37:39, 3 miles
After 4 days of not being able to exercise (lots of dental pain + pain meds, followed by a root canal), today proved to be a glorious comeback. I had planned to go to the gym after work, but it was 65 degrees and beautiful sunshine when I left work. It would have been criminal to workout inside on such an amazing day in January!
So I hurried home, changed and grabbed the family and took them to Little River Park in Moore. It was so beautiful and I couldn't help but smile at the freedom of running outside in the sunshine. Having done so little running in the past months, and having missed out on my normal exercise, I was surprised at my pace. This was the furthest I have run since Nov 13, yet I finished it almost a minute and a half faster and felt great the whole time.
So refreshing to have this breath of fresh sunshine in the middle of all the cold gloominess of January.
In other news, I was unable to find my Garmin before my run so the house will be turned upside down in the near future because that will just never do.
Showing posts with label joy of movement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joy of movement. Show all posts
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A little bit of restfulness
180.6
1.25 mile leisurely stroll
15:00 soak in hot tub
Took the family to explore a different part of Lake Thunderbird after tonight. We strolled up and down Zoom Beach as the sun was setting. The kids explored, finding tracks of deer, dogs, raccoons and geese. They looked at rocks, shells, fish heads, turtle skeletons and flotsam that had washed ashore. We heard deer calls and stopped to listen to the wind and waves. It was the perfect evening and I could feel my stress just melting away. On the way back through Norman we stopped at the YMCA and just enjoyed a nice soak in the hot tub. Such a wonderful evening with my family, passing on what I value: curiosity, love of nature, and the simple joy of moving.
1.25 mile leisurely stroll
15:00 soak in hot tub
Took the family to explore a different part of Lake Thunderbird after tonight. We strolled up and down Zoom Beach as the sun was setting. The kids explored, finding tracks of deer, dogs, raccoons and geese. They looked at rocks, shells, fish heads, turtle skeletons and flotsam that had washed ashore. We heard deer calls and stopped to listen to the wind and waves. It was the perfect evening and I could feel my stress just melting away. On the way back through Norman we stopped at the YMCA and just enjoyed a nice soak in the hot tub. Such a wonderful evening with my family, passing on what I value: curiosity, love of nature, and the simple joy of moving.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Finisher's medal without racing
178.4
2.5 hours of hunting runners
2 miles of walking
This morning I woke up at 3:45, ate my toast, poured coffee into my travel mug, and was on the road at 4:20 AM. It was still dark and cold when I parked alone in the field next a prison in Hinton, Oklahoma. Why would a mild mannered librarian behave so oddly? Zombies!
Yes, that's right, I joined the zombie horde terrorizing runners at the Dirty 30 Zombie Edition obstacle course race. I hunted with a pack of 4 other "fast" zombies, stealing life flags from every runner we could. I made grown men scream like little girls, and put fear into many who passed my way.
Being a Zombie isn't easy. First, we needed to report in at 6 so the makeup artists could infect us and complete our transformations. At one point we had to evacuate the make up tent because one of the rented water trucks caught on fire about 30 yards away. The cold temperatures made it difficult to transform us as it dramatically affected the drying time on the latex make up and the fake blood.
Once we were all ready, we went outside and filmed a short video of our ambling horde for the race to use in future promos. Then we split up and walked out to our kill zones along the course. It was quite a hike, and I was surprised by how difficult the terrain was in comparison so previous Dirty 30s. After about 25 minutes walking/hiking our group was put in place and we started planning our tactics.
Chasing runners may just be harder than actually running the race. So much sprinting, dodging and turning, it was downright exhausting. I took lots of blocking blows on my wrists, arms and other various body parts. At one point my prey went in an unexpected direction and neither of us could stop in time, resulting in her shoulder connecting with my throat rather hard. And the whole time I was hunting I was growling, moaning and making all other threatening manner of zombie noises, resulting in a very sore throat! I also found that prolonged Zombie shuffling (when moving back to my ambush spot or lulling the runners into complacency) is hard on the lower back. But I collected a huge pile of flags, potential bruising, and a great time.
By the time I was done and made it back to the Zombie tent, I decided I had enough adventure for one Saturday (and not enough food, sleep or warmth) so I decided not to run the race I had just worked. All Zombies received the same shirt and finisher's medal as the runners. After 2.5 hours of chasing the runners, I earned.
2.5 hours of hunting runners
2 miles of walking
This morning I woke up at 3:45, ate my toast, poured coffee into my travel mug, and was on the road at 4:20 AM. It was still dark and cold when I parked alone in the field next a prison in Hinton, Oklahoma. Why would a mild mannered librarian behave so oddly? Zombies!
