Category: Slacker

A Little Truth Time

Truth– I didn’t run for 7 days. It made me twitchy in the beginning, feeling like I should get out and run, but the last few days the laziness felt easier.

Truth– I’m in a funk. Work funk, life funk, running funk. Can’t quite decide the best way out of the funk. I’ve considered going back to school–well, I’d have to finish it first.

Truth– Food and I have a very dysfunctional relationship. And it’s not working out anymore. It’s not like I can break up with it. For once, I’m not referring to my stomach issues. I’ve debated writing a longer post on this but haven’t figured out how.

Truth– Green tea is growing on me. Some brands taste like lemon pledge but some are pretty good.

Truth-I am trying to learn to like the treadmill. It’s a necessary training tool and if I want to run better I need to train better. Which means actually getting to the gym to run. So tonight, I laced up and ran a very slow 5k. But nothing ached for once- new for a treadmill run- so I’m calling it a win.

Truth-I love the cheesy holiday movies that are on every channel these days. My DVR is getting quite the work out these days. But-please, don’t hate me now- I am not a fan of Elf.

Truth– Tuesday was our company holiday party and I indulged with a Diet Coke- they all got wine and I had a Diet Coke. 😋

Truth– I just got distracted while typing this with one those previously mentioned Christmas movies.

Truth– I purchased a new toy- a Jawbone Up. Standing is not moving. I have a stand up desk but sadly I’ve been averaging 3500 steps a day- ouch!!

Truth– Everything said above is trivial in the grand scheme of things.

Truth– My commute took an hour and a half this morning, twice as long. But as I drove past the horrific wreck that was reason for the delay, I thought that we all just need to slow down. We all need to complain a little less and be grateful for what we have. Not only during the holidays- all of the days.

What’s your truth today?

Surf City Week 1-Oops

For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to start an abbreviated training plan last week. I had the previous 2 weeks off, what could go wrong? Oh, and last week was my first week re-attempting Atkins. This time on no soda. Weee!

Monday was a given rest day. I packed my running gear but I knew it wasn’t really going to happen. First day back at work and I slept horribly the night before. According to my UP, I slept for a measly 4 hours. Woo hoo. I knew the day was going to be busy just catching up on things. I only had a couple hundred emails- double yay. 😏

Tuesday was odd as I had an appointment with an allergist/ immunologist to see if they had any ideas about my stupid stomach. Then it was off to work for a few hours before taking a partial half day. Half day after vacation? I was working Saturday but I still felt guilty taking a half day that close to vacation. That said, I didn’t fight it too hard. I changed and bolted out the door. I made it to the river path in home town with only enough time for a short run. I managed to squeeze in 4 really solid miles before it was too dark. Mile 4 saw an 8:45. Hello! Where is more of that? Actually it was a pretty sweet progression-13:08, 10:24, 9:38, 8:45. Plus I finished in time for this view-

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday– Migraine city. I was supposed to meet A at the gym on Wednesday but I was having troubles walking. I felt so bad when I texted her to cancel. My boss tried to send me home but not only did I feel guilty again I didn’t think I could drive home. It eased up enough by closing time and I drove home. I’d planned on saving my ~~cheat~~ indulgent meal of pizza for the weekend but I ended up eating it that night. I choose to believe that it helped a bit. Thursday, my head still hurt and I barely ate. I zoned out in front of the tv watching Christmas movies that evening.

Saturday– work and Vine St Showcase. I had hoped to squeeze in a run but my stomach had other plans. That said, this was also the first time I’ve hit my step goal without running since I bought the UP. Little victories right? Plus- Christmas lights!!

Sunday– I’ve been in a Christmas funk and having serious troubles with gift ideas. Unfortunately no one else in my family is a runner. 😢 I was feeling stressed. I headed down to SLO to see what I could accomplish. I shopped longer than planned, missed getting in a run but I feel more prepared for the holiday that is rapidly approaching. I’m calling that a win.

So, yeah that was a 4 mile week. Ouch. I am trying to look on the shiny side though. I got in 4 awesome miles. I was low carb half the week and I went 7 days with zero soda. 7! I still indulge if I go out to eat and they serve Diet Coke. I think that built in cheat is helping me pull this off. I went from 2 32oz a day to 1 or 2 a week. I didn’t even give in when I had my migraine. That was the first time in weeks that I was actually craving soda. But I held strong…while whimpering in the dark- ha. 😉

So for the week ahead, I am hoping to get in a few more miles. We also have our holiday party for work to look forward too. The only time I ever order the Filet. Yummm. I’m drooling in advance.

How was your week?

Are you finished shopping? How is it only 11 days away?

