Weekly Recap 3/2 - 3/8 (final)

	Run	Walk	Bike	Notes
2-Mar		2.0	12
3-Mar	8.4
4-Mar		2.6
5-Mar	3.2
6-Mar		2.4
7-Mar	5.1	4.8
8-Mar	12.7	2.9

Monday - snow, so no TRX.  Took a spin class at lunch and walked Gizzy when I got home.  The spin class was good.  Come March 30th I'm going to be regretting not getting on the trainer after a 43 mile ride.  Oh well....  Guess my ass and I will have to come to terms with the ass/saddle torture, or I get on the trainer.

Tuesday - Triple Tuesday - 5ish outside and 3 ish on the treadmill capping off the snowy night with a yoga class.  Tuesday night music bingo at Fat Belly's was cancelled due to the snow.  It was not a fun drive home from Coventry.  I'm constantly amazed at how terrified people are behind the wheel.  Get off the road, pretty please!!

My run outside I never felt like I got moving in any rhythm or pace or something.  Just felt sloggy and like I was running through cornstarch and water or Jell-o or pudding.  It was very weird, not tiring, weird.  My suffer score was 68 with most of my heart rate in Zone 2.  Obviously I wasn't working very hard.  Interestinglyr I've never been able to manage a run with the majority in the Z2 with a little in Z3 area.  Maybe this is a sign of fitness.  I did feel like I could keep plodding, yes, that was it, I felt plodding but not like I was slogging, anyhoodles like I could keep on keeping on for another lap around campus and the golf course.  Weird.  

Jennifer and I met up for some intervals on the treadmill before Yoga. I warned her she needed to keep me honest.  The tables were definitely turned!  She managed pretty well, I have some more teaching to do about being a pain in the ass.   She did do a great Karen impression about my general mood.

 (I liked this MUCH better, Dave usually asks me "What's your malfunction? - IKR, it is amazing we are still married -- then again he is married to a smart ass and you give as good as you get!)

About half way through I started losing a little of the 'frump' as she called it.  Yoga helped immensely.  Missing chicken bacon ranch pizza and music bingo definitely sucked.

Wednesday - I had hoped to get to the gym for some speed work.  I did get out of going to NY for my performance review, and really had high hopes for the 6 hours of commute time I saved.  Of course the day collapsed in on me and I started feeling like Stretch Armstrong. 

I never did get to the gym, it was a nice lunch hour to run outside too, the rain stopped briefly and it was warm.  I did get a lot of actual work done, so there is that.  Oh yeah, and I got a nice little award for some work I've been doing, that always helps to make a day a bit better.

Walked Gizzy when I got home.  My grouchy old man, I love him so.   It will be tough when his time is up, for me and for both Dave and I.  For now, we both enjoy him and all that is The G.

Thursday - Snow was predicted to be all day and it did snow all day, big fluffy flakes, 6 inches is what Dave predicted, we were 8 inches by the time all was said and done.  He took the afternoon to push most of the snow off the porch roof.  It wasn't in danger of collapsing, more danger of once this crap starts to melt it is going to slide very easily off the copper roof and go BOOM, with our luck it would be on someone, like the postman or the UPS guy or Gizzy.

I had a nice short run to the beach and back in the snow globe.  It will most likely be the last for this winter.  Again I felt like I couldn't get into a rhythm and my 'suffer score' on Strava was low.  It didn't feel like I was working hard at all, so I was glad for that confirmation from Strava based on my heart rate.   It really was beautiful.  I didn't listen to my music much.  There is one portion where there is a river to the right and a golf course to the left and that day a father and daughter were playing hide and seek.  There aren't any places to hide, just one tree.  It was fun to watch them having fun chasing each other.  Made me smile.  Then I happened upon a guy walking his golden retriever.  That dog was having a BLAST jumping into snow banks and routing around then jumping back into the sidewalk and repeating the process.  Anyone who says animals don't play or have feelings or know how to have fun really doesn't know animals.  I nearly stopped to play with this pup he was having such a grand time and his hoomin was laughing right along with his antics.  Warmed my heart!  Once I got back on the main road I did put the music back on.  I can't get enough of "Red Solo Cup".