Being a Zombie isn't easy. First, we needed to report in at 6 so the makeup artists could infect us and complete our transformations. At one point we had to evacuate the make up tent because one of the rented water trucks caught on fire about 30 yards away. The cold temperatures made it difficult to transform us as it dramatically affected the drying time on the latex make up and the fake blood.
Once we were all ready, we went outside and filmed a short video of our ambling horde for the race to use in future promos. Then we split up and walked out to our kill zones along the course. It was quite a hike, and I was surprised by how difficult the terrain was in comparison so previous Dirty 30s. After about 25 minutes walking/hiking our group was put in place and we started planning our tactics.
Chasing runners may just be harder than actually running the race. So much sprinting, dodging and turning, it was downright exhausting. I took lots of blocking blows on my wrists, arms and other various body parts. At one point my prey went in an unexpected direction and neither of us could stop in time, resulting in her shoulder connecting with my throat rather hard. And the whole time I was hunting I was growling, moaning and making all other threatening manner of zombie noises, resulting in a very sore throat! I also found that prolonged Zombie shuffling (when moving back to my ambush spot or lulling the runners into complacency) is hard on the lower back. But I collected a huge pile of flags, potential bruising, and a great time.
By the time I was done and made it back to the Zombie tent, I decided I had enough adventure for one Saturday (and not enough food, sleep or warmth) so I decided not to run the race I had just worked. All Zombies received the same shirt and finisher's medal as the runners. After 2.5 hours of chasing the runners, I earned.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Physical Therapy
182.5
2:14:18, 6.5 mile trail run/hike
My weight gain has been bugging me a lot lately, but this morning it was just too much. The dress I had intended to wear didn't fit. The second dress at least went on, but it was far from flattering today. I started crying as I resigned myself to pants. And I kept crying. Hard. (Not normal for me, I totally blame hormones) I was just so frustrated at feeling like I was stuck inside someone else's body, and so scared of going back to where I was before. I was too much of a mess, so I decided to call my boss and take a personal day, rather than inflict this on anyone else.
When you take a day off like this you have 2 choices: lay in your pajamas feeling sorry for yourself while you eat chocolate, or put on your running shoes and seek some cleansing sweat. I was out of chocolate, so I opted for a trail run.
I have had pick-me-up trail runs backfire on me before: you end up feeling like a failure because you can't perform at the level you expected. So I gave myself permission to walk as much as I wanted, and to run as slow as I needed. Today was about time in the woods, not meeting any goals.
It was a glorious day at Lake Thunderbird! By a mile in, things were straightening themselves out. By mile 3 my confidence was back and the future looked brighter. I ran Blue loop, which I haven't run in a long time, and I had forgotten how beautiful it was. The recent rains had greened the woods up, there were little clearings of purple thistle and blooming ragweed (pretty for those of us not cursed with allergies), and beautiful views of the lake. I saw butterflies, lizards, and quite a few whitetail deer. My energy levels were the best they had been in a while and I was able to just enjoy running. I walked a lot to take in the scenery, sometimes just stopping to stare and be grateful.
So now I am wornout, sore toed (all that up and down hill), and very content.
2:14:18, 6.5 mile trail run/hike
My weight gain has been bugging me a lot lately, but this morning it was just too much. The dress I had intended to wear didn't fit. The second dress at least went on, but it was far from flattering today. I started crying as I resigned myself to pants. And I kept crying. Hard. (Not normal for me, I totally blame hormones) I was just so frustrated at feeling like I was stuck inside someone else's body, and so scared of going back to where I was before. I was too much of a mess, so I decided to call my boss and take a personal day, rather than inflict this on anyone else.
When you take a day off like this you have 2 choices: lay in your pajamas feeling sorry for yourself while you eat chocolate, or put on your running shoes and seek some cleansing sweat. I was out of chocolate, so I opted for a trail run.
I have had pick-me-up trail runs backfire on me before: you end up feeling like a failure because you can't perform at the level you expected. So I gave myself permission to walk as much as I wanted, and to run as slow as I needed. Today was about time in the woods, not meeting any goals.
It was a glorious day at Lake Thunderbird! By a mile in, things were straightening themselves out. By mile 3 my confidence was back and the future looked brighter. I ran Blue loop, which I haven't run in a long time, and I had forgotten how beautiful it was. The recent rains had greened the woods up, there were little clearings of purple thistle and blooming ragweed (pretty for those of us not cursed with allergies), and beautiful views of the lake. I saw butterflies, lizards, and quite a few whitetail deer. My energy levels were the best they had been in a while and I was able to just enjoy running. I walked a lot to take in the scenery, sometimes just stopping to stare and be grateful.
