Tis the season of sickness...since November, DH and I have suffered 2 bouts of the flu each. The most recent one struck Wednesday night and has left me feeling weak, whiny and droopy. This time, trying to nip the vicious virus in the bud, I've been washing down antibiotics and Vitamin C with cup after steaming cup of green tea with honey, lemon and crushed ginger. My tongue feels numb and my taste buds have withered under the onslaught of gallons of scalding fluid.
Ironically, this is just what my body needed...a short break from running. Or so I told myself as I spent all of Saturday on the couch, reading the March issue of Runner's World* and watching 2 hours of...umm...Keeping up with the Kardashians. Hey, what do you expect? There's NOTHING worth watching on Cable TV on a Saturday!
* Did you read Kara Goucher's story on Runner's World? I've always marveled about the enormous mental pressure top athletes have to endure. Aside from their own dreams, peppered with doubts and uncertainties, they also carry the weight of their entire country's expectations.
Even for us 'recreational runners' (the rest of the crazy running community), except for a precious few who run solely for the fun of running or for the benefits they get out of it, running largely involves setting goals, measuring our performance against the goals and strategizing on how to accomplish these goals. The importance we attach to these goals varies from person to person. But at some point or the other, most of us have battled nerves...sleeplessness the night before an important race, nightmares that we might forget part of our gear, fantasies that we may not be able to complete.
I found this article, which I enjoyed and wanted to share with you.
The Zen of Running
Most of us practise zen running in some form or the other. For example, while I enjoy spinning to music, I never run to the accompaniment of music. The ipod DH gifted me a while ago has been collecting dust. I prefer listening to the sounds of birds and enjoying the changing scenery.
The author suggests alternating between concentration and contemplation. While contemplation is a normal activity during running, in my estimation I spend less than 10% of my run on concentration...paying attention to breathing, footfall, the fluid motion of the body. Concentration not only helps you understand your body better, it also helps center you and shut out the mental chatter. And if you can do it while running, you can definitely incorporate it into other areas of your life...for instance, the night before a race!
I decided I was well enough for a dreadmill run today. Normally, I find running on the treadmill intolerable and suffocating. A pang of regret hit me as I stepped outside and realized what a glorious day it was, but better senses prevailed. I don't feel well enough for outdoor running yet; the cold air induces a hacking cough. So, I churned out 3 miles on the 'mill, while trying to concentrate on my breathing (or the lack of it) in the stale, recycled gym air. I was sweating buckets and extremely uncomfortable during the entire run, but I did it...and finished off with 20 minutes on the bike.
The verdict: If you want to try zen running, start outdoors!
The week in review: 28 miles
Monday: 8 mile tempo (2 miles w/u, 8:09, 8:07, 8:10, 8:08, 8:00, 1 mile c/d); spinning - 1 hour
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 5 miles (42)
Thursday - 12 mile long run (1:43)
Friday & Saturday: rest
Sunday: 3 miles on 'mill, 20 minutes on bike
Showing posts with label Gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gym. Show all posts
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Hike that didn't happen
Workouts for the week: 37 miles total
Monday: 7 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles + core work
Wednesday: spinning
Thursday: 13 miles
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 6 miles
Now that the important news has been taken care of, let me issue a warning: Feel free to scroll to END OF RANT, in order to avoid long, lame rant that follows. No feelings will be hurt, I promise!
RANT:
On Friday evening, my backpack was packed to the brim with everything I would need on a 10 mile hike in the first real snowfall of the season; water, gatorade, trail mix and granola bars, extra socks, gloves, hand and toe warmers and insect repellent (on the off-chance that some of the hardier fellas decided to wander about and explore the winter landscape). My hiking boots were waiting by the door, ready for my first winter hiking expedition ever. I had printed out directions (DH has ordered me a GPS, so if UPS delivers as they say they would, by tomorrow, I will be a paperless traveler...Merry Christmas!) to the commuter parking area in Sloatsburg, where I would meet the rest of the group from the Appalachian Mountain Club and begin the 5-6 hour hike in the Seven Hills area. I was nervous about hiking in snow/sleet and was unsure about the pace of the group. This was a much faster group than I had hiked with before. But I was also excited and looking forward to the the experience.
On Saturday morning, the alarm went off at 6 am; I sleepily turned it off and rolled over. Checking the weather forecast the previous night was a bad idea...I knew that if I left my warm bed, I would be stepping into a chilly 28 degrees outside. I thought of trudging about in that weather all day and driving back in sleet. Beside me, DH coughed violently a few times, then reached out an arm and caught my hand, as if to stop me from getting up. Dutiful wifely feelings rushed through me...I couldn't leave my poor coughing husband home alone on a Saturday (he wasn't really that sick; but everything somehow seems more dramatic at night). I imagined returning, thoroughly exhausted from the hike to a gazillion chores that had to be done, including cooking for the friends we had invited for lunch the next day, meeting some other friends for a late dinner and a 6-mile run Sunday morning. In a vague state of semi-sleep, I recall a moment of mild annoyance at the mental inventory and excuse-making. My body was still aching from the 31 miles I had already run during the week and was begging for a couple more hours of sleep. The last thought that went through my mind before I decisively drifted off to sleep was, "If only I had a hiking buddy (I mean a regular hiking buddy as opposed to the dozen strangers I was scheduled to meet, who wouldn't care whether I joined them or not), getting out of bed would be sooo much easier"...
When I woke up 4 hours later, I hated myself for being so weak-willed, kicked myself a good bit(figuratively of course...I have no intention of causing more damage to this already injury-prone body). DH got a earful for his part in holding me back. After fretting about, I finally placed the blame for the morning's despicable display of laziness on those melancholy small hours (of the night) when both body and spirit could be at their lowest ebb (Alexander McCall Smith in The Lost Art of Gratitude).
Have you felt that way? When the alarm screams, you would give almost anything in the world to hold on to those few precious hours, minutes (or moments, even) of sleep...and then, when you are wide awake, you cannot remember why in the world it was such an endeavor to simply get your butt off the bed and get on with your day.
END OF RANT
That was my long-winded and totally unnecessary way of telling you all that instead of a wild winter hiking adventure replete with pictures, I spent a tame Saturday afternoon looking out wistfully at the snowfall, wishing I were out there with those daring souls. The 6-mile run in the morning helped purge me of some of the guilt...and a nice, quiet dinner and stimulating conversation with friends made me more accepting of what a wuss I had been.
Today, in keeping with the spirit of the holidays, there was lots of gorging (and no working out). I am by no stretch of imagination a food blogger and I lack creativity in clicking pretty food pictures, but my cooking has vastly improved, so let me leave you with pics of some of the dishes I cooked up for lunch today.
Monday: 7 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles + core work
Wednesday: spinning
Thursday: 13 miles
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 6 miles
Now that the important news has been taken care of, let me issue a warning: Feel free to scroll to END OF RANT, in order to avoid long, lame rant that follows. No feelings will be hurt, I promise!
RANT:
On Friday evening, my backpack was packed to the brim with everything I would need on a 10 mile hike in the first real snowfall of the season; water, gatorade, trail mix and granola bars, extra socks, gloves, hand and toe warmers and insect repellent (on the off-chance that some of the hardier fellas decided to wander about and explore the winter landscape). My hiking boots were waiting by the door, ready for my first winter hiking expedition ever. I had printed out directions (DH has ordered me a GPS, so if UPS delivers as they say they would, by tomorrow, I will be a paperless traveler...Merry Christmas!) to the commuter parking area in Sloatsburg, where I would meet the rest of the group from the Appalachian Mountain Club and begin the 5-6 hour hike in the Seven Hills area. I was nervous about hiking in snow/sleet and was unsure about the pace of the group. This was a much faster group than I had hiked with before. But I was also excited and looking forward to the the experience.
