really thirsty and pretty hot. I had had a side stitch for most of the way, and I was feeling slightly nauseous. I grabbed some water and drank it, and we jogged a bit up the levee. After we stopped running, I felt bad. Lightheaded, nauseous, faint, chilled, the whole bit. I seriously thought I was going to faint for a while, but I didn’t.

We ran intermittently, and after each time, I felt the same way. We hit the 2 mile mark at 24:40. With about 1/3 mile to go, Kristina went ahead and ran the rest of the way. I walked and jogged the rest of the way, and ran the last tenth of a mile. Kristina finished in 38:25, I finished in 39:05, which was much faster than we had thought we’d do! We had predicted a 45 minute finish, so we were very excited that we did better.

After I finished (I was the last to finish of my friends – Chris finished in 22:xx!) we went back down to Live Bait, and had popsicles and Chee Wees and jambalaya and beer. It was fun!

August 17, 2001

Bad, bad us. We haven’t run since Tuesday, and I don’t know when we’ll have time to go before Sunday. Yikes! Hopefully we’ll have time tomorrow afternoon. Maura’s coming in at 5 this afternoon, then we’re going out tonight, then tomorrow night is the Saints game (my first! and it’s free! Kristina got free tickets at work). Fun weekend, definitely.

August 15, 2001

Yesterday was better. We went around the park twice. Well, it took us 52 minutes, but that means we were averaging 14:30 miles. Yikes. Actually, considering we only ran about 5 minutes of that, I suppose it’s not all that bad. I’m sure if we just walked the whole way, we could do the whole 5K in 45 minutes, which is our goal. So maybe I should rethink our goal. No, better not. Then we’ll be pleasantly surprised if we do it in under 45 minutes. Hmmm.

It’s pretty overcast outside right now, I don’t know if we’re going to go running today or take a break. I wouldn’t mind running. Just once around.

Last night Kristina made a really yummy chicken dish. Creamy cheesy sauce. Mmmmm. But this morning, I weighed myself and the scale said I’ve lost 7 lbs since the last time I weighed myself (about 3 weeks ago). I wonder if it’s true…that scale is a piece of crap, so who knows. We’ll see…

Nevertheless, I’m getting really sick of this Somersizing crap. I just want to eat a sandwich! Even a healthy sandwich! Blech. Only two more weeks of this. Thank god.

August 14, 2001

5 days…ack! I’m a little nervous. Not too nervous, though, because at least I’ll be with lots of friends. Anne’s running it with us, and Chris, and maybe Ren and Gary. So it’ll be fun. And Maura’s coming in town this weekend, and we’re going out because it’s Anne’s last weekend in town, so it should be a nice weekend.

Yesterday, Kristina and I both felt really crappy when we went to the park – I had cheated earlier in the day with a little chocolate (I felt so much better after I had some sugar that I don’t regret it) and with our lack of carbs all day long, neither of us had much energy, but it felt good just to get outside. It wasn’t even too hot. Today we’re going to go twice around (well, it’s my goal to convince Kristina to), hopefully in under 45 minutes. I think we can do that. I had carbs for breakfast and didn’t feel nearly as yucky as yesterday (but I still got a bit itchy around lunchtime). I just don’t know how well I can deal with no sugar. I love sugar. I don’t care how bad it is, I love it. Sigh.

Last night Anne and Jason came over to watch a movie and brought Twizzlers and Sour Patch Kids. Even a bag just for us! (Thoughtful, yeah.) Anne hid one of the bags in Kristina’s room (strangely, they didn’t trust me enough to hide it in my room – hmmph) but it was rather torturous to listen to them eating the lovely, sugary candy, while we had Diet Coke for dessert. Ick.

August 13, 2001

Only 6 days until the 5K! And I have been really slacking off for the past couple of weeks. Friday, I had Kristina drop me off at the St. Charles side of the park, and I walked up it, and around a bit until I reached Perrier, and then I walked home from there. I estimate it was about 3 miles total, and it took me exactly 45 minutes. I only ran a few blocks of it, I just didn’t feel up to running. I don’t know why.

Yesterday, Kristina and I decided to try the Somersize program. I can’t believe I’m letting Suzanne Somers dictate what I eat, but the recipes in the book are really yummy. And Kristina’s mom sent her the book after she used it and she said it works, so why not? I’m really just interested in losing a lot of weight right now, I don’t really care how I go about it (healthy, I know) because once I get enough weight off to be able to run further, I can use the running to maintain. I certainly don’t want to use this eating plan forever, because you can’t eat much sugar and carbs are discouraged, which doesn’t exactly fall in line with running nutrition.

It’s raining today, but I’m going running no matter what.