Anyone race over the weekend? I saw tons of Santa races online. 🎅

Vacation Week 2 Recap

Started off with a bang and ended with a whimper. Whereas week 1 was crazy mileage for a Slacker like me, week 2 was more like my usual. Maybe I can say I embraced the relaxation vibe of vacation? Even though I didn’t go anywhere?

Monday- Rest My ankle/calf was twinging from all the miles last week so I chose to rest. This also worked out as I ended up spending way too much time in AT&T stores this past week. My parents, brother and I share a family plan and have for years. One it’s more cost effective and two, I refuse to lose my unlimited data. It was time for my mom’s phone upgrade and since she needs me as the plan holder to make changes it worked out that I was on vacation. She picked out a shiny new HTC A9 or something another. She’s anti iPhone despite owning one the last 2 years. Her new phone was pretty until we realized over the weekend it wouldn’t send text messages. Well, that’s a problem. So, after hours of internet research and on the phone with tech support on Monda, the verdict was to give the phone back. Seriously, that’s what tech support said. 😒 So days later, after shipping fiascoes, rigged up iPhone 4’s, she is now the owner of shiny new, working, iPhone 6s.

Tuesday-4 miles More late afternoon running for the win. Well kind of. I headed out closer to dusk than planned but figured I would see how many miles I could get in before it got too dark. Parts of my run were great and other parts not so much. Once again my pace was better than I had expected and I didn’t need any walking breaks. However I stopped 3 times to stretch. My calf/ ankle thing is not happy at all and I kept stopping to stretch it out along the ways. Trees and curbs were all fair game. Grrr. The run turned out to be a nice little progression but my leg is not happy.

Wednesday– Rest With my ankle area being weird, I decided to try an every other day running schedule this week. Which works out as both my parents had birthdays this week. My mom’s was today. The brother and I took the parents to dinner that night. I may have eaten a few too many bread sticks at Olive Garden. 😉

Thursday 3.75 miles– holy ouch, batman. That rest day didn’t help the tightness is my ankle/ calf area. Once again I was using trees and curbs to stretch it out along the way. It started raining on me on the way back but I was too cranky to enjoy it. I shortened my run which made me cranky. I was hoping to hit 6 but there was no way. 😐

The weather man lied- it rained!! Oh and I saw this lovely sign. 🙂

Friday- Rest Pop’s birthday!

Saturday- Rest Unplanned, I was hoping for a run but I felt crappy. I had tossed and turned all night and felt exhausted. I also felt a little nauseous. I meant to take a 30 minute nap after lunch but ended up napping for 2.5 hours. Oops.

Sunday- Rest Sensing a pattern here? Part of me wanted to run and part of me wanted to be lazy on this last day of vacation. I still wasn’t feeling so hot so I wasted the day away watching cheesy tv Christmas movies. #sorrynotsorry

Somehow vacation has come to an end. Normally by now I am itching to get back to work. However I don’t feel ready to go back. I feel like there was so much more that I needed to do (like clean my car) but time just seemed to move quickly these past 2 weeks. Make it slow down! How is Christmas so close? And I seriously have no gift ideas. Normally by this time I am done shopping! I have wrapping paper but nothing to wrap!

So it’s back to work tomorrow. Back to treadmill running, boo. Back to better eating habits, hopefully. 😃

How was your weekend?

How is your Christmas shopping coming?

Any good calf stretches? I need help.

Vacation Week 1 Recap & Night November

Winter has arrived. The last few nights have been in the 20’s-yippie. 😓 I will adjust but haven’t just yet. My toes feel like Popsicles. Between a long, cold hike and the frozen Turkey Trot last week they still feel frozen. But besides that, I put more miles on my legs last week than I had in any training week in a long time. Yay for vacation!

Monday– 4.5 miles- progression. I chatted about that in this post but this was a good run. It wasn’t the speediest but it felt comfortable. I hadn’t felt that in a while while running. 😃

Tuesday– Rest. With 8 miles on Sunday and then Monday’s run I decided to implement a 2 days on/ 1 day off schedule for vacation. I figured my inherent laziness would kick in at some point but I also didn’t want to push too hard too fast.

Wednesday– 9+ mile hike/ trail run. More on that will be in Wednesday’s post. I’ll just say this- I had to climb up—out of a bat cave. With my iPhone flash to light the way.

Thursday– Turkey Trot! Also mentioned in my last post- so cold!! And all the miles caught up with me.

Friday– Rest. I really wanted to be outside hiking for REI’s #optoutside but my right leg was so sore and tight from #allthemiles in a short time, (for me) I could barely walk. I spent the day taking it easy and alternately cursing/ crying with my foam roller. 😒 Zero shopping was done on this #blackfriday.

