Sunday, January 30, 2011

Not the brightest idea....

So.....I slept in today.

And then spent an hour sanitizing my house. We can't call it cleaning anymore. It's way more hardcore than that because we're just that messy.

And then went to a brunch buffet with Husband's family.

And by the time we made home I wanted nothing more than to make the headache I was nursing go away by taking a nap.


But.....that little voice in my head said, "Hey! Lazy! You've got a long run to do today."

So I put on my many layers, laced up my shoes, and headed out. I felt good about this one. My pace held steady at 10:00 for the first 2 miles, then it slowly dropped back to 10:30. By the end, I was pulling sub-11:00. Oh well. At least I finished my 5 miles.

54:57. Not bad.

Now for the part where you may question my sanity.

Last summer Husband and I discovered our love for the ice bath. It was the one thing that saved me from pain and overdosing on meds after long runs. So tonight, around mile 3.5, when my knees started to whine and my hips started to complain, I began to think about the ice bath. I thought back to this morning when I went to the freezer for ice and discovered all the empty ice trays because Husband doesn't refill them. Darn, no ice bath for me. And then I noticed the snow all around me.......*Light Bulb*........Snow Bath! That's just like ice isn't it? Sure! So I call husband around mile 4 and say I'll be home in just over 10:00 and that I'd like a "snow bath." He was a little confused, but agreed and I had a nice chilly bath waiting for me when I got home.

Most. Painful. Thing. Ever. Ten times colder than the ice baths from last summer. I should probably google "frostbite symptoms" just to see what to look for.

On the plus side, I'm not too sore! Just cold.....really, really cold.




Remember to check out Run, Zoe, Run's Dr Teal's Giveaway! It is probably way better than a snow bath :)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

I'm training for what?!?

Yup....skipped 'em all this week.

Due to PT, staff meetings, and family in town to do "family" things, I have not seen one ounce of daylight after 7:00 am when I leave for work. Or eaten at my house. Or gotten home before 9:30 at night. I've also not corrected on single paper this week leaving me with a 25lbs bag to take to Grandpa's this afternoon :(

But.....PT went well! And I'm going back next week.....and every week in February for that matter.

Also.....Run, Zoe, Run is hosting another giveaway! I wasn't lucky enough to win the last one, but this one looks great! It's all about personal pampering and if you know me, that's really what I'm all about :)

Better luck next week!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Skip skip skip to my lou

So......Husband and I had to call off our "long" run yesterday due to frigid temps and dangerous windchill. :( We even planned to run the 4 miles in the field house at the high school he teaches at, but for some reason there was a little kids' baseball practice going on. Dodging baseballs while running in circles wasn't as appealing as it sounded. Annnnd.....we had brought Bentley with because he needed a good run. Sadly, kids are his cryptonite. Flying balls, screaming kids, excited dog.....bad idea. So we skipped it. (only 3 weeks in and I can't believe how much I've skipped and rescheduled already! Yikes!)

But....that gave us more party time for the big game. So glad my Green Bay Packers pulled off a victory :) Superbowl here we come!!! A Superbowl victory would make the Half in May that much sweeter!


Enough excuses!


I did find time tonight to make up my "long" run. 4 miles in the frigid darkness. It gave me chance to try out my new reflective vest! I've always had the ankle cuffs, but they just don't do enough for my cool-weather ninja outfits. (For some reason all my cold-weather gear is black! How did that happen!?)

This is me flexing my "safety" muscles. I look pretty awesome don't I? Ha! Just to add an extra bit of shine to my outfit, I also brought along my trusty flashlight. Since I don't have a blinking light or anything, I find my flashlight works well for night runs. I shine it at oncoming traffic and am not afraid to use it as a projectile if necessary. I did manage to rig up a butt light by using Bentley's blinky-tag light :) Pinned it to the back of my jacket! Husband said he noticed it when he tracked me down in the neighborhood on his way home.

Yay for safety!


