i had the day off. so of course i slept in, then sat around cooking, eating, watching tv and surfing the web for like, 6 hours. finally, i got dressed to go for a run in the rain, decided that it's like, miserable, and sat back down at the computer hoping to get inspired. of course the best inspiration to run on a rainy day is the last stanza of sorley's poem, which is what finally got me going. i memorized the lines ("the rain is on our lips/ we do not run for prize/ but for the storm the wind whips/ and the wave howls to the skies/ the winds arise and strike it/ and scatter it like said/ we run becuause we like it/ across the broad bright land"), then ran out the door before i could stop myself. i did my blundell run in long intervals.
km min
0-2 11:00
2-4 9:50 (20:50)
4-5 6:10 (27:00)
5-7 9:25 (36:25)
7-8 6:05 (42:30)
8-10 9:30 (minus 45s at a red light)
total time: 52 min
it gave me time to think. i'm angry at myself for being so lazy the past few weeks. i generally consider myself pretty hardcore. i'm a keener. i like physical things. i LIKE runnig in the rain. so why do i get into these moods where i feel like i cant? i need to relight my own fire here.
so tonight i'm going to the boy's house. tomorrow i plan to turn his basement into a personal gym. and then tuesday i'll finish my room, and put up some pictures and make a big wall calendar with a training schedule. maybe ill actually set some short term goals and write them down.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
settling in
so i did do that 8 miler, finally, on thursday morning before work (that's 6:30am). i don't even remember how it felt or anything - that 's the benefit of running first thing in the morning - you can just put it out of your mind. i did it in about 1:21, with an even pace the whole way. so i still don't feel as though i'm getting way behind in preparing for the half, just a little bit (keep missing all the short fast strength-building runs, which means my time will suck, but i wont die).
i'm like, a huge procrastinator. i guess one of the good things about training for a long run is that you can't prepare overnight for it, you have to start nice and early. i just got my grades back for last term, so that's been on my mind (as in, if i hadn't written that paper the morning it was due, i could have got a better mark and therefore a better gpa etc.) Also, i still haven't finished unpacking and it's sort of stressing me out that i can't find things but in order to get organized it's goign to require a major overhaul of my room (it's not easy to fit a whole condo's worth of things into my bedroom). i'm thinking about moving furniture around even. but thats too much work for me to just do it, i have to sit around and think about it for a few weeks first. i dont know why it takes so much effort for me to just do things lately. hopefully training for this run will help reform my attitude a little bit. i really need to prove it to myself.
i'm like, a huge procrastinator. i guess one of the good things about training for a long run is that you can't prepare overnight for it, you have to start nice and early. i just got my grades back for last term, so that's been on my mind (as in, if i hadn't written that paper the morning it was due, i could have got a better mark and therefore a better gpa etc.) Also, i still haven't finished unpacking and it's sort of stressing me out that i can't find things but in order to get organized it's goign to require a major overhaul of my room (it's not easy to fit a whole condo's worth of things into my bedroom). i'm thinking about moving furniture around even. but thats too much work for me to just do it, i have to sit around and think about it for a few weeks first. i dont know why it takes so much effort for me to just do things lately. hopefully training for this run will help reform my attitude a little bit. i really need to prove it to myself.
Monday, May 14, 2007
muffiny morning
even though i had the whole day off, i slept in until noon, then read, baked and ate muffins for 6 hours (okay mostly read) and now i'm watching 24. at some point i'm going to go for that 8 miler i missed yesterday....at some point. i clearly need more motivation these days. something is missing.
Friday, May 11, 2007
i run faster than cows
so i got a little bit lazy earlier this week, and skipped a bunch of runs. there was some windy rainy weather involved and all my motivation just dissapeared. also my shifts at work have been from 10-630 which makes fitting in a run terrible - either waking up really really early, or running in the evening with the mosquitos. sigh. I did get back out there though.
Yesterday's Run: we'll call this route, which is a staple, "Blundell". it's 5 miles, and on my fastest days i can do it in 42min, on my slowest it's around 1 hour. everything else is based around it.
yesterday it was the evening, it was me and the bugs, and i forgot my watch but i do know that it was about 50min or so. and a negative split.