On Saturday morning, the alarm went off at 6 am; I sleepily turned it off and rolled over. Checking the weather forecast the previous night was a bad idea...I knew that if I left my warm bed, I would be stepping into a chilly 28 degrees outside. I thought of trudging about in that weather all day and driving back in sleet. Beside me, DH coughed violently a few times, then reached out an arm and caught my hand, as if to stop me from getting up. Dutiful wifely feelings rushed through me...I couldn't leave my poor coughing husband home alone on a Saturday (he wasn't really that sick; but everything somehow seems more dramatic at night). I imagined returning, thoroughly exhausted from the hike to a gazillion chores that had to be done, including cooking for the friends we had invited for lunch the next day, meeting some other friends for a late dinner and a 6-mile run Sunday morning. In a vague state of semi-sleep, I recall a moment of mild annoyance at the mental inventory and excuse-making. My body was still aching from the 31 miles I had already run during the week and was begging for a couple more hours of sleep. The last thought that went through my mind before I decisively drifted off to sleep was, "If only I had a hiking buddy (I mean a regular hiking buddy as opposed to the dozen strangers I was scheduled to meet, who wouldn't care whether I joined them or not), getting out of bed would be sooo much easier"...
When I woke up 4 hours later, I hated myself for being so weak-willed, kicked myself a good bit(figuratively of course...I have no intention of causing more damage to this already injury-prone body). DH got a earful for his part in holding me back. After fretting about, I finally placed the blame for the morning's despicable display of laziness on those melancholy small hours (of the night) when both body and spirit could be at their lowest ebb (Alexander McCall Smith in The Lost Art of Gratitude).
Have you felt that way? When the alarm screams, you would give almost anything in the world to hold on to those few precious hours, minutes (or moments, even) of sleep...and then, when you are wide awake, you cannot remember why in the world it was such an endeavor to simply get your butt off the bed and get on with your day.
END OF RANT
That was my long-winded and totally unnecessary way of telling you all that instead of a wild winter hiking adventure replete with pictures, I spent a tame Saturday afternoon looking out wistfully at the snowfall, wishing I were out there with those daring souls. The 6-mile run in the morning helped purge me of some of the guilt...and a nice, quiet dinner and stimulating conversation with friends made me more accepting of what a wuss I had been.
Today, in keeping with the spirit of the holidays, there was lots of gorging (and no working out). I am by no stretch of imagination a food blogger and I lack creativity in clicking pretty food pictures, but my cooking has vastly improved, so let me leave you with pics of some of the dishes I cooked up for lunch today.
Chicken curry with coriander and mint
Mutton curry
Palak Panneer
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Feeding the heart
I am seldom as consistent in the kitchen as I am (or try to be) with running. I do spend an hour in the kitchen every week, cooking up dishes to last for a few days, while DH and I plod through our work week. But they are the same few recipes, repeated over and over to the point of boredom. When I increase my weekly running mileage however, I tend to get hungrier, which leads me to furious recipe-hunting on interesting foodie blogs, followed by a dedicated hour of cooking. The result is usually of a far superior quality than the normal fare. Like anything else, when you put your heart into cooking, the result is delicious. I had one of these moments of perfection yesterday. I soared to the absolute heights of culinary glory, even if I say so myself (pausing to take a bow).
I borrowed this Kerala Chicken Fry recipe from So I married a Meat-a-holic. I must admit, the name was what attracted me to this blog in the first place; but I found out the recipes are just as alluring. I added a bit more gravy, pressure cooked the chicken for a couple of minutes and changed the recipe to Kerala Chicken curry. (Kerala is a state in Southern India, home to some of my favorite dishes). The recipe called for a small quantity of different ground spices and coriander leaves. As the chicken was stewing in its juices and the gravy was getting cooked, the aroma that arose from it made my kitchen smell like a classy Indian restaurant. Though the picture I hurriedly clicked before I dug my teeth into the end product is nowhere near as appealing as the original, the taste more than made up for it. In fact, I discovered that whoever said The way to a man's heart is through his stomach (the shortest road to a man's heart is down his throat?) was not kidding. DH was the most doting husband in the world last night.
Today, I followed it up with Brown rice and Garlic Asparagus with Lemon. As you can probably see from both pics, I am a big fan of the red onion. If the recipe calls for yellow onions, I use red onions. If the recipe calls for shallots, I substitute red onions for the shallots. If the recipe calls for anything resembling an onion, I throw in a red onion instead.
I borrowed this Kerala Chicken Fry recipe from So I married a Meat-a-holic. I must admit, the name was what attracted me to this blog in the first place; but I found out the recipes are just as alluring. I added a bit more gravy, pressure cooked the chicken for a couple of minutes and changed the recipe to Kerala Chicken curry. (Kerala is a state in Southern India, home to some of my favorite dishes). The recipe called for a small quantity of different ground spices and coriander leaves. As the chicken was stewing in its juices and the gravy was getting cooked, the aroma that arose from it made my kitchen smell like a classy Indian restaurant. Though the picture I hurriedly clicked before I dug my teeth into the end product is nowhere near as appealing as the original, the taste more than made up for it. In fact, I discovered that whoever said The way to a man's heart is through his stomach (the shortest road to a man's heart is down his throat?) was not kidding. DH was the most doting husband in the world last night.
Today, I followed it up with Brown rice and Garlic Asparagus with Lemon. As you can probably see from both pics, I am a big fan of the red onion. If the recipe calls for yellow onions, I use red onions. If the recipe calls for shallots, I substitute red onions for the shallots. If the recipe calls for anything resembling an onion, I throw in a red onion instead.Directions
Melt butter (1 teaspoon) with olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic (1 clove) and onion (1 medium), and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in asparagus spears
(1 bunch); cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon (1/2) over hot asparagus, and season with salt and pepper.
The result, while not as dramatic as the chicken curry, is also excellent for the heart.
Melt butter (1 teaspoon) with olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic (1 clove) and onion (1 medium), and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in asparagus spears
(1 bunch); cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon (1/2) over hot asparagus, and season with salt and pepper.
The result, while not as dramatic as the chicken curry, is also excellent for the heart.
My foot was throbbing just a little last night, so instead of a 6-mile run, I worked out at the gym this morning (20 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes swimming and 5 minutes at the rowing machine). I couldn't spend more time at the gym because I had to get to work. I can never figure out how 45 minutes at the gym eats up 3 hours out of my day!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Who would you run with?
Jillian at Finishing is Winning has the QOTD on TIART over at Runners Lounge.
You get to run the last six miles of your next marathon with 6 different people. They can be dead or alive; famous or not famous. Who are these people and why did you pick them? Furthermore, why did you pick them for the specific mile you did? Remember, you get an extra .2 miles with runner #6.
Let's see:
Mile 21: DH. I have always enjoyed running with him though I don't think running is his idea of enjoyment at all! I suspect the knee 'injury' he's been having for the past few months is here to stay, so he doesn't have to come up with crisp excuses every time he is wheedled into running with yours truly.
Mile 22: My dad and brothers. Ever since my brothers and I left the nest, every family reunion has involved running...lots of it. And we enjoy running together now more than ever.
Mile 23: Running buddy, Glenn. I always have a blast running with him...and I'm fairly confident he feels the same about me. I hope this mile includes hills, because we do best when we push each other.
Mile 24: Blog buddies. Your running is a big source of inspiration for me. I've run countless virtual miles with you...I would love to run one real mile with all of you.
Mile 25: Joan Benoit Samuelson. She is such an inspiring runner! I am sure I will get my butt handed to me on a plate by her, but I would cherish the opportunity, nevertheless.
The last mile and 0.2: Paula Radcliffe, of course...because if I am running the last mile with Paula, I am most likely in one of the top spots...and I really don't mind coming second to her!
