i just felt like run-ning

after a 2-week break from running (an additional week to let my back heal and the next to avoid the hurricanes and subsequent flooding), i jumped back into it yesterday.  our regular path was closed due to the floods, so we went to the other path which is more open and heavily traveled by bikers.  i know because this is the path we ride our own bikes on.  we're not fans of this path for running since it does not have mile markers to tell us how far we've gone, and i for one do not like the sandy feel of the path itself.

now, my husband had still been running when i had not, so he had already finished the program and was running full 5Ks.  i hadn't finished out my 30-minute workouts week and the closer we got to where we decided to start our run, the more nervous i became.  i don't think i can do this, i said.  my husband assured me i could.

when we started out, i had to get used to the loose, gritty surface beneath my feet, not to mention all the leaves and sticks that had blown into the path.  but after awhile, it wasn't so bad.  i was enjoying it, and it felt good to run again.  about a mile or so into it (i'm guessing), i came across a giant puddle which covered the entire path -- ultimately unavoidable -- so i skirted around it as best i could, though unable to escape without soaking my shoes clean through.  soggy socks and shoes are not fun to run in.  but i kept going.

my husband has a system where he runs for half the time (in this case, 15 minutes), before turning around.  when i see him, it's my cue to turn around myself.  he then runs ahead and usually within the last few minutes turns back around to meet me where i am.  so i know by the time i catch sight of him on the way back, i'm almost done my workout.

so my husband passed me with 11 minutes left, and i told myself that if i could do 19 minutes, i could certainly finish it out.  on the way back i even splashed right through the puddles, not even caring to keep my feet dry.

as i was nearing what i thought to be the end (and the only way of telling was that i started feeling sluggish), i didn't see him.  so i kept on going.  turns out he had been waving to me but i had missed it.  according to him, i had run a total of 32:37 when i finally saw him flagging me down.  i stopped, red-faced and panting.  somehow i had run over my workout time, when i didn't even think i could make it for the full 30 minutes, period.

so if there's anything my body has gained from this training, it's stamina.  i'm sure of that now.

running pains

this morning i eased into my first workout after my latest back injury.  (i'd decided to rest from my workouts for a week).  shortly after i started my run, being careful to slow my pace to that weird jog/walk shuffle, my back started aching so i told myself i'd run to the mile marker and walk back.  but before i knew it, i had made it to the bridge without hardly breaking a sweat.  i turned around, deciding when i should stop.  it felt good to run and i had truly missed it... but i knew if i pushed it like i had before, i would regret it for a week later.  so i slowed to a walk, finding that it was harder to make myself stop than to keep going, even with some pain. 

after about a half mile of semi-brisk walking, i found that i was completely bored.  so i went back to a cautious jog, making it another half mile before time was up.  in a way, the whole run wasn't very satisfying.  i wanted to run.  i ached for it.  and i ached more to run than from my pain.

over these past 2 months, somewhere along the line, and without even noticing, i had become a runner.

slow as molasses

a couple hours before i went to bed last night, my lower back tightened up.  knowing this feeling well, i hoped that a good night's sleep would cure the stiffness and that i'd be able to go for our run (especially after it had been delayed yet another day).

when i awoke, i was well enough to get myself up, dressed, into the car, and onto the trail, until i started running.  every bounce would cause the muscles in my back to ache.  my husband breezed by me to tell me i was doing well, but i told him i was in pain.  he told me to walk if i needed to.  i was hesitant to stop, fearing that i wouldn't be able to start up again, but i heard my bff's voice in my head: "take it easy, you don't want to be out of commission for another week."  so i decided to do this silly half-jog/half-walk (which i'm sure was much slower than a fast walk) to put more weight on my legs and less on my back.  i was slow as molasses (another thing my bff would say) but at least i wasn't quitting.

my husband passed me at the mile marker but i managed to turn around and make it the entire mile back within the allotted time, even going as slow as i was.

i've managed to surprise myself alot lately, and i like it.

shine

our long weekend in d.c. put a damper on our running plans for the start of week 7.  we talked about running on vacation and even brought our workout gear, but when it came time to getting up early on monday, we slept in.  so we decided to run the day we returned, which was today. 

this morning started at 5:30 so we could get back to my parents' house and then back to ours at a decent time.  by the time we made it through our door, unpacked the car, unpacked our bags, etc. we were wiped out (and it was too warm to run then anyway).  so the plan was for us to go in the evening, as long as the weather held up. 

then of course it rained.  poured.  it stopped for awhile and the sun even came out, but wasn't long before another storm rolled through.

it finally stopped though, so we got in the car.  except it wouldn't start.  seriously?  we switched cars and managed to make it to the trail.  the run was tough after a nearly 4-day hiatus, but i pushed through and told myself to keep going even when i felt like my legs would give out or simply stop moving.

something inside me was saying, you can do it, you're doing it, you've done it!

a few minutes after our run, the sun came out (literally).  it was the perfect moment after feeling like nothing had been working in our favor.  but the sun was there and glorious, like a light at the end of the tunnel.

and it shone bright and free.

in stride

this morning was considerably foggy, so running in the woods felt a tad... eerie.  in fact, not long after we started off, a man (not honda guy) in a white shirt appeared right out of the mist, which really was kind of creepy.

