See you over at the new pad!

She hated that thing. The entire run she would scream and kick and cry to get out.

Now that baby is in preschool (ah, where did the years go anyway!) and I have another baby that I load up in the same jogger. She’s much better with it. She actually climbs INTO the thing! She enjoys her three mile, half hour or so run.

I, however, really don’t.

First off, I got the jogger at my baby shower, and I had chosen it but it wound up being the cheapest of the bunch. l have a difficult time turning it, have to really lift it off of the ground to make a turn, and the darn thing is just so stiff and uncomfortable to use.

Secondly, where we live in Southern California traffic is horrendous, and while our neighborhood has a few quiet streets, those that surround us are busier than most small town freeways. Seriously, everyone believes they have to go ninety from light to light, which is half a mile (I know, I have tracked it on my GPS).

I’m always terrified when I venture out to run on the streets to get from one track to another, because who wants to run three miles around one track-meaning about six full circles?

I could load it up and take it to the park, but again, it’s such a pain to do this. It’s heavy and awkward and really doesn’t fold up well.

I’m sure some of the more expensive joggers are much nicer. I’ve heard great things about the Bob. I just wound up with one that isn’t so great.

My advice: First, if you are going to run when your baby is an infant, try to do it while they nap. Much easier!

And if you can’t, find a stroller that works well. Do some research, read reviews and ask other runners. I have heard great things about the BOB stroller.  Expensive, yes. But if you can run with it and it is comfortable, totally worth the price!

I used mine from the time my babies were quite young by propping pillows and blankets up around them. Some joggers allow you to really recline the seat, so find out if yours can do this.

Consider the front wheel when doing a test run. Mine does not move or turn. Some people swear by those that do, some say that those that do aren’t as easy to maneuver on different surfaces. I don’t know, I have never used one like this. I wish that I could test one out to see.

Does the jogger have shade? Mine does, and it works well for my daughter. I borrowed a friend’s double for a while when the baby was born and it did not provide any shade, which was brutal for the girls. I ended up trying to tie a blanket in place but it kept falling off.

Always inflate the wheels. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started off without checking them and figured out halfway through a brutal run that the reason I could barely push the thing was because the tires were almost flat!

Make sure it has a storage place for your water. You really don’t need a down below storage unit unless you plan to jog to the store and stock up on groceries. But you will want a place to put your water bottle as you run, along with your keys and other essentials.

Make sure it turns easily when you test it out. Mine does not, and every single time I have to make a turn, large or not, I have to lift the stroller to do so.

Check the tires. Do they go along a straight path? Mine don’t. In fact, every few minutes I have to pick the stroller up and align it forward again because the wheels veer over to one side. It’s a hassle, and I always wind up with a stiff back and neck after the run because of how difficult this jogger is to steer.

For now, I only use it when I absolutely have to. All of the other times I wake early in the morning and run, so I can be back long before the kids rise from bed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always wanted to go faster, I just couldn’t.

I’d kick it up a notch and feel like I might faint. My heart would pound crazily against my chest, I’d get really hot, I’d have difficulty catching my breath.

Well, after the marathon, which took longer than I wanted, I decided I’d like to start speed training.

Here is what I’ve discovered over the past several months:

1-My waist is smaller

2-I’ve gotten faster

The kicking it up a notch several timne sa week in training has definitely decreased my waist size (can I give a big shout out, yoo hoo!) Nothing was working on that damn cesarean pouch that had remained on my body after my second surgical birth (sorry guys, but it’s the truth . . . ) I do ab work four or five days a week, and that helps, but the speed work really took off some of that flabby excess.

My times have improved as well. I actually shaved about a minute off each mile at this point! And I can get to about 8:30 miles if I have to, at least for a shorter period of time.

So is it working? Well, I’m going to run my first 5K in many years next week, on the fourth of July, with some friends. My goal: Do it fast. As fast as I can. I want to see if all of this has paid off, and then I’ll come back and fill you all in!

So, how am I doing it? Basically I run four days a week:

Monday-4 miles

Wednesday-4 miles

Thursday-3 miles

Saturday-Long Run, depends on training schedule (Currently 7 miles)

On Monday and Wednesday I do at least 3-3.5 miles on a regular run pace, and then I spend the next half to one mile working on speed. I usually do several 500s as fast as I can take it, which currently is around 6:30, but has actually dropped into the 5s a few times!

