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Mind Over Matter

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

I did it: I ran the full five miles from my parent’s house to my sister’s house without walking. AND I did it in under an hour – 58 minutes.

It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. From the start, I felt tired and unsure of myself, but I wanted so badly to be able to make it that I pressed on. I was pretty sure that my body would be able to do it if my mind let me.

The flatness of this route (in Western New York where I grew up) was a huge – and welcome – difference to the hills in most of my routes in Western Pennsylvania, where I currently live. What’s funny is that this 5-mile route had just two hills, and even though neither of them were as steep or long as what I’m used to, these were more like valleys, with the downhill first. That threw me off. I really had to try to build up momentum on the downhill for the hill, whereas I usually use downhills for recovery. I wasn’t used to that.

I knew the route pretty well, though I’ve only ever driven it before. I knew that I would be turning off the main road at a Burger King, and that my sister’s house would be soon after that, with maybe only a mile to go.

I had never been so happy to see a Burger King in my life.

When I hit the BK and realized that I wasn’t that much further and still hadn’t stopped to walk, I knew I would make it. When I turned into my sister’s driveway, I felt such a sense of accomplishment that I damn near cried.

It was an incredible feeling.

Even though I wasn’t sure I could do it, I was sure I could do it, if you know what I mean. And now that I’ve done it once, I no longer have to wonder if I’m capable of it.

I CAN DO IT.

And there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to do it again and again.

:::::

Incidentally, thank you all for your encouragement! It means a lot to me and helped me accomplish this feat. You guys rock :)

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Training, Trials and Tribulations, Workouts | 10 Comments »

Dear Sister

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

As the lucky person who happens to live precisely five miles away from where I am this morning, you get to wait for me to show up at your door following my attempt to run the distance between us, and then drive me back to my starting point.

I’m leaving soon. If all goes well, I should be there in about an hour… under an hour, ideally. However, if all does not go well, it could take longer.

If I’m not there in an hour, continue waiting. I’m more of a jogger than a runner.

If I’m not there in an hour and a half, wait some more. I’m really quite s l o w .

If I’m not there in 2 hours, please continue to wait. I had to walk.

If I’m not there in 2 and a half hours, eat breakfast without me. I’ve stopped to eat myself.

If I’m not there in 3 hours, come look for me. I’m dead.

Hopefully, it won’t come to that, but only time will tell. I believe I am ready to meet this challenge, or else I wouldn’t be tackling it at this point in time. Please be patient, though. This is a huge undertaking and I’m a bit nervous. Can’t wait to see you.

In fact, I wish I was there already.

Love,
Kimberly

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Training, Workouts | 9 Comments »

Fifty Nifty – Hot 100 Update

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Do you believe there are only 50 days left of 2009?! We’re halfway through the Hot 100, but if you haven’t joined in yet – or you’ve fallen off the wagon – there’s no better time than today to dive in!

The last 10 days have been very good to me. I’ve been very good to me. Well, mostly, at least.

Keep running! I’ve totally nailed the running thing for this period. Ten miles last week and 8.25 miles already this week, with a 3-mile run scheduled for tomorrow. Making a schedule and planning out what I’m going to run in advance is the best way I’ve found so far to meet this goal. If it’s on my calendar, I’m doing it. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

My long run on Sunday is supposed to be 4.5 miles, the longest yet. I’m considering bumping that up to a full 5 miles, the exact distance between my parent’s house (where I’ll be this weekend) and my sister’s house. I’ll just make my sister drive me back to my parent’s afterward :) Buffalo is MUCH flatter than Pittsburgh, so I think I could do it, and this would be excellent practice for the Turkey Trot. Think I can do it?! Shout out, folks!

Lose some more weight. Last weigh day I was at 173.5, my lowest ever. Huge success! I’m hoping that Friday will be even lower, but I had a few hiccups with my food over the last few days (read on for details) so I’m not 100% confident. Perhaps my exercise has been enough to counteract some extra calories. Perhaps not. Only time will tell!

Eat out less – cook more. I’ve been doing pretty well here overall, but there have been some missteps a bit during this 10-day period.

