A confession: I have made multiple jokes when looking at the windows of a fitness center and seeing a row of people running on treadmills. Come on...it looks ridiculous. A bunch of people running in place, staring out of a big window...they look like hamsters in a cage, running on those wheels. It is funny and quite strange.
Yet, I admit that I have spent my fair share of time on one of those things. In New Mexico, it is more convenient for me to drive to the gym at 5:30AM in the dark and run on a treadmill before work than to run in daylight immediately after work. Unfortunately, I hated it. Ever since, I have dreaded the tread[ed]mill. Let's all say it together: Teadmills are BORING!
BUT, just recently, I starting running on a treadmill, again, and it has been a different experience. Instead of just putting in my requisite miles at a comfortable jogging pace, I am using the treadmill to push myself. When running outside, I tend to find a comfortable pace, and then I stick with it the best I can. This is nice, but I'd like to progress in some way; I'd like to get faster. Using the treadmill's ability to establish my pace for me, I can push myself beyond my typical comfort zone, yet at the same time, not push myself too hard so I burn out, which I have a tendency to do when I try to push myself while running outside. Doing intervals on the treadmill has also been a revelation because I can really control the speeds I use. Consequently, this new apporach has made the treadmill more of training tool for me, rather than a torture device. It is still rather boring, but at least I feel like the boredom is getting me somewhere. Hamsters unite!!!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Choosing a major
My running journey has only started a little over a year ago now (1 year and 10 days ago to be exact) and I am hoping that there are many more to come. But the longer I am running, I am starting to have the feeling that running is like a university and people pick different majors along the way. There are the people who get into running and start running every single race, they can get their hands/feet on. Some decide on a specific length. They become 5K sprinters or long distance runners. There are the people who, after having taken the introductory courses, move on to add more variety to their runs by adding swimming and biking and call it a triathlon. The masters of the studies used to be the marathoners, but in the last years, after evaluating the landscape of runners and looking what kind of "jobs" people were interested in, new "degrees" emerged and you can get a "doctorate" now by becoming an ultra runner or an iron man. I wonder sometimes what kind of final project it takes to be able to add the title to your name.
Bergmommy, UM & IM.... Hmm, doesn't quite sound like Dr. yet, but that could just be, because people haven't gotten used to the title yet.
Since the beginning of the year, I have started to think about, if it is time to declare a definite major for myself. I know, I could be one of the students that just keeps switching majors several times throughout, but I feel like at least for a few years, I could try on a specific major. Luckily, I don't have to be done in 2 - 4 years and can get as many "running degrees" as my heart desires.
For now, I think I will get my feet wet in trying some trail running. Or I will do it, once the trails are not only there for cross country skiers anymore. I will also see, how longer distances suit me. I can relax more in longer races, because I don't feel the pressure of improving my speed as much, since I am proud enough to cover the distance. Maybe I will just declare a major at the beginning of every running season and if I like it I might stick with it the next year.
Question is, if I keep switching majors all the time, will I ever be able to waive my diploma and throw my running cap in the air? And what should I wear to my graduation party??????
Bergmommy, UM & IM.... Hmm, doesn't quite sound like Dr. yet, but that could just be, because people haven't gotten used to the title yet.
Since the beginning of the year, I have started to think about, if it is time to declare a definite major for myself. I know, I could be one of the students that just keeps switching majors several times throughout, but I feel like at least for a few years, I could try on a specific major. Luckily, I don't have to be done in 2 - 4 years and can get as many "running degrees" as my heart desires.
For now, I think I will get my feet wet in trying some trail running. Or I will do it, once the trails are not only there for cross country skiers anymore. I will also see, how longer distances suit me. I can relax more in longer races, because I don't feel the pressure of improving my speed as much, since I am proud enough to cover the distance. Maybe I will just declare a major at the beginning of every running season and if I like it I might stick with it the next year.