Now for the rest of the week. I need advice here. The plan calls for 3 miles Tuesday, cross train Thursday, 3 miles on Friday, 5 miles on Sunday. But....since I did 4 miles Monday, do I skip Tuesday, run 3 on Wednesday, skip cross training on Thursday, and then run 3 on Friday? Or do I just "rest" tomorrow, cross train on Thursday, and run 3 on Friday?

What to do?

Friday, January 21, 2011

Too Cold for School

Gotta love that 5:00 AM call saying "no school due to extreme weather conditions."

In our area, school gets canceled when temps/windchill is below -25. Seems wimpy, but that's what we got. And boy did I need it!!!

Sadly, not every district canceled today. Husband's school called to tell him that school "was in session" today. He was so mad. But our phone calls were about an hour apart and I couldn't go back to sleep until I heard his call. Oh well.

However, this did motivate me to hit the gym this morning and get in my 2 miles for the day. I even managed to catch a cardio class to make up for my missed cross training last night. (I know, pretty impressive.) Then, I dragged my butt to school and got some work done. And I wasn't the only one. I saw 3 other teachers!


**Dr. Update!!**

I met with my Dr. today and she referred me to a PT. I'll be giving them a call next week, giving her office enough time to fax over the referral form. So I'll be sharing all sorts of painful massage and stretching stories with you a few weeks from now :)

Have a great weekend! Hopefully it warms up here before Sunday or that run is going to be done up at Husband's school on their indoor track :(

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Get it Checked


I finally made the call......to the doctor.

Why?

I have been hiding the fact that I've been having some unpleasant ITB pain since November....at least, I think that's what it is.

The pain location is circled in the photo. I can also feel the ache up the outside of my leg when I run longer than 2 miles at this point. This pain also appears when I'm just sitting in my car or walking around my classroom.

I've tried stretching, but I have no clue what I'm doing. I would really like a professional to take a peek at it and give me their advice, which I will then pair with my blog-scouring to form a "plan." I try to use the foam roller at the gym, but I have no clue if I'm doing it right. I'm also hoping that this doctor might help me with my hip pain that I mentioned a few posts ago.

We'll see. I will continue with my training as long as I can put up with the pain or figure out how to manage it. I don't want to hurt something beyond repair. I've never been an "injured" runner and I don't want to start now :)

Happy Running!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Punishment

That's what it felt like today folks. Punishment from the running gods for slacking.

Temperature: 23
Feels like: 10!!!!! AH!
Also....Winter Weather Advisory until 6am Tuesday for blowing and drifting snow. 3-5" expected.

Husband and I decided to run before he left for wrestling practice today.......before the snow got worse. It wasn't bad when we started, but it wasn't fun.

We set out for 4 miles at 8am. I was able to keep up with him for the first 2 miles. But for the first 2 miles the wind and snow were at our back. As soon as we turned around.......BAM!!......good bye breathing ability! I was swallowing snow and hacking snot for half a mile before I figured out how to deal with it.

Just before mile 3 I found that wall. My body just didn't want to move forward anymore. I wasn't cold, I was just heavy. However, I wasn't discouraged. I just made myself go forward. My mantra at the moment is that it isn't about time, it's about covering the distance.

When we finally finished, and we were walking snowmen. Husband's beard was covered in ice and his headphone cord was frozen to his beard :) My eyelashes kept sticking together. Ha! I even had a small snowball in my jacket hood!

This would be Husband's frozen beard :)

My face is so cold I can barely smile......Next Top Model...Here I come!

All in all, it was an OK run. We finished strong. I still plan to do 2 tomorrow night at the gym on the treadmill.

Happy Running!

PS......Melissa at Crazy or Determined? Just finished a half marathon on Sunday! She did AWESOME! And could use your love :) Head on over and let her know that running 13.1 miles is no small feat!!!

PPS.....Don't forget to check out Zoe's CSN giveaway. It ends soon!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Can't believe it!

**Welcome new followers! I've gained 2 more since the new year :)

I'm only 1 week into my half training this year and I'm already slacking off :(

Didn't run last Tuesday night because of an "emergency" grocery store trip with Husband.
* Saved it by running 2 on Wednesday night with my SIL at the gym.

