I was going to go to Cross Fit this afternoon, I almost made it there, but traffic was awful and I was late, so I decided I would go for a real run instead - it had been way too long! Only little snag, it's hot and humid out, that's always bad for me. I ran by the Mystic River, nice running spot. I thought I was in one place, but I always get twisted around and confused by that river! Anyhow, it didn't matter, I knew where my car was. I wound up going 2.5 miles in pretty much exactly 30 minutes, which is really super slow, a 12 minute mile. Which is where I'm throwing in the humidity excuse. I was HOT. When I got home, 10 minutes after finishing and sitting in my car with AC, my face was still bright red. So, it's good I didn't push it much harder.
Only 4 more runs until my 200 runaversary! That's huge. I wonder what I will get myself??
Friday, July 10, 2015
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Cross Fit
I decided last month that just running wasn't enough, the thighs are still getting bigger, so I joined a Crossfit Gym. Ouch. I got the two times a week plan, which is about all I can limp through so far. I decided today I could do a legit blog because at the end of our totally killer workout I ran a mile, and by ran I mean jogged. The only thing that I felt good about was that although I was the absolute last person in the class to finish the WOD (as we cross fitters call the Work Out of the Day) I did pass a person running. And I think she only ran a third of a mile. It's not much, but it's all I got.
So, I haven't done any other running for over a month which is bad. But, in addition to 3 1/2 weeks of crossfit, I also climbed Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Washington, and Mt. Isolation, so I'm actually not feeling so awful about the running. Monadnock is a pretty OK hike, I've done it before, steep in some places, pretty from the top. It was my first time up Washington. It's of course the highest mountain in NH. You can drive up it, or there's a train, so of course there are people in flip flops at the top. I'm not going to lie, I asked how much it was to take the train down but it was $46 and #1 I'm too cheap and #2 I forgot my credit card and only had $15, so I hiked on down. It was tiring, but OK. Mt Isolation was 13.2 miles, a couple of which the trail was a stream bed, and I hiked with people who were faster than me, so I got very little rest time. There were black flies for some of the time. I had a few dark thoughts - eventually I had to make myself think of things that make me happy - "Macchu Pichu won't be like this, I will get to stop for lunch." "I have these lovely hiking poles." "The earth will keep spinning around the sun, and sooner or later I will be in my car." It was a little pathetic, but effective.
So, I haven't done any other running for over a month which is bad. But, in addition to 3 1/2 weeks of crossfit, I also climbed Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Washington, and Mt. Isolation, so I'm actually not feeling so awful about the running. Monadnock is a pretty OK hike, I've done it before, steep in some places, pretty from the top. It was my first time up Washington. It's of course the highest mountain in NH. You can drive up it, or there's a train, so of course there are people in flip flops at the top. I'm not going to lie, I asked how much it was to take the train down but it was $46 and #1 I'm too cheap and #2 I forgot my credit card and only had $15, so I hiked on down. It was tiring, but OK. Mt Isolation was 13.2 miles, a couple of which the trail was a stream bed, and I hiked with people who were faster than me, so I got very little rest time. There were black flies for some of the time. I had a few dark thoughts - eventually I had to make myself think of things that make me happy - "Macchu Pichu won't be like this, I will get to stop for lunch." "I have these lovely hiking poles." "The earth will keep spinning around the sun, and sooner or later I will be in my car." It was a little pathetic, but effective.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Charlie Horse
Managed to hurt myself in a totally new way today! After 2 1/2 years I thought I had hit all the running injuries I was going to, but nope. I was out running by the Charles today and got the most vile Charlie Horse ever. It was a real bummer, too, because it was at the point when my lungs and heart had finally hit their stride and were like, "running, oh yeah, we do this." The pain was in a totally new place on my leg, and I thought I was just full of it, but eventually I had to stop and once I massaged it a little I realized it was actually hurting! I had gone from the new place I found to park by MIT to the Museum of Science bridge, but I decided I better not go over and back and just make it a little shorter run. I massaged it out for a few, ran in a loop around the water at the Cambridgeside Galleria, and then went back. I had to stop again, though maybe that was just being a wimp?
I thought it was the shortest and slowest run ever, but when I mapped it out it was actually about 2.7 miles in 29 minute, so about a 10 min 40 sec mile. Of course everyone in the world was running past me, some of them were running past me in pairs, chatting! Whatever. Not my finest run, but I tried.
Last weekend I went with my friend Kerry for training hike #5 (I think). It was raining out, so we just went to Mt Wachusett, in case we had to cut it short. It was supposed to be a 7.5 mile hike, but on the way down the mountain, at about mile 2, Kerry slipped on some mud and sprained her ankle. Scared the crap out of us (or, at least me)! Because we were on the side of a mountain, in the drizzly rain, and she couldn't really walk. Fortunately there was a road pretty close by and she was able to make it there, and then I went back and got the car. So, total hike was more like 4 miles, but we did climb the mountain at least. It's supposed to be nice out Sunday. I'm going to look for a nice 10 miler or so, with some elevation gain :)
I thought it was the shortest and slowest run ever, but when I mapped it out it was actually about 2.7 miles in 29 minute, so about a 10 min 40 sec mile. Of course everyone in the world was running past me, some of them were running past me in pairs, chatting! Whatever. Not my finest run, but I tried.