Saturday– More rest. My right leg was still super tight and sore. It would actually buckle every now and then when my quad locked up. Fun. I spent the day wandering around SLO and made nice with my foam roller again.

Sunday-3.8 miles. Night 3 of sub 30* temps, there was no way I was running in the morning. I’d like to say I’ll get used to it but yeah, probably not. Winter is the time of year that running in the mid afternoon rocks. 😄 I was pressed for time as I was going to an afternoon movie but I wanted to see how my legs felt. The right one felt great, nothing at all like the past few days. The left on the other hand was back to it’s old tricks. I had to stop a few miles in to stretch out a super tight calf. Grrr. It loosened up for the last mile or so but I need to figure out why that calf tends to get super tight. Other then the tight calf issue, it was another good run. All of this week’s runs had zero walk breaks. I can’t remember the last time that happened. 😃

Weekly mileage- 23.42

Who am I? 😄 Throw in last Sunday’s 8 and my 8 day total hit 31.42. How many rules of running did I break there? 😃 To put that in perspective let’s talk about how November as a whole went.

Miles- 59.9
Races– Big Sur Half Marathon 2:23:26
Turkey Trot 10k- 1:04:49

So yeah, half of this month’s mileage happened last week. Oops. Seriously why can’t I run at 3 all the time? I know my treadmill motivation is seriously lacking. I run so awkwardly slow on it, it also makes my legs overly sore. New goal for December- conquer the treadmill. Either that or invest in a headlamp and brave the cold, dark mornings. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

How was your November? Are you ready for December?

Anyone brave the shopping this weekend? Score any good deals?

There is Shiny

For a so called, introverted home body, this has been a very social week. Tuesday night, I met up with a good friend who I have not seen in way too long for dinner. It was great catching up. Then, last night, I took my mom to see Riverdance. I had won tickets at work. 😃🎉.

Growing up, I remember watching the performances on tv with my mom and grandparents, we used to love them. Every time we watched I was left wanting to both dance like them and learn to play the violin. They made violin playing look so damn cool. When I won the tickets I was stoked but also worried that they wouldn’t live up to my memories. I had nothing to be worried about, it was freakin’ awesome. Seriously the moves they can with their legs and the sounds? Amazing, if you have the chance to see them, do it. 💃

Once again, I was left wanting to dance like them. And learn to the play the violin again. 😀. But seriously, they have hip-hop inspired dance classes and Zumba- so why has there never been a Riverdance inspired fitness class?!

Social fun aside, I’ve been a serious slacker in the fitness department. I was looking forward to getting in a good run at the gym tonight but it was more of a farce.

My knee still twinges at odd times so I was planning to take it slow. I was going to try watching a show on my phone while on the treadmill. When I say watching, I really mean listening. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to see the phone comfortably without jacking up my stride. I am way behind in Grey’s Anatomy so I figured it was worth a shot. After a nice walking warm up I set the treadmill to an easy 11 minute pace and got running.

I was aiming for a super easy run as I’ve only jogged 3 miles since Big Sur. Also my leg still has moments where something feels off. I was feeling pretty good and looking forward to solid hour run. That was the time goal I set for myself and mileage didn’t matter. Listening to the show worked pretty well for 20 minutes. The the feed just died and I couldn’t get it back. Ok fine. Then 37 minutes in, my stomach cramped in a very bad way and I bailed off the treadmill.

I was ticked because my stomach has been really good the past 2 weeks. I also have barely run the past 2 weeks. I refuse to see a correlation.

Once I took care of that issue, I knew more running was unlikely. I was already at the gym so I figured I would try one their stationary bikes. The first one I sat down on was dead. No amount of pushing the start button or pedaling was bringing it to life. So I moved over one. Someone had to show me how to start it. 😭 Finally I was pedaling though. Only to find that the thing was off balance and made a clanging sound with every pedal rotation. Oh and the computer didn’t really work. It said I was pedaling a consistent 11.8. No matter how fast or slow my cadence was. I made it 15 minutes before I bailed.

So yeah, tonight seems more #gymfail than win. However, I’ve been in an odd funk lately and I am actively trying to break it. So, like the title (and one of my goals for 2015) says- there is some shiny. 37 minutes on the treadmill and 15 on the bike is 50+ more minutes than yesterday. And the day before. I got to wear my new shoes-that’s always a plus. My leg only twinged a bit during those 37 minutes too. That’s a good sign right?

And while Tuesday and Wednesday were lacking workouts, they were spent having fun and making memories. Those are always shiny.😃

Oh, and I am one day away from vacation. That may be the shiniest of all. 😛

What was your “shiny” this week?

Anyone racing this weekend? Maybe an early Turkey Trot?