a little running material

So the Army 10-miler (my warm-up for the half marathon... right) is in 4 weeks. I am both extremely unprepared and slightly afraid considering how fast time has been flying lately. But, today was a better day. Rather than thinking about how much I hate running, I took the time to sing "All the Single Ladies" and the narwals song in my head to take my mind off things.

Oh yeah, i stopped running to music/this american life. Since the Army 10-miler doesn't allow ipods or any other electronics, i figured I should practice trying to talk to myself for 2+ hours. I think the half-marathon will be easier in this sense because there will be music every few miles :-) The problem isn't that i miss having the music. The problem is that I don't want to be left to my own thoughts for more than 10 minutes at a time.

On another note, I've read/watched some interesting/somewhat inspiring pieces on running in the last few weeks. The first was the August 18 episode of the Daily Show that featured the author of a new book, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. I haven't yet, but I'm going to buy this and read it on the plane to San Antonio for inspiration. If a Mexican tribe can run hundreds of miles over rocky terrain in sandals, I should probably suck it up and get ready to run 13 along the riverwalk.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Earlier today I read a recent article from the NY Times about the changing mentality in the running world regarding shoes. This combined with the sandal runners in the previously mentioned book have me even more convinced that paying $100 for sneakers has a minimal ROI.

Anyway, just some fun running-related reading/watching to enjoy :-)

Oh yeah, a summary of today's run:
- 2 mile run
- .25 walk
- 1.5 mile run

It's coming back. Slowly. The problem is, there isn't much time!

gogaklalk;fngjnRUNnfds;kgnag

WELCOME HOME GENIE KO

I GOT YOUR POSTCARD

I REALLY MISSED YOU

IM AT A SWIM MEET IN CHESHIRE, CT RIGHT NOW

ITS FUN

IM TIRED

I RAN 4 TIMES LAST WEEK AND SWAM ONCE... 3 TIMES WERE GOOD. THE 4TH TIME SUCKED BECAUSE I HAD TO POOP REALLY BAD

I HAD TO CUT THAT RUN SHORT

THIS WEEK I WILL TRY TO RUN A LOT

I HAVE BEEN AT THIS MEET SINCE THURSDAY AND IT ENDS TOMORROW

THEN I HAVE ANOTHER MEET MONDAY

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO RUN A LOT WHEN IM ON MY FEET COACHING SMALL CHILDREN ALL DAY????

I MISS YOU

I MAY TAKE THE WEEK OFF OF RUNNING

ILL JUST DO A LITTLE MID-TRAINING TAPER

THEN ILL BE SUPER FAST IN A WEEK

ALL RESTED AND WHATNOT

OK GOTTA GO BACK TO WORK

I WISH I COULD QUIT YOU

slow comeback

i'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack from traveling! unfortunately i didn't run. at all. and it doesn't help that i didn't run for awhile before leaving, either.

BUT i'm trying to ease back in to running :-) today I did 1.5 miles, walked 2 miles, finished another 1.5 miles. I have no doubt i will be sore tomorrow despite taking it easy, but a girls gotta start somewhere right?

very proud of you, jess! now if only i could motivate myself to stick to a schedule...

life as i know it

welcome home ko!

im happy to report that ive been really, really good for the past 2 weeks since we began our "official training." ive done the exact amount the book has told me to do, including swimming on my cross training day. I ROCK.

now the bad news...

today is the beginning of week 3 and i cannot motivate myself to run for an hour. i might die instead. i had a meet this morning and dont know that i have the energy for this. problem is I HAVE TO DO IT...

FML. guess we'll see if i do this. its only 430pm and i really cant even bother trying to run for another hour or so b/c its too hot...

HerrrrooOOoo??

HIIIII Genie KO!!!

I just wanted to inform you that TODAY, sunday, july 5, is the OFFICIAL first day of 1/2 marathon training according to my book. it is the first day of week 1 of hardcore training.

W A-H O O

let the games begin.

schedule

my schedule for the week:

monday: practice 9-11am, camp 11-2, practice 315-4, practice 5-730
tuesday: practice 7-9, practice 9-11, camp 11-2, practice 5-730
wednesday: practice 8-9, practice 9-11, camp 11-2, swim meet
thursday: repeat of wednesday

now, when do i fit time in to run? cause god knows if i wait until after practice at 730, i wont get home until 8pm and out running until 815... and that just wont happen.

the answer... i dont run. its bad.

i only had time for 3 miles on monday AM and i swam a mile yesterday. the rest of my week isnt looking too great either. booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

hip flexor

herrroo

so ive been running... but not very far. i think i really just have to accept that on weekends with swim meets, there is just no way i can run more than like 4 miles/day. i ran 3 times last week and swam once... whateverrrr

i ran today. my sciatica is fucked up. for all you anatomically challenged individuals out there, its the giant nerve in your back that is connected to shit in your butt and your leg. or at least thats how it was explained to me. i also am anatomically challenged.

so when it hurts, its nearly impossible to lift up my right leg without shooting pain down the right side of my body. it makes running difficult. i managed to limp my way through 3 miles. luckily there were no bumps cause i was basically dragging my right leg behind me. it. felt. great.

so hip flexor stretch... i dont even know what the hell a hip flexor is but i know approximately where it might be located!!

1. lie on back. cross right ankle on left knee. lift left leg. wrap hands around underside of left leg and pull to chest. thats great for my hips.

2. lie on back and grab right knee with right hand and left knee with left hand. roll in circles. looks dirty. feels great.