Travel

I am really lucky: I get to spend the next 3 weeks traveling! On Monday, I’ll make my way to Paris, where I’ll meet up with my sister. She’s spending the year there, studying and working. We’ll spend a few days in Paris, and then jet over to Prague. I have to say, I am really really excited about this part of the trip. It’s supposed to be a really beautiful city (and cheap – not on the euro!). After that, we’ll go back to Paris. From there, I’ll leave my sister and go on to Tel-Aviv, where I will be attending a seminar through my graduate program. The seminar is really cool, it’s a traveling seminar, so we move all over Israel for different meetings. Finally, before I head home, I’m going to spend a few days of glorious vacation on the Sinai Peninsula. I’ve never been to Egypt before, so this is really exciting!

There’s a huge challenge in being away from home for so long.  I exercise much less, because of restricted access to any facility (sometimes hotels have gyms, this is true. Hostels don’t, though!). I think that while in Europe I will naturally get in a lot of exercise because of how much walking is required. My guidebook says that Prague is a city of hills, and cautions tourists to make sure they bring comfortable walking shoes. In terms of exercise, my time in Israel will be a little more difficult. During the seminar, my time will be very scheduled, and any exercise I’ll do will probably have to happen in the early morning. I hope I can make myself wake up!

Sometimes, the basic fact that I’m not at home in my normal routine makes me feel like I can eat like a fool. I’ll think, “I’m on vacation! I deserve to eat extra dessert,” or, “I’ve never been to this place before, I should try to eat as much of the food as possible!” Anyways, it never bodes well. The good news about Israel is that the produce is so delicious and fresh- I always find myself taking seconds on tomatoes and cucumbers. I run into problems where cheese is concerned, though. I am really worried about France. I think that I’ll be so excited about the prospect of baguette and cheese and wine… and Prague is really famous for its beer.

I think the trick to traveling involves keeping realistic goals for myself. This would involve setting exercise goals for each week, nothing crazy, but definitely something structured. It also involves being food conscious. There are definitely benefits to this – I won’t feel gassy (seriously a problem when traveling…) or as tired. Exercise and healthful food always make me feel more awake. I’ll be able to take in my adventures even better!

Leggings are not pants

One thing that I do not understand about fashion is this whole leggings trend. Did you know that Lindsay Lohan has her own line of “designer” leggings? Every time I see somebody walking down the street wearing leggings, I can’t help but think to myself, “THOSE ARE NOT PANTS!”

When my cold weather training started, I was told that I would have to wear leggings – which in running terminology are known as tights. Runners wear tights in cold months because baggy pants let in some of the cold air, and the pant itself might interfere with your running. For last week’s run, I had borrowed a friend’s pair of tights… and I’m a little surprised to admit that I really liked them. In fact, I didn’t feel pantsless at all. I felt warm! Anyways, my friend wants her tights back. Today I stopped at City Sports on my way home from work. I decided to take a big step and actually purchase my own pair of tights. I searched the store for the pair that seemed right for me – and I found them! They’re fleece lined. I ended up making a few other purchases, including a really nice windbreaker. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: running is an expensive habit.

I was so excited about all my new gear (my friend from high school had given me a great long sleeved wick-away top at our annual holiday present exchange), that I had to try on my new ensemble as soon as I got home. And once it was all on, well, I had to go for a run. Molly and I headed out the door (that’s my dog). As I started running, I realized that I was wearing an entirely black outfit, and that it was really dark outside. Oops.

In the end, my run was great. I ran for about 33 minutes or so, and had a pretty intense sprint at the finish. The tights kept me cozy and warm – though, you’ll NEVER see me wearing tights for a non-running occasion!

Nature Vs. Treadmill

Yesterday was such a perfectly beautiful day. It was kind of absurd, really, that in December it would be in the 50s or 60s outside! Anyways, the second I left my apartment I knew that I would have to be outside – it was too nice not to be! It feels so good to breathe in fresh air, and it’s great for people watching.

Yesterday, I think I must have walked about 3 or 4 miles – granted, it wasn’t all in one go. Still, though yesterday’s weather made me miss the summer. I ran outside all summer long, and it was really amazing. The thing about running outside is that it is so much more interesting than running on a treadmill. When I’m on a treadmill, I have to think of ways to keep myself entertained. I listen to music or try to watch tv, or I tell myself stories. Anything to make the time go faster! I just find it so painfully boring. But outside is a whole other story! I don’t even wear headphones when I run outside. There’s so much to look at and listen to, in the city or in a more rural area. There are plants and nature, people, animals, sky – everything becomes interesting. I like running outside because I can establish a natural rhythm to my step. The good thing about treadmills, though, is that you HAVE to stick to the pace you set, or else you fall off. I guess there tradeoffs.

What’s your preference? Do you have any tricks that make the treadmill less run of the… mill ?

Back in Action!

