Executive Decision ;)

So, I've decided to repeat last week's running this week...I did go out for 3 runs over the course of the week, but the five minutes just never got any easier, so I want to give my body a bit more time to adjust to this running pattern before moving on. There is just no way I'll be able to run 20 minutes by the end of this week...so, hopefully another week of getting used to these longer runs will help me actually be able to do it the next week! :)

Aaaaaaaaand I suck.

Oops. Didn't go today either. I think Wednesday's unsuccessful run has me a little psyched out. But I know I can do this - I did it Tuesday! In somewhat of my defense, the alarm didn't go off this morning and I lost 2 hours of my day. But I still had time to go if I had been able to motivate myself.

I *WILL* go on Sunday.

I just might be lagging a little behind my schedule :)

Ouch!

Wow, 5 minutes is harder than I thought it would be! It's going ok so far though...this week I've been on two runs so far (skipping yesterday just to give myself a break!). I'll go again this afternoon...in my new running shoes! I'm excited to try these out...I got them from Zappos and they are specifically for running and also for people whose feet pronate, which mine do. So I'm excited to see if they're more fun to fun in. I'll have to take a photo later to share because they are super runner-y and cute. :)

Here's my running playlist for this week:

Boyfriend - Ashlee Simpson (3:03)
All Over Me - Danger Flowers (1:43)
Open Fire - Sara Mac Band (4:59)
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him (2:32)
Good Love Never Dies - Liz Phair (2:59)
No Ceiling - Eddie Vedder (1:34)
Shooting Star and the Ambulance (4:56)
The First Cut is the Deepest (3:01)

Google Maps estimates my running distance at 1.6 miles...not bad! My current route is one I might change...it starts out slightly uphill for the first half, which is sort of tough, but we'll see...that is probably good for me. :)

Week 4, Day 1.5

Today I discovered the importance of a recovery day between runs. Although yesterday's run was pleasantly easy, I didn't get more than 90 seconds into today's run before my leg muscles were burning with the heat of a thousand suns. I decided right then and there that I must be doing some damage that my muscles were not quite recovered from, so I abandoned the running for the day. Some recovery drink you are, chocolate milk.

I did walk for about 45 minutes, though, some of it hiking on the trails that go right down by the lake - I saw a heron! So I will try to go again on Friday, and for the third run on Sunday. Hopefully my legs will be ok with that plan.

Week 4, Day 1

Running for 5 minutes was, actually, much easier than I had expected. Yay! I think it helped that both songs that I picked were extremely effective. "Rockin' the Suburbs" was quite appropriate for both my setting and my mission, and the tempo was perfect. "7" was great because I really did feel like smoting someone at that point in my run :) As I passed them on the path, I thought of smoting the other joggers, cars, and some squirrels, although this was all as benevolent as possible.

• *Head Over Feet / Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (4:27)
• Ironic / Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (3:50)
  
• *At Last / My Cherie Amor - Stevie Wonder (2:52)
  
• *Berliner Messe - Zweiter Alleluiavers (Arvo Part) / I am the True Vine - ProArte Singers (1:22)
  
• **Rockin' the Suburbs / Rockin' the Suburbs - Ben Folds (4:59)
  
• *Colonel Hathi's March (The Jungle Book) / Classic Disney - J. Pat O'Malley (2:31)
  
• *Don't Ask Me Why / Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - Billy Joel (2:57)
  
• *Sweet Sweet / Siamese Dreams - Smashing Pumpkins (1:39)
  
• *7 // The Hits/The B-Sides - Prince (5:09)
  
• *Hand in my Pocket / Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (3:42)
• You Learn / Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (4:00)
• Forgiven / Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (5:00)
  

I decided to take some photos of what a run is like for me. If you want to see a larger version of an image, just click on it!

Tonks helps me prepare for my run, which consists of putting on a cute running
outfit and lots of sunscreen. She's so encouraging. And creepy.


The sidewalk leading away from my apartment.


I actually live on the same street as this house.


Obstacle #1: Berries. Anyone know if these are poisonous?


Walking over a brook.


Where I stretch after my warm-up walk.


Bridge over the lake.


View of Lower Shaker Lake.


Geese! They stayed more or less in the same place the
entire time I was out.


The beginning of the path.


