The Runner Within

Well, I figured it was time to add a new playlist, since it’s been a while since I posted one. This one I call my Retro playlist, although, it’s mostly comprised of 80’s music with some 60’s and 70’s thrown in. I actually think that this is my preferred playlist to run to at the moment. I guess it is because a lot of these songs have dance appeal. Some of them I even dance to at the local 80’s night. Anyway, here they are in no particular order:

• The Longest Time - Bily Joel
• Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
• Kung Fu Fighting - Bustop / Carl Douglas
• Tainted Love - Soft Cell
• Love To Hate You - Erasure
• The Final Countdown - Europe
• Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
• Blue Monday - New Order
• Sussudio - Phil Collins
• Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
• Friday I’m in Love - The Cure
• You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) - Dead or Alive
• Love Shack - The B-52’s
• Panama - Van Halen
• Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane
• Poison - Bel Biv DeVoe
• Unbelieveable - EMF
• Jump Around - House of Pain
• Two Princes - Spin Doctors
• Cold as Ice - Foreigner
• Good Lovin’ - The Rascals
• Ain’t Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
• Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
• Roadhouse Blues - The Doors
• More than a Feeling - Boston
• Rocky Mountain Way - Joe Walsh
• (Don’t Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
• Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
• Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
• What’s your Name? - Lynyrd Skynryd
• La Grange - ZZ Top
• Gone Daddy Gone - Violent Femmes

For some weird reason, I failed to notice that Angie tagged me to list 6 weird things about myself. So, after a brief oversight on my part, here’s what I have come up with:

1. I hate and have always hated (for as long as I can remember) potatoes… most people find this extremely weird, although, I’m not sure why.

2. I also hate creamy things, like whipped cream, eclair filling, etc… this is particularly weird, given that I have a big sweet tooth.

3. I like the beach, but I hate feeling sticky from saltwater, and beach sand annoys me… so, that’s kind of a paradox.

4. I have a mole on my retina which looks like a speck in the iris of my left eye. So, I suppose it would be hard to fake a retinal scan of my eye (or maybe really easy… not sure how the technology works).

5. I still act like a goofy nerd, even though I don’t look like one anymore… and it throws people off sometimes.

6. I sometimes wonder if I have some kind of anxiety disorder, because I randomly worry that members of my family are in horrible danger, and I’ll never see them again. This doesn’t happen as much as it used to, but it is weird nonetheless.

As for tagging six other bloggers… I don’t think enough people read this yet to notice they’ve been tagged.

So, I just today decided to register for the Nike+ Women’s Half Marathon. At some point, I’d like to run the full marathon for Nike in San Francisco, but this year it was sold out with lightning speed and is at a time when I couldn’t make it anyway. But, Nike is making it possible for 20,000 women (or men even) to run a half marathon using their Nike+ sensors during any time on October 21, 2007. All you do is run/walk the mileage and then upload it to Nike+ by October 28, 2007, and you are considered a finisher. So, basically, it’s a virtual race. This seems like the perfect thing for my first half-marathon. It will be a couple weeks after my Race for the Taste 10k and about a month before the Space Coast Marathon, but it seems like a good race for me to get at least one half marathon distance under my belt. Plus, I’d get a keychain for my effort, so, yeah… cool! Anyway, so if any ladies are interested in this, they should check it out, because it seems like a great way to run a half marathon virtually (if you have and ipod nano and nike+ sensor, which I do).

In other news, I’ve been cleared to run, so I really need to get back into it. It’s hard when you’ve been out for a while and you know you’ve lost cardio ability. Blarg! I will get running again though.

I got to start my strength training sessions back up today. It was good. I felt really relaxed afterwards, although it was disappointing to lose so much arm strength. I was doing arm presses with 5 lb weights and struggling by the second set. Katie, my trainer, mostly had me work on core and arms today, though, which was good. I definitely need to get back into the lunges, but I’d rather wait a week on it than cause more complications. I’ve also been attending a personal training class on Tuesday nights, for my own benefit. And it’s definitely been useful. The instructor goes over the machines and the proper form for lifts. I don’t see myself using the bar to do powerlifting or anything, but it’s always good to have a refresher on form. And it highlights how if you change your stance a little or your arm position, you work different muscles. I can tell that I’m going to have to bring a stability ball with me to Japan and maybe try to pick up some cheap dumbells in 5 and 10 lb weights… although who knows how I’d get them back to my apartment. Really, though, going 5 months without strength training will be really bad for me.

