My running legs...

I feel like they are back! I have had some serious doubts recently on whether or not I want to keep running.  Last week's cold set me back once again, and not to continue making excuses... but I am not a natural runner, so pretty much any semi-lengthy break feels like I am just starting over again. I have come to terms with the fact that running will probably never be easy for me, but I will have good days and bad days, and it is totally OK to walk whenever I feel like it! I am trying to take the pressure off myself, but I am a perfectionist in a lot of areas in my life, and that is starting to rub off on my exercise habits. I don't think that is the best feature, so I am working on it... one day at a time, right?

This week has been kind of rough at work, and instead of coming home to pout on the couch and emotionally eat like 'old Katie' would do, I got my running shoes on and worked it out!

This is my excited face. 

I just have to share my success story from today. I wasn't sure what I was going to do workout-wise, but I got my shoes on and headed out the door anyway. It was too gorgeous to just stay inside. I figured my legs would take me somewhere, at some pace, and I'd eventually end up back at my apartment. Well, my legs started running, and (for me) my legs started running fast! I decided to do a 2-mile, mostly flat loop, because I am still warming back up to running since my few days off due to my cold. I finished the first mile at a 10 minute per mile pace, and then I had to slow myself down for the second mile. I wanted to bring my heart rate down a bit, so I slowed it down to a sub-12 minute per mile pace. I finished the 2 miles in 22 minutes flat (with one 20 - 30 second delay waiting at an intersection). I think that is the fastest that I have ever completed a run!

Today's run was a great one. I felt powerful and strong! It definitely gave me some inspiration to 'just keep running...'

Corporate Challenge 5K

On Saturday morning, our 2012 Corporate Challenge kicked off with a 5K hosted by my company. The first 5K I ever ran was in October. I had one goal and one goal only that time: finish. I did with a time of 40:50! This time I wanted to finish in under less than 36 minutes (12:00 pace). The course was around our work, which is fairly hilly, and I wasn't sure how treacherous the course would be. I didn't want to make any commitments I couldn't keep! I thought as sub-36 5K was very reasonable for me. Also, it was about 5 minutes faster than my first 5K time.

The weather was iffy, but the rain did hold off and the clouds kept it pretty cool. The temperature was perfect for the run (50-ish degrees). My only complaint was the evil hill sometime during mile 2. We had to run down the hill, knowing that shortly we would have to run back up it. That was killer a bit of a challenge, but I ran the entire time! And... I know you are all wondering how I did...

Evil hill. 

Well, I did it! I finished in 34:14 (chip time) with an average pace of 11:01. I was really excited and proud of myself. That is 7 (SEVEN!) minutes off of my first 5K time. As soon as I finished, I headed home for a really fun surprise!

This was before I ran. Sharpie represent! Side note: so brave. No makeup on. 

My newest goal is to be able to run a 5K at a 10 minute mile pace. I don't have any 5K's right now on the radar, but I am sure I will find one in Charlotte or Raleigh in the next few months and hopefully meet that goal! Anyone in the area know of a good race and want to join me?!

A Confidence 5K

So, I have a 5K on Saturday (that may or may not be cancelled due to AM thunderstorms, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it). I made my little weekly training plan and told myself I would do it!

Monday: Eliptical (lunch) + pilates (after work) <- didn't happen
Tuesday: 2.5 mile run <- major struggle with cramping
Wednesday: Eliptical (lunch)
Thursday: 3 mile run <- turned in to a 5K run + 5K walk
Friday: Pilates (after work) + maybe walking
Saturday: 5K (?)

So far, so good. I will consider myself on track. 

Today was the most gorgeous day in Charlotte: 78 degrees and sunny. It was hard to believe that spring is not quite here yet! And I had a 3 mile run on the training plan (groan). This week I have really lost running confidence in myself. I took a break from running and just lost my mojo. I am not a natural runner, but I have come a long way since I started running in August (reminder to self!). Even so, I have been doubting my abilities. However, I signed up (and paid for) a race on Saturday, and I want to give it my all. If there is one thing I am, it is stubborn; so, 3 miles would indeed be run today. I had no excuses: no headache, hydrated, perfect weather. 

I set out on my run, and decided to take it pretty easy today. I wanted to successfully finish 3 miles, and not struggle too badly. My apartment complex is essentially located at the top of a slightly graded hill. When I go out, I am mostly going down hill. When I come back, I am mostly going (slightly) uphill. I always love tolerate the first half of my run, but coming back just kind of sucks. I decided to run a 'confidence' 5K today. 

What the heck is a 'confidence' 5K? I don't even know. I made it up somewhere around mile 1 while I was talking myself in to actually running 3 miles. I took it easy speed and hill-wise, but decided to run the first part of my long route (not my usual 3-ish mile route): mostly graded downhill, but with a few good uphills (enough to give me an excellent workout, without wearing me out or giving me bad cramps). I completed running (!) the 5K in 36 minutes. That made me feel great! Strong and powerful. And tired. 

But, I had to get back to my apartment. After the first 'cool down' quarter mile or so, I got my second wind. So, I decided to wind through the neighborhoods surrounding my apartment and finish the second half of my workout by walking a 5K. The walking leg took me about 46 minutes. 

I finished the workout in just over 1 hour and 22 minutes! Not a bad 10K time if I do say so myself... I am proud that I pushed myself today Not to toot my own horn, but I really wanted to write this post so that when I am feeling unmotivated or unable, I can look back and be reminded of today! 

P.S. sorry for the lack of cutesy workout pictures. I am not a fan post-workout pictures in other people's blogs. Pet peeve, but to each their own! I know that I look like a red-faced, sweaty, train wreck when I am done with my workout. And I have no need to put that all over the internet. Maybe one day.... but most likely not. Phew, glad I got that out there. 

