Decision made

No half-marathon at the end of April. Turns out that's a VERY busy weekend - there is an Earth Day event I have to bring some children from our programs to on Saturday, and then that evening is the annual Fireman's Ball - the social event of the year in Sharon. This year they invited me to donate a picture for the auction - very flattering - and my daughter is performing in a ballet there. (The theme is April in Paris - my photos is of a Paris street, and the ballet is a CanCan.) So the only way I'd be able do to a race on Sunday in NYC is it did NOT start at the crack of dawn. Went to the NYRRC website and lo and behold, it's sold out.

So: considering I had the world's worst (not-quite) 6 mile training "run" yesterday, only 6 weeks before the race, it's probably just as well. I'd have completed the 13 miles, most likely but in a time way slower than my race last November. So I'll train for the Classic (5 miles) the following weekend but still look for a half-marathon to do early in the season as a motivator to continue increasing mileage.

Better breathing = better athletic performance?

I've had asthma for more than half my life, and this winter it flared up particularly badly. I happened to hear of "breathing excercises" for asthma, and found after a little digging that there was a teacher of the Buteyko Method in our area - he came highly recommended by an alternative health practitioner I deeply respect. I went to a 2 1/2 hour introductory session this morning, and learned the basic technique. Apparently it will take quite a bit of practice, but the impacts it could have are tremendous - not just improved breathing, but better sleep, more energy, reduced allergies, stronger immune system and.. greatly increased athletic performance. He said he had one client who went from a 12 minute mile pace to an 8-minute pace after a few months. While that seems impossible and out of reach for me, if I could just sustain a 12 minute pace over a couple-mile run (and then slowly improve from there) it would be huge for me.

The basic technique is simply to breathe through your nose, all the time, in as relaxed and shallow a way as possible. There's more to it, which I'll describe if anyone's interested - I'll ceratinly report back regularly on how I'm feeling and what changes I'm experiencing, athletically and otherwise.

It Ain't Gonna Be Easy

Getting to be half-marathon ready in 7 weeks will not be easy, if today is any indication. My first outdoor run, last week, was 30 minutes; today I did 42. If I increase by 12-15 minutes every weekend with great discipline I'll get to a little over 2 hours by race day - knowing my actual race time will be somewhere over 3 hours. So I should just look at this event as a fun outing, do my best, and use it as a jumping off point for the season - the Sharon Classic is the very next weekend. ITt's the five mile race in my town - I do it every year. If I really train well for the next 8 weeks maybe I can beat the elderly lady who usually whips my butt! (On the other hand if I'm in recovery from a half-marathon maybe I won't be able to do it at all! Hmmm...what's a higher priority for me right now - pushing myself for distance, or working on performance in important races? Suggestions?)

What it would take

Thanks for the encouragement to just go for it! Since we just got about 8 inches of snow and it's 16 degrees outside today, the prospect of going for a run any time soon seems daunting. But I did get in 40 minutes at the gym - half on elliptical, half really pushing myself on themuch-hated treadmill. Ugh ugh ugh. I recently got a hamster, and I am always amazed at how many hours it spends on that little wheel - he goes all night long, from about 10pm til 7am or even more. Crazy! (He takes frequent snack breaks - that I can relate to.)

So, working backwards, to train for a half-marathon that's 8 weeks away, I need to work up from a 3 or 4 mile long run this weekend (I'll be at a conference in Schenectady - not sure what the weather will be like there!) and add a full mile every week, with no cutback week, to get to about 10 the week before the race.

Meanwhile the weight keeps piling on - I honestly don't see how I've been eating THAT much, but the scale and my tight clothes don't lie. So - I think it's time for Weight Watchers. Plans where I cut out this or that, or just watch the overall balance, are not doing it - I need to plain old count calories (disguised as points.) Let's see if a week without red wine helps, too!

I'd like to lose at least 6 of the 12 (or more) pounds I've gained by race day. That would feel like a real accomplishment!

winter blahs

Ugh. I've gained 12 pounds since October. I've been eating everything in sight, drinking too much too.

So, what better way to jar myself out of the blues/blahs than by setting my sights on a very ambitious race? I'm thinking: the More Magazine half-marathon at the end of April - only 8 weeks from today. I have been running outside exactly once since New Year's - my excercise has been limited to spin, Pilates, the elliptical and the occasional treadmill - no more than 2-3 times a week, 40 minutes or so. I ran outside for the first time a few days ago and could just manage 30 minutes. So to work my way up to 13 miles that fast will take someserious commitment - do I have it in me right now? Based on today's evidence, probably not! (I had an hour and a half to myself and decided to read the Vogue Magazine with Michelle Obama on the cover instead of run!)

Should I do it? Or am I setting myself up for disappointment or injury?

Christmas Run

Santa Cat is home alone - we're on the road for the holiday.
I saved myself from a lot of unpleasant family drama by going out for a nice 3.75 mile run around the lovely town in New Jersey I'm visiting. My current goal is to run 30 minutes straight on normal roads at normal speed without walking - I'm getting closer. (In 45 minutes I walked three times: twice on steep uphills after plugging most of the way up; once to check my map. No more than about 3 minutes total.) Once I make that goal I'll work on stretching it out - perhaps I can do the half-M next fall all or mostly running.

Trying to find my way

Is there a "post-marathon letdown syndrome?" If so, I've been suffering from it!

In part it's been the onset of winter - how to get in exercise when the roads are icy, the air makes my lungs seize up, and it's dark by 4:00. In part it's my natural laziness kicking in - I don't want to get up early and go to the gym. I did have some injuries after the race - it took a good 10 days for my legs to feel better, and I've been focusing on strengthening my lower back since then. (By "focusing" I mean 1 or 2 workouts a week, not true focus.)

But I've also been drinking a lot of wine, eating a lot of gingerbread, and making a lot of excuses. My weight has been hovering just under 200, after getting down to about 192 just three months ago. The idea of giving up flour and sugar seems just about impossible right now.

Yesterday I had a mini-breakthrough. Feeling desperate, I went to the gym for morning spin class, knowing there wouldn't be a bike free but figuring I'd finally give in to the realities of winter and get on the dreaded treadmill. From there, I could hear the spin teacher (TGT, also known as Triathlon Goddess Tina) and I followed her cues - turning up the incline when she had them turn up the resistance, sprinting when they did. It made me push myself harder and longer than I would have otherwise, and was much more fun. I think I could make a habit of this! I felt better yesterday, physically and mentally, than I had in weeks. (And life is so stressful right now I really need all the exercise I can get for the mood stabilization it brings!)

So - it's winter training. I need a plan, a routine, a motivator. I need to do something like yoga or meditation, to clear my mind (go away, Facebook!) so I can set priorities and stick to them. I need to stop the junky eating, go to bed on time, and stop yelling at my kids. (This is starting to sound like New Year's resolutions, or at least a first draft.) I need more laughter, more friends, and someone to clean my house for me. Now THERE'S a plan!