Getting back to reality, I am still struggling with injury issues. I am sure I can run with no pain, but I'd rather not push it. There is this tenderness in the fibula that is annoyingly similar to a previous injury. And I know running through it is NOT the answer. Swimming was going well for a couple of weeks, till I got to a point where I could recognize every speck of dirt and strand of hair in the pool. In the interest of preserving my sanity, I am now mixing things up...a combination of the elliptical, stairmaster and the bike. I still miss running outdoors, especially since this is the time of the year when I enjoy being outdoors the most. But the important thing is, I am still on my feet.
By the way, I was trying to get into my blog this morning and got an error message, that the blog had been deleted. The message went on to say I might have violated the terms of use, etc. Well, I was pretty sure I hadn't been posting pornographic content or even naughty pictures...so I fiddled around a bit (which is what I usually do when I am clueless), and after a few minutes, was able to get in. Have any of you encountered this?
You get to run the last six miles of your next marathon with 6 different people. They can be dead or alive; famous or not famous. Who are these people and why did you pick them? Furthermore, why did you pick them for the specific mile you did? Remember, you get an extra .2 miles with runner #6.Let's see:
Mile 21: DH. I have always enjoyed running with him though I don't think running is his idea of enjoyment at all! I suspect the knee 'injury' he's been having for the past few months is here to stay, so he doesn't have to come up with crisp excuses every time he is wheedled into running with yours truly.
Mile 22: My dad and brothers. Ever since my brothers and I left the nest, every family reunion has involved running...lots of it. And we enjoy running together now more than ever.
Mile 23: Running buddy, Glenn. I always have a blast running with him...and I'm fairly confident he feels the same about me. I hope this mile includes hills, because we do best when we push each other.
Mile 24: Blog buddies. Your running is a big source of inspiration for me. I've run countless virtual miles with you...I would love to run one real mile with all of you.
Mile 25: Joan Benoit Samuelson. She is such an inspiring runner! I am sure I will get my butt handed to me on a plate by her, but I would cherish the opportunity, nevertheless.
The last mile and 0.2: Paula Radcliffe, of course...because if I am running the last mile with Paula, I am most likely in one of the top spots...and I really don't mind coming second to her!
Getting back to reality, I am still struggling with injury issues. I am sure I can run with no pain, but I'd rather not push it. There is this tenderness in the fibula that is annoyingly similar to a previous injury. And I know running through it is NOT the answer. Swimming was going well for a couple of weeks, till I got to a point where I could recognize every speck of dirt and strand of hair in the pool. In the interest of preserving my sanity, I am now mixing things up...a combination of the elliptical, stairmaster and the bike. I still miss running outdoors, especially since this is the time of the year when I enjoy being outdoors the most. But the important thing is, I am still on my feet.
By the way, I was trying to get into my blog this morning and got an error message, that the blog had been deleted. The message went on to say I might have violated the terms of use, etc. Well, I was pretty sure I hadn't been posting pornographic content or even naughty pictures...so I fiddled around a bit (which is what I usually do when I am clueless), and after a few minutes, was able to get in. Have any of you encountered this?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Interrupted by injury
Injury strikes again! Just as I was feeling all smug and confident of sailing through training for a fall marathon. This time, it's a tendon on the outside of my foot, that's been hurting since last Thursday. And this time, it's entirely my fault. I should have waited a whole 2 weeks after the NYC Half Marathon before returning to my usual mileage.
At least I know what needs to be done...compression, no running, lots of swimming, ankle stretches (I normally stretch my achilles and feet before running, didn't realize the lateral part of the ankle needed to be stretched too!) Glenn did the research and sent me a few stretches which I am gingerly trying out, now. The pain is a lot better than last week, but I dare not run till the pain is completely gone.
Last week looked like this:
Tuesday: 10 miles, spinning, BodyWorks
Wednesday: 7 miles
Thursday: 8 miles
Saturday: swim 2000 yards
Sunday: swim 1500 yards
There will be a lot more swimming this week. I was hoping to run a marathon in October...the next week will decide if I can pull it off.
It's a bummer, but life's still good, as long as I am able to blow off steam at the pool. Hey Mel, maybe this is a sign that I should switch to the Tri!
Have a good week, everyone!
At least I know what needs to be done...compression, no running, lots of swimming, ankle stretches (I normally stretch my achilles and feet before running, didn't realize the lateral part of the ankle needed to be stretched too!) Glenn did the research and sent me a few stretches which I am gingerly trying out, now. The pain is a lot better than last week, but I dare not run till the pain is completely gone.
Last week looked like this:
Tuesday: 10 miles, spinning, BodyWorks
Wednesday: 7 miles
Thursday: 8 miles
Saturday: swim 2000 yards
Sunday: swim 1500 yards
There will be a lot more swimming this week. I was hoping to run a marathon in October...the next week will decide if I can pull it off.
It's a bummer, but life's still good, as long as I am able to blow off steam at the pool. Hey Mel, maybe this is a sign that I should switch to the Tri!
Have a good week, everyone!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Watchung Reservation Trail Run
When you run trails, you should be able to read a map. Or know someone who does. Without Glenn, there is no question I would have been hopelessly lost on yesterday's trail run at Watchung Reservation. He claims it is the additional iron in his nose that gives him the advantage. I am going to agree with that. Anything that makes me look less stupid is A-OK by me!
Let me also add that a search on Google revealed that Watchung Reservation is "one of the worst marked parks in New Jersey"...so that's my defense for staring stupidly at the trail map and the trail markers, unable to coax any sense out of them.
Glenn was brilliant. He not only read the map with ease, he was able to decifer the various multi-colored trail markings and turn us back when we meandered off onto an unused trail and got scratched by the briar. All I had to do was run alongside him and make conversation.
We parked by the Nature and Science Center and started our run here...it was a little chilly, but thankfully not too humid.
Our goal was 6 miles; we planned to combine different trails to make up the distance.
Hiking Trail Hieroglyphics:
A single blaze on a trail this indicates that the trail generally goes straight ahead.
For trail novices like me, when two blazes are painted together, one above the other, a turn or bend in the trail is indicated. The upper blaze will be offset to (not directly above) the lower blaze. Here, the yellow trail heads right.
Decision-time! Glenn did all the trail-marker decifering. We stopped quite a bit to read the map (each of us carried a map, and mine only came in handy when Glenn lost his toward the end of the run).
Along the trail...
A little after 2 miles, we found ourselves back at the parking lot and started on a new trail.
3 blazes indicate the beginning of a trail.
Animal-tracks (a dog's paw-prints?), where we crossed to the other side of Blue Brook
Lake Surprise (not tempted to jump in for a swim!). We ran sections of the Bridle trail, alongside the lake.
We had to watch our step. Most of the trail was rocky. We walked at the most rocky and steep portions.
We encountered a few small hills. Glenn, an advocate of "goal-running" (I'll let him explain) pushed me up one hill, by sprinting me to the next trail marker. Whew! Glenn, you know I mean this in the nicest possible way...you are a slave-driver. We finished by racing each other to our cars, gasping and out of breath. We completed 6.8 miles in total.
We then sat on the grass by the parking lot, munching on post-run fruit and granola bars, chatting about...what else...running...and planning the next trail run.
Next Sunday is the NYC Half Marathon, so this week's been a sort of semi-taper.
Monday: core work
Tuesday: 8 miles + spinning + BodyWorks
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: rest
Friday: 10 miles
Saturday: 6.8 mile trail run
Sunday: core work
Total: 30.8 miles
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Philadelphia Zoo
I've been MIA again...my new job has been keeping me tied to my workdesk, but I have hope that at some point in the near future, I will be able to return to some sort of blogging routine.
