Running Again

Yes, it may be trite, but it's true...if you don't feel like working out, you should sign up for an event.

A few weeks ago I signed up for the More Half Marathon. I figured:

• a half marathon is much more do-able than a whole one
• it is all the way in April
• the race is actually run in Central Park...where I train, so there are no surprise hills or anything and I have no excuses if I am not ready for it

But mostly I was wooed over by the More 16-week training plan, which kind of freaks me out because it is much much much less mileage than normal. But I am going to try it, because I have been reading lots about how people overtrain for long distances and it gives me a chance to fit in my cross-training workouts without having to double-up on days or workout for unreasonable amounts of time. In short, it is doable. (To be fair, I am not following it EXACTLY...I am using it as a mileage guide, not so much a pace guide.)

And because misery loves company, I have enlisted a few friends to help: Bill will be my day-to-day training partner. I knew he was in the minute I said "low-mileage". Unfortunately, he does not get the payoff of actually running the half, because it is for women only. Bess, my friend in Brooklyn, is running a 5k for the first time on my birthday (Gina and I challenged a bunch of our non-running friends to train for and run a 5k with us). When I tossed the idea out to the non-running group, she said she would consider it. Gina said if Bess signed up, Gina would too. So, by default, I now have 3 people training with me. Hurrah! THAT is really what will get me out the door and running. :)

Go Team!

I don't know if I mentioned this, but last fall the Team in Training photographers came to take pictures of our team. These are the pictures that go in the brochures and on all those annoying postcards you get in the mail :) As Ramon said, usually they go to California to shoot which is why everyone looks tan and happy, but this year they decided to go to New York City, so everyone would look white and pasty. They broke us into a million small groups to take the shots, and made us all wear our TNT shirts to practice.

Anyway, apparently everyone (excluding me) is getting these postcards in the mail to recruit for the San Diego marathon and I am in the group shot! Cool!

The winning shot! (It looks like I'm high fiving the guy next to me, but I'm not.)

They actually make you do crazy things like put your arms up so that you look happy

A group with Coach Wanda

Walking back to practice

New Years Resolutions?

By this time of year I usually have my race/workout schedule all planned out. This year, I am deciding to sort of play it by ear. I haven't really gotten to a point where I want to go out and run again, but it is not a totally unappealing idea to me, which is, at least, an improvement.

I am totally enjoying the wii fit, but I kind of feel like this is a cop-out when it comes to exercising. I have done the wii fit almost every day this weekend and have a great time. The minutes just tick away. Afterwards, I do some (assisted) pullups on our new over-the-door chinup bar. I do see a difference in my arms and shoulders. It's amazing what a little switching things up will do for you.

I also have a fun 5k run planned with a lot of my running AND non-running friends. It is on my birthday too!

I kind of want to look into some trapeze lessons as well. I have no idea how expensive this is (probably $$$) but when I mentioned it to my friend yesterday she said that she was looking into it with another friend of ours. Working out with friends is a definite plus for me, and I have heard that trapeze is a GREAT workout.

So I think the resolution this year is to have fun working out. It is crazy but this week I lost .9 pounds! That is a LOT for me because I really kind of have just fluctuated between 140-142 since college. So I'm hoping my new attitude towards mixing it up and enjoying my workouts is contributing to this. :)

Ptttt!

Maybe God is telling me not to run for awhile too. I didn't get a winning lottery entry into the NYC Half Marathon in March this year (but almost all of my friends did). :(

On the up side, Wii fit told me that my Wii Fit age is now 24. Now, to find something as fun and engaging as Wii fit that actually does something for me and my muscles!

Wii Fit Age?

Yes, I have seen the numerous posts on Facebook regarding my friends' Wii Fit Ages (my marathon buddy, Rebecca has a Wii fit age of 72!). I somehow thought I could get closer to my real age, though.

According to my Wii fit, I am 44. Fine. Whatever. I figured that I just needed to get used to the controls and it would all sort itself out. I mean, Bill had a Wii fit age of 43, but when he retested it said he was 29. But no. Last night I did a "workout" and then tested myself again. First, the Wii fit yelled at me for gaining .04 pounds. Then it told me that I might want to weigh myself at the same time every day because my weight could fluctuate 2 pounds a day. THEN it told me that my Wii fit age was....44! Even my little Mii cried. :) (And btw, I do think it is totally a "getting used to the balance board" thing. My weight is 14 pounds under what it could be to be healthy, and my bmi is a perfect 20).

HOWEVER, I do love the Wii Fit!

It is fun. I don't think I will be losing any weight or gaining much muscle doing the little routines, BUT it does make me totally aware of how I am moving. For instance, I found that my center of gravity is a little off (I hold too much weight in my heels) and that my left leg is much stronger than my right. Now, of course, I already knew this due to my running problems with my knee, however, I can feel and see what it is like when I am holding proper balance and using equal strength in my legs.

Cool.

I also noticed that it is helping me do my Jillian exercises more correctly. I am on the third level of the 30 Day Shred and doing the exercises with proper form makes all the difference!

H8 Running

Every year for the past three years I have done 2 marathons. After the fall marathon I usually take a break, do a 5k or something, but nothing very serious. I stop posting, I stop thinking about running. In January I am up and ready to go, usually training for my next half marathon and on my way to my spring marathon!

This year, not so much.

In fact, right now, I pretty much hate running...and all working out. Oh yes, I was very excited to take some time off and do some cross-training, but now I pretty much hate that too. Working out has become a chore, and something I am only doing because my metabolism will revolt against me if I don't. So, in essence, I have become like most Americans, working out only to maintain weight (I have given up on losing it).

Part of the problem I know is that I have nothing scheduled to look forward to. But part of that problem is that nothing is appealing to me. Manhattan half? Out of town. Bronx half? Who cares? 5ks? Eh. No need to scurry around collecting my 9 NYRR races either since I've already qualified for the NYC marathon.

It doesn't help that I've moved. I feel like I now live in the WINDIEST corridor in Manhattan and am reminded that every day when I walk home. Not much motivation when I already detest going out in the cold/wind. Yes, once I'm out there it's fine...but getting out there is the problem. Last year I would have hopped on the elliptical or treadmill and passed that off as running. But my new building doesn't have a gym, so that's out too. (I wouldn't have done it this year anyways.) And honestly, these things haven't stopped me before.

I could chalk it up to the fact that I'm not doing a spring marathon. But you know what? I just don't feel like doing one.

It makes me sad/worried that I feel this way. I don't want to stop running. But really? I kind of hate it right now. :(