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Tired miles and a foam roller

January 28, 2014 Fallon @ Slacker Runner

I am so thankful that tomorrow is Wednesday. Tomorrow will be a longer day at work, so I will be taking a rest day. Woo hoo! I love running but I am kind of sore and achy. Sundays long run took a little more out of me than I thought. I have been very close to my foam roller these past few days. 🙂

Yesterday’s run was scheduled to be 5 miles. I woke up tired, and it took hours to perk up. Ok, I admit, a second soda did wonders for my perkiness. My left calf felt extremely tight all day. I wore my lowest heels hoping it would help. When work was done for the day, I changed into my gear and headed for the gym.

The gym was super busy when I got there but I found a treadmill and after a small warm-up and some earphone troubles, started running. Oh the tight calf was not my friend, not by a long shot. I kept trekking along, after a little over a mile, it loosened up a bit. I told myself I could stop at 3. At 3,I felt ok so I pushed on for another mile. I finished mile 4 and walked a cool down and stretched some before leaving. I was heading to a cold smoothie, a hot shower and my foam roller. I just had a little issue to fix first.

On the seriously irritating side, when I was getting out of my car before the gym, I noticed my left, front tire was flat. What?!! I was just at the tire place on Friday and they said they fixed it. Maybe that irritation helped get me to mile 4. What’s a girl to do when the same tire goes flat twice in 2 weeks? I won’t lie, I called my pops. I can change a tire but I have problems with the jack placement. Plus he has all the fancy tools. My dad changed it and using a flash light, we found the nail and drew a circle around it for the tire shop. 🙂 Then I threw it in the trunk and today was spent driving around on the donut. Not cool. I was driving a little slower than usual but still at the speed limit but so many people passed me. Slow down, people!

After how stiff I was yesterday, I was thinking of taking today off. I was able to make another tire appointment for 4:30 so I could get my tire fixed and firmly express my irritation that it wasn’t done the first time. The tire shop is just a 5 minute drive from the gym. I figured I was already going to be there so why waste the opportunity? So I changed into my running gear before leaving work. At the tire shop, they apologized numerous times and promised that it was fixed now. So I headed to the gym.

The schedule today had called for an 8 mile progression run but that was not going to happen. My initial plan was for a minimum of 3 miles and see how I felt after that. 3 turned into nice steady 5 miler. When I was running I thought I was doing a 5 mile progression. A 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at increasing pace and a 1 mile cool down. While I was running, I felt like I was doing that, however my splits told me differently. Oops! Steady but not faster, oh well, I’ll take it! Obviously, I’m still a little tired, but it felt like a better run. Afterwards was another date with my foam roller. And maybe some pizza. 🙂

Sadly, the ear buds I have been using for the last few years died. They were just the ones that came with my iPhone 4 a few years ago but I liked them the best. Even over the ridiculously expensive Yurbuds I purchased but rarely ever wear. My new iPhone came with ear buds but they are different and I haven’t tried them out yet. Guess I will be now!

On the upshot, I am really loving my daily lunches! Not as pretty as Pinterest but seriously who has the money and space for all those plastic containers?

We’re almost halfway through the week, how is everyone doing?

Any calf massage ideas?

chill out, Run!, Slacker

Embracing the Excuse

December 21, 2013 Fallon @ Slacker Runner

December has shaped up to be Slacker month. I have decided to stop stressing about it and just enjoy it. I hit my weight loss goal in January of 2013 and have stayed there for almost a year. If the scale goes up a couple pounds in December, so be it. I would rather spend the holidays enjoying time with family and friends than being the weird one who isn’t eating. Besides I am having a hard enough time with the new stupid diet restrictions my doctor gave me, I am not going to stress about counting calories and pounds. I am having troubles with my newest restrictions, some days I notice I eat hardly anything and other days way too much. I am still tracking my food everyday (Lose It) but now it’s mostly so I can try to level it out and watch my nutrient intake.

That Slacker-ness has extended to running as well. 😦 My standard 3 days a week has become 2 days a week. Ouch. On the upside, my class finally finished and all final assignments have been turned in so I am hoping that will clear up some time for running. I am aiming to finish 95% of my wrapping tonight as well. I am going to attempt some last minute shopping tomorrow so I may have a few last minute items. Fingers crossed, it is not totally insane tomorrow.