Today's Run:I did my Blundell run, but cut it a little short, down to 4miles. took 42:30min altogether, split time was 22:15. beautiful hot sunny day. noticed a sign as i got onto to the dyke saying "Attention: Standing Pools of Water..." which must have a been about all the mosquitos. hopefully it continues to say that they will be spraying the ditches. i will try to get a closer read tomorrow.
Also, there are lots of baby cows. my blundell run takes me past a beef farm. there are about 2 dozen cows, including lots of little fluffy babies. they were running in the same direction i was, but i passed them. i run faster than cows.
Yesterday's Run: we'll call this route, which is a staple, "Blundell". it's 5 miles, and on my fastest days i can do it in 42min, on my slowest it's around 1 hour. everything else is based around it.
yesterday it was the evening, it was me and the bugs, and i forgot my watch but i do know that it was about 50min or so. and a negative split.
Today's Run:I did my Blundell run, but cut it a little short, down to 4miles. took 42:30min altogether, split time was 22:15. beautiful hot sunny day. noticed a sign as i got onto to the dyke saying "Attention: Standing Pools of Water..." which must have a been about all the mosquitos. hopefully it continues to say that they will be spraying the ditches. i will try to get a closer read tomorrow.
Also, there are lots of baby cows. my blundell run takes me past a beef farm. there are about 2 dozen cows, including lots of little fluffy babies. they were running in the same direction i was, but i passed them. i run faster than cows.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
there is now a plan
okay so first things first, i decided against the big shiny mall store and am going with the neighbourhood location, which isn't in a mall, but is much closer and has a higher-up position available. this will save a few hours in my day, which i guess in the end is worth it.
as for running, well now that i'm home and i've had a few days to jog and figure things out, i have a plan. there is really not so much time to work up to the distance i need, let alone the time goal. so this is fairly aggressive. we'll see how it goes and sort of play it by ear.
x = cross train, either strength or some other cardio, like cycling or rollarblading. the goal is to equal at least 60min 6 days a week.
5/6 milers = tempo runs
3/4 milers = speed or hills
> 7 miles = long slow distance
um yeah. i'll make that a little clearer when i have the time.
i did the 6 miler, 30 min rollarblade, and 4miler no problem, no problem scheduling either. looking forward to the rest of them!
as for running, well now that i'm home and i've had a few days to jog and figure things out, i have a plan. there is really not so much time to work up to the distance i need, let alone the time goal. so this is fairly aggressive. we'll see how it goes and sort of play it by ear.
x = cross train, either strength or some other cardio, like cycling or rollarblading. the goal is to equal at least 60min 6 days a week.
5/6 milers = tempo runs
3/4 milers = speed or hills
> 7 miles = long slow distance
| Day | Distance Goal |
| May 2 | 6 |
| May 3 | x |
| May 4 | 4 |
| May 5 | 6 |
| May 6 | 7 |
| May 8 | 3x |
| May 9 | 6 |
| May 10 | 4x |
| May 11 | x |
| May 12 | 3 |
| May 13 | 8 |
| May 15 | 4x |
| May 16 | 6 |
| May 17 | 4x |
| May 18 | x |
| May 19 | 3 |
| May 20 | 9 |
| May 22 | 4x |
| May 23 | 6 |
| May 24 | 4x |
| May 25 | 5x |
| May 26 | x |
| May 27 | 10 |
| May 29 | 3x |
| May 30 | 6 |
| May 31 | 4x |
| June 1 | 5x |
| June 2 | 3x |
| June 3 | 11 |
| June 5 | 4x |
| June 6 | 6 |
| June 7 | 4x |
| June 8 | 6 |
| June 9 | 3x |
| June 10 | 12 |
| June 12 | 4x |
| June 13 | 6 |
| June 14 | 4x |
| June 15 | 5x |
| June 16 | 3x |
| June 17 | 13 |
| June 19 | 3x |
| June 20 | 4 |
| June 22 | 3x |
| June 24 | Race Day |
um yeah. i'll make that a little clearer when i have the time.
i did the 6 miler, 30 min rollarblade, and 4miler no problem, no problem scheduling either. looking forward to the rest of them!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
new job
i just got a call from a west coast store and i'm expecting an email soon and then i'll be all set up for a shiny new job in a shiny new mall. a BIG shiny new mall.
it's going to be a commute. it's probably the farthest store i could have picked. but they called me right away and sound really excited to have me and will have lots of hours for me, so i'm not complaining. i will not be driving there, because i think gas would be outrageous and once my sister is back in school then sharing the car would become ridiculous too, so i'm going to get a bus pass. i think this will be good. i'll be able to get lots of reading done on my ride.