The long and winding road. This is why I think Google maps probably
underestimates my mileage.


A meadow!


Sometimes I like to walk on top of the wall instead of on the path.


A view of the lake from the path.


I took a detour on my way home to see more of the lake. Check out this dude, and
also the geese in the background. They are lazy geese.


Another view of the brook.


I went a little "off road" on the way home, since I was done running.


People were feeding these ducks from a bridge.


Ah, home sweet home.

I recently read that chocolate milk makes an excellent discovery drink, and who am I to argue with what I read on the Internet? So I poured myself a cold one and enjoyed.

Week 4, Rest Day

Today was not a schedule rest day, but there are thunderstorms about. I will run in the rain, but I will not run in thunderstorms. I just have to make sure that putting off this run (and future runs) is truly about the weather and not about my trepidation of having to run 5 minutes at a time. The first run of the week is always the scariest.

Speaking of running, TJ and I saw Get Smart today and it was hilarious. I say "speaking of running" because Max first meets 99 when she runs over him. They compare their mile split times, and hers are under 6 minutes. Oh, my. I will likely never have that pace - my legs are much shorter than Anne Hatthaway's :)

Anyway, weather-permitting I will resume my training on Tuesday and Wednesday, and try to fit in another run on Friday if I can - otherwise it will get pushed to next Sunday. One of these days I'd like to bring my camera with me and document my running path, too.

This is one of my options for my 5k:

I might pick this one just for the name :)

Running on the Golden Gate Bridge

My parents have been in town the past two days and so we've been doing a little touring around the area. On Thursday, we decided to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge! It's a little less than a mile across and the view is amazing! On the way back across, my mom asked if I'd done my running that day; I said no, but it was ok because she was in town so I could skip a day. But, then we spontaneously decided that we would do some running on the bridge! There were actually a lot of other joggers too. I didn't have my iPod so we went off of my mom's watch, which may not have been very exact, and we only did 3 minute intervals, but I think I got in the total amount of running minutes I was supposed to, or something in the general vicinity. Such pretty views! Running on the bridge was lots of fun. However: word to the wise...if you spontaneously decide to start running, try NOT to do it when you're wearing sandals! I woke up yesterday morning with the tendon in one of my legs pretty sore...ouch! Tennis shoes next time. Luckily I seem to feel fine this morning. :)

Week 3, Day 3

Today I found a great list of 100 Beginner Running Tips from the Complete Running Network. Overall I thought they were very helpful. Here are a few favorites:

4. Buy running clothes you look good in and that will motivate you to run.
12. Don’t neglect and irritate your family and friends by spending all your time running and talking about running.
13. Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it.
20. Don’t expect every run to be better than the last one; some of them will hurt.
25. Start a running blog and read other running blogs regularly.
26. Running is not an excuse to triple your intake of doughnuts, because runners gain weight too.
49. Don’t stretch before a run. Warm up by walking briskly or jogging slowly for several minutes.
58. A plastic garbage bag on race day is a very fashionable cheap disposable raincoat.
62. Give horses wide berths on trails and walk as you pass them unless you enjoy a hoof to the melon.
63. Always carry I.D. because you just never know.
77. There’s no shame in walking.
82. Vary your training routes. This will prevent boredom and prevent your body from getting acclimated.
99. To keep cool in hot weather soak a bandana in cold water, wring it out a bit, and tie it loosely around your neck.

I'd like to take tip #13 to heart and sign up for a 5k as added motivation to finish this plan. In theory, I will be ready on August 1. I'm looking at Ohiorunner.com's calendar to try to find a suitable race, and it turns out that there are a ton in my area. Choosing one and sticking to it should be exciting. Plus, most of them come with a free t-shirt, and many help raise money for a good cause.

Today's run was fine. I saw an otter, or perhaps a small beaver, swimming in the lake. It hid from me pretty quickly, though, so I didn't get a good look. I am trying to push myself by having my runs be on the upper boundary of my time limit later in a week - Zak and Sara was definitely a challenge, but I did it!

The walking songs are in navy, the running ones are in aqua.