Question is, if I keep switching majors all the time, will I ever be able to waive my diploma and throw my running cap in the air? And what should I wear to my graduation party??????
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
A Walk Around the Pond
The weather in Ohio has changed back to Spring again. Today BonBon and I walked the "back" trail and braved the mud. Our excursion included a couple of holes dug by the terrier necessitating a partial bath of feet and belly. A cardinal was calling it's song of "this is my territory" just to assure safety in the region. We also watched a few crows carry on in the row of pine trees at the north end of the property. I noticed some green shoots out of the ground by a couple of inches, maybe daffodils. The snow is almost completely gone. There are a few piles with missed yellow-wrapped newspapers showing through the snow. A few branches from a Christmas tree line the border of one yard and I notice another neighbor still has plants flourishing court yard's protected cul-de-sac.
Our walk included the house going up across the property line from my garage. A foreign language is spoken on the job site sprinkled with laughter and shouting. The house is going up quickly given the mild weather and commitment of these workers to get the job done. Bon hates them because of their use of noisy nail "weapons" resounding loudly all over the complex. There is only one place left now for another house. This last one is happily situation away from my house. The north front of this property still holds one small pond populated with geese and space for a small office building.
Out near the side street we find the usual trash and start filling up the doggie poop bag with all the stuff people throw out the windows. Fast food wrappers, soda cans, beer bottles, cigarette packages, plastic bags and a sock. I always wonder how people lose one sock. Is it thrown out the window? Did someone run around out in the weather and, then leave one sock behind? Strange.... There are tracks from snowmobile traffic through the mud and across the drainage creek into the pond. What a mess! Everything looks bleak with the trees bare and the otherwise lack of color. But the air smells nice and getting outside makes me feel better.
We came home to a stint in the laundry tub for Bon and a nice warm house. After some water and an extra sweater, we settled in the comfortable chair to rest. It should start raining again this afternoon making it impossible to trudge through the trail again for a day or so.
Our walk included the house going up across the property line from my garage. A foreign language is spoken on the job site sprinkled with laughter and shouting. The house is going up quickly given the mild weather and commitment of these workers to get the job done. Bon hates them because of their use of noisy nail "weapons" resounding loudly all over the complex. There is only one place left now for another house. This last one is happily situation away from my house. The north front of this property still holds one small pond populated with geese and space for a small office building.
Out near the side street we find the usual trash and start filling up the doggie poop bag with all the stuff people throw out the windows. Fast food wrappers, soda cans, beer bottles, cigarette packages, plastic bags and a sock. I always wonder how people lose one sock. Is it thrown out the window? Did someone run around out in the weather and, then leave one sock behind? Strange.... There are tracks from snowmobile traffic through the mud and across the drainage creek into the pond. What a mess! Everything looks bleak with the trees bare and the otherwise lack of color. But the air smells nice and getting outside makes me feel better.
We came home to a stint in the laundry tub for Bon and a nice warm house. After some water and an extra sweater, we settled in the comfortable chair to rest. It should start raining again this afternoon making it impossible to trudge through the trail again for a day or so.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Fitting it in
Isn't it amazing how committed one has to be to do keep doing something that is actually so good for oneself?
I started to tell people that I think you can only be a motivated runner, if you actually like running (and torturing yourself ones in a while). I find it hard enough to figure out how to make the time to run as often as I want to, but I continue to look for ways, because I like how I feel. But if I didn't like running and had to convince myself to get out there and do it purely on the basis that it is supposed to be good for me, I would probably explode with excuses that I needed to do other things. So my kudos to anybody who has been able to do that.
I have been contemplating this week to change my work schedule to allow me to work out right after work, instead of having to rely on our darling daughter to fall asleep quickly enough, so I can go later in the evening. For some reason I find it easier to wake up early to go to work, then to go running. That might just be the winter blues.We don't want to switch our daughter's schedule, making it the goal to have her stay asleep while mommy rises early.