Well, I’m started to get frustrated here. I was supposed to be able to start running again tomorrow, but it looks like I have to put it off a week, again. I was feeling some pain in my leg near my sutures, and it was tender and hard there. So, my stepdad did an ultrasound (he owns his own ultrasound company, so he had an ultrasound machine at the house), and they found a loculated fluid sac in there. So, I had it drained this morning. It wasn’t infected, which is good news, but I can’t run on the leg for a week, because my surgeon wants the hole that was left behind when we took the fluid out to seal up properly. So… no more running for yet another week. Luckily, my training plan only requires 16 weeks, so it’s not dire that I start this week. However, given the various things that I have planned this summer, such as my brother’s wedding, a small trip to Vegas, a trip to NYC for my grandmother’s funeral, a trip to Atlanta for DragonCon, I will be cutting it close to not start my official training soon. I’m also really out of shape, as it has been like 4 weeks since I’ve worked out.

At least, however, I was told that I can start strength training, which is good. I already set up my appointments for Tuesday and Thursday at 5. So, I will start that this week. My trainer will have to go easy on me, however, since I don’t want that hole to not seal properly and cause further complications. Anyway, those are my current training woes. I haven’t forgotten about this site. I just haven’t had the ability to do much physical activity lately. I’m starting to go stir crazy though. So, next week, for sure!

Well, my recovery has had some bumps in the road, but hopefully nothing that will keep me from getting back to training on schedule. It turns out I had a hematoma on one side after the surgery. It began oozing thick, black-brown blood and clots yesterday. It was good, though, despite the freakiness of it, because that means that the hematoma is liquifying and draining out on its own. Today, the blood was lighter, but still brown and sometimes clotty. So, that means hopefully, that the worst is over with, and the healing will speed up. There was definitely less pain today than yesterday. The pain hasn’t been too bad, but in the mornings, I was really feeling it. Also, it has reduced the swelling a bit, which I was looking forward to. I’m expecting the spectacular bruising that was left behind to take weeks to go away… hopefully I won’t look like I have a lump of zombie flesh on me for too much longer. For anyone with a weak stomach, I appologize, but if I can’t have humor about it, then what’s the point? Both my parents are physicians, so I’m not exactly squeamish about this kind of thing, although, I would have been significantly more freaked out if I couldn’t get advice from them about it. So, I just have to wait and see what happens with it. My surgeon said (last Weds) that I could resume running in a week or two. I’m aiming to be back out there by the end of May at the latest.

Well, I’m sorry I haven’t written lately. I had a very dramatic week with finals and some personal turmoil. I will recover (from the finals, at least). So, I am going into surgery bright and early Tuesday morning, so I will not be posting, probably for a few days minimum… I think there’s some kind of “no typing” rule for a bit at least. I’m sad that I won’t be able to resume my training until the end of May, but tearing a stitch would be a bad idea. It’s all part of a process, though, and hopefully this will be the final step, and I won’t have to go through this again. I have all sorts of great running reading material to get me through the next couple of weeks, and then school will be starting up again, and then I’ll be running and training before I know it. I have to start searching for a race in FL during the summer. I’m registered for a 10k in October, but I want to run a race before then, at least a 5k. I might be able to do another 10k earlier, because I’m sure I’ll be back up to speed fairly quick in June (crosses fingers), but I haven’t found one I’m particularly interested in yet.

My trainer is also supposed to be teaching a summer class on personal training, and hopfully I can attend that. I think the knowledge will be extremely beneficial for the future. Also, I am considering joining an intramural indoor soccer team through my school and looking for some sort of martial art to take up. So, I’m sure that I’ll be fit and exhausted in no time. I will have to keep myself busy, or I’ll just wallow, and that’s no good!