What a weekend! DH and I spent Saturday with a friend, M and her boys (a 3-year old and a 9-month old) at the Philadelphia Zoo. M's husband has been deployed to Iraq since the little one was born, and she has been raising the kids by herself. She has always been a cheerful, high-energy woman, juggling 2 jobs, then school and 2 jobs, and now plunging headlong into motherhood, but after yesterday, I have renewed appreciation for her strength and stamina.
The weather was perfect; the children were well-behaved and we had no trouble shepherding them through the zoo. Just as we were all beginning to enjoy the day, an unfortunate incident occured. We parked her efficient Schwinn double jogging stroller (loaded with baby food, snacks, shoes and the toys we had bought for the kids) outside the cat cages, under the sign "Stroller parking" and came back 20 minutes later, to find it gone. Disappeared! We split up and combed the area, hoping it had just rolled away somewhere close, but it was nowhere to be seen. While DH and I watched the kids, M went to review the security camera. A man in a white T-shirt and blue jeans was actually caught on tape, wheeling away the stroller! We were asked to stay on till after the park closed, in case the stroller was abandoned somewhere. The park security was alerted, and they rolled off in their carts, on a mission to retrieve the stolen stroller, but at the end of the day, the stroller was still missing.
We stayed on to lodge a complaint, though we were certain, by the obvious lack of interest on the cop's face, that the chances of getting the stroller back were slim to none. Tough luck! By the time we left, it was 7 pm. DH had been carrying the 3-year old on his shoulder most of the day, and thanks to the lost stroller, M and I had been taking turns carrying the baby all day; our arms and shoulders were sore. The boys were exhausted too. Luckily, no valuables had been lost.
We joined another friend for dinner at Banana Leaf, and plenty of nasi lemak, crispy golden fried squid and lychee drinks were consumed. We drove home in a heavy thunderstorm, hoping that the nearly-bald tires would not steer the car into a ditch. Not surprisingly, we came across 2 accidents on Route 1. It was about midnight when we reached home and 5 minutes after that when we gratefully fell into bed.
I didn't get much sleep though, because I had to be up at 6:15 to meet Glenn and Sandy for a run. Since Glenn had mapped the run, I expected a challenging course. I was in no shape for a 11.25 mile hilly run, and my left shoulder and arm were still tight and hurting after yesterday's child-carrying experience. I don't know how you moms do it!!!
Anyway, I decided to take it a bit easy, and when Glenn mentioned that we could walk up some of the hills, I readily agreed. Sandy raced off ahead of us at 7:45; she had to be done by 10. Glenn and I took off a few minutes later. There were 4 major hills on the course (according to Glenn). I beg to differ...some of the "inclines" were hills to me! We did a good bit of walking and still got a great workout. As usual, Glenn had done an awesome job with the course, covering pretty neighborhoods and allowing for water/rest stops at gas stations along the way. We bought water/gatorade at each of the stops. I wished I had worn my fuel belt, so I didn't need to carry the water bottle in my hand. I could have also stowed my camera in the belt and taken pics. I will definitely be doing this course again, and there'll be pics next time. A Cliff shot blok helped me pick up speed during the last 3 miles. We finished by Watchung Lake.
Week's workouts:
Monday: 6 miles
Tuesday: 12 miles + core work
Wednesday: Aquafit + swimming 500 yards
Thursday: 7 miles
Friday: 6 miles (1 1/2 mile warm up; 3 miles at 8:30 average; 1 1/2 mile cooldown)
Thursday: 7 miles
Friday: 6 miles (1 1/2 mile warm up; 3 miles at 8:30 average; 1 1/2 mile cooldown)
Sunday: 11.25 miles
Total: 42.25 miles
After a restoring nap, lots of cooking and squirreling away for the week was accomplished today.
Toor dhal curry
Avarakkai (hyacinth bean)
Brussels' sprouts
Potato and methi (fenugreek) leaves
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Build up those muscles, runners
The sun has finally here...and while I'm resigned to the fact that dark clouds will soon gobble it up again, I am just happy to see it up and about. I need to air out my running shoes....inspite of washing them, they smell like wet, dirty dog.
The "Super G" wiped me out on Sunday, so I modified my workout week a little...I swept Monday off my running calendar, substituting my run with spinning class and a 600 yard swim. Swimming worked wonders for my tired muscles and I felt restored.
Next week is going to be a short week (forget running 5 days in the week), because we will be away, camping at Shenandoah National Park during the long weekend.
Due to weekend activities the next couple of weeks, I've altered my workout weeks, so provided my legs cooperate, I can get at least two 5-day work weeks in the next 3 weeks:
Week of June 22: Tuesday - Monday
Week of June 29: Tuesday - Thursday (condensed week)
Week of July 6: Monday - Sunday (back to the routine)
I'm probably not making any sense at all, but do you fellow neurotic runners see why I am doing this? You see, I've become obsessed about getting in 5 days a week of running and increasing mileage at the same time, hence the elaborate calendar manipulation. You know you're a running addict when your calendar revolves around your runs!
I started my week with a dreadfully slow 6-mile run on Tuesday. This morning's 16 miler was painful and slow, due to the unusual amount of junk consumed yesterday. I was not really checking my watch, but I averaged about 9:45 minutes per mile.
Some of you asked about the strength training portion of the "Super G" workout. Here are the exercises we did. I forget the exact order in which we did them and which ones we repeated...but most of the major muscle groups were exercised. I went a little crazy with the pics.
1. Gate swings (hop)
2. Pushups 
3. Shoulder press 
4. Ball swing
5. Dips 
6. Arnold Press
7. Rows 
8. Kickbacks
9. Wide Clap/ Short Clap (under legs)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Fires in the Dark
Reading about different cultures and lifestyles in various time periods is fascinating. This book will take you into the lives, customs and traditions of the Romani gypsies, before and during the Second World War. There are tons of books on the holocaust and life and death in labor camps, but this one portrays the terror, despair and the hope that sustained people through those terrible years with such empathy, it almost brings them back to life. It will take you through the world of a proud Romani family and on the journey of its only survivor, who manages to escape from a prison camp, live out the war and scrape together a new life after the war. Very moving!
Last night's dinner: Roast (tandoori) chicken. Mmm...DH has a way with meat!
Last night's dinner: Roast (tandoori) chicken. Mmm...DH has a way with meat!
This week's workouts:
Monday: 7 miles.
Tuesday: 5 miles (3 tempo-ish miles; Average: 9:24 per mile) + BodyWorks + spinning - Whew! A 5-mile run and 2 hours at the gym on the same day can be brutal. As my legs were spinning mechanically, my mind was spinning out glorious visions of the leftover roast chicken in my refrigerator.
Since the long run on Saturday, the sole of my right foot has been bothering me. Not enough to stop me from running, just a nagging ache. I tried icing it and repeated the Monopoly Game several times during the day, using ear plugs and paper clips instead of monopoly pieces (I keep a pair of ear plugs on hand, to protect my ear drums against DH's drumming, and they get reused for foot exercises! I know...I'm disgusting!) I just hope it works.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Fishing is (not) fun
Weekly workout report:
This fella tried to edge past us on this narrow ledge...
...he danced about for several minutes, thoroughly entertaining us (we thought he was after the live bait)...
...then gave up and decided to take an alternate route.
Monday: 6 miles + Spinning
Tuesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 6 miles + 10 minutes of rowing + 35 minutes on the reclining bike + abs (when I arrive at the gym 20 minutes before spinning class and find all the bikes taken, I end up doing random stuff like this)
Friday: 4 miles
Saturday: 12 miles
Sunday: 1000 yards swimming (I felt strong and could have kept going, but the girl who shared my lane was in a chatty mood...and I didn't mind. After the 12-miler yesterday, I felt my week was complete!)