Didn't cross train on Thursday because I had too much school work.
* No save here other than I did get a lot of my plans written :(

Didn't run my 2 miles on Friday because I woke up with a cramp in my neck that made it impossible to turn my head completely to either side. This cramp got worse throughout the day and eventually spread to my shoulders and entire upper back. I came home from school and crashed because I thought that the flu that's been going through school had finally hit me. I was all ready to give in a be sick for this 3-day weekend when I woke up the next morning feeling fine....Ugh! Could have done that run!

Sadly, I woke up late and didn't have time to get in a run before I had to go to my Grandpa's for the afternoon. I spend every Saturday from 11-3 with Grandpa. This is why all my long runs are on Sunday. After an exhausting afternoon with him, I just wasn't "feeling" a run....and I had a Lia Sophia party to go to. I barely made it to my in-laws for the Packers game at 7! GO! PACK! GO!

Didn't run my 4 miles on Sunday because Husband is supposed to do long runs with me and he is actually sick. Plus, we slept in this morning and just made it to his parents' house in time for the Bears game. Boooo Bears! :( Ended up getting stuck over there until 5:00. Note to self....always drive separate cars to in-laws' house...



Soo....what you read was a long list of excuses and "reasons" why no running has occurred since Wednesday night. I needed to write it all down so I could be accountable to myself and to you. I do not feel as if I have lost motivation, I just feel that I have let other things come between me and my training. I was actually mad at myself on Saturday morning for sleeping in and not getting up for a run before Grandpa's. I scolded myself all the way out of the neighborhood :(

I am, however, getting up tomorrow and putting on my running shoes for those 4 miles even if Husband can't make it. I will not give up on this one!

Happy Running!!!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

7 more things....

  1. I would get a massage every day if I could afford it. I’m not talking the quickie, 15-minute, mall-court chair massage. I’m talking the 60+ minute, therapeutic, relax the snot out of you massage. What I wouldn’t give for one right now……

  1. I’m slowly becoming addicted to the TLC network. It started with What Not to Wear and has morphed into everything from Say Yes to the Dress to The Little Couple, and soooo much more! My most guilty pleasure is Toddlers in Tiaras…which I’m sure is televised child abuse…..but I can’t stop! Help!

  1. I have a fear of movie theater bathrooms. When I was in 5th grade, I went to a movie theater for a friend’s birthday party. During the movie I “had to go” and while I was washing my hands afterward I noticed I was standing next to a guy! All of a sudden it all hits me….Oh God! That’s why the first toilet looked weird! It was urinal! Oh God! I’m in the men’s room! I practically ran back to the theater and had a hard time talking for the rest of the day. I was mortified! To this day I will stare at the sign just to make sure that it says “Women.”

  1. My ultimate dream is to retire to a huge cabin by a lake in the woods of Wisconsin. Probably will never happen seeing as I’m a teacher in Illinois and the State has already spent my retirement money before I’ve even had a chance to earn it. :(

  1. I really don’t like tiny dogs. They yip. They nip. They don’t freakin’ listen!!! If you have a well-behaved tiny dog, consider yourself appreciated by me. I honestly don’t know why people don’t bother to train little dogs.

  1. 4-years ago, during my first year of teaching, I once told a third-grader to “Grow up already!” It was a moment of pure frustration. I regretted it the moment it came out of my mouth. Oops!

  1. I will most likely be up at the crack of dawn to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton get married in April. I’m a big Royal freak. When all my 8th grade friends were covering their lockers with Backstreet Boys and N*Sync posters…I was covering mine with Prince William pictures. Totally thought we’d meet someday…..guess that ain’t happening :)

Well....there you have it...7 more things about little 'ol me :)

Here are my 7 tags:
Age Groups Rock
Finishing is Winning
Lazy Bones Running
Long Legs on the Loose
Life in Charleston
Lisa Runs?...Wait! What?
Run, Courtney, Run

Looking forward to reading your 7 things :)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

High Ho High Ho Off to the Gym I Go!