I did make it to the gym on Tuesday evening. I was cranky and tired but my goal was to do 3 miles (very Slacker). I went with the same cuckoo pattern that I had done last week. For every mile, I walked 1:30, ran the middle at a steadier pace and then ran at 7 for the last .25 mile. I also had the incline set at 2, yeah that probably should have been higher too. L Luckily, none of the TV’s had Monsters Inside Me on, and yes I checked before choosing a treadmill. I chose one near the door so I could take advantage of the occasional cold air coming in. I must have been good because I ran 10 minute miles for 3.5 miles. Usually the treadmill feels like I am slogging and my pace reflects that. I noticed that I had upped my middle steady pace, so I will aim for more of that in the future.

Today I worked, so it was up cold and early to head that way. Of course I was stuck behind a car driving below the speed limit but even with that delay I was still 25 minutes early. I should have slept longer 😦 On Saturdays I work at a different location so sometimes I end feeling as useful as a bump on a log. Other than that it was a good morning, I drove home for some lunch and braving the Target crowds to get some essentials. I also picked up some ingredients for a Crock Pot French toast recipe that I found on Pinterest. Work is having a breakfast potluck on Christmas Eve. This is amusing because I can barely boil water. 🙂

After all that the plan was to get in 5 miles. However, my stomach was not keen on that plan, stupid diet. I thought about waiting and going to the gym when I felt better but I knew I would not follow through. I was also running out of daylight, so I sucked it up and went. I was torn between going really, really slow or just hauling to get it over with quicker. I also knew 5 miles was probably not going to happen. My first mile came in at 10:23. With that hill? When I run from my house, my first mile is always SLOW as I usually walk half of it. So hearing 10:23, hot damn!

Maybe the incentive was that I knew my mom was out somewhere walking the puppy for her first long walk. Success at 1.5 miles!!! I pause Nike for some puppy time and then ran on. I threw in some loops so I could meet up with them every mile. It was great incentive to keep moving quickly 🙂 I finished at my driveway for 4.27 miles in 42 minutes, sweet! But I was also glad I was done.

Now, I’ve spent too much time in the Comfy Chair, so it’s off to wrap presents. I even have a little helper-

If she stops eating the paper that is... — If she stops eating the paper that is…

Anyone brave the chaos today?

Any races this weekend?

oops!, Run!, Slacker

I blame it on the gum, or lack there of…

August 1, 2013 Fallon @ Slacker Runner

If I had known how icky today’s run was going to be, I would have whined a hell of lot less about Monday’s 10 minute miles. Seriously, I need to go back in time and stuff a sock in it.

Work today was crazy, but then again the 1^st always is, so I can’t really use that as an excuse. But I want to! After 2 days of being a Slacker, I was ready to run, so I decided to throw some hills into my run. But again, I can’t use that as an excuse. I was just sloooooow. I had a new playlist ready to go and my new Yurbuds, (still liking them by the way, but that cord is freaky long). As I was running, I noticed that my new tunes sounded like the Supernatural soundtrack 🙂 I even ran past a cemetery. But even AC/DC couldn’t speed me up 😦

Today’s run was just all wonky. It was just shy of 90 and I didn’t take water. Stupid move #1. I was half a mile into my run when I realized I forgot my gum. Stupid move #2. I don’t know about anyone else but I have to chew gum when I run. It helps me feel less thirsty and just makes the run seem easier. I realize that it’s all in my head, but I wanted that piece of gum!! I pushed through for 4.5 miles but I was just done.

30 Day Squat Challenge — Done and Done 🙂

So on July 30 I successfully completed a squat challenge. It started you at 50 on the first day and by the end of the 30 days, you completed 250. I found it on Pinterest, but I know that it can be found on other sites as well. While part of me thinks it may have helped my running, I am not sure that I like the other effects. Of course I wanted to tone my legs, but now I can’t decide if they are toned or scary, hehe. I am not really happy with how my clothes are fitting right now and the only thing I changed was adding the squats. Eeergh!!!!

I had previously tried to complete both a push-up challenge and a plank challenge in June but failed both about 12 days in. Again, found them both on Pinterest I am trying to step up my cross training and strength training because I know that I should but it is so hard for me to follow through. I have numerous dvd’s as well, but rarely ever use them. In fact the last time I used one; it was a Spartacus workout and it hurt to walk for days after that 😦 Sad I know. I tried downloading the Nike Training App to my phone, but it requires more space than I can spare on my phone. I have no idea what is taking up so much space, seriously what the hell is other?

I think I will try the push up challenge again in August, not sure about the plank. The idea of building up to 5 minutes is intimidating as hell. I have tried looking for another interesting one to complete but so far nothing has jumped out me 😦 Anyone else have ideas or challenges to share?