Total mileage this week: 33
The weather people predicted a sunny Saturday with temps in the mid 70's and a slight chance of rain. How was I supposed to know that meant rain with a slight chance of sun??? DH and I drove an hour to Pemberton for a day of canoeing on Rancocas Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River. Instead, we sat in the car for a while, waiting for the skies to clear, then drove back, defeated. I was all for charging on, rain and all, but DH pointed out that spending 5 hours in a canoe, soaking wet, was not exactly what people did for fun on Saturdays. What does he know?
On the drive back, the rain gods relented a bit, so we went fishing in the Delaware. Well, DH fished and I took pics and read a book. I don't know about you, but in my book, waiting hours for the elusive fish that I could easily buy in the supermarket = heights of boredom.
Not exactly the best spot to fish, but we were just trying to get the best out of the few minutes between downpours (see those grey clouds threatening to erupt?)
This fella tried to edge past us on this narrow ledge......he danced about for several minutes, thoroughly entertaining us (we thought he was after the live bait)......then gave up and decided to take an alternate route. Wednesday, June 3, 2009
National Running Day
If potato chips, peach blossoms and hot cross buns can have a day dedicated to them, running definitely deserves a day of its own. I wish I could say I ran a marathon, or even a half marathon to commemorate National Running Day, but I had to settle for 4 slow miles. Painless miles, though. Ken with his wealth of running experience, tirelessly kept pointing out issues that could have triggered my injury till the brain fog cleared and I saw the light. You see, way back when I started running, I diligently followed the videos on runnersworld.com for the foot and core strengthening exercises, which I would repeat 2-3 times a day. As cross training and free weights got added to my routine, I abandoned these exercises in the interest of time. Turns out, it was not a smart decision. On Ken’s suggestion, I’ve started doing these exercises again this week and…ah, the bliss of pain-free running! I owe you one, Ken!!! Sometimes, we overlook the most obvious things. I’ve only run twice this week, so it’s still too early to tell if the pain has completely gone, but the difference is remarkable.
Monday: 5 miles + spinning
Tuesday: Body Works
Wednesday: 4 miles
I'm keeping the mileage low this week and will most probably stick to 4 days of running.
But I am looking forward to the "Train"ing Run on Saturday. This is a much-talked about event hosted by the running club. It is a non-competitive event; people are invited to run as many (or as few) miles as they want to on the Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath (the entire distance is 34.1 miles), then stay and enjoy a "fabulous picnic with hot and cold food and ice cold drinks" (according to the website). Before I injured myself, I was hoping to do 16 miles. Now, I'll be happy if I can complete the 11.3 miles I have signed up for. Choo-choo!
Monday: 5 miles + spinning
Tuesday: Body Works
Wednesday: 4 miles
I'm keeping the mileage low this week and will most probably stick to 4 days of running.
But I am looking forward to the "Train"ing Run on Saturday. This is a much-talked about event hosted by the running club. It is a non-competitive event; people are invited to run as many (or as few) miles as they want to on the Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath (the entire distance is 34.1 miles), then stay and enjoy a "fabulous picnic with hot and cold food and ice cold drinks" (according to the website). Before I injured myself, I was hoping to do 16 miles. Now, I'll be happy if I can complete the 11.3 miles I have signed up for. Choo-choo!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Running Injuries and Treatment
Every runner can write pages about today's TIaRT topic...Running Injuries and Treatment.
Most of us have been injured at some point. Some of us suffer severe injuries while others are tortured by persistent, nagging pains. Running builds into us a higher pain threshold than normal, so we learn to ignore slight twinges, and sometimes even run through severe pain. Eventually, we all learn to live with injuries, accept them as part of a runner's existence and a small price to pay for the health, well-being and runners' high we get in return.
Since I started increasing my weekly mileage, I have been frequently visited by injuries. Of the minor, nagging kind. It started with achilles tendonitis a year ago. That's when I realized the benefits of cross-training and started adding swimming, biking and core stregthening exercises to my workouts. Recently, I recovered from tendonitis in my left foot, which was soon replaced by tendonitis in the right foot. I am still struggling to find the exact cause of these injuries, but they were most likely the result of more speed or steeper hills than I could manage. I had switched from running 4 days a week to 5 days a week last October, after which both these injuries occured, so I am considering going back to running 4 days a week for a while. I stretch, but I always wonder if I stretch enough. Dealing with injury involves understanding your body better, learning to take things easy and altering goals when necessary. It is a learning process.
I am sure all of us have spent hours on the internet, agonizing and self-diagnosing; visiting the sports doctor, then doubting his/her prognosis/treatment. I have done all this. I have nursed myself back to health each time with RICE, stretching, healthy eating habits, lots of sleep, balanced workouts. This week, as I return to running after my most recent foot injury, I am forcing myself to go slow; and trying to remember that the best possible treatment for injury is good old common sense.
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: Spinning, BodyWorks
Thursday: 5 miles + swimming 1000 yards
Most of us have been injured at some point. Some of us suffer severe injuries while others are tortured by persistent, nagging pains. Running builds into us a higher pain threshold than normal, so we learn to ignore slight twinges, and sometimes even run through severe pain. Eventually, we all learn to live with injuries, accept them as part of a runner's existence and a small price to pay for the health, well-being and runners' high we get in return.
Since I started increasing my weekly mileage, I have been frequently visited by injuries. Of the minor, nagging kind. It started with achilles tendonitis a year ago. That's when I realized the benefits of cross-training and started adding swimming, biking and core stregthening exercises to my workouts. Recently, I recovered from tendonitis in my left foot, which was soon replaced by tendonitis in the right foot. I am still struggling to find the exact cause of these injuries, but they were most likely the result of more speed or steeper hills than I could manage. I had switched from running 4 days a week to 5 days a week last October, after which both these injuries occured, so I am considering going back to running 4 days a week for a while. I stretch, but I always wonder if I stretch enough. Dealing with injury involves understanding your body better, learning to take things easy and altering goals when necessary. It is a learning process.
I am sure all of us have spent hours on the internet, agonizing and self-diagnosing; visiting the sports doctor, then doubting his/her prognosis/treatment. I have done all this. I have nursed myself back to health each time with RICE, stretching, healthy eating habits, lots of sleep, balanced workouts. This week, as I return to running after my most recent foot injury, I am forcing myself to go slow; and trying to remember that the best possible treatment for injury is good old common sense.
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: Spinning, BodyWorks
Thursday: 5 miles + swimming 1000 yards
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Precious pool time
Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave
It's been a relaxing long weekend so far. DH had to stay home beside his pager, in anticipation of calls from work, so we had friends over, watched lousy movies, and my ears are ringing from listening to DH drumming all weekend. We did manage to sneak away for lunch at IHOP today...yummy stuffed french toast combo!
My cousin and his friends stayed with us on Thursday and Friday, so there was some cooking involved (fried rice, mushroom fry, gobi masala, and onion and tomato salad). I only took one pic, so I leave the rest to your imagination.
It's been a relaxing long weekend so far. DH had to stay home beside his pager, in anticipation of calls from work, so we had friends over, watched lousy movies, and my ears are ringing from listening to DH drumming all weekend. We did manage to sneak away for lunch at IHOP today...yummy stuffed french toast combo!
My cousin and his friends stayed with us on Thursday and Friday, so there was some cooking involved (fried rice, mushroom fry, gobi masala, and onion and tomato salad). I only took one pic, so I leave the rest to your imagination. 
Swimming's going very well. So well, that I am afraid I may be overdoing it. I have a problem...I never know when to stop!
Monday: 500 yards
Tuesday: 1000 yards
Wednesday: 1600 yards
Saturday: 1800 yards
Sunday: 1900 yards
Thanks to this intensive pool time, my skinny arms are becoming toned and my skin and hair perpetually reek of chlorine.
