I sadly didn’t make it 6 days of running for any of the 5 weeks in January.

Boo on me!

There were two weeks where I did get in 5 days of running and for me right now, that is HUGE.

That’s the most I’ve run in a week in a very long time.

However running “6 days” wasn’t the main goal for this challenge.  The goal was to help me find my running mojo again because I fell out of love with running.

This challenge helped me realize a lot of things.

First is that I’m starting to put this stinking hip injury behind me.  I’m running and there is no pain afterwards.

I can increase my mileage slowly.  Oh so slowly. But it’s happening and I need to be patient with it.

I can run multiple days in a row and feel fine.

I feel so much better when I run verses the days I don’t run.

I’m a happier person to be around.

My skin looks better.

I’m sleeping better.

All of these are positives and I’m using them for motivation on the days when I feel less than enthused about running.

I also discovered that I didn’t fall out of love with running.  I fell out of love with my neighborhood.

I no longer enjoy running around my ‘hood.  As much as I hate admitting this is true, this encounter has left me frustrated.

Because of that situation, there is now a whole section of my neighborhood where it’s not safe to run.  There are also several other folks who let their dogs run loose around here making me on edge for my runs.

I’m not happy and that’s what has affected my runs so much.  The hip injury was just a bonus I guess.

I’m also bored of my neighborhood.

Bored and having places off limits doesn’t make for the greatest of running experiences.

Now that I can run again and I want to run again, I’m realizing that what is holding me back is my neighborhood.

I’ll spare you having to listen to me whine about busy streets, irresponsible dog owners, and drivers who refuse to share space on the road.

The point is, that my relationship with running is just fine.  It’s my relationship with my neighborhood that’s gone to pot.

Comments: 0

I keep a draft of my workout post handy and then add to it each day that I workout. This way when the time comes to schedule the post to publish everything is done and I only need to proofread it.

However last week the server that hosts my blog had a major crash and some things were lost.  I lost posts, comments, and you guessed it, that draft.

This will be a bit abbreviated unfortunately because at this point going through and rewriting each day doesn’t sound like much fun.

Let’s talk running! I had a great week!  I got in 5 days of straight running with a four miler thrown in the middle.  Whooo!

It would have been six days of running and I would have completed that goal, however on Friday after my run, my hip was a tad sore.

Nothing major just a little tight and I decided to let it rest a bit.  I would like to get in a longer run on Sunday morning and that played a part in my decision as well. I had 5 days of straight running by that point and I was a very happy camper.

One run this week, I even got a chance to wear capris and a light running shirt.  For this time of year that is pretty much unheard of.

How was your week with working out? What did you get done?

Comments: 2

Sunday, January 22nd:

It was super windy when I got up and instead of putting on my shoes, I changed into my painting clothes.  I got the first coat of primer up before I even had my morning coffee!

Two rooms and two coats of primer for each.  That took all day and completely wiped me out! I might not have run but I did get a lot accomplished and painting is most definitely an upper body workout!

Monday, January 23rd:

It was windy again and I turned on the coffee pot.  I couldn’t sit idle for long though and at lunch I headed out for a quick run.  It started raining and the wind was still blowing strong. Ugh!

I completely hate running in the wind AND rain.  However you gotta burn it to earn it, right? I was already dressed and already outside, so I might as well run.  I did 2.5 miles.

Tuesday, January 24th:

I had an early morning appointment so there was no morning run.  I considered running later in the day but the wind had picked up.  I’m over the wind! After having run in it already this week, I didn’t feel like doing it again.  Instead I did a weight routine and added in some extra ab work at the end.

Wednesday, January 25th:

Tuesday evening I started feeling like my body was going to crash.  My throat was sore, my eyes were itchy, and I kept sneezing.  All indications that I was on the edge of a light cold.  Because of that I decided to take it easy and only focus on painting.  Two coats in a spare bedroom.

Thursday, January 26th:

Rain, cold, and gloomy.  Yuck!  I did Jillian’s 6 Week Six Pack Level 2 for my workout today.  I wanted a bit of cardio and this workout delivers.  I like it because while it does focus on abs, it’s an all body workout.

Friday, January 27th:

I did nuttin’.  I’ve been feeling like I’ve been battling the beginnings of a cold all week.  One day I’ll feel lousy and the next I’ll feel fine.  Friday I was tired, both physically and sleepy feeling, so decided to just roll with it and chilled.  It was raining all day yesterday as well.  Bah! We’ve had so much stinking rain, our backyard is flooded out and there have been flood warnings all week.