Thanks to Melissa at Crazy or Determined? for tagging me for the Stylish Blogger Award. I'll need to share 7 things about myself. I like sharing these kinds of things. Expect at post later this week!





Well....I did it! I braved the New Year's Resolution Crowd at the gym and managed 2-miles on the treadmill with my sister-in-law. I'm trying to convince her to train with me. She is getting married in April and wants to look great in that dress. She used a guest pass to try out my gym tonight. Don't know if she'll join because it's pretty pricey and I don't know if she can handle that right now. But who knows......the upside is that I got my 2 miles in that I needed.

I skipped these 2 miles yesterday to go grocery shopping yesterday. We were in desperate need of food. Seriously! We had tumbleweeds and spiders in our fridge!!! (just kidding...but the fridge was really empty) Today my students asked me if I ran last night and i had to tell them that I didn't. They all shouted "scolding" remarks at me. So....I had extra motivation tonight.

Tomorrow I have my first cross training day and I'm planning on a toning class at the gym. Friday is another 2 miles (marks 1 week of training down!) and then 4 miles on Sunday. I'm loving this right now :) (remind me of that in a month when I'm cursing the day I signed up for this darn half)


***Giveaway News***


I recently became a follower of Run, Zoe, Run! The newbie mommy is lacing her running shoes back up and hitting the streets and trails again with baby Goober and jogging stroller in-tow. To celebrate her new goals she's hosting a giveaway...and an awesome one at that! A $50 CSN gift card!!!! Awesome! I totally want this one :) So head on over and check it out.....don't enter because that will lessen my chances Ha!


Another fun note....we're going on a field trip tomorrow! To the YMCA! It's a fitness related trip that involves relay races, basketball tossing, jumping, climbing, and even swimming. The students also need to run a number of laps around an indoor track. When I told them I missed my miles yesterday they told me I should run with them at the Y tomorrow. I'm honestly considering setting aside my "teacher" shoes for "running" shoes just to motivate them even more. This should be good!

Happy Running!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

*Instert Motivational Theme Music Here*

That's right folks....it's time!

Time for what you ask?

Half-marathon training time!

For those of you who have noticed, the Daily Mile race ticker shows 127 days until the Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon on May 15th. I'm looking for a PR and want to get started as soon as possible to build up to my full potential and to build slow enough to avoid injury.

The plan: I'm going to follow the group training plan put out by Prevea Sports. I checked it out HERE and it looks like it fits my criteria....builds slowly and runs 3 times a week. With school, after-school tutoring, keeping my house clean, and trying to stay sane I can really only manage 3 days a week right now. There is a cross-training day in there which I will be completing at the gym. The runs I need to complete in the next 2 months are short enough for me to complete on a treadmill.....this makes me happy because it keeps me going to the gym and not feeling like I'm "wasting" my membership. Also, I can only run after school and it's pretty darn dark after school which equals "not safe" for me. As spring approaches, I'll transition to all outside running when it's lighter outside after school and warmer. I'll probably toss some yoga in there on the "rest days" just so I can keep stretching.

The down side: I'm all alone this time. Husband is planning on running GB with me and so is Sister. But Sister is running the full and lives 3 hours away and Husband is consumed with wrestling season and doesn't get home until 6:30 at night on practice days and near 10:00 on meet days. He will start his training on the treadmill in the weight room at school so that he's not late for practice. That leaves me to train all by my lonesome. I think I'll be just fine for the first 2 months because the runs are short and manageable. But the longer runs might mess with my head and motivation.

How I plan to deal with motivation loss: Blog, blog, blog!!!!! I'm counting on you guys to help me through this! Also, I told my students that I was starting my training and that they needed to ask me about my runs. I'll feel guilty telling them that I "didn't do my homework" and hopefully that will help keep me on track too! Husband will be done with wrestling by March and can run with me again. The trail should be all thawed out and uncovered by then.

I did complete day 1 of training yesterday. 2 miles, outside, in the freezing cold, with Mr. Bentley. Not bad on time but I was really focusing on covering the 2 miles. The time will come with training.

Wish me luck! Happy Running!