Running in the late evening hasn't worked out so well for me. Either I feel like I am running with a brick in my stomach, because dinner hasn't completely settled down or I fall asleep with the little one and am completely out of it by the time she is finally asleep.
So, we have been giving it a try that I wake up earlier to see, if I could do an earlier work time. Three days into it I can report that so far it has been a complete failure. The first morning, I woke up just in time, moved my foot and had to discover that she was laying there and promptly woke up. Second day, I tried to have her stay asleep in her own bed, so I wouldn't wake her up and can sneak out of the room. Well, I spend most of my night next to her bed freezing to get her to fall back asleep. Unfortunately every time she did, I still stayed awake for a while longer. In the morning I was completely exhausted and she still got up early with me. Third morning, she is the one waking me up just before the early alarm goes off. I gave up, let her be up early and went running in the morning.
We'll see where we go from here...Maybe I keep my work time and get her trained to bring me my running clothes right to bed, so I go running early in the morning...but I am sure, if I make that my plan, she'll decide to sleep longer
Monday, January 16, 2012
BonBon and I face ice from one end of the property to the other. Today we were able to walk all the way out to Heritage Woods before she started holding her paws up as if to tell me they were freezing. We came back in and I decided to lie on the floor to stretch out. I can no longer do "supermans" at all. I did figure out how to do them in the water at the pool. Again, some of those muscles don't respond like they should. Spending time on the floor does have benefits for "press ups and the dead bug" BonBon loves that because it means she gets extra training treats for doing her "tricks".
Anyway, I made soup using a recipe found on epicurious (Laura, I think you would like this site), a web site that indexes recipes from various magazines. Anyway, this easy soup includes some of those vegetables the cashiers at the grocery store need help identifying. Leeks, turnips, garlic, salt and pepper chicken stock (I make my own to avoid some of the additives). I used four leeks saute' in minimal olive oil, the the garlic, chop up the turnips and add with the stock. Once the veggies are soft, I sprinkle it with a parm cheese (the good kind). Yum! Try the moroccan chicken pot pie on that web site but double the spices. Very good. There is minimal crust - one on the top.
As you can see, life in Akron is very rough these days. There is a plan to have a reception for Walter's friends by invitation only. That's a bit disappointing for me but Summa (the hospital) is planning a memorial service sometime soon. The reception will be at Vaccaro's Restaurant (Steve, Judith and I think Hannah have been there). My plan initially was to avoid the reception all together...... We are also having discussion about where his ashes should go. Again I initially agreed to have them here at my condo but had some different ideas recently. I'd like to take them to a spot we often walked. You may know about the Cuyahoga Vally Park System that Representative Seiberling worked so hard to include the portion that runs through the valley into Akron, Penisula, Bath. We walked in one particular section with the dog where the path includes a bridge over a pond with turtles, frogs, fish and birds. The heron have nests in that area now. We always sited all kinds of birds and saw a beaver building a dam about a mile down the trail. That trail now joins Akron through the Valley to Penisula and into Cleveland. Szalay's Farms expanded their fruit and vegetable market to include bottled water and quick snacks for the families riding their bikes or hiking through the area. I wonder what it would take for me to be able to walk that again. Now there's a goal! Do ya suppose it's time for a three wheeled vehicle?
Aunt Louise
Anyway, I made soup using a recipe found on epicurious (Laura, I think you would like this site), a web site that indexes recipes from various magazines. Anyway, this easy soup includes some of those vegetables the cashiers at the grocery store need help identifying. Leeks, turnips, garlic, salt and pepper chicken stock (I make my own to avoid some of the additives). I used four leeks saute' in minimal olive oil, the the garlic, chop up the turnips and add with the stock. Once the veggies are soft, I sprinkle it with a parm cheese (the good kind). Yum! Try the moroccan chicken pot pie on that web site but double the spices. Very good. There is minimal crust - one on the top.