The monotony of doing laps has become a sort of meditation. I stare at the blue floor of the pool or the white ceiling as I crawl forward, refining the breathing technique, counting the number of strokes, watching other swimmers under water (sounds creepy, but it is very effective...it's how I improved my swimming. I have a way of doing this unobtrusively, so please don't feel horrifed - I don't gape!)
My foot has stopped hurting completely, so I will attempt a run tomorrow. But I like the idea of alternating running with swimming, so I might just do that. Faced with minor injuries a few times in the past year that have taken me away from running, I've developed a philosophical attitude about it. I enjoy running and it's made me a stronger and more balanced person, and charged me with a boatload of physical energy. But I am not too keen on participating in races right now (of course, that could change tomorrow!), my country does not rely on me to break any world records in running, and life has a lot to offer besides running, so I will happily throw that energy into any activity within the realm of possibility that exhausts me and leaves me feeling fulfilled....swimming, hiking, biking, or anything else.
What's better than cold banana milkshake with a squirt of chocolate syrup, after 76 laps in the pool? Though it took a lot of hinting, some badgering and finally outright nagging, DH stepped up to the plate and came up with this ambrosia, which I am sipping as I type.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
What a show!
This week has been a refreshing change. Instead of lamenting my inability to run without pain (the foot's definitely improving, thank you so much for your concern!), I have been enjoying the break and hogging the pool. Granted, my style and technique leave much to be desired; and as far as speed is concerned, I am off the charts...and I mean way off every swim pace chart you will ever find. But given the fact that I have never taken formal swimming lessons, and that until last year, "swimming" to me meant floating in the pool while occasionally taking a few frantic stabs at the water, I consider today's performance somewhat of an accomplishment.
Monday: 500 yards
Tuesday: 1000 yards
Wednesday: 1600 yards - I swam a combination of freestyle, breast and back stroke, even threw in a few laps of the butterfly...and after 1600 yards, still had the energy to keep going. But the fear of falling asleep after 64 excruciatingly slow laps, not to mention the grand finale of American Idol made me throw in the towel and head home.
Speaking of American Idol...what a show! Every year, the season finale was somehow more spectacular and memorable than the previous year. This year's finale attracted 100 million votes and had almost half of Hollywood in attendance! The target demographic for this show is 18-49, so I don't feel out of place. Actually, DH is the fan of the show...(ahem...he even votes occasionally). I just watch random episodes, enjoy the theatrics, know who the contestants are...and most years, pick out a favorite. But I always watch the 2-hour finale. And DH is of course, glued to the couch for the entire 2 hours.
This show has special meaning for me. American Idol is as old as my marriage, and has been aired since the year I arrived in the US. It represents to me, what I have grown to admire in America...the voice of the people; reminding me that anyone can get anywhere by hard work and dedication; dream big and grow as big as your dreams. Congratulations, Kris Allen!
Monday: 500 yards
Tuesday: 1000 yards
Wednesday: 1600 yards - I swam a combination of freestyle, breast and back stroke, even threw in a few laps of the butterfly...and after 1600 yards, still had the energy to keep going. But the fear of falling asleep after 64 excruciatingly slow laps, not to mention the grand finale of American Idol made me throw in the towel and head home.
Speaking of American Idol...what a show! Every year, the season finale was somehow more spectacular and memorable than the previous year. This year's finale attracted 100 million votes and had almost half of Hollywood in attendance! The target demographic for this show is 18-49, so I don't feel out of place. Actually, DH is the fan of the show...(ahem...he even votes occasionally). I just watch random episodes, enjoy the theatrics, know who the contestants are...and most years, pick out a favorite. But I always watch the 2-hour finale. And DH is of course, glued to the couch for the entire 2 hours.
This show has special meaning for me. American Idol is as old as my marriage, and has been aired since the year I arrived in the US. It represents to me, what I have grown to admire in America...the voice of the people; reminding me that anyone can get anywhere by hard work and dedication; dream big and grow as big as your dreams. Congratulations, Kris Allen!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Long Pond Iron Works State Park
When I was little, vacations often involved overnight train journeys. My mother would cook puli sadham (tamarind rice), mutton fry and coconut thuvaiyal (chutney), boil a few eggs, and wrap them up in aluminium foil. In the train, my brothers and I would fight for window seats, then settle ourselves as the train pulled out of the station, eagerly drinking in the moving landscape. Barely half hour into the journey, we would approach my mother, her face buried in a book, the worries and cares of mundane existence already forgotten. My mother would look up smiling, and know exactly what we were after. We would soon be munching, the tanginess of tamarind rice perfectly complementing the spicy mutton fry and thuvayal, and before long, every morsel would disappear.
This weekend, DH whipped up a perfect puli sadham 
and delicious mutton fry. I contributed the thuvaiyal. 
Perfect comfort food, eaten by Greenwood Lake, 
and delicious mutton fry. I contributed the thuvaiyal. Perfect comfort food, eaten by Greenwood Lake, after a short hike 
at Long Pond Ironworks State Park.
The water was cool and refreshing. As we ate, we spotted a water snake, that would rise above the water every now and then, then disappear again. 
Every time it rose, it got a little closer to us. Disturbing. Enough to dissuade us from taking a dip and finish our lunch in a hurry.
at Long Pond Ironworks State Park.The water was cool and refreshing. As we ate, we spotted a water snake, that would rise above the water every now and then, then disappear again. Every time it rose, it got a little closer to us. Disturbing. Enough to dissuade us from taking a dip and finish our lunch in a hurry.On Saturday, my 10-mile run with the group was going really well, when into my sixth mile, a pain started developing on my right foot. A completely new pain, that vanished when I slowed down. I was able to complete the run at a slower pace; but after the run, walking was painful.
We had friends over on Saturday, and we checked out the local Greek Festival. It was more like a food festival and we left several gyros, souvlakis, kabobs and baklavas later, feeling like stuffed grape leaves. It was a scorcher of a day and the chilled mythos was very welcome. Greek beer rocks! No pics, unfortunately.
The week's mileage total is 28.
I awoke this morning with a swollen, painful foot. The pain is a 3-4 on a scale from 1 to 10, bearable but annoying. Oh well, it still could be a lot worse. I was overambitious (euphemism for stupid), trying to tackle a huge hill, just over a week after the half-marathon. And I should be doing my long runs a lot slower. I need to temper my goals and my training. I can do that. I have to remember, one day at a time. It's time to tune up the breast stroke again. And back to core training. The gym will be seeing a lot of me over the next week.
How was your weekend?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
All's well that ends well
Things have been really hectic lately and I am behind on blog followup. But I am slowly catching up...I am only about 200 posts behind now.
The hob hunt is inching along, taking it's own merry time as job hunts tend to do, and sometimes it's easier to wallow in darkness than to imagine light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday, I had one of those days, where you wish you could bury yourself in a hole and never surface again. At the end of the day, I could feel a headache creeping up as I reluctantly pulled myself out of my hole and drove to the gym, planning to get an energetic BodyWorks class in. 2 miles from the gym, I was pulled over by a cop for running a red light. After explaining to him politely (oh, who am I kidding...I was batting my eyelids) that the light was yellow when I crossed it, he waved me away with a 'verbal warning'. Last thing I need right now is a traffic ticket!
Relieved, I reached the gym. With 5 minutes to go, I was changing out of work clothes and into workout clothes, when I noticed that the clothes I pulled out of my gym bag were smeared in random places with vaseline. My gym bag also doubles as Race bag, and I had thrown in a tub of vaseline 2 weeks ago, before the half marathon. Just perfect! I was tempted to just leave, take myself back home, lay on the couch and nurse my growing headache with a comforting cup of cardamom tea. But, we runners are made of sterner stuff. What would you running moms think about abandoning a workout for something as insignificant as a headache and a sticky sports bra? So, I slaved on, wiping, cleaning and rinsing the gooey mess off my clothes, reminding myself that things could always be worse. Thanks to the miraculous invention of moisture-wicking clothes, I was in the class a few minutes later, damp but quickly drying off.