Last weekend I went with my friend Kerry for training hike #5 (I think). It was raining out, so we just went to Mt Wachusett, in case we had to cut it short. It was supposed to be a 7.5 mile hike, but on the way down the mountain, at about mile 2, Kerry slipped on some mud and sprained her ankle. Scared the crap out of us (or, at least me)! Because we were on the side of a mountain, in the drizzly rain, and she couldn't really walk. Fortunately there was a road pretty close by and she was able to make it there, and then I went back and got the car. So, total hike was more like 4 miles, but we did climb the mountain at least. It's supposed to be nice out Sunday. I'm going to look for a nice 10 miler or so, with some elevation gain :)
Friday, May 29, 2015
Davis Square Run
Today I worked from my Friday office, also known as Diesel Cafe. I love summer Fridays! After work I decided that I would go for a run on the bike path to Alewife, then around to the Cemetery on Broadway, and back down College Ave. Of course I took a wrong turn and wound up in Arlington, but in the end it was still about the same distance as I was planning, 3.6 miles, which I did in 38 min and 32 sec, for a 10 min 38 sec mile. There was a certain amount of hill, so I felt OK about my pace.
Only 4 runs this month is a little lame. But I did do another big hike last weekend, 10.3 miles, with 2700 feet of elevation gain. No black flies, which made it way more pleasant. The one thing that wasn't so nice is that there were 4, that's right, FOUR false peaks. Which is just mean. The hike was by Diana's Baths in North Conway, the North Moat Hike. After I stayed at my friends Greta and Eric's, and then Sunday we went climbing. We did this 3.5 pitch climb in Whitehorse called Hotter than Hell. It was 5.7-5.9, but there was a huge crack at the top. An easy crack, but waaaay the fuck up, when I was totally terrified. And I don't climb crack. Only, now I do because I really wanted to get off that cliff :) I was so scared. Meh.
Only 4 runs this month is a little lame. But I did do another big hike last weekend, 10.3 miles, with 2700 feet of elevation gain. No black flies, which made it way more pleasant. The one thing that wasn't so nice is that there were 4, that's right, FOUR false peaks. Which is just mean. The hike was by Diana's Baths in North Conway, the North Moat Hike. After I stayed at my friends Greta and Eric's, and then Sunday we went climbing. We did this 3.5 pitch climb in Whitehorse called Hotter than Hell. It was 5.7-5.9, but there was a huge crack at the top. An easy crack, but waaaay the fuck up, when I was totally terrified. And I don't climb crack. Only, now I do because I really wanted to get off that cliff :) I was so scared. Meh.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Memorial Day
It's not Memorial Day yet, but they have this display of flags up on the Boston Common, apparently one for every American killed in battle since the Revolutionary War. It's a lot of flags. Someone had put a pic up on FB, which reminded me that it's not just a long weekend. So, I thought it would be nice to run by and see it.
I got caught in some really bad traffic and was sitting there thinking that I should just park and run to the Common, since I was close enough, if I could find a space. Then I looked next to me and was like, "wait, that's a space right next to me." Of course I almost didn't believe it, because there were actually two spots there, and what were the odds? But really it was parking! It actually turned out to be kind of a good thing that I parked at a meter because I can't find my watch again, so I had to go by the meter time. I was gone from the car for about 26 min, but there were a lot of lights, and I did stop for about 30 sec at the flags, so I guessed I was running for about 22 min. Total run was about 2.09 miles, which is kind of short, but I was really hungry.
The flags were sad. Why can't we just stop killing each other?
I got caught in some really bad traffic and was sitting there thinking that I should just park and run to the Common, since I was close enough, if I could find a space. Then I looked next to me and was like, "wait, that's a space right next to me." Of course I almost didn't believe it, because there were actually two spots there, and what were the odds? But really it was parking! It actually turned out to be kind of a good thing that I parked at a meter because I can't find my watch again, so I had to go by the meter time. I was gone from the car for about 26 min, but there were a lot of lights, and I did stop for about 30 sec at the flags, so I guessed I was running for about 22 min. Total run was about 2.09 miles, which is kind of short, but I was really hungry.
The flags were sad. Why can't we just stop killing each other?
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Passed Someone!
I thought I was the slowest on the Esplanade today, but then it turned out I was the second slowest, I passed the slowest :) It was a beautiful day so I went for an after work run on the Charles. I thought I had found a spot in the same area on Mass Ave, but this woman in the car was sitting there texting, and there was a cop right in front who was knocking on people's windows and pulling them over, so I figured that I better not lurk and block traffic. I went around the block, though, and found another awesome parking place that was in MIT, about a block from Mass Ave, pretty close to where I got lost the time I got lost trying to take a short cut.