As you can see, life in Akron is very rough these days. There is a plan to have a reception for Walter's friends by invitation only. That's a bit disappointing for me but Summa (the hospital) is planning a memorial service sometime soon. The reception will be at Vaccaro's Restaurant (Steve, Judith and I think Hannah have been there). My plan initially was to avoid the reception all together...... We are also having discussion about where his ashes should go. Again I initially agreed to have them here at my condo but had some different ideas recently. I'd like to take them to a spot we often walked. You may know about the Cuyahoga Vally Park System that Representative Seiberling worked so hard to include the portion that runs through the valley into Akron, Penisula, Bath. We walked in one particular section with the dog where the path includes a bridge over a pond with turtles, frogs, fish and birds. The heron have nests in that area now. We always sited all kinds of birds and saw a beaver building a dam about a mile down the trail. That trail now joins Akron through the Valley to Penisula and into Cleveland. Szalay's Farms expanded their fruit and vegetable market to include bottled water and quick snacks for the families riding their bikes or hiking through the area. I wonder what it would take for me to be able to walk that again. Now there's a goal! Do ya suppose it's time for a three wheeled vehicle?
Aunt Louise
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Whole Wheat
In our quest to eat as healthy as possible on a very limited budget, the Family Fit in Wisconsin has maintained a whole wheat regime. 99% of the wheat consumed in our household is made from stone-ground, whole-grain, wheat flour. We bake most of our own bread by hand -about 4 loaves a week. All baked goods are made from whole wheat, including cookies, pizza crusts, cakes, etc.
This choice has made a great impact on my health. My body doesn't do particularly well on carbs, especially refined wheat, which makes me feel absolutely exhausted about and hour after eating it. Whole wheat, even eaten in large quantities, has much less of an effect on me. For example, we had homemade pizza this evening with a whole wheat crust, and I ate a lot. If I would eat that volume of, say, a Pizza Hut pizza, I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes open by 7 o'clock, but after eating the whole wheat pizza, I'm able to study well into the late evening or even hold a conversation with my wife. ;-) In addition, a whole wheat diet doesn't cause my body to accumulate fat as readily as a diet that includes refined wheat. I think this has something to do with the fact that the body processes refined wheat at a faster rate, delivering excess energy that is stored as fat.
Here is what Mayo has to say about whole grains:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
Side note: In 2003, I cut grains out of my diet completely and increased my intake of fats through nuts and meats to compensate. This resulted in a rapid weight loss of over 20 pounds and 3 inches around my waist, and I felt great! It was difficult diet to maintain, so eventually, I swayed back to grains over the course of a few years.
This choice has made a great impact on my health. My body doesn't do particularly well on carbs, especially refined wheat, which makes me feel absolutely exhausted about and hour after eating it. Whole wheat, even eaten in large quantities, has much less of an effect on me. For example, we had homemade pizza this evening with a whole wheat crust, and I ate a lot. If I would eat that volume of, say, a Pizza Hut pizza, I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes open by 7 o'clock, but after eating the whole wheat pizza, I'm able to study well into the late evening or even hold a conversation with my wife. ;-) In addition, a whole wheat diet doesn't cause my body to accumulate fat as readily as a diet that includes refined wheat. I think this has something to do with the fact that the body processes refined wheat at a faster rate, delivering excess energy that is stored as fat.
Here is what Mayo has to say about whole grains:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
Side note: In 2003, I cut grains out of my diet completely and increased my intake of fats through nuts and meats to compensate. This resulted in a rapid weight loss of over 20 pounds and 3 inches around my waist, and I felt great! It was difficult diet to maintain, so eventually, I swayed back to grains over the course of a few years.
Injury status
I am still nursing my right thigh. The MRI I had a week ago indicated a strain, but nothing more. By the end of the day, almost any day my pain is pretty acute either in the hip area, or along the inside of the leg. I have been reluctant to run with it because even walking extensively results in pain.