i know it will eat a couple extra hours out of my day...but i'm going to be as positive as i can about it. at least it will be on the bus and dealing with other drivers for an hour. there's a huge park next to the mall, and a library attached to it. i wonder if there's also a gym nearby? will look into it.
as for running, i just registered for the vancouver half-marathon in june. i've run it twice, and it was really good the last time so i'm excited. except i was in way better shape at the end of that april than i am now. but i am harbouring a secret goal for this year, which is to finish in less that 2hours. my last times were 2:15 (a bad year - running with a knee injury), and 2:07 (a not-too-bad year). this year i want to fly through it in a spectacular 1:55. if i could get there by june 24 from here, it would be mind blowing. but of course it's always impressive to just finish 21km.
i do, in fact, have an exam tomorrow, so i can't just keep going on and on about what i should do. i have to go do it now.
it's going to be a commute. it's probably the farthest store i could have picked. but they called me right away and sound really excited to have me and will have lots of hours for me, so i'm not complaining. i will not be driving there, because i think gas would be outrageous and once my sister is back in school then sharing the car would become ridiculous too, so i'm going to get a bus pass. i think this will be good. i'll be able to get lots of reading done on my ride.
i know it will eat a couple extra hours out of my day...but i'm going to be as positive as i can about it. at least it will be on the bus and dealing with other drivers for an hour. there's a huge park next to the mall, and a library attached to it. i wonder if there's also a gym nearby? will look into it.
as for running, i just registered for the vancouver half-marathon in june. i've run it twice, and it was really good the last time so i'm excited. except i was in way better shape at the end of that april than i am now. but i am harbouring a secret goal for this year, which is to finish in less that 2hours. my last times were 2:15 (a bad year - running with a knee injury), and 2:07 (a not-too-bad year). this year i want to fly through it in a spectacular 1:55. if i could get there by june 24 from here, it would be mind blowing. but of course it's always impressive to just finish 21km.
i do, in fact, have an exam tomorrow, so i can't just keep going on and on about what i should do. i have to go do it now.
so i started a blog
so...its my last 5 days in toronto, and then i'm back to richmond for good. you know that feeling like when its a new year, a new house, a new job, a new season, or new start to Something and youre all full of resolutions and excitement and eagerness, excited for the opportunity to make a change and really have it stick? yeah i feel like way but like, multiply by about a thousand. and i don't know what to do with myself.
now yes i do usually keep a journal, in the form of my daytimer. each day is divided into a few little boxes that are school, work, running, and other. then at the end of every week is a "this week" page and also the end of every month is a "this month" page and i use those to write out some of my goals, regrets, priorities, etc in order to refocus. but it's sort of not enough to really take care of expressing all the new things going on right now.
one of the main problems is fitting in the running/fitness stuff. i really like to log my runs, to describe them and record them and look back at them, etc, but there's not enough room in my planner and whenever i (frequently) try to start a seperate log it just never works out. so i'm hoping this blog will help me do that. it's good motivation for me to look back and see how far ive come, and to put into writing what my goals are, and to keep them somewhere safe and accesible.
so i'm blogging. i thought i'd give it a shot.
ps the titile of the blog is from the fantastic fantastic poem "song of the ungirt runners" by charles hamilton sorely, and it's the best running poem i've ever read.
now yes i do usually keep a journal, in the form of my daytimer. each day is divided into a few little boxes that are school, work, running, and other. then at the end of every week is a "this week" page and also the end of every month is a "this month" page and i use those to write out some of my goals, regrets, priorities, etc in order to refocus. but it's sort of not enough to really take care of expressing all the new things going on right now.
one of the main problems is fitting in the running/fitness stuff. i really like to log my runs, to describe them and record them and look back at them, etc, but there's not enough room in my planner and whenever i (frequently) try to start a seperate log it just never works out. so i'm hoping this blog will help me do that. it's good motivation for me to look back and see how far ive come, and to put into writing what my goals are, and to keep them somewhere safe and accesible.
so i'm blogging. i thought i'd give it a shot.
ps the titile of the blog is from the fantastic fantastic poem "song of the ungirt runners" by charles hamilton sorely, and it's the best running poem i've ever read.
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