Saturday we went to the beautiful wedding of a friend, where we had a lot of fun, met some great people, and ate a lot of delicious food. Hors d’oeuvres. Cake. Cookies. Half a pretzel at the mall in the dead space between ceremony and reception.

Sunday I went on a nice long run of 4.18 and was easily talked into going to Primanti Bros. for lunch. If you’re not from Pittsburgh and are unfamiliar with this local franchise, let me explain: Big ol’ sandwich (I had ham & cheese) with a handful of fries and a handful of coleslaw. Yes, all ingredients are smushed between slices of italian bread and served on waxed paper. It may sound odd to you, as it did to me when I first moved here, but there’s a reason that it’s so popular… it’s delicious.

Yesterday was some ill-advised (but tasty) Mexican food for dinner.

Other than that, my eating has been pretty normal and generally good. I’m just afraid that those meals are enough to keep me from a pleasant weigh day on Friday.

I’ve been more consistent on the training this 10 days, so now I just need to get back on track with the food and I’ll be golden.

Just like the spaghetti squash I’m about to eat for dinner.

Posted in Diet, Personal Stories, Road Races, The Hot 100, Training, Trials and Tribulations, Weight Loss, Workouts | 4 Comments »

Run This Town

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

After biting my nails about it for weeks, I’ve finally officially registered for the Trot for Tots 10k on December 6! That’s just 5 weeks away, and the furthest I’ve run to date is just over four miles (4.18 to be precise).

It’s a little scary, but if it was easy, it wouldn’t mean as much when I do it!

In order to make it to 6.2 miles – and to keep up with my 10 miles/week goal – I’ve gone back to what I know works best for me: I’ve laid out a specific workout plan for the next five weeks, outlining how many miles I am to run each day between now and then.

That’s not to say that I intend to run every day, because that’s crazy. I also think it’s good to have a rest day, and I like to cross-train and strength-train some days. But I find that if I’m following a plan, rather than just playing it by ear, I’m far more likely to be successful.

The tough part is going to be the long runs on Sundays, particularly since I’ll be out of town for at least 2 Sundays this month, possibly three, depending on what day we return from our Thanksgiving jaunt to Buffalo. It’s going to come down to me sticking to my guns and following through, even when out of town. Luckily, since on all three trips I’m visiting family, I think I’ll be able to get my workouts in without too much difficulty.

I’ll just get up before them without giving them the opportunity to lure me away with their cute babies, delicious pancakes, and super-fun board games!

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Training | 4 Comments »

ZooZilla 5k – Rawr!

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

I got up incredibly early this morning (too early, in fact) so that I could get my stuff together, eat a good breakfast and get out to the Pittsburgh Zoo for the ZooZilla 5k.

I fully expected to have a slower finish time than the personal best I hit at the 5k I did last month; I’m familiar with the Pittsburgh Zoo, and I know how very, very hilly it is. I was just hoping to be able to run the entire thing without having to walk.

And I did!

I won’t lie – it was incredibly difficult and there were numerous times that I almost walked… I certainly wanted to. I kept pushing though, because I knew my body could do it and that I just had to convince my brain of that. I also knew that I’d beat myself up if I let myself walk when my didn’t didn’t absolutely have to.

I finished with a time of 32:54. Not too shabby!

I’m really enjoying doing these races so often. It keeps me motivated, and I love the actual events: I get a charge out of running with a bunch of similar-minded folks (even in the wee hours of the morning) and working on improving my performance and thus, my overall fitness level.

With that said, I’m planning to do one event like this a month, for as many months as I can find an event in my area. I know that might sound a little extreme, but this works for me.

Next month I’ll be doing the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning – that one’s an 8k… 5 miles! As you know, I hope to increase my endurance enough to be able to run that entire route. I don’t think that should be a problem if I stick to my training schedule.

In December, there’s a “Trot for Tots” which helps to provide toys for kids during the Christmas season – I love that! The Trot for Tots has two different distance options: 5k and 10k. I’d love to do the 10k, but 6.2 miles? Yeesh!

Sounds like I’ll be doing a lot of trotting between now and the end of the year!