So I will be shifting my fitness focus to resistance training and mild Pilates. I am reminded of how much I process my anxieties and stress through running. Without this release, my appetite is out of control and it is harder to resist the little snacks and binge eating.
I think I'm going to have to keep the thigh wrapped daily to support the strain.
Very impressed with the Harris and Lisa's ulta endurance training.
So I will be shifting my fitness focus to resistance training and mild Pilates. I am reminded of how much I process my anxieties and stress through running. Without this release, my appetite is out of control and it is harder to resist the little snacks and binge eating.
I think I'm going to have to keep the thigh wrapped daily to support the strain.
Very impressed with the Harris and Lisa's ulta endurance training.
There is no turning back now...
I did it! By the click of one button or rather two buttons, I signed up to participate both in a half marathon and a marathon this year. Last year I was still under the impression that a marathon would be several years in the future, but after deciding to only sign up for two more races this year- after the Winter Series I am participating in right now ends-, I felt like I had to go big in order to stay motivated. The half marathon will be my very first race on trails. I am enjoying it tremendously to run on trails rather than roads. It gives me the feeling of going for a hike. And I have to admit sometimes I'd rather run the trails than hike them, because as anybody who has ever hiked with me can attest to, I am a very slow walker.
I decided on the marathon I am now signed up for, because my friend Erin decided to run her first marathon this year as well. And I can't imagine any better motivation than wanting to finish it together. I am looking forward to celebrating our success together as well!
I think I have to get on board with this season's Biggest Loser theme of "no excuses" and get out there no matter what is trying to hold me back.
I think I made a pretty good start yesterday, when the snow on the ground was trying to tell me that it would be better to run inside, but the motivation to run on a treadmill kept me sitting on the couch. I finally decided to not let the snow defeat me and instead get excited about using my never before worn strap on contraptions for my shoes to better run on snow and ice. Out I went and besides being totally fashionable (see image above) and maybe upsetting a few cross-country skiers, by running on the side of the perfectly groomed trail, I got the best workout I have gotten in a long time.
Marathon here I come!
Sunday, January 15,2012
This is perfect timing. I responded to Judith's email describing the frustrations one encounters seeking a healthy life. Being a loving sister-in-law, she received my email of encouragement. But she describes the conflicts some of us experience trying to keep it going. For example, I started fighting with myself on Friday to get my butt over to the warm pool once this weekend. Finally, today despite a continuing internal conversation about not going to the pool, I went to the darn pool. 30 minutes of stretching using a pool noodle tied in a knot resulted in 0 pain. 6 minutes of a cardio kind of stepping and jumping and I felt really good. So why is it so hard to get over there? Here's the list: put on the suit, put on your clothes, pack your stuff, walk over there, find an ice free path to the door, go to the locker room, take off your clothes, get your stuff, go to the pool, get out of the pool, shower, take off the suit, put on your clothes, go home, run the washer with your stuff in it, take off your clothes, take a serious shower, put on your clothes. Whew! That's so much taking off and putting on.......
This is perfect timing. I responded to Judith's email describing the frustrations one encounters seeking a healthy life. Being a loving sister-in-law, she received my email of encouragement. But she describes the conflicts some of us experience trying to keep it going. For example, I started fighting with myself on Friday to get my butt over to the warm pool once this weekend. Finally, today despite a continuing internal conversation about not going to the pool, I went to the darn pool. 30 minutes of stretching using a pool noodle tied in a knot resulted in 0 pain. 6 minutes of a cardio kind of stepping and jumping and I felt really good. So why is it so hard to get over there? Here's the list: put on the suit, put on your clothes, pack your stuff, walk over there, find an ice free path to the door, go to the locker room, take off your clothes, get your stuff, go to the pool, get out of the pool, shower, take off the suit, put on your clothes, go home, run the washer with your stuff in it, take off your clothes, take a serious shower, put on your clothes. Whew! That's so much taking off and putting on.......
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