• *Scenes from an Italian Restaurant / Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - Billy Joel (7:33)
  
• *Healthy Body / Operation Ivy: Energy - Operation Ivy (1:41)
  
• Oh Poor You / Really Really Happy - The Muffs (1:35)
  
• **Zak and Sara / Rockin' the Suburbs - Ben Folds (3:12)
  
• *The Celts / Paint the Sky with Stars - Enya (2:58)
  
• *Wedding Day / Birger Olsen - Birger Olsen (1:38)
  
• *Fugue for Tinhorns / Guys & Dolls Original Cast (1:28)
  
• Killer Queen / Greatest Hits - Queen (3:01)
  
• Early Morning Rain / Complete Greatest Hits - Gordon Lightfoot (3:07)
• *The Longest Time / Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - Billy Joel (3:36)
• Only the Good Die Young / Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - Billy Joel (3:53)
  
• *An Innocent Man / An Innocent Man - Billy Joel (5:18)

Week 3, Day 2

So TJ has enough songs of the appropriate length that I was actually able to make a playlist of running-themed songs. The walking songs are in navy, the running ones are in aqua.

• *Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 / Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (4:46)
• Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2 / Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (2:58)
• *Healthy Body / Operation Ivy: Energy - Operation Ivy (1:41)
  
• Emperor of Ohio / You Can't Do That on Stage Any More - Frank Zappa (1:32)
  
• *F**k and Run / Exile in Guyville - Liz Phair (3:08)
  
• *You are a Runner and I am my Father's Son / Apologies to the Queen Mary - Wolf Parade (2:55)
  
• *Oh Poor You / Really Really Happy - The Muffs (1:35)
  
• *Dies Irae / Requiem - Alfred Schnittke (1:21)
  
• *Burn it Off / Damage - Blues Explosion (2:56)
  
• *From Point A to Point B / Sad Sappy Sucker - Modest Mouse (2:56)
• *Into the Morning of the Magicians / Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (6:19)
• Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell / Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (4:34)

"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1" was actually really great as a first song - it sets a brisk walking pace and the narrative of the song really gets you pumped up to get in shape... so you can defeat the evil robots. Plus it got me nostalgic for my freshman year at Oberlin.

The three minutes of running seemed easier today than it did yesterday, so that's good. I'll be going for my third run on Friday, so hopefully it will be even easier. It had better be, as five-minute runs will be next!

While out today I had an epiphany about what I should do for my mother's birthday, but I won't post it here in case she is reading this. She likely is. Hi, Mom, you're getting a cool birthday present this year! I like that running gives me time to think, and also to listen to some music. Oh, yes, and get in shape.

Week 3, Day 1

Phew! Three minutes is a lot longer than 90 seconds! I made it through, though - many thanks to Garth Brooks and the Spice Girls for their help. One nice thing about this blog, I think, is that I will be able to read this entry in a few weeks and laugh at myself for thinking three minutes was long. But it was. So there, future self.

It was a nice run, although definitely the hardest one yet. In addition to the added running length, there was an excess of goose poop on the running path, which made for an extra obstacle. I also ran into a golden retriever on the path who had a huge stick in his mouth and looked so happy to have that stick. I also saw one man walking four little rat-dogs, and I think I saw a deer crossing the street, but I wasn't looking right at it and it was during my last 3-minute run, so I may have been hallucinating. A light rain started when I was about 3 minutes from my apartment, so that was a nice way to cool down.

The walking songs are in navy, the running ones are in aqua.

• *New South Africa / Live Art - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (4:43)
• *Stomping Grounds / Live Art - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (5:26)
  
• Bafferton Village / Walsh's Hornpipe // The Bells of Dublin - The Chieftans (1:24)
  
• *Bookends / Greatest Hits - Simon & Garfunkel (1:21)
  
• *Papa Loved Mama / The Ultimate Hits - Garth Brooks (2:52)
  
• *Bless the Lord / Godspell Original Cast Recording (3:02)
  
• *Wedding Day / Birger Olsen - Birger Olsen (1:38)
  
• *Eliza / A Picture of Nectar - Phish (1:32)
  
• *Wannabe / Spice - Spice Girls (2:53)
  
• Beauty and the Mess / This Side - Nickel Creek (2:52)
  
• Lochs of Dread / Live Art - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (5:46)
• Bigfoot / Live Art - Bela Flack & the Flecktones (7:33)

For a total of 40.9 minutes.