Dave shoveled the walk once, and I got night duty so I could get my car in the driveway. Really easy shovel, he did the heavy lifting.   My poor metal chicken, Whimsey, is nearly drowned in snow.  Poor girl.  Puff, the dragon (what else could he be called?) I won't see till spring.  I love that I have friends who enjoy buying me 'yard art' and a husband whose not the least bit phased by it.  I am very sad my lighted dragon, Larry, was stolen by some juvenile delinquents.  

Friday -  I should have known.  I'm the green on the right.

Got to Misquamicut and well, we ended up at The Malted Barley.   Neither of us are up for any awards, do this for a living, or are going to win a race where actual turtles are the competition, it was cold, it was Friday,  The Malted Barley was the better option!

Saturday - Pick up bib for Sunday's 1/2 maybe snow shoe, maybe run, who knows.  I'm looking forward to sleeping past 7 a.m.  doubtful that will happen, well unless I drug the dogs.

There was no sleeping in past 7.

After coffee I went out for a run, 5 miles.  Zigging and zagging to avoid the un-shoveled walks and dodging cars, I'm getting tired of this.  Felt good after I was done.

Dave and I went snow shoeing out in Burlingame for a few miles.  I wanted to see the ridge in the snow, it is so pretty.  We meandered around for 2.2 miles and it was as beautiful as I remembered from the last big snow, the snow shoes are nice, keep you up a bit from post-holing into the deep snow!

Sunday - Ocean's Run 1/2 marathon - the only goal is do not die.  I didn't get in the long runs, I did get in the speedwork.  I'm 1/2 way there.  It is supposed to be nice and sunny and maybe warm...  I'll enjoy the race and if I best my 2:17 PR I'm good, if I finish an hour after the winner (Muddy, run slow) I'll also be good. What really happened?  RECAP HERE


Sincerely,
Beth, who does this running stuff for fun and to, hopefully, live a little more mobile as she ages and, yeah, eat and drink.  And wondering who actually gets her pop culture references....

published 3/6

February is a wrap

Holy cow, February is over, the weather set many records, yours truly?  Not a one, at least not one that comes to mind quickly!

Two weather records that come to mine are:  32 inches of snow in 28 days with an average temp of 18F. 

I logged a surprising 91 running miles and a measly 14 walking miles.  Poor Gizzy, I can definitely see the impact 25% of the usual miles he gets has had on him both physically and mentally.  Amazing what exercise does for living creatures.  

In the beginning of our walks he has troubles lifting his leg to pee, the first 1/2 mile he tips over occasionally.  Poor old guy.  By the end he can lift either leg and wiz.  There really is something to this exercise stuff!  Plus he sleeps so much better.  He has lost pretty much all of his hearing and he has been grumbling a lot more.  Perhaps this is to make a noise he can feel or hear, we aren't sure.  Dave reports Gizzy'z waking up and shifting in bed and grumbling are far and few between the days he did get a walk.  I know I sleep better with some exercise, not too much mind you, a particularly heavy day and I sleep like crap.  Of course when I do sleep I sleep like the dead tetrised in between three dogs all snuggly and comfy.

Nahhhhhhh!!!

Otherwise what is there to say about February?  It is over...  on to March, and maybe a thaw?  please?  pretty please with sugar on top?  (yeah yeah, Gru says "The physical appearance of the please makes no difference.")

Sincerely, 
Beth, who used to hate February, now is indifferent towards the month

Weekly Recap: 2/23 - 3/1

	Run	Walk	Bike	Notes
23-Feb				TRX
24-Feb	5.2			Legs / Yoga
25-Feb	4.2			Tired sore legs
26-Feb	5		12	Spin
27-Feb		2.3		Rest (really)
28-Feb	8
1-Mar	4.3

Monday - Non running day.  Missed Spin.  Woke up at 4:55, shut off the alarm for the 5 minutes I was going to rest my eyes and woke up at 5:25.  Well crap.  Fortunately Gazelle was off running a 20 miler, pshew.  I don't think this 5:30 a.m. on a Monday spin class is going to work for me.  I'm not a morning person to begin with.  Maybe once it gets lighter earlier?  I'll try again in a few weeks.   Considering I really did want to spin and my buddy Ro was teaching a spin class at Noon I packed the spin gear I carefully set out on Sunday night in my gym bag.  

