An ode to my dislike of treadmills…

For the last week I have been running on the treadmill at the Y.  I hate it.  I have to put a towel over the time screen, otherwise I will stop after 15 minutes.  The one good thing is that the treadmills in the back face a TV that is usually tuned to MSNBC.  So I can watch “Countdown” or Rachel Maddow with the closed captioning on.  That seems to help the time pass.

So what are my stats?  I usually jog at a pace of 5.2 mph.  Cause let’s be honest. 5.2 mph is jogging.  And I usually do it for 35 minutes total.  I walk for 3 minutes, jog for 27 and then walk for 5 more.  Friday (the next day I can get to the gym) my goal is to jog for 30 minutes without walking in the middle.  That’s only 3 minutes more.  Can’t be that hard, right?

In February, I need to get out to Spring Lake and start jogging around the lake.  Its one thing to run on a treadmill that is flat.  Hills and pavement are a whole other story… (yikes!)

Insert lame cliche about new beginnings here.

Oh, it’s been oh so long.  And yet, not that much has happened.  I mean, I moved into Jason’s house, which was a month-long ordeal, only because I made it such.  Then there was the whole time change thing.  Let’s be honest.  I am klutz.  I fall down all the time.  I am not about to run in the dark.  I tried it once, and I hated it, so I decided never to repeat the experience.  So you can guess that the last time I ran was back in the very beginning of November.  With the move, I quit my gym in Rohnert Park, and was gymless for the last two months.  Finally, yesterday, Jason and I went to the Y and added me to his membership.

Tonight we went and worked out.  It was good.  And exhausting.  We only did cardio.  I was on the stairmaster for 30 minutes and then finished the evening with 20 minutes on the elliptical.  Oh my two favorite cardio machines…how do I love thee?  Now I just gotta keep at it, so as soon as it starts staying light past 5:30 pm, I can go back to the running.  Also, it would be nice if it were warmer than 55 degrees…am I asking too much?

This morning when I stepped on the scale, I was 165.5 lbs.  I had gotten down to 162 in November, and when I started in September I was hovering between 168 and 170.  So all is not lost.  I will make this happen.  I will lose weight, and I will run a 10 k in May.

I know, I know,

I have been a writing slacker, but not a running slacker.  In these early days, it is hartd to come up with things to write about.  I ran on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday last week.  Actually, I may have run on Friday, too.  I cannot remember now.  J came with on Thursday, but he has been busy studying for an exam, so I have been on my own mostly.  I do prefer to go out with a partner.  It’s so much easier to cheat when you are by yourself.

On Saturday, I drove over to Spring Lake.  The route is about 3.5 miles, but I only ran about 20 minutes of it.  Its not easy, all up and down and on pavement no less.  It is very scenic.  On Sunday, I made the mistake of going on around noon-time.  It was freakin’ hot!  I think I lasted all of 15 minutes before I gave up.  I need to remember to bring a hat. 

I am planning on going tonight.  I need to stay on track.  That was a terrible pun. 

I feel like I need some strong motivation.  Pants don’t seem to be enough.  (A quick aside:  I have not worn a pair of pants to work since April.  They started getting a little snug, and I love dresses and skirts, so it was an easy transition.  Now that it is starting to get cooler, I need to reintroduce pants into my work wardrobe.)  I need something a little more meaningful than pants that fit.

A brief respite

I haven’t run since Friday.  It was cold and rainy all day on Friday (first rain of the season!), but by the time I left work the precipitation had become a light mist, so I couldn’t really use the weather as an excuse.  I was stressed from the media fall-out from the latest press release at work, so I knew that skipping was not an option.  I really needed to blow off some steam.  J had already run Monday through Friday, which meant I was on my own.  I only ran a mile at the track.  Mostly because I was exhausted and it was misty!  Running in mist is kinda gross.  I think I may need to invest in some rain gear.

I was cranky the rest of Friday evening, but again, I think it was mostly due to a rough day at work.  On Saturday morning my mood had definitely improved.  I joined my mom at Howarth Park for the American Heart Association’s HeartWalk.  I didn’t really raise any money for the event, but I did donate $20, in order to wear jeans to work for the 4 Fridays of September.  (It’s is amazing what I will do to wear jeans to work these days.  And to think, I spent 7 years wearing jeans to work every day at Gap and Old Navy…I digress.)  Despite my lack of fundraising, I believe the HeartWalk is an important event to participate in.  My parents both have struggled with high blood pressure, and my paternal grandfather suffered a massive stroke in 1985.  These conditions all have a genetic aspect to them and they are directly affected by cardiovascular health.  One of my reasons for starting this whole running adventure (doesn’t “adventure” sound more fun than exercise routine?) is to improve my health. 

My mom and I walked the whole 5 mile HeartWalk trail.  I really enjoyed walking with my mom.  It was a long walk, but we kept a good pace.  It may not be as strenuous as running, but walking is so beneficial for you.  And easier on the knees.  So I don’t feel like I slacked off too much this weekend.

Tonight, J and I are going to a champagne tasting at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.  No running tonight.  But you better believe that we will be back on the track on Tuesday.  I think we are going to push for 25 minutes of running, with no stopping.  Woo-Hoo!

Hurts so good!

J and I have gone to the track at SRJC for the last two evenings.  It’s been tough, but satisfying.

On Tuesday evening, we walked over from J’s house.  It only took about 7 minutes (maybe 10) and felt like a good warm-up.  We got to the track, did a little stretching, and took off!  The plan was to jog without stopping (or walking) for 20 minutes.  After the first lap, I bargained and said, let’s get to a mile and then I can stop.  Well, I got to a mile and was able to keep going the full 20 minutes.  In all, we jogged 1.5 miles. Doesn’t seem like much, but considering that I probably have never jogged that far in my life, I am proud of myself.  It just gives me more inspiration to keep going.