The treadmill.

I really hate working out on the treadmill. If I am entertained (with a TV), I can walk on it... but it just gets so boring. I am pretty much maxed out after an hour.

Today at the gym, all of the ellipticals (with TV's) were taken... so I resorted to the treadmill. And of course I ran right into a dilemma. Do I walk, or do I run. The longest I have EVER run on the treadmill is appx. 5 minutes. It is just so. boring.

I wanted to make the most out of my workout, so I decided to try this thing called 'speedwork' that all the blog people talk about. Maybe, maybe this would entertain me?

This is how my workout went:
0 - .25: warmup at 4.5 MPH (walking)
.25 - .45: 5.5 - 6 MPH (running)
.45 - .5: recovery at 4 - 4.5 MPH (walking)
Repeat run/walk intervals until you reach desired mileage (or time)
Half-mile cool down walk (3.5 - 4 MPH)

I repeated the run/walk intervals until I reached 2 miles, and then I walked .5 miles at an average pace of 3.5 to 4 MPH for a cool down. All in all, I finished 2.5 miles in about 32 minutes.

Granted, my speeds are a lot slower than the typical runner, so feel free to adjust to your desired pace. How often should one do 'speedwork' each week? Should I incorporate this at least once a week? While the treadmill is (I repeat) so. boring... I have no interest in doing speedwork intervals outside. I like to jog along at my merry little pace! Perhaps I will get faster in time!

Now that I have discovered that the treadmill is sort of bearable... I think I want to replace one of my elliptical workouts with speedwork. I need to work this in after-work though... I got ridiculously sweaty and it took me like 30 minutes to cool off, and it's cold outside!

In other news, I am too cheap to buy a foam roller. I know these are great tools to stretch out the muscles... BUT, Target has a sale - $17 for a foam roller. And, online they have a coupon for $5 off! So I got a $25 foam roller for $12! Boy did I feel like a bargain hunter. Now I need to learn how to use it! Any tips?

These are a few of my favorite things

*Disclaimer: these are my current favorite things and subject to change at a moments notice because I am a fickle person*

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Favorite Activity:
"Running" through Dilworth

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I put "running" in quotation marks because I have decided to take on "running" around town... Charlotte, at least South End/Dilworth are relatively flat. My version of "running" involves walking for like 5 minutes and then running as long as I possibly can. Yesterday I did about 3/4 of a mile at once (probably a mile and a half total of running in a 4 mile total walk/run). Pretty proud of myself! Hoping to get where I can run a little bit more each time I go out. I took today off to cook and clean... My coworker Elizabeth and I are splitting a weekly farmshare - I have apples and pears in the slow cooker, and cooked a big pot of okra, corn, and onion in tomato sauce to serve over rice.

And I digress - I really like walk/running through Dilworth because as you can see in the picture above, this is what I see on my route: picture perfect houses and there are also a lot of shady spots along the path. I love my apartment, but I am going to keep my eyes peeled for houses to rent in Dilworth as my lease gets closer to its expiration... I would love to live in one of those cute little houses. New life goals: own a house in Dilworth and own a house on the Carolina coast.

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Favorite song:
See No More - Joe Jonas



I never thought I would really truly like something that any one of the Jonas Brothers put out... But I really do like this song - it's catchy and the words ring true. Also, I am still a teenybopper at heart and probably always will be, as my friend Sehar and I discuss frequently. P.S. can any one tell me when Joe Jonas decided to go all solo on his bros?!

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Favorite food find:
Kraft Veggie Macaroni and Cheese

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Kraft Veggie Mac and Cheese is one of the best inventions ever. Kraft is an awesome innovator of food - they took dried cauliflower and made pasta out of it! When you make it "healthy style" according to the box, half of the box is only 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus (a steal). I made it my own by adding spinach to it, but this would taste great with any vegetable - next time I want to try it with broccoli and spinach. I looked for some online coupons today, since it is a new product but did not turn up any luck... Anyway, I am definitely stocking up on this and keeping it on hand for when I need a speedy dinner - it also doesn't hurt that mac and cheese is one of my comfort foods. When made with reasonable ingredients, mac and cheese is something I can eat on a regular basis and still live a Weight Watchers lifestyle! Thanks, Kraft!!!

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Favorite TV Show:
Bachelor Pad

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This is for sure my guilty pleasure show of the summer. While I do enjoy Big Brother as much as the next person, I love the drama of The Bachelor franchise and all of the back stories of the characters. I am currently watching last night's episode on-demand... my poor TiVo forgot that I had it set to record and must have gotten confused and overwhelmed with all of my other shows... While I had full intentions of blogging about Bachelor Pad - it doesn't seem to be in the cards this summer... Classes started again today (yay.) but the good news is that this is my last class EVER in my academic career. Yes people, ever... no more going back to school for this girl.

Back to Bachelor Pad: Jake and Erika's kiss almost made me throw up. And Kasey's vocabulary drives me nuts - if he says heart or love or protect or infinity or promise (should I go on?) one more time, I might vomit... Maybe next week I'll play Bachelor Pad drinking game. That could be fun, or dangerous... Oh my gosh - Kasey is now singing... This is sad and disturbing at the same time, yet I can't look away.

If anyone wants a legitimate recap of Bachelor Pad, I reccommend reading Reality Steve's weekly column (posted every Tuesday). He is freakin' hillarous, but buyer beware: he does have spoilers in his blog (if you have been living under a rock and have never heard of him).

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Ok enough of my ramblings - these are a few of my *current* favorite things... I'll probably be back with brand new ones next month, knowing me though this might even be next week... Leave me comments about a few of your favorite things, or if you have tried/done any of these things - I want to know if you love them too!!