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Trials and Tribulations, Workouts | 8 Comments »

ZooZilla 5k – One Week Away

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

After toying with the idea for months, I finally decided to quit monkeying around (groan, I know… couldn’t resist) and officially register for the ZooZilla 5k at the Pittsburgh Zoo. The race benefits the zoo’s animals and programs, and is in honor of the anniversary of the discovery of the rare mountain gorillas.

I’ve loved the idea of this event since I heard about it: The race is through the zoo, past all the animals! What better way to keep your mind off your running pains than by looking at the lions, tigers and bears?

The thing that makes me nervous and caused me to hesitate is that the Pittsburgh Zoo is incredibly hilly. It’s going to be a real challenge for me to run the entire thing without stopping to walk. Heck, the 5k I did a few weeks ago was completely flat and it was a real challenge for me to run all of that! Since my neighborhood is very hilly, I’m somewhat prepared, but not as much as I’d like.

I’m going to do my best, and just watch the giraffes.

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races | 3 Comments »

Six Things

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

I’ve been falling behind in my posting – life gets in the way, sometimes, you know? – so I’m going to update you on a bunch of things all at once. I’ll try to be better moving forward. I know how much you miss me when I’m gone :)

And now, in no particular order:

Softball: Tonight was the first game. We lost. I attribute this loss to the fact that I, as pitcher, walked a bunch of people in the second inning and they got a bunch of runs because of it. I improved once I figured out why what I thought were strikes were balls, but not in time. On the positive side, I did a great job fielding on the mound, struck one guy out three times (dude was swinging at everything!), got on base each time at bat, and scored two runs. That being said, I still feel like I lost the game for the team. Boo.

Weight: I believe I neglected to mention that the day after I weighed-in with a ten-pound gain, I was up only 6 pounds, and just 5 the day after that. Must’ve been mostly water weight! By the end of the week, I got it down to being up only one. I’m damn happy with that, too, all things considered.

Running: My official time for the 5k I did this past Saturday is 30:50. I’m not sure how it happened that the chip time was 5 seconds slower than my perceived gun time, but I’m sure it had something to do with exhaustion. I’m still happy with that, though! I think I’m going to do another 5k in October – there’s one at the Pittsburgh Zoo the first Saturday of that month. It scares me a bit because the zoo is all hills, but it should be neat to run past all the animals! Hopefully that will keep my mind off the hills.

Swimming: I have been seriously delinquent in my swimming efforts. As in, I haven’t. At all. I just bought a new bathing suit (end of season clearance!) – it’s pretty yet sporty… and reversible! Hopefully I will be inspired to use it and will actually take advantage of the pool at my gym. Someone ask me about this in a few days, ok? I need someone to keep me accountable or I’ll never be prepared for that triathlon.

Kung Fu: Three months until my possible test for Black Level 2. So far, so good with the “shaping up.” I’ve been feeling good in class and even got an extra practice in on Sunday with the other guy set to test with me.

Exhaustion: I have been so tired all week. We got a new kitten (Sprite) who is adorable, and he’s finally getting along with our other cat (Pixel), but he wakes me in the middle of the night. Every night. It’s hard to feel motivated to work out when you’re exhausted, so I haven’t been doing a lot of that this week, except for my regular activities like kung fu and, now, softball. At least I’ve been eating well!

That should do it!

Posted in Kung Fu, Personal Stories, Road Races, Softball, Training, Triathlon, Weight Loss | 4 Comments »

Tooting My Own Horn

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

The race this morning was awesome. I was awesome.

I ran the whole thing, and that’s what I was going for: No walking. All running. Awesome.

This particular 5k was set up like this: The first mile was downhill, on the road. After that, it was all flat on a crushed limestone trail, the second mile out, the third mile (plus .1!) back on the trail.

The first mile went by really fast, obviously, because it was all down hill. The rest was significantly more difficult, and my pace varied quite a bit, most often at my normal pace (which is slow) and occasionally a bit faster than that.

Since it was an “out & back” course as opposed to a circular route, shortly into the second mile people started coming back at me – already on the third mile! Something about that gave me a little added drive… I’m big on comparing myself to others, remember? At least this time I used it for good!

There was one point in the third mile when I almost started walking. I wasn’t that tired, but it felt like a reflex. But I stayed aware of what I was doing and what my goal was, and I kept going.