The class was bursting at the seams, but my abs, hips, shoulders, hamstrings and quads got a solid workout. And DH had that cup of tea waiting when I finally got home, so it all ended well.
Monday: 5 miles + spinning
Tuesday: 4 miles + BodyWorks
Wednesday: 4 miles (hills) - Due to lack of proper coordination on my part, I missed my hill running buddy Glenn, and had to tackle the hills alone today. This time, I was ambitious. I picked the steep hill I had found a few weeks ago. This was no gentle, forgiving hill, no beginner hill. It was a busy local road with a narrow shoulder and no sidewalk. I did have my reflective vest (not that it did much good in broad daylight, but you can't be too cautious) and was prepared to dive into a bush if a car came too close (oh, did I mention...I had a choice between a narrow shoulder and a 10 foot gradual drop with bushes (that would break my fall) on one side of the road, and a very narrow to non-existent shoulder on the other side). I parked at the top of the hill and took off, facing traffic as I ran downhill. But it was nerve-wracking to hear cars speed by just inches away from me. Thankfully, no tree hugging was required. I reached the bottom of the 1.2-mile hill safe and sound.
Running uphill, I felt like all the running I have ever done so far was of no use and I had to relearn how to run again. I was breathing so hard I felt I was regurgitating my heart into my mouth. I adopted the Jeff Galloway method, with a 1:3 run-walk ratio. Three-fourths of the way up the hill, I decided to take a detour...one of the quieter (and flatter) side roads. Much better! By this time, my throat was getting prickly...I chalked it down to automobile fumes, though I could have been imagining it. There was no way I was going down and up the vicious hill again. So, I completed 1.6 miles on side roads, somehow managed to crawl up the remaining one-fourth of the hill and headed to my car, dusty, exhausted, and wondering how the hell you hill-runners do it!
The hob hunt is inching along, taking it's own merry time as job hunts tend to do, and sometimes it's easier to wallow in darkness than to imagine light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday, I had one of those days, where you wish you could bury yourself in a hole and never surface again. At the end of the day, I could feel a headache creeping up as I reluctantly pulled myself out of my hole and drove to the gym, planning to get an energetic BodyWorks class in. 2 miles from the gym, I was pulled over by a cop for running a red light. After explaining to him politely (oh, who am I kidding...I was batting my eyelids) that the light was yellow when I crossed it, he waved me away with a 'verbal warning'. Last thing I need right now is a traffic ticket!
Relieved, I reached the gym. With 5 minutes to go, I was changing out of work clothes and into workout clothes, when I noticed that the clothes I pulled out of my gym bag were smeared in random places with vaseline. My gym bag also doubles as Race bag, and I had thrown in a tub of vaseline 2 weeks ago, before the half marathon. Just perfect! I was tempted to just leave, take myself back home, lay on the couch and nurse my growing headache with a comforting cup of cardamom tea. But, we runners are made of sterner stuff. What would you running moms think about abandoning a workout for something as insignificant as a headache and a sticky sports bra? So, I slaved on, wiping, cleaning and rinsing the gooey mess off my clothes, reminding myself that things could always be worse. Thanks to the miraculous invention of moisture-wicking clothes, I was in the class a few minutes later, damp but quickly drying off.
The class was bursting at the seams, but my abs, hips, shoulders, hamstrings and quads got a solid workout. And DH had that cup of tea waiting when I finally got home, so it all ended well.
Monday: 5 miles + spinning
Tuesday: 4 miles + BodyWorks
Wednesday: 4 miles (hills) - Due to lack of proper coordination on my part, I missed my hill running buddy Glenn, and had to tackle the hills alone today. This time, I was ambitious. I picked the steep hill I had found a few weeks ago. This was no gentle, forgiving hill, no beginner hill. It was a busy local road with a narrow shoulder and no sidewalk. I did have my reflective vest (not that it did much good in broad daylight, but you can't be too cautious) and was prepared to dive into a bush if a car came too close (oh, did I mention...I had a choice between a narrow shoulder and a 10 foot gradual drop with bushes (that would break my fall) on one side of the road, and a very narrow to non-existent shoulder on the other side). I parked at the top of the hill and took off, facing traffic as I ran downhill. But it was nerve-wracking to hear cars speed by just inches away from me. Thankfully, no tree hugging was required. I reached the bottom of the 1.2-mile hill safe and sound.
Running uphill, I felt like all the running I have ever done so far was of no use and I had to relearn how to run again. I was breathing so hard I felt I was regurgitating my heart into my mouth. I adopted the Jeff Galloway method, with a 1:3 run-walk ratio. Three-fourths of the way up the hill, I decided to take a detour...one of the quieter (and flatter) side roads. Much better! By this time, my throat was getting prickly...I chalked it down to automobile fumes, though I could have been imagining it. There was no way I was going down and up the vicious hill again. So, I completed 1.6 miles on side roads, somehow managed to crawl up the remaining one-fourth of the hill and headed to my car, dusty, exhausted, and wondering how the hell you hill-runners do it!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Race followed by recovery, or recovery followed by race
It's been so much fun reading all your Race reports from the whole slew of races that took place last weekend. Hope you are all recovering well. As for me, my faithful quads that stepped up the game at the critical moment(s) have been given their well-deserved rest these past few days and are now ready for action.
Tuesday, I took them out for a 2-mile run at a pace snails would have scoffed at. Today, I ventured a 3-mile run in the morning. After work, I arrived at the gym 15 minutes before spinning class....and all the bikes were taken! Yikes! I was not leaving without spinning, though. I decided to take Latin Impact class, while waiting for the next spinning class. I've always been intimidated by anything that has the slightest hint of dance in it...I don't (can't) dance, I exercise. But I've been curious about this class. I made sure I was 5 minutes early, so I could set myself up in the last row. As we warmed up to the music, I did quite well, was actually in tune with the fast, energetic music and relaxed...for about 5 minutes. Then came the salsa and rumba, requiring elegant steps as well as moving with the music. Hah! Easier said than done! I quickly realized I was the only newbie in the class. The teacher was yelling out instructions that I could barely comprehend. I often found myself stepping in the opposite direction, raising my hands when everyone else was not, and sometimes, facing backward when the entire class was facing forward. It's a good thing I don't embarrass easily. Quite effective workout, though...sweat was pouring out of every pore long before the class was over. Spinning was a breeze in comparison.
And now, as I am sure most of you are (or already have), I am planning the next race. Not the NYC Half Marathon, though I am really looking forward to it. Abby's post has gotten me very interested in the Steamtown marathon. More than the usual mildly-curious, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed interest that all runners experience when a race is mentioned in the radius of a few hundred miles. It's love at first sight is what it is. I think it's the perfect race. What is so appealing, you ask?
- It's local, as in only 2 1/2 hours away from home
- Ranked as one of the nation's 10 fastest courses by Runner's World
- Beautiful Rails to Trails along the Lackawanna River
- Just the right size for me (I am leaning toward mid-size races)
- Champion Chip timing and scoring (big fan of the chip timing)
- Engraved medals to all finishers (I am a medal maniac)
This race comes with a warning: The key to running Steamtown is managing the hills. Much of the first eight miles features significant downhills while the last few miles include several short, but challenging uphills. Many runners have set personal records here by wide margins. Others however, have failed to prepare for the hills and have crashed and burned, wondering how anyone could call Steamtown fast.
As expected, the hills scare the living daylights out of me, but after today's Latin Impact class, you understand my grab the bull by its horns mentality.
