Don't want to jinx it, but is spring coming?

Fresh Pond is rough with the cramps, or maybe it's just when I decide to run things in reverse of my usual way.  It's finally a spring-like day out today!  It's like 45 degrees out and sunny!  So, of course I decided to go for a long run.  I wanted to go on the dirt path at the end of the bike path, but of course that's covered in snow, so I wound up just going to Fresh Pond - it's right by Trader Joes and my fridge has like 5 things in it, and two of them smell funny.

I don't know who I was kidding with the long run.  I got 20 minutes into the run (and I wasn't even going fast because it was a little slushy and slippery in some places) and I got all crampy and grose feeling.  I tried to run through it, but then was like "it's so nice out, I'm still going to go 3 miles, why torture myself?" So, I walked a little more than half of it.  It was sooo nice out, and I was walking at a pretty decent pace, though I noticed that a white toy poodle with bright blue boots was still walking faster than me, so it was definitely not running.  I'm still counting it d/t effort.  Everyone should get a trophy sometimes (I guess I could be a helicopter parent).

Yesterday's Run

It's still freezing out, which is starting to grow old now that it's March, so I headed back to the gym.  I had to talk to the front desk people anyhow, because I got a new credit card, so I asked about classes.  Apparently in May or so they are going to have spinning and other classes!  Kind of cool.  Of course, IDK if I will be going to the gym in May, much nicer to go for a run outside.

Anyhow, I did the usual 30 min on the treadmill, the first 5 minutes at 5.5 mph, then up to 5.7, then 5.8, and back to 5.7 for the last 5 minutes.  Again it turned out to be 3.14 miles.  Wonder if they will get new treadmills that will have you going a different standard distance, no matter what?  I wasn't going to lift weights, but they got these new weight machines that are pretty cool - they are hydraulic or something, and there's some instability built into all of the machines that help work the little muscles (or something).  Cool.

Ice Climbing

Ice climbing was in fact utterly terrifying.  I'm glad I did it, but I think it may be one of those: ice climbing, check! types of things.  It turns out that you don't just put crampons on your regular boots (how cool is it that I wore crampons?) you have to rent boots and crampons.  The boots are plastic shell types, with a softer insert.  We wound up hiking about a mile and a half, uphill, in the snow, with a pack, in these pretty uncomfortable boots to get to the waterfall that we climbed.  I was pretty happy with my aerobic condition, because I did the hiking without any real problems, except that my feet were pretty uncomfortable.  The way out was super easy, and probably took about a third of the time.  It was really nice, the sun was setting and we could see the observatory over Mt. Washington.  But, between the hiking in uncomfortable boots and the climbing (which pretty much involved kicking ice with my feet, then hitting it with the axes) my legs were killing me!  So, I didn't run for a week after. Just went again today.

It's been cold still, and they are saying it will remain pretty cold through March.  So, I went back to the gym.  Still don't see any evidence of change there.  I did 30 min on the treadmill, starting slow at 5.5 mph, then bumped it up to 5.7, 5.8, 5.9 for about 15 min, and then 5.7 for about the last 10 minutes.  It was a little over 5K in the 35 min, but now I'm sure it always is on the treadmill.  At first my ankles and legs were really sore, but then it was like everything got back in the groove, and it was fine by the end of the run.

Wet Shoes in Winter

Really warm out today, like 45 degrees, so I was excited to run (ok, let's not exaggerate, I was excited to not be cold while running). Only, it turned out that a lot of snow had melted, but there was still enough left that the puddles couldn't drain.  So, there were a few times that I wound up getting my feet wet, which is worse than just being cold.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I will be able to run this weekend because I'm going ice climbing (!) (which is something that I said I would never do because I think it's nuts.  But, WTF, gotta do something that scares begeezes out of you every now and then, right?).  Then Monday I have to work late, and Tuesday is climbing, so I'm not sure when I can run again.  So, I decided I better make it a long one.  I went by the Charles River, I wanted to try to make it 5 miles, but it wound up being only 4.92, but that's OK.  It took about 53 minutes, though I had to stop a couple times to cross the street, and there were a few times I had to walk due to snow and puddles.

I got a new pedometer from work last week, so I wore that again, but also my watch.  Someone was saying they've gotten like $200 from pedometer steps.  Maybe it's worth keeping track of steps....

Pre-Blizzard Run

We're suppose to have another big storm this weekend.  It's like storm #5 or so.  For the most part I've been pretty lucky with getting to be home for them, and someone shovels the lot here, so it's all good with me.  I did want to get out for a run before the snow hit, and it was a little warmer out (like 35 degrees) so I went for an outdoor run.  There were a bunch of icy spots on the sidewalk where people hadn't really shoveled after the last storm, and I actually had to run on the street for a little bit. I figured some of my usual route would be miserable, so when I got to the bike path (which had been plowed), I just  ran up that into Davis Square and reversed it home.  It was actually a pretty good run!  Just a tiny bit over 5K, which I did in 33 min and 45 sec.  I think I was doing about a 10.5 min mile, given the times I had to walk with the ice, and one or two really short stops to cross the street.

After my run I went to Market Basket.  Insane!  I decided to just get 12 items (ok, 13, who doesn't sneak one extra into the 12 aisle?).  I had to search for a basket, and then getting around the aisles, even with out a shopping cart, was like a obstacle course.  You would think we have never seen snow before.  There were a couple times in the produce aisle where I couldn't move.

Brrrr, It's Cold Outside

I was doing so well with the running in January, but I think I might have over done it - that happens in January.  My IT band on my right leg has been sore, and I wasn't feeling so great. so I took a little over a week off.  Today I was thinking about running outside, but it's just a little too cold, so I went back to the gym.  I started slow at 5.5 for the first 5 minutes, but then things were going ok, so I bumped it up to 5.7 and then 5.8 mph at 10 min, and I stayed at 5.8 for the last 20 min.  Again, it was 5K almost exactly in the 35 minutes.  It really always is.

The winter olympics are on, and it was kind of cool to watch the skiers while running.  Those folks are nuts, can't imagine going down a hill that fast.  I do wish a little that you could set the treadmill to go downhill.

Snowy Run by the Charles

Light snow today, but I decided I still needed to go for a run since I hadn't really run for a week (though I did do the other half of my half run on Sat, so I sort of did something.)  It was warm out yesterday, like 55, but of course I sat on my butt on the couch all day.  I've been learning Photoshop, and I photoshopped all the ropes out of mine and my friend's climbing pictures.  I would say I need a hobby, but I think that's the issue.

Anyhow, there was just a dusting of snow out, and it was about 25, so a little chilly.  Of course I had my nice warm Athleta pants and top, plus my running gloves with the snot wiper finger patch (which I confess I used) and my Lulu Lemon silly headband.  So, I was actually fine.  I did have to walk over some of the pedestrian bridge, and a couple of the slippery downhill bits, but I consider that legit.  My total run time was 40 min for 3.5 miles. I think I was pretty much running my regular speed.  I did at one point get passed by a clydedale.  I mean, the dude had a really funny stride.