I decided to go towards the Longfellow instead of over Mass Ave first, to go in the loop in the opposite direction, and it turned out to be an awesome idea! As I was coming to the Longfellow I realized what a pain it would be to get to it, with the construction, and then I thought, "I can just go one more bridge, to the Museum of Science." Turns out it's a lot easier to decide that in minute 8 or so of the run than in minute 20 or so. So, that's what I did! I did the MOS/Mass Ave loop, which wound up being 4.1 miles. I ran the entire way (slowly), no stopping. It took me pretty much exactly 45 minutes, which was about an 11 min mile.
Since it was so nice out, the whole world was on the Esplanade, it was so nice being out there! There were people flying a kite (it kept getting caught in a tree), runners, walkers, bikers, dog walkers, kids, skateboarders, sailboats.... The trees are all green, and there are flowers everywhere, there were like 5 different blues, the water, sky, Prudential. Since I was running a little slow, I felt awesome, breathing was good, no cramps. Yeah, good day.
I did training hike #3 last weekend, 10.3 miles, all covered in black flies. Not the most fun hike I've ever done, though it would be nice if it were less buggy. Pawtuckaway was the area, there was climbing and camping there too, good place.
I notice that I'm coming up towards my 200th run-a-versary. 9 more runs. I don't even know if there's anything that I need. I'm sure I'll find something at Athleta for a celebration :)
I decided to go towards the Longfellow instead of over Mass Ave first, to go in the loop in the opposite direction, and it turned out to be an awesome idea! As I was coming to the Longfellow I realized what a pain it would be to get to it, with the construction, and then I thought, "I can just go one more bridge, to the Museum of Science." Turns out it's a lot easier to decide that in minute 8 or so of the run than in minute 20 or so. So, that's what I did! I did the MOS/Mass Ave loop, which wound up being 4.1 miles. I ran the entire way (slowly), no stopping. It took me pretty much exactly 45 minutes, which was about an 11 min mile.
Since it was so nice out, the whole world was on the Esplanade, it was so nice being out there! There were people flying a kite (it kept getting caught in a tree), runners, walkers, bikers, dog walkers, kids, skateboarders, sailboats.... The trees are all green, and there are flowers everywhere, there were like 5 different blues, the water, sky, Prudential. Since I was running a little slow, I felt awesome, breathing was good, no cramps. Yeah, good day.
I did training hike #3 last weekend, 10.3 miles, all covered in black flies. Not the most fun hike I've ever done, though it would be nice if it were less buggy. Pawtuckaway was the area, there was climbing and camping there too, good place.
I notice that I'm coming up towards my 200th run-a-versary. 9 more runs. I don't even know if there's anything that I need. I'm sure I'll find something at Athleta for a celebration :)
Friday, May 8, 2015
Spring is here
Did my second Machu Picchu training hike last weekend. The Meetup posting said it was 6 miles, but my fitbit said I had walked 9. We were walking for about 5 hours with a few breaks, so I'm guessing maybe 8? It wasn't the fastest hike ever, more downhill than up (big group so we were able to park cars at the end), and one of the hikers got sick mid-route and vomited (not me, thank heaven, that would suck). It was in western-isn Mass, really nice trail with waterfalls! I'm doing another hike tomorrow with the same group at Pawtuckaway in NH that also looks pretty nice. It looks hillier, and maybe 10 miles?
Even though I'm hiking tomorrow, I still had to go for a run today. It's the 8th and I hadn't been yet this month. Lame! I did my little loop at home, which it's been forever since I've done. It's much hillier than what I've been running, which I guess is good for me to do. I was puffing away, though, that's for sure. In the end I did 3.1 miles in 32 min 37 sec, with a couple pauses for traffic (which of course I enjoyed) which is like a 10 and a half minute mile. It felt like I was running really slow, so I was glad to map it out and see that it wasn't that bad. Of course, I walked up my hill in the end.
It was graduation today at work. Sadly, no LL Cool J this year, but we had David Muir. He's some news dude who I'd never actually heard of before. He was good, though. Then I came home and took a nap :)
Even though I'm hiking tomorrow, I still had to go for a run today. It's the 8th and I hadn't been yet this month. Lame! I did my little loop at home, which it's been forever since I've done. It's much hillier than what I've been running, which I guess is good for me to do. I was puffing away, though, that's for sure. In the end I did 3.1 miles in 32 min 37 sec, with a couple pauses for traffic (which of course I enjoyed) which is like a 10 and a half minute mile. It felt like I was running really slow, so I was glad to map it out and see that it wasn't that bad. Of course, I walked up my hill in the end.
It was graduation today at work. Sadly, no LL Cool J this year, but we had David Muir. He's some news dude who I'd never actually heard of before. He was good, though. Then I came home and took a nap :)
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