Saturday, January 28th:

Run run! I got up early and it was warm out so I headed out for a run.  It started snowing while I was out, alternating between big fat flakes and small little bullets pelting me in the face.  It was hard to see most of the time because the snow was falling so hard but I didn’t care, the weather was finally calm enough that I could get out to run. Whoo!

My legs also felt very strong and I knew that I could have gone longer if I wanted to.  That makes me happy especially since I haven’t run since Monday.  Yikes!

Summary:

Not the best week on the books in terms of running however I did get in some other workouts and didn’t completely slack off.  Bonus!  Here’s hoping that next week goes a little smoother.

Comments: 1

You can read recaps of Week 1 and Week 2.

Sunday, January 15th:

Rest day! There are two reasons why I took this as a rest day:

Body was tired.

Work needed done around the house.

We’ve been really hauling butt this past week to get wallpaper removed and two rooms painted.  Saturday, we didn’t get nearly as much accomplished as I was hoping which meant that unfortunately I had to make up time on Sunday, pushing my run aside.

Bummed out? Yes.  But at this point it’s necessary.  Since I would be scraping walls all day long, I’m considering that as “something”.  Because it leaves me dog tired at the end of the day and sore the next day!

Monday, January 16th:

It was slow going and a little rough but I made it happen, 2.5 on the books.  I’m beginning to like starting the week off with a run.

Tuesday, January 17th: 

Rainy and gross outside.  I was orginally going to workout at the end of the day, however, I started painting our laundry room and got sucked into that completely.  I’m not calling it a rest day but it wasn’t as active as I would have liked.  Let’s go with that!

Wednesday, January 18th:

Completely wiped out from painting, I hit the sack around 9:30pm.  I wanted nothing more than to sleep and that I did! Woke up too late for a run and my body was feeling very tired from the previous day’s painting.  I decided to play it by ear and see how I felt later in the day.

About 4pm, I decided to head out for a run and oh was it a tough one.  My legs would. not. go.  My shins kept tightening up on me and felt very fatigued.  Not enough to cramp, just enough to be really uncomfortable while running.  I thought my shoes were tied too tight, so I fixed that.  Still happened.  Plus I was making the horrible “clomp clomp” sound as I ran which told me my form was out of whack.  My legs hurt enough that I almost cut this run even shorter but stuck it out for 2.5.  They got better towards the end but not enough that the feeling went away.  Weird!

Thursday, January 19th: 

I felt like I could use a good stretch so I did Jillian’s Yoga Meltdown Level 1.  I love this DVD for stretching and working the muscles.  It’s not an intense workout by any means, it’s more of a stretch and works on strengthening your muscles and your core.  It’s great if you feel like a good stretch or want a bit more of an active cooldown from another workout.

I’ve done Level 2 and I don’t like it as much as Level 1.  I don’t feel like it provides quite the same amount of great stretching.  Plus, for an at-home DVD I think it throws poses at you that should only be done with supervision or if you’re experienced enough (like crow pose!).  So I stick with Level 1.

Friday, January 20th:

There was a light snow on the ground and it was a chilly morning, 11F for my run.  I did a short run, 2.5 and it was a great run.  It was a gorgeous crisp cold outside plus the added bonus of running in the snow.

Running in the snow provides a whole other level of working out.  You have to keep your balance in check, you have to stay focused where you run to make sure you don’t trip or slip, and it provides a bit of resistance.  Your legs and core get a super workout when you run in the snow.  Such fun!

Saturday, January 21st:

Not a rest day because I spent all day in the half-bath stripping wallpaper and prepping it for getting painted.  I knew that I wouldn’t get a chance to run because the weather turned and we had an inch of snow on top of about a 1/4 of ice.  Even with yak trax, that makes for a difficult run.

I busted it inside instead.

Summary:

Not the best week and I’m not happy with it at all.  I did get some runs in but the mileage and duration were way too short.  Must change this in the upcoming week!

Total miles: 7.5   Bah!

Comments: 0

I determined that my hip injury coupled with an unfortunate encounter, left me feeling very uninspired and frustrated which lead to feeling blah about running.  In an effort to change this around and find my running mojo again, January has become, Run January.

Let’s recap Week 1!

Sunday January 1st: 

I love starting a new month on a Sunday and the fact that this was a brand new year starting on a Sunday was even better!  I woke up to a typical Columbus, Ohio winter day.  Gloomy, rainy, and windy.  Blech!  It wasn’t raining at the time but it looked like it was about to start and rain was in the forecast.  I sucked it up and decided to head out before the rain rolled in.