On Thursdays run, this is all speed. I go out as fast as I can go for as long as I can go. I variate my speeds with this run, of course, starting off a bit slower until I’m warmed up and then, about a half to a mile into it, really pushing it hard. I’ll go as fast as I can for a bit, then slow it down and recover, then kick it up again.

This has really helped my times. I’m learning just how far and fast I can push it. I’m now working on building up that endurance, going faster for longer, which has been the tough part. I can sprint like hell-shoot, I use this skill to run away from my kids all the time (just kidding!), but putting it in the middle of a run and then continuing to run after pushing it like that is a bit more difficult.

Why don’t I just let the little watch pause itself like I know it will do?

It’s so hot here. I ran at 6 AM and I bet it was nearing 80. I don’t do well in the heat. I had to stop a few times, downed a bottle of water in the 7 miles, and felt like I had been hit by a truck after it was all over. I don’ t know how these people do it-you know the ones, the ones we see running at noon in 90 degree and plus heat. I would be dead on the sidewalk.

My friends are doing a 5K for the fourth of July and they want me t join along. It’s a fun run for them, ,as they have been training for this fo ra while. For me I konw it would turn into a speed thing. How fast could I do it? I would want to do it in 27 minutes but bet it woul dbe closer to 28 1/2. I have gotten faster during my speed training sessions. I think I might join up and see what happens. Of course, that competitve streak will kill me and it will probably be 100 degrees out that day lol!

In the meantime I have added a lot of strength and speed training to my workout and it is paying off! I’ve cut half a minute from my miles! I’m so excited-half a minute over 13 miles is quite a bit lol!

My schedule now is:

long on Saturday (5)

yoga or strength on Sunday

4 on Monday – speed at the end for about half a mile

swim on Tuesday

4 on Wed, with another half to a mile of speed/sprints at the end

2 1/2 run on Thursday all out

yoga on Friday

I’m also doing ab work and arm work and leg work three days a week, alternating. I am definitely seeing a change in my body now. It got used to those long distances only, and there was no change. I had lost all I was going to lose but was not shaping that baby pouch!!

In another note, are any of you work at home moms in the los angeles or orange county area? If so I’ve just started a yahoo group for us! Come visit! We’ll be doing some activities that will both improve our personal and our business lives-some with kids, some without. I’m dying to meet some other work at home moms in my area. It’s tough!

Kids are waking up.

Oh well, so is the life of a runner, right?

Life just got in the way. Got two kids under 4, we’re buying a house (holy shite!), we’re taking a family vacation and my husband has about umpteen trips out of town for business this and next month.

In the interim, I got sick, really sick, with the flu two weeks ago. Zstill recovering. Cough, sore throat, two weeks later. And, today when I ran, only 3.86 miles (i know, because i was aiming for 6!), I was short of breath STILL.

This sucks! Feel like I will never get better. Where are my long runs?

Already gaining weight . . . that is what happens when you stop running 35 miles per week and drop back to 12.

I hate it, but right now I can’t do anything about it.

So I’ve been doing tons of sit ups. Not helping, but still, feel as though i’m doing SOMETHING.

And I rode my bike 13 miles the other morning. that was nice.

So tomorrow my neighbor is taking the kids for a while so I can run. Should go to bed now. That’s early in the morning.

Anyway, that is it from here, just checking in. Bummed about the R&R race, but I’m planning to do long beach in october. That’s good. maybe I just need a rest . . .

This week the work showed. I had improved my 5K pace from 10:30 (yes, I know, slow as molasses) to 9:18! That’s shaving almost a minute off of my mile-for three miles!

Needless to say, for me this is a huge accomplishment. I’m hoping to ge to the point where I can run a marathon in less than 4 hours. Okay, so some people do this in almost half the time, but I”m not one of them, nor will I ever be. But at least I could do it a bit more quickly!

For speed training I’ve been doing different types of training. one day a week is full out 3 miles, as fast as I can go. If I feel myself slowing down I speed up. If I can’t breathe, I suck it up.

The other day, when I do my 6 miles (one of my 6ers), I focus on points along the run when I really kick it into high gear.

On my long day run I dont do a lot of speed training, but on the way home I try to kcik it up a notch or two along the way. i do’nt do it early on. I mean, I’m running a half marathon or so and don’t want to burn out early, get cramps, and have to call a taxi to get me home!

I have noticed a great time improvement even on my long day, though, when I’m not running full out for a while. It happens to have shaved about half a minute off of my long distance time. Not so bad!