I woke up with only a little stiffness, and no pain, so that makes me happy. Today we jogged the same distance on the track.  J took off ahead of me and was about 1/4 of a lap ahead of me the whole time, but that’s fine.  He used to run, whereas I am a novice.  I am definitely a little sore in the quads tonight.  I stretched after the run, but I should probably do a little more before bed. 

Tomorrow will be more of a rest day.  I want to get to the gym and do a little weight training.  I think its really important to not neglect the strength training while I take off on this running adventure.  I don’t running will get rid of the jiggle in my arms, y’know?  I have never had much upper-body strength, so I might as well take care of that. 

I am pretty excited about what I have taken on.  I realize that I am only half-way through the first week of my personal challenge, but I feel like I am off to a good start.  Having J as a motivator/partner definitely makes a big difference.  He is so supportive, especially because this helps get him moving too.  We are gonna be one fit couple!  Watch out!

New shoes are more fun than a barrel of monkeys

Sorry for the delay, I got a wee bit lazy with the writing thing.  On Saturday morning I went shopping with J.  First we hit up Mac’s for a calorie laden breakfast, which probably wasn’t the best idea in the world, but sometimes you need some grease, you know?  Anyway, we went over to Fleet Feet on 3rd Street in Rail Road Square.  This store is dedicated to running and walking, so its not like going to Sportsmart or Big 5.  You can check out their website: http://fleetfeetsantarosa.com/.  The helpful salesgirl fitted me with a spiffy new pair of Nikes.  I tried on 4 different pairs of shoes before we settled on the Nikes.  I tried on a pair of Saucony’s and 2 pair of Asics, but the Nike’s were the winners.  Turns out I need mid-level support, because my foot tends to roll inward.  Who knew?  That’s definitely the benefit of getting fiited professionally.  The salesgirl checked out both my walking and running gate to determine what would work best.  I gotta say, those new Nikes are super comfy.  I can tell that the support is firm in the arch, and the padding is super thick.

My new shoes!

See how they glow!

 So, now I am sure you are all wondering, “Kate, did you go for a run?”

Why, yes I did!  I stopped at Target and bought a new pair of moisture-wicking capri legging/yoga pants.  Actually, these pants are probably too light-weight to call “yoga.”  So anyway, I bought the pants, went home and changed into my new gear.  I grabbed my iPod and set off down the street.  I walked for about 4 minutes to warm up and then launched into the run.  Which lasted about 4 or 5 minutes before I started walking again.  I was out for about 30 minutes (32 to be exact) and I estimate that I ran for about 40% of the time.  Which isn’t great, but it is a definite start.  I have to say, that even though I was very sweaty, and my muscles were shaking uncontrollably while I stretched, I felt really great afterwards!  I had plans to go out with some friends that evening, and I didn’t start getting tired until about 11:30/midnight.  And honestly, staying up past midnight on Saturday’s is starting to lose its appeal anyway.

The aftermath:  The only aches and pains that I felt on Sunday morning were stiff quads.  J assures me that I need to stretch more.  My feet felt great, which I think is a direct result of my new shoes.  So, mission accomplished for the shoes.  Tomorrow, J and I are going to run the track at SRJC.  Should be interesting, especially since I have never worked out with a significant other before.

And so it begins…

There is something incredibly self-indulgent when you start a blog about your life.  With that thought in mind, I bring you See Kate Run.

A little background:  I have been toying with starting running for the last 5 months or so.  You may ask why. 

“Kate, why in god’s name would you decide to become a runner?”

Well, I am glad you asked!  I have been told by many unnamed sources that it is one of the best ways to get in shape.  As someone who has struggled with body issues since I was in the womb, I figured it was time to do something proactive, for both my physical and mental health.  There is something very appealing about running.  You need a good pair of shoes, an excellent sports bra, and some kind of surface.  Add to that a kick-ass playlist on the old iPod and some water, and I figure you are good to go.  If you can walk, you can probably train yourself to run.  I mean, most little kids start running around as soon as they can walk.  There is something primal and elemental about the act of running.  We evolved to run.  What else is bipedalism good for?  (okay, actually bipedalism is good for alot of things, and I would bet that running from predators is one of them.)

Besides the health benefits, I want to challenge myself to do something that I never have done before.  I have accomplished alot of my initial personal goals in the past two or three years, so it’s time to bring on some new goals.  Right now, my goal is to be able to run for 30 minutes without walking.  I know, it doesn’t sound like much, but I figure that it is important for me to start small.  Ultimately I would like to start running 10k’s.  I haven’t run any distance since PE in high school.  And that was a crappy 12-minute-mile, 10 years ago. 

Now the basics:  I do currently go to the gym.  I shoot for 3-4 times a week, but I am an elliptical junkie, and i don’t always make it as frequently as I would like.  Its a sweaty workout, but I hate breathing in other people’s perfume and sweat.  But it also means that my cardio health is starting to get better.  If I wasn’t working out at all, I wouldn’t even attempt this venture.  I am buying new shoes this weekend (I am getting professionally fitted.)  As soon as I get the shoes, I will be off to the proverbial races.  Hopefully i will also stop using dumb cliches.  (A girl can dream, right?)

So why the heck am I making this a public venture?  It all comes down to accountability!  I have motivation issues.  I figure if people are following my adventure, it will help keep me on track.  So please, weigh in.  Offer me encouragement, or even better, give me advice.

As for this blog, I haven’t yet settled on a design, so expect to see some changes.  I have a mental image of what I want this to look like, I am just not there yet.

So for now, enjoy!  Its good for ya.  Like broccoli, only tastier!