My knitting buddy cut off the tip of her finger so not much knitting going on... so I thought I was in for the spin class.  Nope, class ends at 12:55 and I had a could not miss and could not move meeting at 1 and it was going to start promptly.  Blargh...  

TRX was it.  After a month break, OMG it hurt.  Fortunately the planking I've been doing has helped a bit, but seriously not so much fun.  Well giggling with the girls in the basement was fun, otherwise not so much.

Tuesday - Running / Weights / Yoga -   Speedwork was on tap.  And it was below 10, really not conducive to a good workout, treadmill it was.  I chose a different treadmill and it was off the same distance as the last one, 1/2 mile.  5.2 miles per my foot pod with Run / Jog intervals.  1% grade 1/4 mile @8:27 per the TM (1/3 @ 7:30 per foot pod) x 6, 10 TM pace for the recovery intervals.  There were a couple experiments in there.  All in all I was tired and felt good.  Two things that are weird - I can't cool down even with a cold shower, no really seriously, a cold shower and I'm still sweating when I get back to my desk and I sneeze like crazy and have a runny nose all afternoon and into the evening.  Last week I was sure I was getting sick and started taking antihistamines for a couple days till everything settled down.  If I'm stuck inside next Tue I'll use the antihistamines as a prophylactic and see if that helps.  It really isn't fun spending the afternoon on conference calls and sneezing.  Anyone else have allergies happen when they run on the TM?

Jennifer and I did leg weights - yeah not the best follow up to speedwork, I felt it on Wednesday evening!  Yoga was all about hip openers, always a good thing for the tight hips of runners!  

Wednesday - Running - Faith texted to be sure we were on for what hopefully will continue as our Wednesday lunch runs, well at least until the end of the semester and her schedule changes.  For now it works.  I was super apprehensive of this run, I was sore and tired and really sure this was going to be awful.  Yet, I knew it would be OK and I would feel better.  We ticked off the first mile at about a 10:30 pace and both said, we need to go slower.  So we went faster, not really intentionally, the first mile is uphill and the second down and then well it get flat and we got to blabbering.  After the last nasty hill we part company and wished each other well after a lovely 4 mile run and chat.  Yeah, as we were blabbering the whole time we obviously weren't working THAT hard.  Ahhh....  

Had fun trying to twist Mikey B in to a pretzel, I saw him on Thursday and he was still a little ouchey from the hip openers - pigeon pose for the yogies out there.

Bob showed us another way to do the Figure Four stretch.  That was great.  

Decreasing the angle of the leg touching the floor helps make this more intense.  This can also be done supine.

Thursday - Running / Spinning - Ugh it was cold outside and I was so close to 5, I made sure I hit that magic number.  Never warmed up on the run, oh well, this weather has to end at some point right?   Although it makes me think of the Time covers from the 70's about the pending ice age.  Pretty scary stuff as I remember it.

Considering this 5;30 a.m. spin class is stressing me out, Dave suggested I go to a class after work.  Huh... hadn't considered that.  6:30 class on Thursday night, lets try it.  It worked out nice.  Too many things I want to do and so little time what with a full time job...  ugh...  

Friday - Cue the Friday afternoon nap.  Oh my love how I've missed these.  Out for 40 blissful minutes.  Rudely ended by Gus's self inflicted tummy issues.  On the positive side Gizzy got his long awaited walk, the roads are dry the sun was out and we went for a little over two miles.  I could definitely see a little loss of strength in his hips, however he wanted to go go go and wasn't going to let that hold him back. He'd have walked more if I let him and that was the perfect way to end his first walk in over a week. It is either too cold or the dark and lack of continuous sidewalks hinders our evening constitutionals. 

This poor snowman.  I kinda feel bad for him.
Fortunately (ha) more snow is on the way and the kiddies who built him can freshen him up!

I finished the scarf I was working on. It does make a nice blankie for Gus!  He is feeling better, not to worry.  Totally self inflicted issue.

Saturday - Nice medium run of 8 miles.  Made a dragon with the GPS.  Took Jax out to Watchaug Pond to run off some crazies!

Sunday - Short easy run!  Ahhh  now to prep for the next snow storm:  Gavin...  

Sincerely, 
Beth, wondering about this ice age stuff....