Friday, January 15, 2010

Weed day runs

Made my Monday, Wednesday, Friday runs. Nothing spectacular. Wednesday run featured the stiffness in my right instep returning. I think this is what they call shin splints. Today I took 2 ibprofan before running. Still got stiff after about 1 mile but was able to run through it. I iced it when I got back which coach says is most important and something I will now add to the routine. Nice to have the slightly warmer weather. It is in the 30's so I was able to run in a shirt and light jacket. Have to keep wearing the stocking cap to keep my earphones in though!

I'm looking forward to Sunday. I'm going to take the 145 bus downtown and see if I can run home from Buckingham Fountain. That's about 5 miles and farther than I've run yet but I'm hoping that I'm due for one of those breakthrough runs. We'll see. . .

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Still Cold

Took my Sunday run today since tomorrow is busy with other things. I went on my 4+ mile route but went the other way this time starting out along the lake front and inside on the return. I ran all the way to the walking bridge over LSD. The path along the lake was shoveled and salted so NICE! Felt good the whole way and no pain in my right foot.

I walked over the bridge and over to the statue of Franklin as that was a) snow covered and b) a little up hill. From there I ran/walked along the zoo and then pretty much ran back to the apartment from Fullerton. A good run but I am slow. I get a little tired of being passed all the time but when so many of the people passing me are women in black running tights, well, it just goes to show you that there's a backside to everything. . .(rim shot).

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Cold? GET OUT THERE!

Yes. Winter has officially descended in Chicago. Saturday and Sunday was single digits. I took a short run Saturday - probably a mile or a little less just to get ready for Sunday.

Sunday it was again VERY cold. I think it was 6 when I went out but that was at O'Hare so I figure warmer by the lake. In this weather I can't really walk, stretch, and warm up. Got to just start running to stay warm. I ran down Sheridan to Goethe and then turned around. I'd had it already. I walked about 10 steps back and then said to myself, 'pussy'. Turned around again and got back on it. I ran to North avenue where lives the very nice statue of one of my heroes - Ben Franklin. I walked around old Ben a couple of time and stretched out my insteps and thighs. Got back on it and ran most of the way back with a short walk near Fullerton. You just can't take a long walk in this weather! That's my 4+ mile route and I ran most of it.

My new gear is working great. My coach and Jason got me a high class running jacket. by Brooks. I wore my nike under shirt which keeps the moisture away, a long sleeve t-shirt and that jacket. I was toasty warm as long as I was moving. I need tights under my running pants though as my legs got pretty cold. Best addition to my running gear is my new iPod shuffle. I can't believe how small it is (that's what she said!). Weighs nothing. Holds about 1000 songs. Sounds great!

Just got back from a short one today up to the totem pole and back. Seems like I was colder today than I was on Sunday. Maybe because I skipped the t-shirt today because it was about 10 degrees warmer. I'll put it back on on Sunday.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Winter running and baby Lucy!

Getting back on it after some whirlwind days caused by the arrival of Lucille Jean!



Yes, it's been very exciting and fascinating to watch her already change a little day by day.

I ran Sunday and again this morning. It's snowy out which makes the lake front path very pretty which takes off some of the misery of running in the cold. Only in the low 30's though so no big deal with the cold. I think the winter plan is to just let my body dictate the run. As long as I keep lacing 'em up 3-4 times a week and getting out there I'll be ready (and lighter?) to train when spring comes.

Lucy has a very nice running stroller so there should be some very fun runs in the spring with Lucy and coach Leah. Wheeeeee!!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Stop coughing and run. . .

So I did. Always look forward to my Sunday run. Sometimes it's dissapointing (like last Sunday) but for some reason I always look forward to it. Strange. I'm not working and all my days are similar but the Sunday run still feels different.


View belmont north loop in a larger map

Today I tried to really warm up and stretch before running. I jogged about some, stretched my right instep a LOT, ran again, stretched again. This felt pretty good. I then ran 2 miles when I started to feel my right instep tighten up. So I stopped by the statue of Ben Franklin and stretched that instep again. A LOT. Then I ran another mile and change and thus pushed the stick a little for TOTAL run eventhough I stopped for a bit at the 2 mile mark. The rest of the 4 mile loop I interchanged walking with short sprints. Feels fun to really run FAST (for me) just to really get everything working.

Beautiful day for it too. 30 degees and sunny. There's ICE on the pond in the park! Yikes!

By the way, just as reported in the Trib today, there are some weird things in Googlemaps. Check out Fullerton St.. . . what? Dundee Rd? Ha!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

two miler

OK, it's two miler Tuesday! Ran north to the mile mark and back. No problem. A little stiffness in the right instep again but not enough to slow me (which would be stop). Need another 2 on Thursday, and short run/walk on Saturday and Sunday I think it will be time to move the stick! 4 miles? 5???????

We'll see.

OK, laundry time!

sunday run

HEY, a good run! I ran a 3 mile course that I laid out on google maps.


View andrea 3 mile run in a larger map

Strangely, and yet not for the first time, I had the experience of feeling pretty crappy for the first 2 miles and then my breathing finally settled down and the last mile was easier than either of the first two. It seems like it takes forever for my body to settle into the run. Coach Leah says this is not unusual and she often had rottten first 2 miles on long runs of 15 or more. I have to run at LEAST 2 miles this coming week on my tuesday, thursday runs and then do another 3 or more on Sunday. It's really time to up the miles!