Boot Camp-- Completed!

The Holiday Express Boot Camp is done! I missed 2 sessions due to a bout of food poisoning, but I made it to the final day, which was an Amazing Race-type thing. I was last--dead last-- but I still finished, and on a queasy stomach to boot. I heard people say that Boot Camp was "fun", which was not the word I would have used while I was doing it. "Challenging", "boundary-stretching", "an accomplishment"-- those are the words I used, but on the other side of it, it actually was *fun*! So I signed up for the January Resolution Boot Camp. January 3- January 31 I will be wheezing along 3 days a week.

My first run post-Boot Camp was a revelation. I did 45 minutes, some 3:1s followed by 3:2s when I got tired, for a total of 3.64 miles, including my cool-down mileage. For me, that is awesome! And I ran so much easier than before Boot Camp-- my breathing was much less laborered and I didn't check the time as often (the harder it is for me, the more often I check the time).

I ran outside on Christmas Day with Sarah, and it was such a good run! We did 2.75 miles in about 30 minutes, and I was able to run for a half mile at a time. My pace wasn't too shabby, either-- Sarah said it was 11:30, which is possibly the fastest I've managed so far. I can see why people run in groups or with buddies-- it really pushed me to run faster. It was much more interesting to run outside, and the time went by faster. My Saturday run on the treadmill felt tedious by comparison. But I did manage 5:2s on Saturday, and that was great.

My right knee is still bothering me, off and on. It mostly hurts *after* I run and not during. My IT bands are bothering me, too, mostly on the left side. My left hip flexor is twanging as well. Waaaah. I have to find a physical therapist/massage person pronto-- I'd much rather not develop a major injury and be out for a long time to heal.

The EP 5K is coming up soon, and I am looking forward to it-- I think there's a good chance that my time will improve significantly!

Boot Camp

I am doing Boot Camp at the YMCA right now, Dec. 1-Dec.20. You pick from a few different times and go 3 times a week for an hour each time.

It is *hard*. I am well outside of my comfort zone, and it's definitely a struggle. I had my first asthma attack ever during the second session, brought on by pushups in the grass (breathing in all the mold/dust/grass goo) and all the exertion. My inhaler did its job, though, and I soldiered through the last bit of the session, which made me very proud. We run, we hop, we lunge, we squat, we carry weights around for extended periods of time, we jump up and down off of logs. Saturday we did the 300-- 20 pushups, 20 crunches, 20 squats, every 10 minutes. And during the other time, we were at 1 of 4 stations, hopping, lifting, lunging, and jumping our little hearts out. I have to say that I don't find it "fun" while I am doing it, but it is a really good workout, I appreciate being pushed, and I feel incredibly proud to get through each session. I will be wearing my T-shirt with pride when this is over.

Nice and easy

Just a nice, easy run this morning-- of course, "easy" being relative. 3:2 for 35 minutes at 4.5:3.5, with 5 minutes of warm-up and 5 minutes of cool down. My right shin is sore to the touch-- I noticed it last night in bed-- but it didn't really ache while I ran. My left thigh is sore, though-- it might be from Boot Camp. I tried to focus on taking short strides and turning over my steps faster, something I was reaidng about last night in the Jeff Galloway 's 5K and 10K Running. It seemed to work-- I felt less impact and jolting as I ran. I will keep trying it.

I didn't use my inhaler today-- I forgot it in my bag in the locker room. And the run seemed to go well. I didn't wheeze, I didn't feel too out of breathe as I ran, but I did feel a little achy in the lungs and I coughed a little afterwards. But, still-- I would count that as a victory!

Going well!

Things in the running sphere are going well! I haven't posted in awhile, but there have been improvements and continued struggles in the meantime. I started having some trouble breathing when I run a few weeks ago, right after a bad bout of sinus funk/allergy flare-up. It culminated in having what I considered pretty gosh-darn-close to an asthma attack on a Saturday morning run. My doctor put me on Singulair and gave me a rescue inhaler to use before running. I have been on that regimen for 2-3 weeks now, and it goes back and forth.-- sometime it's okay, sometimes not. I had another bad breathing bout the Sunday before last, and went back to the doctor, who advised using a peak flow meter to determine how I am doing. I know that my anxiety definitely colors my feelings about the breathing issues, so I will be staying with the same regimen and using the peak flow meter. I do have a prescription for a daily inhaler if I continue to have problems, though.

I have been able to go up to a 4:2 ratio for some runs, but it's still a little hard. I tried 4:1 on one of the days I had a lot of trouble breathing, and I think it was just too much. I added in a day on the elliptical 2 weeks ago, and having been shooting for an hour session. I figure it lets me build my endurance and work a little harder without so much stress on my joints-- and the sports medicine guy suggested it for the same reasons, so it *must* be true! :) Also, I get a nice boost in mileage-- I am slowing inching up to doing 5 miles in an hour (4.82 on Saturday), and my ego certainly likes that.

I started Boot Camp at the Y this morning, and I am interested to see how that goes-- it runs from Dec. 1st to Dec. 20th. I am going 5:30am on Monday, 6pm on Wednesday, and 8:30am on Saturday. It was a shorter session today, because of body fat measuring and a treadmill test, but I think it's going to be a good kick in the pants. There was a lot of jumping, which is harder than I expected. My adult mind says, "Danger! Unstable! Fall Imminent!" I am hoping I will be able to run on the off days, if I am not too sore.

Sigh...

No run today, which is very disappointing. I got to bed late Tuesday night, and woke up early, and proceeded to have an exhausting day. Last night I got to bed in a timely fashion only to be woken up at 3:45am by my downstairs neighbors' thumping bass. I did the risky thing and pounded on their door, and they quieted down, but it still robbed me of precious sleeping time. So I gave in and reset the alarm to sleep to my usual time, not "Get up and RUN!!!!" time.

This is the first time I have passed on a run in the morning, and it makes me feel as though I have failed somehow. I know I need to take the long view and realize that there will be many more days to run and that if I needed to sleep, then sleeping was the smart choice, but grrrrr. It's just been a crap week, and a good running session would have helped.

3/2!

Today's workout-- finally up to 3 minutes running, 2 minutes walking!

5 minute warmup at 3.3
35 minutes 3/2-- running at 4.6, walking at 3.4
5 minute cooldown at 3.0

12 minutes stretching after

My left knee bothered me some towards the end, and I could feel the tendons across the front of my left hip twanging, but all in all, a really good workout! It's starting to feel less effort-full and more natural. And I am not gasping for air like I was at the beginning.