Now, this announcement is flavored with a pinch of caution...last year, after drum-rolling my training plan on my blog, I followed up with Injury Reports instead of Race Reports for the next 2 months. This time, no more mention shall be made of the Steamtown marathon, no marathon tickers shall be placed on my blog, and no outward signs of marathon training shall follow...for the next few weeks atleast. The mantra is One day at a time.
Tuesday, I took them out for a 2-mile run at a pace snails would have scoffed at. Today, I ventured a 3-mile run in the morning. After work, I arrived at the gym 15 minutes before spinning class....and all the bikes were taken! Yikes! I was not leaving without spinning, though. I decided to take Latin Impact class, while waiting for the next spinning class. I've always been intimidated by anything that has the slightest hint of dance in it...I don't (can't) dance, I exercise. But I've been curious about this class. I made sure I was 5 minutes early, so I could set myself up in the last row. As we warmed up to the music, I did quite well, was actually in tune with the fast, energetic music and relaxed...for about 5 minutes. Then came the salsa and rumba, requiring elegant steps as well as moving with the music. Hah! Easier said than done! I quickly realized I was the only newbie in the class. The teacher was yelling out instructions that I could barely comprehend. I often found myself stepping in the opposite direction, raising my hands when everyone else was not, and sometimes, facing backward when the entire class was facing forward. It's a good thing I don't embarrass easily. Quite effective workout, though...sweat was pouring out of every pore long before the class was over. Spinning was a breeze in comparison.
And now, as I am sure most of you are (or already have), I am planning the next race. Not the NYC Half Marathon, though I am really looking forward to it. Abby's post has gotten me very interested in the Steamtown marathon. More than the usual mildly-curious, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed interest that all runners experience when a race is mentioned in the radius of a few hundred miles. It's love at first sight is what it is. I think it's the perfect race. What is so appealing, you ask?
- It's local, as in only 2 1/2 hours away from home
- Ranked as one of the nation's 10 fastest courses by Runner's World
- Beautiful Rails to Trails along the Lackawanna River
- Just the right size for me (I am leaning toward mid-size races)
- Champion Chip timing and scoring (big fan of the chip timing)
- Engraved medals to all finishers (I am a medal maniac)
This race comes with a warning: The key to running Steamtown is managing the hills. Much of the first eight miles features significant downhills while the last few miles include several short, but challenging uphills. Many runners have set personal records here by wide margins. Others however, have failed to prepare for the hills and have crashed and burned, wondering how anyone could call Steamtown fast.
As expected, the hills scare the living daylights out of me, but after today's Latin Impact class, you understand my grab the bull by its horns mentality.
Now, this announcement is flavored with a pinch of caution...last year, after drum-rolling my training plan on my blog, I followed up with Injury Reports instead of Race Reports for the next 2 months. This time, no more mention shall be made of the Steamtown marathon, no marathon tickers shall be placed on my blog, and no outward signs of marathon training shall follow...for the next few weeks atleast. The mantra is One day at a time.
Friday, April 17, 2009
My first hills
Boston runners, we are rooting for you! Do us proud!
Do I dare to hope that spring is finally here? Beautiful weather, the sun smiling down, temperature in the high '50's...it's hard to believe that 2 days ago, I was splashing through wet, muddy roads, trying to avoid being drenched by passing cars.
Monday: 6 miles + spinning + 15 minutes of BodyWorks (I just swooped in for the ab exercises; if I did the whole hour, my legs would be jello!)
Tuesday: 4 recovery miles (Ha...like I needed to recover from my 6 slow miles!)
Wednesday: 8 miles + spinning + 15 minutes of BodyWorks
Thursday: 4.6 miles. Yippee...my first run in shorts this year! Glenn and I finally met up to run hills, after weeks upon weeks of planning and procrastinating. Glenn, unlike me, has a remarkable head for directions. He gave me precise, GPS-like directions over the phone to our meeting place, right up to where I should park my car. When I drove into the parking spot next to him, he was busy drawing me a map of 2 other hilly routes I could use, for longer runs. As we were going to run in broad daylight, I didn't get a chance to show off my brand new reflective vest, so let me do that here.
The first thing I noticed when I got out of my car was the Garmin 305 strapped to his wrist. I eyed it, going a little green...with envy. I went greener when he told me his brother had gifted it to him for Christmas! Hmm...my not-so-subtle hints to DH about how my running will dramatically improve if only I could get my hands on one of these babies, have not worked...I need to try something more drastic.
Masala Smoodles is my favorite Top Ramen flavor. It's imported from India (as you can see from the price on the packet), and is available in Indian grocery stores. DH threw in some frozen peas.
I am messier...my plate usually looks like this (with left-over chicken and a gallon of ketchup mixed in). 
Do I dare to hope that spring is finally here? Beautiful weather, the sun smiling down, temperature in the high '50's...it's hard to believe that 2 days ago, I was splashing through wet, muddy roads, trying to avoid being drenched by passing cars.
Monday: 6 miles + spinning + 15 minutes of BodyWorks (I just swooped in for the ab exercises; if I did the whole hour, my legs would be jello!)
Tuesday: 4 recovery miles (Ha...like I needed to recover from my 6 slow miles!)
Wednesday: 8 miles + spinning + 15 minutes of BodyWorks
Thursday: 4.6 miles. Yippee...my first run in shorts this year! Glenn and I finally met up to run hills, after weeks upon weeks of planning and procrastinating. Glenn, unlike me, has a remarkable head for directions. He gave me precise, GPS-like directions over the phone to our meeting place, right up to where I should park my car. When I drove into the parking spot next to him, he was busy drawing me a map of 2 other hilly routes I could use, for longer runs. As we were going to run in broad daylight, I didn't get a chance to show off my brand new reflective vest, so let me do that here.
The first thing I noticed when I got out of my car was the Garmin 305 strapped to his wrist. I eyed it, going a little green...with envy. I went greener when he told me his brother had gifted it to him for Christmas! Hmm...my not-so-subtle hints to DH about how my running will dramatically improve if only I could get my hands on one of these babies, have not worked...I need to try something more drastic.We got down to business, running the route Glenn had picked. The 1.6 mile route consisted of 4 steep, hilly roads, each about 0.2 miles in length, as well as the roads connecting these hills. On my schedule was 4 miles, so I planned to do this route twice, then pick one of the hills for the finish. This was the perfect route for a beginner...the uphill part was just long enough to make me breathe hard, but not so long that I would feel like a fish out of water. As we ran, I would pant and wheeze up a hill, thinking of all you crazy hill runners (*ahem*...you know who you are!), then, a second after we reached the top of the hill, my breathing would return to normal and I would sail down the hill, wondering what I was fussing about just a second ago! I think I am beginning to dig hills...I love flying down the hills; I just need to get used to the gasping and wheezing climb.
Glenn was breathing hard...I didn't know till later, that he had recently suffered from an infection which he was just recovering from; he was still prone to sudden, violent coughing fits. I couldn't run 2 minutes on a flat road with that cough, let alone 4 miles on hills! We completed the 1.6 mile loop once. That was pretty good for my first attempt at hills.
Glenn then drove me around the neighborhood, where he had run several times before, and introduced me to 3 other hilly running routes, using the odometer to mark the distance of each route. So sweet of him. Most of these routes are busy roads, but very pretty, all the same. Two of them loop around a little lake. I will definitely be trying them out later.
Back home, I ran 3 more miles in my neighborhood.
DH cooked us some of this for dinner.
Back home, I ran 3 more miles in my neighborhood.
DH cooked us some of this for dinner.
Masala Smoodles is my favorite Top Ramen flavor. It's imported from India (as you can see from the price on the packet), and is available in Indian grocery stores. DH threw in some frozen peas.DH likes his with ketchup on the side...
I am messier...my plate usually looks like this (with left-over chicken and a gallon of ketchup mixed in). I'll leave you gazing at this souvenir from our hiking expedition last weekend. Pretty, ain't it?
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