The End and A Beginning.

I say "adios" to a lackluster May. And I am welcoming a new month, a new beginning, hopefully with renewed enthusiasm. May was not mentioning at all, other than I really stink at all exercise/fitness area.

I read a post by Dream Big Runner where she shares tips on finding the way out of your running funk. I have a secret feeling that she is directing that post at me. :) I have always been a goal-orientated kinda girl. So, here's to setting new, achievable goals for June.

Like Kara Goucher said in one of her interviews, I have to be accountable for myself. I have to call myself out. No one is going to say, "You have to run 7 days a week" when you are pregnant. But I can still stay relatively active.

Goals for June

• Walk a mile a day. I can do that. A mile takes less than 15 minutes. I can do that.
• Aim for a walking streak for June.

That's it. If I fulfill these two goals, I will reward myself with something new within a budget of $50 (new shoes, new maternity clothes, new whatever that rocks my boat.)

In terms of blogging, I have been inconsistent. It is a little hard to read about all the 5 and 6 milers that y'all are doing. Makes me feel totally lame and totally jealous at the same time. I am going to blog at least 2 times a week (mainly on Sunday or Monday (about a recap of my week or weekend), and on a Wednesday and Thursday (about whatever that I find interesting). I have always found it troublesome to keep checking back on my favorite blogs everyday even though the blogger doesn't blog every day. But I keep checking because I enjoy reading. So, I am just going to set myself a schedule and blog on those days so you won't have to keep checking back.

That's all there is for it.
Look forward to some book reviews (running related) in the next post or two. :)

Sans pain.

I just ran five miles on the treadmill in 57 minutes. I am feeling good. Pretty good, actually. And very happy.  

This is my longest running mileage since the knee injury.  

This is my longest run sans pain since the knee injury.

This week's runs were more successful than last weeks.  I did my 3 scheduled runs.  I also ran an extra, easy 1 miler, on Monday and increased the distance slightly for my Thursday's run.  However, I need to stay focused. I cannot start a run without having a clear idea of what that run is supposed to be.  I cannot flip-flopped through a run.  For example: Today, I started my 5-miler doing speed work. Then I said, well, I usually do my first mile or so really easy. So I slowed down.  Then, I got bored after less than 30 seconds, and told myself that I am going to do tempo. You get the drift.  I just need to focus. 

I'm stoked. I am another 5 miles closer to my June's goal! 

Happy Running, folks! 

Three Things Thursday

1. I ran about 4.5 miles this morning with Ms. M.  We changed plans and did a new route (at least for me) and it was quite a workout. We hit some steady, semi-long +1% inclines along this route. It took us onto the highway, a gravel road with trees on both side, introduced something rotten to the olfactory sense, through a cemetery and back to civilization. The cemetery was quite something indeed. I definitely wouldn't have done that if I were alone. So much closer to my goal!
2. And one run wasn't quite enough. I did a two-fer today and ran the second part of the run in the afternoon at the Y. Yeah, the dreadmill. It was hot, humid, and just yucky. But I cannot bear to drag this out for another day.  I need to hit my goal today so I can rest happy tomorrow and New Year's eve.
3. I did it! With that second run, I completed 1000 km for this year today. Not too shabby since my year technically started in February when the running bug bit me! This marks the last run for 2010. Bittersweet. Mostly sweet though.

Gonna go and work on a 2010 recap. Stay tune tomorrow!

I am liking the treadmill runs.

I learned.  Plan your run the night before. It helps me focus and keeps me less flustered. I know where I am going, and how fast I should be going. 

Attitude Change.  I am beginning to really like the treadmill, especially if I need to keep up at a certain pace. Today's workout was a mere 3 mile run. And last night, before bed, I wrote out on a piece of notepad what I wanted to achieve in those 3 miles.  I was so excited that I really can't hardly wait to go for that run.  I didn't make it to the Y this morning because of the time change and I can't help feeling gipped off my sleep.  But the run was at the back of my head the entire day. I knew that when I got home, I will have to put on my running shoes and head out. I did.

By the Numbers.  Here's the data for today's treadmill run. The pace in parenthesis was my intended goal, and the highlighted pace was what I accomplished.
Mile 1 = 11:32/mile (Plan: 11:30/mile)
Mile 2 = 11:07/mile (Plan: 11:19/mile) Yay, that kinda made up for the slack in Mile #1.
Mile 3 = I started off at 10:00/mile pace for 0.5 mile, increased the speed to 9:41/mile for the next 0.25 mile and finished up at a 9:30/mile pace. (Plan:10:00/mile pace.)
Total: 3 miles in 32:32. My best time ever.

How I Am Feeling.  STILL feeling good

Highlight.  Ego boost! A somewhat fit looking man came and got on the treadmill next to mine. He started off kinda at the pace I was going. But I just keep going faster and faster and faster. It felt so good. I feel strong and thought I could go faster than the final 9:30/mile but I refrained.
So, do you have any ego boost moment?    Haha. I am still feeling pretty darn good!

Giveaway.  Confessions of a Rambunctious Runner is giving away "My life on the Run" by Bart Yasso.  She wants to start a "Bloggerhood of the traveling book" where the person who gets the book will read it and have a giveaway and pass the book around bloggers.

Personal Challenge: 1000 miles in 2010

I just typed that. I just gave myself a challenge - to run 1000 miles in 2010.
It is humanly possible. And yes, I'll do it.
To kinda give me a headstart, I am going to recap all the mileage I have accrued this year thus far.
Jan 12: 3 miles
Jan 13: 4 miles
Jan 24: 3 miles
Jan 25: 4.5 miles
Jan 27: 6 miles
Feb 15: 2 miles
Feb 19: 3 miles
Total: 25.5 miles to date
Left: 974.5 miles to complete

Going to try for at least 2 miles again tomorrow and see how well K can tolerate. Will push for 3 miles.