Winter's Fury: The Nordic Beast

You've heard of the Winter Warlock? The Yeti? The Abominable Snowman? The Bumble Monster? Well, meet the worst of them all - the Nordic Track. This monster is one you can't run from because you have to be moving to propel it. I was too tired to get up this morning and face the Nordic Beast out in the garage, but I did manage to tame it this evening when I got home. Sometimes I wish you could just dial the odometer to the day's goal and call it quits, but it doesn't work like that. This evening I did 5K in 1.5K intervals broken up with weights in between and a 0.5K cool down. At least with the Nordic Track, I have a book holder so I can read fiction and while the skis rack up the distance while I complete the workout.

Change of scenery

I did the 5K yesterday morning. It was a cross country course run on grass and rocky paths up and down the hills of Deerpath Park. Considering I've just been hitting the pavement on the road in front of the Homestead I am satisfied with my results. But early morning workouts are getting difficult because the sun isn't up and there is increased traffic with people rushing off to school in the morning. I think it is a little safer for the next bit to go to a local park and use their gravel track to get in my interval workouts. Since I didn't have time to get there this morning I headed over and walked the loop. It's relatively flat terrain, but I am not concerned about being side swiped by a vehicle. Unfortunately Jake is nursing a limp leg and needs to rest it so he can be ready to go get birds in a few weeks. So, I go it alone even though I'd be willing to clean up after him if necessary.

The Symbolic End to Summer - and the reality of my running career

It's Labor Day and while life returns to an ordered and more regimented pace tomorrow, it looks like the heat is sticking around for a bit. I am not excited at all. The heat has been a major contributing factor to me hating my morning workouts. The other issue is that I really hate running. There, I said it. I don't enjoy running. I thought if I could just set my mind on it and go for a goal I might finally break through some imaginary wall and like it. But I don't and I doubt that cooler weather is going to help me like it much more. I don't mind running intervals of 1-2 minutes and recovering with a minute of walking - but running for any distance is simply not enjoyable to me. In training for the 5K, I've made the 2 mile mark but hated every step after the 1/4 mile. I prefer the interval routine I found several years ago that helped me entertain the idea of running to begin with. At the time, running as much as 5 minutes was a big deal for me. Building up to the point where I run between 20-30 minutes in intervals was an accomplishment. It also gave me the confidence to register for a 5K a couple of years ago. I just thought it was time to push through and try running without the walking in between - but I really honestly hate it.
I will do the 5K in two weeks as I normally do; in run/walk intervals. However, this time I will embrace my personal reality and set goals that are appropriate for me as an interval runner - not a distance runner that hates what she is doing the whole time. There's no fun in that. And I do run happy when I know I am not running the whole way.

The view from the bridge

I start teaching a new class this evening at Somerset. I paused on the bridge overlooking the Delaware Raritan Canal on my way onto campus and almost melted from the heat. There were no runners, walkers, or cyclists on the tow path and I can guess why - it's just too hot to be out here, even in the shade. I was up at 6:30 am this morning and it was only 75 degrees - far cooler than the other states in which I've lived - but I still managed to do a run/walk workout that lasted for 45 minutes in which I did more walking than running. I can't wait for it to cool off!

No pussy footing around....

I'm not working out like I should. Even Jake is frustrated with me. Getting up and doing the running the past few weeks to train for the 5K has not been going as well as I'd hoped. Mostly I blame the heat. It's like a sauna out there most mornings and whether I'm supposed to run or doing weights and/or pilates I'm just not that into it. I have done the distance in a run/walk routine a few times, but nothing like I'd hoped to do already. Staying up late and reading hasn't helped either. Jake has actually stopped coming upstairs most mornings to see if I am going to take him along for the exercise. I hope this week might be better now that I am admitting it, but there are several warm sauna like mornings in the 10 day forcast that don't make me excited - but I will redouble my efforts and give it another go. Tomorrow we should have temps in the low 60s in the morning - maybe I can get a run in before 7 AM.

Run Happy

My new sneakers are here! I got the call mid afternoon, hopped in the car, drove down to Pennington and had my orthopedic inserts fitted to the cushioned insole of the running shoe so I can start wearing them out. They feel great and it's a good thing, because ever since I ordered them last week I have found my former pair to be less than ideal and a great excuse to ease up on the training for the 5K till the new ones arrived. Well, no excuses now, because according to the Brooks advertising slogan I am now able to "run happy". I find that idea humorous because I am usually happy when I am done running. I truly wish I liked running better than I do - and I am hoping that in training for the 5K I will have a breakthrough of sorts and discover a better attitude about running - but it never occurred to me to "run happy"! Here's hoping "run happy" is like Peter Boehler admonishing John Wesley to "Preach faith till you have it; and then because you have it, you will preach faith."

See - run happy - does that come with a money back guarantee?

AM & PM

AM: I know the blog is advertised to feature happenings around the 5PM hour, but yesterday I officially registered for a 5K as a 'runner' and I need a little help. I've been doing a combo run/walk workout for several years now, but sustaining a single run for any distance more than a mile is something I just haven't done. The event isn't until the middle of September, so I need to get my game face on and keep myself moving if I hope to run the whole way. Curious how the act of registering was also motivating. I thought a little extra bit of discipline that comes with advertising my goals here on the blog won't hurt either. (By the way, I haven't put sweetener in my tea - hot or cold - since the beginning of May!) The picture above is the sight that greeted me during the 5AM hour when I stepped outside for this morning's workout before the sunrise brought too much heat with it.

PM: I could be seen dining at Avelino's with Mom Estelle, Lorraine's mother. She treated me to a dinner of pizza and a salad before I had to dash off to teach class this evening. Good meal, good company and tomorrow I am hoping to keep the routine going (well, maybe I'll have something else for dinner!)