(but speaking of honda guy, he showed up today and was nearly done stretching when we passed him at the start of the trail.  after a few minutes into my run, i could hear and feel him on my tail, wishing he would pass.  he followed me for the entire first mile, but i didn't want to slow down so he could get around me.  so let's just say that i'm second guessing his 'piece of the puzzle').

there was a nice part of the workout though.  because i couldn't see much beyond the next curve or bend in the road,  it was as if i was alone on the path, just me and the rhythm of my feet hitting the gravel (at least once honda guy was gone).  slow and steady.

creatures of habit

there's this guy that is on the same running schedule as us.  the first monday when we switched to mornings, we were still in the car when we saw him pull in.  he bypassed the parking area and drove right up to the start of the trail to deposit his car there.  a bit odd, but it wasn't hurting anyone.

as we started our 5-minute warmup walk, we noticed him stretching at the first marker.  we completed our workout and passed him on the way back.

besides the one lady we usually see walking in as we're making it back to the car, and a few other couples or groups that vary by day, my husband and i only share the trail with this guy 3 times a week.

it's been a few weeks now and we've settled into a routine.  we typically make it to the trail probably no less than 5 minutes after he's arrived, car parked in the same spot, finishing up his stretches.  generally, we don't speak to him except to exchange hellos or a nod as we're passing him either before his run or before ours is done.  based on where we cross paths, we estimate that he's running a couple miles a day, at least on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays.

last week, another car was parked in his space, not red like the one we'd been seeing him in, but now a navy or black honda.  when we approached the trail and saw him stretching, we decided that it was the same guy but he must have switched cars, and since this one appeared to be newer, we concluded that he had recently purchased it.

funny how we think we're detectives or something.

this morning, he wasn't at the trail.  hubbie and i both commented about it (we capricorns love our schedules).  this was when i realized that as little as you know someone, you can still be accustomed to their routines, and how theirs coincide with yours.

and when their little piece of the puzzle is missing, it's noticeable, and the picture nearly feels incomplete.

jolt

this morning we finished week 5 of training, which is a milestone for me because i never thought i'd get this far.  the last workout of the week was a 20 minute (~2 mile) run that i was dreading since i first studied the program.  but here we are, and we made it through.

i like when i'm able to surprise myself.

racing minds

i think i prefer running in the rain over running in the humidity.  scratch that: i think i prefer running in the rain over running in humidity.  the humidity today was suffocating.

i didn't intend for this forum to sort of turn into a running blog, but the 5K training isn't an easy commitment for me.  i told my husband that whenever i'm faced with something that scares me, something i'm not sure if i can complete, i crave support from others, to draw from their energy and positivity.  he's the other way.. when he starts something that he is determined to finish, he needs the strength to come from within, to be the driving force.

a weird thing happens, though, before our runs.  something shifts.  my husband is excited and pumped, trying to rub some of his intensity onto me.  and i, on the other hand, am reserved and quiet, alittle nervous, alittle unsure, trying to set my mind right.  you'd think i'd want to feed off his enthusiasm (based on what i said above), but i can't.  it's like i need to mentally prepare or something, and need to do that on my own.

but once we're done, we're both animated, giving each other high-fives, talking about how good it felt to finish, crossing off another workout.  happy for ourselves, but ultimately for each other.

so it really doesn't matter how we got there, what method worked for each of us.  the real thing is that our individual formulas are somehow working together on a grander scale.

vertically challenged

the rain didn't stop us from our run tonight.  my calf, however, was being a real jerk.  midway through our workout, i had to slow down my pace so told hubbie to pass me (allowing him to continue at a faster speed).  after we both finished, he walked back to get me and thankfully, he acknowledged that he has much longer legs, which naturally, produces longer strides.  you think?  it takes me about 1-1/2 to almost 2 strides to catch up to his one.  so no matter how hard i try, even when both my legs are working properly, i'm always chasing after him.

marrying into his family has thrown me into the land of tall people.  (now, my parents are tall for asian people, but i'm talking TALL).  my SIL has an inch over my husband, so walking with her consists of me doing a brisk-walk-turned-light-jog while she is merely strolling along.  after family parties, i wonder why my neck is aching, until i realize that it's because i'd been looking up the entire time.

i often wonder whether tall people remember how much more it takes for short people to keep up.  to be fair, it probably would be similar to short people remembering how hard it can be for tall people to find clothes and shoes (as my SIL tells me).  so, probably not.  but i was glad my husband recognized this little fact today about the differences in our strides.  it kind of let me off the hook alittle for not being able to stick to his side.

and hopefully, our future kids will get his genes, so they don't have to be running after anyone.

back in

my back has finally been feeling better, so i jumped back into training tonight.  i had been out of commission for a week and missed 2 workouts, so was alittle nervous about being able to complete today's run and keep up with my husband.

whenever i'm running, my mind is running too, counting the seconds (one mississippi, two mississippi..), telling myself i can do it or that i'm almost there, trying to take my mind off my feet.  this probably stems from track practice in high school and how our coach would teach us to think the opposite of what we were feeling.  it's really as much mental as it is physical.

so i made it tonight, just as i assured myself i would.  it felt damn good.

5K-OK

hubbie has been talking about running a 5K for awhile, and recently committed to train.  being a supportive wife, i agreed to train with him.  what have i gotten myself into??

today was day 1.  we've decided to follow the couch-to-5K program written by josh clark:

Week	Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3
1	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
2	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
3	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
4	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
5	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
6	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking.
7	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
8	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
9	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

wish me luck, because i'll need it!