I actually followed through today and went to a Smartbells class. And even though I coughed a lot, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I had a great workout! It feels SO GOOD to be back at the gym after three ridiculous weeks of feeling sick. As much as it can be kind of fun to be lazy for a little while, after too long a time it doesn’t feel so satisfying. I think it didn’t help that I hadn’t been eating very well. It’s a little hard to manage stress during school finals in terms of time, and so I have ended up eating out a lot for convenience. And then there was Thanksgiving, in all its deliciousness, which made me feel even more sloth-y.

For those of you who don’t know what a Smartbell is: A Smartbell is a flat weight with handles. You hold the handles in both hands, and use the weight at the same time as lower body exercises like squats and lunges (and don’t forget knee lifts or curls). All the descriptions I’ve read say something like, “Smartbells offer a unique way to incorporate dynamic, whole-body exercises into your routine.” It’s true – it’s definitely whole body.

There are a lot of reasons I love Smartbells (it’s not dumb bells… my friend always makes that joke). I love that it’s modifiable, so when I haven’t been working out for a while, I can make any of the movements fit my level at the moment. Today, because of the coughing situation, I didn’t feel like I could sustain some of the more intensely cardio sections, so I did something else (squats. SO MANY SQUATS). I also love Smartbells because it’s  hard work, but also fun. I always leave the studio thinking, “that went by fast!” and I still feel sore (in a good way) the next day. Also, I really love that feeling that happens after a workout, when your leg muscles make you feel like you’re walking on air and you step a little higher than usual.

I think all I wanted to say is that I love working out. I love working out! And I’m glad to be back in action.

Reuniting the team

I still haven’t been able to get rid of this cough – and I still haven’t made it to the gym. Enough is enough, I say! Tomorrow is the big day. I don’t care if I cough all over the place; I’m not contagious anymore, and I’m going to the gym! I’ve really missed smartbells and spinning, and with finals period upon me I think working out will be a great stress reliever.

In other news, I have officially decided on which race I want to run. Drumroll please: DISNEY PRINCESS! I am so excited about this, especially since some of my teammates from September’s half marathon are up for the challenge, too! I loved the intensity of training and the singleminded focus of a goal with a deadline attached. I really can’t wait to start my training and just go for it. I have a few ideas about this race. Last time, I did a walk/run combo in order to get to the finish line. It was really hard, but I think that going forward I’m going to practice running long distances without regular walking breaks. I’ve done a number of 5ks this year, and I think that is a pretty solid base to start from. Though we haven’t planned the schedule yet, I think that I’ll start with a 30 minute run (which I can already do), and add 15 minutes each week. I’m also going to be really careful about measuring distances. Last time (I think I’ve written about this before), I totally overestimated how far I had practiced. A little precision will help me really prepare for race day.

Last race, blogging really helped me settle my nerves. I wrote about training and drills, equipment, hydration – everything a runner has to think about in preparation for a long run. Although I’ve tackled some of these issues before, I’m expecting a whole new set of challenges to arise as I become a more experienced runner. Look out for training updates for the next few months!

Planning

I feel like it’s been so long – and that’s because I haven’t felt well for two weeks! I still haven’t been able to work out, despite my last bright idea. Every time I move at all, I start coughing and coughing, and it takes a good ten minutes to settle down. I feel much better than I did before, and I’ve been going to work and school, I just cannot seem to get rid of this cough!

I’ve had plenty of time to sit around and plan and think about my next big event, though, so that’s a plus. Here are my options so far:

1. Disney Princess Half Marathon

This race is kind of soon – March 7th. My coach ran this half marathon last year when she was getting ready to run the Boston Marathon, and she said it was really fun. It’s women only, and the course runs right through Disney World – the map looks kind of magical, I must say. Plus, Disney World in March; I bet the weather will be perfect, and definitely not too hot! The only cons are expense related: the flight to Florida, hotel, registration, it all adds up, and this looks like it might be expensive.

2. Vermont Marathon

There are a couple of options here. Run Vermont hosts a half marathon on April 10th, and a full marathon and relay on May 30th. While I don’t think I’m really ready to do a full marathon, the idea of a relay sounds like it could be really fun! The down side to the half marathon is that it is limited to 500 runners; I’ve really enjoyed running with as many runners as possible, thousands! It means there are a lot of spectators and fans supporting all the runners.

3. Providence Marathon

I’m from Providence, and I think it could be really fun to run the May 2nd half marathon. I bet all my friends and family would be able to come out for this one, and I’m pretty sure I’d feel like a rock star. Plus, it would be kind of cool to run in familiar territory – I could even go to Providence on the weekends to train on the real course! As far as I can tell, there aren’t really any serious downsides to running this race.

Ok, so those are the options up for consideration now. I guess the other thing is that I could probably do more than one of these! The race dates are all close enough that it would be hard to stay in half shape for a week or two, and then just run another one.