I hate running in wind or any sort of breeze, however, that breeze helped me out today.  The temp at the start of my run was 45F but since it was windy I dressed a little warmer than I normally would have.  Silly, this caused me to completely over dress and I was hot during my run.  Ick!  The breeze become a welcome friend because it helped to cool me off and keep me from over heating.

The run was alright, I did a short 2.5er around the neighborhood.  I would have done more but I was feeling sluggish and had a splitting headache (Uh, hello too much prosecco the night before! Happy New Year indeed.).  I still felt strong during my run though and being outside again for some cardio, enjoying some fresh air was fully reengerizing.

Monday, January 2nd:

Plopped my butt on the couch.  We were experiencing major wind that day and there’s no way I would have been able to run in it.  I was bummed to have to cut out that early into the first week!  It was also the last day of holiday vacation so being bummed out about the situation was short lived.

Tuesday, January 3rd:

Still pretty breezy out but it wasn’t as bad as Monday and there was no way I was going to miss two days in a row!  I headed out into the chill, temps were in the teens with a wind chill in the single digits.  I was able to crank out 3 miles.

Wednesday, January 4th:

It was warmer this morning but the breeze was also a lot stronger.  It was heavier than I like to run in and 2.5 was all that I could manage before heading home.  Brrr!

Thursday, January 5th:

Perfect! It was in the mid-20s to start, the sun was shining, and there was no breeze! The downside being that my legs were so very tired and I struggled hard with this run.  I made it four miles but I had to push and fight to get there.  My thigh muscles just did not want to keep going.

They started getting sore on me by Wednesday and I had Scott massage them.  That helped a lot but today’s run still was sluggish and my quads felt tense.

Friday, January 6th:

Had to take the day off.  No way would my legs have been able to handle another run, even if it was short.  I didn’t want to risk causing the muscles to tighten any further.  Thursday evening I had Scott massage my shins a bit as they felt achey and tight.  Not sore and nothing like shin splints, just achey.  Rubbing them helps that.

Saturday, January 7th:

Short run this morning. Since I was experiencing tired legs I wanted to give them a bit of a break and take it easy.  I might have been able to push through to three however there was more of a breeze than I expected and I didn’t wear a hat.   Ugh.  So my head was cold and my ears were burning.  I was pretty happy with the 2.5 though!

Summary:

I could be all frustrated and bummed out because I didn’t make “6 days” of running this week.  But I’m not going to do that because I learned a lot this week and I’m happy with the results.

I did run 5 days this week which is more than I’ve been doing and more running than I’ve done in a very long time.

I learned that my legs might not be ready for 6 days of running a week and they’ll let me know when they need a break.  I need to honor that and accept it.

On days where my legs are tired or need a break, I need to do something else instead.  Unless it’s my one rest day during the week.

And in the event the weather is not cooperating, I’ll do something else instead.

Here’s to week 2!

How are your goals for 2012 going?

Comments: 2

It’s been a rough year for me in regards to running.  Ever since the dog bite last December and this hip injury that I’ve been trying to work through all. year. long.  Running and I have become distant.

Our relationship isn’t what it used to be.  In fact, I’m not even excited to see it anymore and this is not okay.

I love running.  Running makes me happy, running kicks my ass while also making that ass look awesome.

Running makes my body strong and shapes my muscles.

When I started running three years ago, I ran every day.  Every day, no matter what, unless the weather was super bad outside.  I knew that if I didn’t do it everyday that my motivation would eventually decrease and I would be back at square one.

I also know that it takes time to accept and get used to a new routine.  So I ran everyday.

I miss running and I miss having that relationship with running.  My running mojo needs to get the hell out of bed and get to work.

I’ve decided that I’m going to start the new year off right and am declaring January to be Running January Month.

If you’ve ever heard runners talk about streaking, Running January is based on that concept.

For Running January:

I will run at least 6 days a week as long as the weather permits. January is rough in Ohio so as long as it’s not raining, super windy, or icy, I’ll be out running.

I’m not running for distance or looking for a set mileage per week.  Since I’m still dealing with this hip issue, my miles at this point are low.  This is the perfect time for me to do this challenge.

It doesn’t matter how many miles I run each day, just as long as I get out and do something.  Even if it’s a mile, that is better than nothing.

I want to feel strong again while I run.  I want my muscles to go back to being more defined and look like they get worked.  I want to feel like I accomplished something that day.  I want to feel good!

I want to be this girl again.  The one that’s strong.  The one that can run without thinking about it.  The one that loves running.

If you want to join me for Run January, I would love that! Or if you want to make a challenge of your own for January, let me know what you’re planning!

Comments: 5

Part of it was intentional, I don’t really have much to say. It seems like the same old same old lately.

