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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Starting week 3 of ChiRunning

Last Wednesday I went for my run in the morning and felt great. And then I got sick. I have had an intestinal blech for a week now. It is still hanging on, but Thursday and Friday it was accompanied by fever and some cramping, so I didn't run Friday. I also didn't run Saturday but I went out Monday for my Long Slow Distance run. I ran for 42 minutes and went about 2.3 miles, which is darn awesome. I ran Zombies Run! Mission 22. There is one more left to Season One after this.

Today I got back on my regular schedule and did a training run. I was working on my lean today while running. I think I'm really starting to get it. My hips are a bit tight right now but my knee feels pretty good. This was 2 minute walks and 3 minute runs. The last run... My body did not want to go there. But I made it!

Also, I knitted a knee cozy because my knee feels better if it is warm.



Sunday, November 4, 2012

ChiRunning Day 3: Long Slow Distance Run

Today was my very first "Long Slow Distance" run... and instead of doing 2 minutes walking 2 minutes running, I just ran, in 'first gear' as they say in ChiRunning.  This means virtually no lean--just what you need to move forward, no more.  I spent the whole time focusing on my posture--keeping my feet aligned, keeping my C-shape (pelvis level and chin down!) and my core strong.  I jogged for 1.6 miles around the local middle school's track (it was dark! because we turned the clocks back!  And so this morning I woke up 'early' and was early to work and I still had a great night's sleep and it was light when I awoke, which is a darn good thing in my book!  But it was definitely too dark for running on the street--though actually the street is better lit than this track.  Sigh.  I shall find a solution.  It will probably be running earlier).

So, the knee is doing okay and the rest of my body feels good and I can eat whatever I darn well please tonight.

And this morning I got this out of the back of my closet:


a shirt I haven't worn in five years or more!!! And it fits really well!  And there was a jacket too.

After work (you can see my messy office in the background) I went to Panache Coffee in Framingham to meet up with a bunch of other knitters and drink coffee.  I called the blueberry scone I ate 'lunch' and it was really good even though it wasn't terribly nutritious.  It isn't often I have a chance to get together with a bunch of knitters and just knit.  This was a good thing!

But I'll try to run earlier next week.   Seriously.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

ChiRunning Day 3, and New Shoes!

Today was another rest day, but yesterday was not, and I did my workout.

I did things differently.  First of all, instead of running for 35-40 minutes as fast as I could endure, I walked 9/10 of it and I only went for 22 minutes (partly because that's all I had budgeted, but also because I'm trying so very hard to not hurt myself.  I practiced walking Very Fast and sometimes that became running. But sometimes it was still walking Very Fast.  And I did not wear a brace or tape, and I still didn't hurt myself.  I feel okay today and I tried to stay conscious all day today of my posture, etc.  There's a bit of stiffness, but that's okay--on Wednesday night it was hurting.

I'm still trying and trying to remember to keep my posture good all day.  My butt still likes to stick out and my chin still likes to come up, and I've just been trying hard to gently put myself back when I sense I have gone out of alignment.  Not judging myself--that's a rough one.  Rough!  And here's something else.  Shayla Morrigan posted this on Facebook today and I think I will look at it daily and make it my mantra, because I know that my stress directs itself straight to my hips and legs (and to my shoulders, though not as bad).


"Be productive yet calm.  If I could just incorporate this one thing into my life I'd be better off!  And if I could remember to *just breathe! and *let go of what I can't control... wow, I'd make a huge turnaround.

So today I went out and bought myself a new pair of running shoes.  This is because in reading ChiRunning I read the bit about shoes which went something like this: Are your shoes over four months old? (mine are 6).  Examine the soles for wear-and-tear.  Discard the shoes if there are places where the top and part of the middle layers of the soles are worn off.  Yeah.  They are binned, because they were flat.  According to the book, this can account for leg pain.  Hmmmm.  So I went to REI and I bought a brand new pair that look like this:



Which, if you think they look familiar, is because they are identical to the pair I bought last spring!  But they were on clearance for $44! SCORE!  The new model of this shoe costs $99.

I also ordered a new pair of winter boots because I have none that make my feet happy.  But I had to get them online because the pair I wanted was not in the store.

Oh, I've just caught myself slouching.  Gotta stop that.  Also, gotta not judge myself for it!  Heavens, this is hard work.  I'm going to go work on this:


It keeps growing!  Must finish it soonish!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

ChiRunning Day 2: Rest Day

Yesterday was a rest day.  It was also Halloween, so it was good I rested.

Today is also a rest day, because really I should've done Tuesday's workout yesterday. But this worked better, so I am happy.

I killed my knee yesterday.  Not running.  Nope, walking around.  Trick-or-Treating with my nieces (my son having gone out with his friends, being that age.  He was a Creeper from Minecraft and he wore a suit and carried a briefcase, which was incredibly cute, honestly!  I helped him wrap the box he used in green wrapping paper but otherwise he made the whole thing himself.  We have transported ourselves into a new era of Halloween Costuming.  Also, one of his friends said, "You know, you can buy one of those for like $20, and we said, "Ha! we spent $2.99 for some wrapping paper!"  There is a real triumph in being cheap.  I mean, frugal. :-D)

So, I may never ever wear shoes that are not Very Very Flat.  Ever again.  Because that's what I did yesterday, and now, OW.  And I also may never take the dog trick-or-treating on a short leash again, because he pulls on me--just a little, but he does--and that makes me put undue pressure on my knees, reining him in.  Bah.  I do not like pain.

So today on my rest day I will go shopping, which will include a trip to the mall, and I will be spending my entire shopping trip being extremely careful of my knee placement and body alignment.  I have reconfigured these slippers by removing the leather soles that aren't in the picture because I put them on after this, and sewing leather bits to the bottoms so they don't stretch the shoes out.  So now I don't have to scuff around to keep them on.  Much awesome!  Comfy for house wear!

Tomorrow if it still hurts I will do Very Careful Walking for my exercise session.  Because though I don't seem to hurt myself running, I definitely don't want this to get worse.  This is at 'kneecap feels kinda wobbly' stage and that truly worries me.  Kneecaps should not feel wobbly.  But I am determined to keep exercising because not exercising means a whole bunch of things I don't want.  Like, today? I passed the 20lbs mark in my weight-loss progress!  WHEE!!  And exercise has contributed terrifically to the fact that I look and feel... terrific!  Imagine what I'll look like 20 more pounds down the road!

Wish me luck.  Wish me healthy knees.  Wish me pain-free.  Here I go, doing laundry and then going on my weekly shopping-for-work trip! exciting life I lead, eh? :-D