Gun time – 30:45. THIRTY MINUTES! (and forty-five seconds…)

I’ll update later with the chip time, which I suspect will be right around 30. It would be really great if I made it in under 30 minutes, but this was a small race, so I’m not sure that it took that long to get to the starting line after the gun. We’ll see.

Regardless, I’m thrilled with my performance. For the last 5k I did – the Race for the Cure in May – my official time was 34:51, so no matter what, I’ve made my personal best today.

I also feel much better afterward than ever before (which is good since I have 3 hours of Kung Fu coming up soon at noon). I recovered faster than usual and I don’t feel totally drained.

Incidentally, J-Roc did a great job today as well – his first race! As I suspected, he was faster than me, by about two minutes. Maybe J-Roc is an A-Hole…

I kid, J-Roc. I kid.

Seriously though, if he can do that well after just 5 or 6 times running, I truly believe anyone can succeed in this sport if they apply themselves. It’s one of the best exercises around for calorie burning, and helps to build bone and prevent osteoporosis (very important, ladies). Plus, there’s very little equipment necessary (just a good pair of running shoes) and you can run anywhere! If you haven’t given it a try yourself, maybe you should. You can join the ranks of the folks that I’ve inspired who’ve since passed me up :)

Believe it or not, it’s fun, too!

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Trials and Tribulations | 8 Comments »

The Race is On

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Tomorrow is the 5k!

I feel ready for it, too. More ready than I’ve ever felt for a road race. Every other time I’ve done one, something has happened beforehand – injury, moving, lack of training – that left me feeling ill-prepared. This time, though, I feel good!

I did pretty well following the 2-week training schedule I talked about earlier. I missed two days when I was on vacation, but I made one of them up when I came back, so it’s pretty close.

And yesterday I had a breakthrough: For the first time ever, I ran 3.1 miles, outside, without walking. For me, this is huge. HUGE!

I truly believe most of my problems with running are mental. I get to a certain point and think, “Wow. I’ve been running for a long time. It seems like I should start walking about now,” and then I walk. That’s not the case all the time, of course, but it happens a lot.

Now, though, I’ve done it! I now know that I can do it… because I did! And I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be able to do it again tomorrow… and then over and over again! [I'm feeling a renewed sense of confidence, can you tell?]

Tomorrow is actually going to be a very long day: It starts out very early with the 5k, and shortly after that is a 3-hour long Kung Fu Marathon, a charity event that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Doing either of these things on their own usually wears me out, and tomorrow I’ll be doing both!

Don’t worry, though: I’m all over this.

Stay tuned for a recap!

Posted in Kung Fu, Personal Stories, Road Races, Training, Trials and Tribulations, Workouts | 4 Comments »

Day One – Success

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Today I did the first day of week 7 in an 8-week 5k training plan – three miles.

It went reasonably well, too! I ran the entire first mile, and a bit past that, until I hit a wall. More specifically, I hit a very steep hill. I ran up as much of it as I could, and then I walked the last third of it to the top.

After that it was smooth sailing for a while, with two very brief (45-ish seconds) walk breaks, both related to hills.

Stupid hills.

Weird thing – maybe you more experienced runners can explain this to me: I got a blister in an odd place: the middle of the right side of my left foot. Not on the heal, not anywhere near the toes – in the middle. I felt discomfort there as I was running, but I just figured there was a little stone in my shoe. I got home and discovered there was no stone, just a bright, shiny, new blister. Any thoughts on that? I sure would love an explanation and a preventative measure!

Besides the blister, it was a successful run. It felt good to get outside with my music, feet pounding on the ground, knowing that I was working toward something bigger and better. It was a gorgeous day for it, too – blue sky, sun behind puffy, white clouds with just a bit of a chill in the air. I’m looking forward to fall!

Tomorrow I’m to either rest, run/walk, or cross-train. It’s a kung fu day, so I’ll at least get some exercise in, but I think I’ll set out for another run on my lunch break, shorter this time though, since it’s an off day. Say 1.5 miles.

What did YOU do today?

Posted in Personal Stories, Road Races, Training, Trials and Tribulations, Workouts | 4 Comments »