I bet you’ve never heard of procrastinating by running… well, in an effort to put off the hard part of studying for my constitutional law final (the part where I catch up on some reading that I never did), I decided to go for a run. The weather was extremely nice (for Florida). It was 72 degrees and partially cloudy. Normally at this time of the year it would already be in the mid-80s… so I guess this bizarre weather is helping me out in some ways, although having to wear a jacket in the evenings in late April seems unsettling. I managed to beat my personal best, not that I have much of a benchmark to exceed, but I did feel a bit run down at the end, and I think it’s because I’m still not getting enough calories during the day. I should probably look into some kind of meal bars or some kind of ucky carb beverages. If anyone has any suggestions for stuff that doesn’t taste nasty, I’m all ears. I also need to be sure and up my water intake, because I think I am getting dehyrated as well. Ahhhhh… so many poor habits to change at once… it’s overwhelming.

Well, I guess I’ve put off reading Casey and Grutter for long enough!

Distance: 3.13 mi (5k)
Time: 32:02
Pace: 10:13/mi
Previous Best: 3.11 mi in 33:20 at 10:42/mi

Well, I read a blog today by a guy who was over 300lbs and ran the Boston Marathon (after the registered racers had already started). It really impressed me that this guy, Jacob, had the guts to take on a challenge like that. Not only did he take on the physical challenge, but he was willing to face possible public humiliation to change for the better. That is the kind of inspiration we all need. I’ve already battled my demons with weight, but we all have sources of weakness and potential shame, and they can be overcome, just as weight can. So, even though I may have already been where Jacob was and gotten through that part of my life, he is an inspiration to tackle future challenges and better myself in other ways. It never ceases to amaze me what people will do to overcome obstacles. I commend you, Jacob, for facing those elite runners and the throngs of people there watching. Even in my small form, I would not have had the guts to run after them, for fear of humiliating myself. You’re a true hero, not just to the obese, but to everyone! Here is his story: What Would Jacob Do?

Well, I finall took my nike+ ipod setup out on the open road and logged a 5k. I ran around my neighborhood, which ended up being surprisingly hilly. It didn’t compare to Coachman Park, but it gave me a run for my money (no pun intended). I didn’t run the whole way, which I was fine with. I haven’t been training regularly since I’ve been gearing up for finals, and, if my ipod setup was at all accurate, which I think it was, since I have gauged the area I ran at around 3 miles, then my pace was way down from what it normally is, which explains the huffing, puffing, and feelings of imminent doom. Additionally, after loading the data into NikePlus.com, I was proudly informed that my fasted 1-mile was a little under 10 minutes… lemme tell you, I have NEVER run a ten-minute mile before. I’m sure seasoned runners aren’t impressed, but I sure am, considering I was routinely the last person still on the track when we were forced to run the one and two mile distances in P.E. Here are the stats:

Distance: 3.11 mi (5k)
Time: 33:20
Pace: 10:42/mi
Previous Best: Iron Girl 5k, 38:26 at 12:24/mi

So, yay! Really, what it comes down to, however, is that I need to be able to modulate my running better so that I can run longer at a slower pace, rather than run at a faster pace and then have to walk. I guess on the treadmill, things are easier, because the machine regulates my pace for me. However, I doubt any marathons were ever run on the treadmill (not counting that crazy astronaut). Of course, I can never seem to run faster than a 12:15 pace on the treadmill, and that was for one mile, and I felt like I was going to die.

This brings me to my next topic…

Nutrition… and other concerns

I really have to try and muddle through this nutrition thing. I know that seems vague. What you eat to lose weight seems to be radically different than what you eat to train for distance running. I know this may seem obvious to those of you who are seasoned runners, but it’s causing a lot of confusion for me.

Obviously, as someone who has lost a significant amount of weight, I am used to eating a fairly calorie-restricted diet. However, I think I’m probably not getting enough calories to give my body the fuel it needs for longer runs. It’s just become a habit, I guess, to not eat too much. Also, I don’t eat a lot, but frequently, I’m not the healthiest eater. I’ll sometimes forgo a larger, healthy meal for a caloric cookie or some ice cream. *hides from the judgmental glares*

Really, though, I have a terrible sweet tooth, and red meat is often hard on my stomach, which makes for an unfortunate combination of not enough iron and too much sugar. I can start taking a vitamin for iron, and I bought some yogurts and other more healthful snacks, but, really, I guess it is just going to end up being trial and error that determines what I should eat and how much of it. I have some books, but as usual, they just quote the food pyramid to me, so I’ll just have to wing it I guess! Sugestions are welcome!