Anyway, tomorrow is 14 miles. I’m hoping for a great run. I had a few glasses of wine with dinner tonight-hubby took us all out for dinner at a cuban restaurant, and the plantains were soooo good!- so going to bed soon to sleep i toff. Also drinking tons of water.

Since hubbyt has some out of town trips planned in the upcoming month or so before the big race, the second big race I guess i should say, I have had to adjust my schedule accordingly. But looks like I will get all of my olong runs in right before we go to hawaii for vacation, and I will be in tapering mode while there. that will leave one odd week out so that instead of three weeks prior to marathon I will have four. probably will run a good 15-17 miler when we get back from vacation, res t for a couple of weeks, and then head to san diego.

I can’t wait!

Off to bed now that the kids are asleep!

running-long-distances

I did enjoy it, though. It was a bit misty and very cold out, and I didn’t warm up the way that I do when I run. I’ll have to remember that for next time, and maybe spend some money on actual biking clothes that will keep me a bit warmer than my running pants.

The thing I really liked about riding-I got a lot farther than I do when I run in a much shorter period of time! One hour instead of 2. But I was only going about 15 miles per hour at the most, and when I read about the tri athletes that go 24 I realized I have a lot  of work to do.

When I got off of the bike, I stood up for a second and then tried to run. My legs felt so heavy! I’m wondering if that feeling goes away. Well, I’m sure that it does, but just how long does it take? Will you begin the run portion of a tri with heavy legs? Tough!

Today I”m starving. WIth such a heavy week of training (for me, after only having done some shorter runs since the marathon), I am really working up an appetite! I’m tired today, too, but my daughter has a bday party to go to. I hate to say that I don’t want to go . . . but I’d much rather stay at home, pull the covers over my head and take a nice long nap!

You either hate it and never do it again (my cousin’s husband said this-he did one, that was it, won’t do it again) or you love it so much you can’t get enough.

I fell into the second category. I’m training for san diego in june, which will be four months after the first, and then hoping to do long beach in november.

Yet I’m beginning to think of even loftier goals, like running a 30 miler, or trying a tri (well, I’m already training for this, but I’m thinking could I ever do ironman?)

What is up with that? I wonder sometimes why I want to do more, and further, and what sets someone apart who loves that type of pain from someone who does it once, says no way, and stops?

My cousin’s husband still runs. Don’t know the length of runs he does, but it isn’t 30 mile races anymore.

I think part of it is ego. Maybe that’ s it? Are long distant runners trying to prove something?

I believe so, but only to ourselves. I dont care what other people think. in fact, if you tell someone that you ran a marathon or that you someday would love to attempt an ironman tri they will look at you like you have two heads.

They can’t comprehend that distance, and they can’t comprehend why someone would want to do that kind of distance. What provokes a person to run 26.2 miles? That is a long damn way!

Ego, I guess, but only for ourselves.

You see, I know I can do an ironman. Or at least, I know that I can train and then try to d o the ironman. And I know myself well enough to know I’ll be lying on the floor bleeding from my eyeballs before I will ever stop, once I start that race. My first marathon was under really nasty weather conditions, and I had no desire to quit. I was going to finish it. I had trained, and I would finish it.

This next marathon, I understand that it is a long distance, but I already know that I can do it. You see, I’ve done it already. Now, for some reason, I feel the need to prove to myself that I can go further, faster and stronger than before.

Just wondering how many others of you out there finished that first long distance race and while you were busy congratulating yourself and beaming about the accomplishment were also thinking, “Hm, what would it be like to run 50 miles?”

I’m hoping this is a shoe issue, so yesterday I went out and bought a new pair of Saucony’s.  Loved the old ones so much that i took them in to match with a new pair but ended up getting a different model with the same  stability support. I love them! So cushy. Tomorrow I have an 11 miler, and I at least want to do ten. Today I”m going to spend some time stretching out my IBS area and hoping that this stretching and the new shoes will take care of the knee pain. it doesn’t last. as soon as I stop running, even if I stop and walk, the pain goes away. so I’m hoping it is nothing serious.

I have only about 11 weeks to the marathon and I am still at 8.5 miles as my longest run, so not a lot of time! I’m hoping my body remembers the last marathon in February and bounce back easily.

I am also going to signup for Avon’s two day walk event. The first day is a marathon at 26 miles and the second day is 13.  Since that is the only event between the June rock and roll marathon in San Diego and Long Beach’s marathon I’m hoping that it keeps me  in training mode.