Maybe I should just focus on one event at a time!

 

Still sick

I am still sick. And it sucks.

Today I had to race around from work to class to meetings. I was all over the place, trying to fit everything into my schedule. I walked into my class really late, after having huffed it across campus, and I had the hardest time trying to breath. I couldn’t stop coughing for a good ten minutes, and then only after I drank a bottle of water and popped a few cough drops. I also feel so lethargic; some of that feeling is from being sick, and some of it just has to do with the fact that I haven’t been able to work out in a while, and my body misses it.

I would like to be working out more, but I’m a little afraid of trying to push my body when it clearly doesn’t feel well. In the past, I’ve tried to work through feeling sick, and usually my body ends up working out all that phlegm in the process. I think that this weekend I’ll head over to Healthworks and give it a shot. If I can’t breathe and start coughing uncontrollably, then I’ll know I’m not quite ready.

Do you work out when you’re sick?

Announcement!

It has taken me a long while to reach this point, but I’m finally here – and I have an announcement to make.

I have decided to train for another race.

After September’s half marathon, I felt pretty terrible for a few days. I was sore beyond belief, and even walking hurt. The race itself was harder than I had anticipated, probably because it was so hot, and the last few miles seemed like they would never end. Right after the race, my teammate S. asked, “what next?” I really thought she was crazy, and at that moment absolutely nothing would have convinced me to sign up for another race. Even a few weeks ago, I hesitated when a friend asked me if I would ever run another half marathon. The whole thing seemed so painfully difficult; it was something to be proud of (and believe me, I am proud), but I felt that it would probably just be one of those things that I did once and could say I did it.

I’ve been realizing lately, especially as I’ve been struggling with my goals and feeling sick, that I loved the process of training. I really loved having long Sunday runs, and the anticipation was so exciting. I was really scared at first, as my coach would probably tell anybody (and I had a lot of freak outs). As the summer wore on, though, and I hit the 2 hour mark, my fear turned into a sense of mission, and I knew that I would cross the finish line. I had no doubts that I would do it. The process of training was a big push; I ran regularly, and kept up a lot of cross training because I knew I had to; if I didn’t complete the training goals, I would have had a harder time getting across the finish line. I loved the feeling of being really committed, and to thinking almost single-mindedly about my goal for weeks on end. I loved the intensity of it.

I really miss it.

At the end of S.’s wedding reception on Sunday evening, I went to say goodbye. She said that she would have more time to hang out now that all the wedding planning was finally over – and I told her that I wanted to train for another race. I could tell from her high-five that she was really excited. I bet Coach J. would be in, too (she’s a running addict, she can’t help it). Now we just have to decide what race to run…

Should I run another half? Or maybe look for a 20k? Or a series of smaller races?

a healthy life-style

This may seem a bit obvious, but feeling sick has made me think about my health. I think I’ve been pretty focused on the exercise (and weight) element of my health for the past several months. I’ve been very good about setting goals for myself, and pretty good at reaching my goals (for the most part). I have to admit that I’ve neglected some key elements of health apart from that, though. I’ve been running around like a crazy person for a long time, and I think that my bad habits are starting to have a negative impact.

I definitely don’t sleep enough. I try to go to bed at a reasonable time, but sometimes I have so much extra work to do that there’s just no way that I can get everything done and get the 7-8 hours of sleep that I know I need. I also haven’t been eating all that well – sometimes, it’s just so much easier to order take out than it is to thoughtfully prepare  a meal with lots of veggies. Living with my roommate has been pretty helpful, and when we actually go grocery shopping together I think that I eat better. This past week, though, was not so good in terms of eating healthful meals.

I really need to just focus on all-around health. Being healthy isn’t just about how many times a week I go to the gym, but is rather about maintaining an entire life-style.

Sick

I feel kind of gross. Not only did I not meet last week’s gym goals (by a lot. Like, not even close), but I’m afraid I won’t make this week’s, either! I went to DC for a conference over the weekend, and was away from Saturday to late Tuesday night. I brought workout clothing with me, thinking I could use the hotel’s gym facilities, but the only free time I had began after 11 PM both nights, and by then I was just really exhausted from a long day of sessions and networking. The plus side of all of that was that I made some really great contacts- and if I do say so myself, I looked pretty good in my new, cute business clothes and shoes!

Problem number 2: I came home sick, another  conference take-away (like I said, I shook a lot of hands). I didn’t even go to work or class today, let alone the gym.

I’m really hoping I feel better soon; I feel kind of gross, not having worked out in a while. I feel like food is just sitting inside me, and I feel like I’m missing something in my life! I’m not sure if it’s realistic of me to expect that I’ll make it back to Healthworks before I feel better- plus, I really don’t know what I have, and I don’t want to risk making other people sick. In the meantime, my cough drops will keep me company!