I want to be running full time again.  For me, that’s at least four days a week.  Apparently Mother Nature has other ideas because getting four days of nice weather lately has not happened.  It’s a good week if I get in two runs.

Two runs.

This is not acceptable yet there’s not much I can do about it, I’m at the mercy of the weather.

We’ve been having a lot of rain and wind.  It’s Monday morning as I’m typing this and it’s pouring buckets. I have a little pond that developed in my back yard.  Any minute now I’m waiting for the ducks to show up and declare it their newest real estate investment.

Rocky is cranky because he’s not one to be housebound for long.  Neither am I.  Both of us would like some sunshine and a dry day.

Last week I did get to run 5 miles.  This is my longest mileage yet since dealing with this stinkin’ hip injury.  The run went well and I even ran it at a decent pace.  My hip was mega sore afterwards though and just a wee bit sore the next day.  By the end of the following day it was fine.

I was highly frustrated at first because I’m so over this.  OVER. IT.  Then I remembered that technically I’m supposed to be upping my mileage a half mile at a time.  I jumped a whole mile in my eagerness to cover more ground.  Whoops!

I’ll drop down to 4.5 miles this week and see what happens.  If it stops raining!

I also need to keep in mind that I can run four miles without pain.  This is a huge improvement over earlier this year when I couldn’t even run a mile without my hip hurting afterwards.

It’s hard not to focus on the struggle, on the frustrations, and on the pain.  Staying positive is the challenging part.

Running is such a mental game.

PS: It’s now Tuesday morning and the rain has let up but it’s very windy outside. Le sigh.

Comments: 4

I am such a cold weather baby.  When I step outside in the frosty cool morning I’m completely energized and crave to be outside.  I run back in, not because I’m freezing but because I want to quick change my clothes and go out for a run. Or a walk or whatever, just as long as I’m outside.

This is my prime time of the year.  My runs are better and I enjoy being outside much more.  I really dislike summer running.  The only thing that I like about summer running is that I sweat more and I do enjoy getting a good sweat going for a workout.

Otherwise summer can kiss my butt, I’ll take Fall running over that all the time.

I might not be running very far right now but I’ll take what I can get.

This morning I got out for a 3.5er, which is my max distance at this point.  I hope to be able to increase that mileage soon but I also realize I need to take this recovery super slow and not rush anything.

It was gorgeous out this morning.  The air was crisp and oh so chilly.  We had a hard frost last night and everything had a little crunch to it.  Then it started glistening as the sun started to rise into bright blue skies.

Love! This is when Columbus is at its best.  Fall and Spring can provide such beautiful moments.

I hope we have many more of these before winter fully sets in.

Comments: 4

I was tired of PT.

I was going to walk in and discuss my release because I was pretty much over it.  I didn’t even get that far because the therapist said, “At this point, I’m pretty sure we can cut you loose.  You can start increasing the miles on you’re own.”

HOORAY!!!

My appointment was all of five minutes long and I was out the door.  The receptionist checking me out started singing to me.

“She’s been DC’d!  She’s been released!”

Yes, she’s a bit odd but I didn’t care.  Because, I’d been DC’d!  I’d been released!

I am up to 3 miles now and about to bump that up a little more.  I got several runs in last week at 3 miles and they were great.  My endurance is starting to come back which makes me so thankful!

When you’re a distance runner (I consider people who like to run more than 6 miles in one shot, a distance runner. This is MY interuptation. Yours may vary.), running low mileage and struggling with it is very off putting.

In your head you know it’s not going to last but going through it can be a little rough and mentally challenging.

But right now, I’m flying high because who’s got two thumbs and doesn’t have to go back to PT?

This lady!

Comments: 6

This is what fall is supposed to be like in Columbus!  Clear blue skies, sun, and warm during the day.  Cool in the mornings and in the evenings.  Perfect perfect weather!

Because the weather was so nice, I was finally able to get some runs in this week.  I got four runs in this week and two of those runs were 3 MILES.

Heck yes!

Finally able to get past that 2.5 mile plateau that I was at for so long.

And I even got Scotty to go out for a run last week.  It was only once but it was something.  He’ll be getting more in especially if he’s looking to race next month.

We’re both going to run The Flying Feather next month.  It was such fun last year and since he said he would run it with me, I’m holding him to it.

Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already next month!

Anyone wanna run it with us?

I didn’t think that I would be running any races this year thanks to the granny hip issues but it seems like I just might be able to squeeze one in!

Since I was finally able to reach 3 miles, I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this running injury.  It’s taking some time (oh boy is it) but I will get past it.

Comments: 8