Seriously....

Case has found new forms of torture....all in the name of my health.  Yep today I worked out in a weight vest.  As he dropped 12 pounds on me I had flash backs to the Army days and the body armour we wore in Bosnia...seriously. We then proceeded to run through a series of exercises just like the good 'ole days, only this time carrying all the weight I have lost then some.  Is it too weird to admit that at the end I felt kinda proud of myself for surviving it.  I am going to be so sore tomorrow!

Truck'n on

I guess I've gained some confidence that this running thing is going to last....I've entered into two more races including my first half marathon.  The half isn't until July but Case hinted at thinking I could do one in February (yikes, that doesn't seem far away).  Today I ran 7.5 miles, add another 5.6 and I've got my half.  Easy to type I am thinking.  Funny too, ended up chatting with my hairdresser about running and nutrition.  Turns out she volunteers as a marathon charity trainer, she is currently training folk for the Hawaii Marathon, which is my fall back if I don't get into NY. This whole running thing is changing my world.

Kill'n it

Okay so while it might appear I am obsessed with animated characters that shake their butts (Percy was a little creepy).....boogie bunny does pretty much capture how I'm feeling. Just ran a trial run of the trail run - killed it! Actually I ran a little more than the run itself (yes, yes, I got a little geographically challenged). Whatever, assuming I can hold it all together I might actually be able to complete the run in under an hour (although I think that's a stretch.....). The run up wasn't as hideous as I thought it was going to be so I think I can run faster on some sections. Woohoo!
Of course I did have the previous weeks run in Nisene Marks Park to compare it to. OMG, that really did prove to be a trail - single lane, tree roots, river beds, up and up - did have me appreciate all the work Case has done on getting my core strength up!

Feel the fear and try not to panic

Two weeks back I had a terrible workout where we were training in the weight room and it was really humid.  I was working really hard (cardio and weights) when I literally felt like I couldn't breathe.  For the first time ever I had to stop the training and go outside to calm down.....kind of like a panic attack (although I've never had one before, so I am guessing).  I've never had anything like that before.  A week later I was doing another cardio session and it was like my body remembered and I had to pause again.  It really freaked me out.  My head knows/knew that there was plenty of oxygen but my mind body connection was going haywire.  Cos I'm not proud (well actually because I am proud and hated feeling like I wasn't able to control my mind/body) I asked a couple of people at work who workout a lot if they had any strategies. Two good pieces of advice - ignore anything that freaks you out and a breathing exercise. Combining these two strategies while Case putting me through a workout tonight (that included the freaky burpee exercises)  I willed myself not to think about panicking (well I don't know if that's what actually happened but that's what I was aiming for) and focused on the breathing exercise.  I can't say I was entirely comfortable but I didn't panic and feel my confidence returning.  Long may I never experience that feeling again!

Groan

Hideously hard workout on Tuesday has left me with very strained thigh muscles.....so strained that I couldn't work my legs out at all Wednesday and cancelled my training for Thursday.  It's annoying and makes me feel grumpy and out of sorts.  Want to go running, want to go running, want to go running...can't, grumpy.

A lesson in recovery

So feeling both the agony and the ecstasy!  Ran the 6 miles in record time Friday, did 3.5 miles on the beach Saturday then 45mins on Stairmaster Sunday with 3.8 miles (in record time) Monday. Tuesday back to Case - did my fastest mile on the treadmill at 8:44mins...then proceeded to quietly collapse during the training as we worked on my legs.  Yikes, really felt the fatigue set in. Even Case commented that was the first time he'd seen me that fatigued, so today (Wednesday) is a rest day....  My legs felt so tired I could hardly drag myself around the office.  On the upside (always an upside), I am getting to experience first hand the importance of rest days!

Broke the 10 min mile