Another sigh. I tend to analyze and over-analyze things, but I really don't think of myself as a paranoid person. However, I just don't trust Napolean (my pedometer). I just seemed to be progressing too quickly and finding the distances I was travelling too easy given how incredibly out of shape I am. So I checked with Gary's uncle to see which lane on a running track measures 400 metres, no matter where you start and finish (its the inside lane, in case you were wondering - the inside lane, I always have to think for a minute when someone says that, it comes with being directionally challenged). So I put Napolean to the test and counted laps, except this time, I counted the metres, because I always get very confused when I count laps (I swear, I'm not dumb, I just have a hard time counting small numbers and knowing where I am at any given moment). Napolean did badly, very, very badly. I am sooo sad. I thought I was doing really well with my pace but once again, I've been bamboozled. I am so slow. Still slow enough to worry about the vans. Oh well, atleast Pedro is letting me run, more and more.
Thank you to those of you who are reading, and Amanda and Helen for commenting last time (I can't seem to comment back - or on anyone else's blog for some reason (???) and neither can my friend Denise who also tried to comment). Amanda and Helen I have found some really great shorts, no more chafing, yay - but thanks for the suggestions. :)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Shut-up Pedro
This morning I went on my longest walk/run and it gave me a lot of time to think...
So the last time I wrote a rant, it was about Napoleon - my pedometer. Well, it turns out that I misjudged poor Napolean. I was upset with Napoleon, because I was pretty sure that he was innacurate, but not so. Napoleon has a new friend, my heart rate monitor, who I call Pedro. Pedro is a great help but he really gets on my nerves too. You see, I started my training a while before I introduced Pedro into the mix. Because of this, I was pushing myself WAY too hard without realizing it. With Pedro keeping track of my heart rate, I have been forced to slow down and I can only run for 24-30 seconds at a time. I get very annoyed when Pedro starts beeping at me to slow down when I am just getting into a groove with running. I wonder if anyone ever sees me shaking my head at him? After much annoyance on my walk/run this morning though, I realized that it isn't Pedro I should be frustrated with - it's the other guys, Ronald, Timmy, Ben, Jerry because if they hadn't spent so much time with me, my poor heart would be able to take a few more steps. And if I am really going to be honest, I can't blame those guys either - I chose to hang out with them when I should have been around guys like Pedro and Napoleon.
A couple of other thoughts also really struck me today. I can now run (even though it's only for a short time) without being in pain. When I first started running, it was very painful - even my gums hurt. Also, when I started, my routine was to walk for 10 minutes, then alternate running for 15 seconds, followed by walking for 45 seconds for the next 10 minutes, then to walk another 10 minutes. I used to absolutely dread that middle 10 minutes and would often cut it shorter because it was SO difficult. Today, I was easily able to keep up my running spurts for 75 minutes - and I even ignored Pedro toward the end and ran for a straight minute - just to see if I could! I know it isn't much but man, sometimes I can't believe how far I have come. Also, I'm not worried about the people in van's anymore, my pace is very slow, but still well under the 16 minute/mile pace I need to keep up for the Disney half-marathon.
Something else I have noticed is the glaring lack of females out there! There are far more men, on the track and especially on the trail. I was about to get really upset about this but then I remembered that there are a lot of ladies when I work out at the Y. So then I felt better. I honestly don't know why anyone would choose to run on a treadmill though, I love being outside at this time of year. I don't know what I will do in the winter - hopefully it won't get icy until January!
I learned a hard lesson today - don't wear new shorts on a long run. Grrr. I haven't seen chaffing like this, hmm, ever. I spent most of my time trying to adjust my shorts - to no avail. Those shorts will never see a run again - they are strictly for cross-training days. I tried Powerade today too, it worked very well, I did get a stitch for a few seconds, but that was it. I've been told by my team mates that it's what is used on the half course so I figured I would experiment with it.
It was very nice to burn just over 800 calories this morning too!!
So the last time I wrote a rant, it was about Napoleon - my pedometer. Well, it turns out that I misjudged poor Napolean. I was upset with Napoleon, because I was pretty sure that he was innacurate, but not so. Napoleon has a new friend, my heart rate monitor, who I call Pedro. Pedro is a great help but he really gets on my nerves too. You see, I started my training a while before I introduced Pedro into the mix. Because of this, I was pushing myself WAY too hard without realizing it. With Pedro keeping track of my heart rate, I have been forced to slow down and I can only run for 24-30 seconds at a time. I get very annoyed when Pedro starts beeping at me to slow down when I am just getting into a groove with running. I wonder if anyone ever sees me shaking my head at him? After much annoyance on my walk/run this morning though, I realized that it isn't Pedro I should be frustrated with - it's the other guys, Ronald, Timmy, Ben, Jerry because if they hadn't spent so much time with me, my poor heart would be able to take a few more steps. And if I am really going to be honest, I can't blame those guys either - I chose to hang out with them when I should have been around guys like Pedro and Napoleon.
A couple of other thoughts also really struck me today. I can now run (even though it's only for a short time) without being in pain. When I first started running, it was very painful - even my gums hurt. Also, when I started, my routine was to walk for 10 minutes, then alternate running for 15 seconds, followed by walking for 45 seconds for the next 10 minutes, then to walk another 10 minutes. I used to absolutely dread that middle 10 minutes and would often cut it shorter because it was SO difficult. Today, I was easily able to keep up my running spurts for 75 minutes - and I even ignored Pedro toward the end and ran for a straight minute - just to see if I could! I know it isn't much but man, sometimes I can't believe how far I have come. Also, I'm not worried about the people in van's anymore, my pace is very slow, but still well under the 16 minute/mile pace I need to keep up for the Disney half-marathon.
Something else I have noticed is the glaring lack of females out there! There are far more men, on the track and especially on the trail. I was about to get really upset about this but then I remembered that there are a lot of ladies when I work out at the Y. So then I felt better. I honestly don't know why anyone would choose to run on a treadmill though, I love being outside at this time of year. I don't know what I will do in the winter - hopefully it won't get icy until January!
I learned a hard lesson today - don't wear new shorts on a long run. Grrr. I haven't seen chaffing like this, hmm, ever. I spent most of my time trying to adjust my shorts - to no avail. Those shorts will never see a run again - they are strictly for cross-training days. I tried Powerade today too, it worked very well, I did get a stitch for a few seconds, but that was it. I've been told by my team mates that it's what is used on the half course so I figured I would experiment with it.
It was very nice to burn just over 800 calories this morning too!!
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