So now I am wornout, sore toed (all that up and down hill), and very content.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Beautiful day to be alive
39:55, 1.2 mile hike with pack
After being held captive by a cold for the last 8 days, I was so glad to get out and enjoy the woods with my family. The temperature was in the 80s and the sun was shining making me crave the outdoors, but I also still have crud in my lungs, and I was feeling guilty about how many hours I have had to spend away from my kids as I have worked lots of extra hours to get caught up. So I decided to have my cake and eat it too: pack a picnic and take the family with me!
We drove down to Lake Thunderbird and after visiting the Nature Center we took a nice leisurely stroll through the woods to the Clear Bay picnic area. On the way we saw 4 deer, a couple lizards, and some raccoon poop (all of which is really exciting to 5 and 6 year olds). The picnic area was nice, and I was really relaxing, until about half way through the meal my littlest one announced that she saw a snake. Sure enough, she had spotted a Western Pygmy Rattlesnake about 3 or 4 feet behind her. We ate the rest of our meal on top of the table.
The walk back seemed shorter than the way out, and the girls wanted to do more exploring, but first they wanted to get their feet wet in the lake. Wet feet turned into wet kids and I just relaxed on the sand watching them play. On the way home my oldest announced (as she so often does) that it was the best day ever! She was totally right. Especially once we got home and I took a nap.
After being held captive by a cold for the last 8 days, I was so glad to get out and enjoy the woods with my family. The temperature was in the 80s and the sun was shining making me crave the outdoors, but I also still have crud in my lungs, and I was feeling guilty about how many hours I have had to spend away from my kids as I have worked lots of extra hours to get caught up. So I decided to have my cake and eat it too: pack a picnic and take the family with me!
We drove down to Lake Thunderbird and after visiting the Nature Center we took a nice leisurely stroll through the woods to the Clear Bay picnic area. On the way we saw 4 deer, a couple lizards, and some raccoon poop (all of which is really exciting to 5 and 6 year olds). The picnic area was nice, and I was really relaxing, until about half way through the meal my littlest one announced that she saw a snake. Sure enough, she had spotted a Western Pygmy Rattlesnake about 3 or 4 feet behind her. We ate the rest of our meal on top of the table.
The walk back seemed shorter than the way out, and the girls wanted to do more exploring, but first they wanted to get their feet wet in the lake. Wet feet turned into wet kids and I just relaxed on the sand watching them play. On the way home my oldest announced (as she so often does) that it was the best day ever! She was totally right. Especially once we got home and I took a nap.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Running for joy
174.4
16:06, 1.2 miles
My day was rough- lots of sitting, wading through emails, trying to make my staff's availability congeal into a workable schedule, and basically all the not fun parts of being a supervisor. All I wanted when I got out of work was to MOVE!!!
Tonight was magical. It felt great to move, just enjoying the freedom, not even looking at my watch until I had run a mile. I took a walk break then, but quickly decided that walking was boring and sprinted home.
Tonight's run was not training. Tonight was about me, not calories. I heard the sounds of the evening, looked at the stars, and focused on my breathing. It is easy to become so focused on the goal and scales that you lose your joy. Tonight was about reclaiming the joy of my run. It is amazing the difference a good run can make for a girl's state of mind.
16:06, 1.2 miles
My day was rough- lots of sitting, wading through emails, trying to make my staff's availability congeal into a workable schedule, and basically all the not fun parts of being a supervisor. All I wanted when I got out of work was to MOVE!!!
Tonight was magical. It felt great to move, just enjoying the freedom, not even looking at my watch until I had run a mile. I took a walk break then, but quickly decided that walking was boring and sprinted home.
Tonight's run was not training. Tonight was about me, not calories. I heard the sounds of the evening, looked at the stars, and focused on my breathing. It is easy to become so focused on the goal and scales that you lose your joy. Tonight was about reclaiming the joy of my run. It is amazing the difference a good run can make for a girl's state of mind.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Dancing my booty off
175.3
50:00 dancing
I almost feel like this shouldn't count because it was so much fun. Our library hosted a Kid's Dance Party exercise program tonight and I took my daughter. It was a blast to dance with her. We didn't dance the whole 50 minutes, and it wasn't nearly the intensity of a Zumba class, but it was fantastic.
One of my goals I set when I had that quarterlife crisis back in 2009 was this: that my kids wouldn't need to lose 75 pounds when they were 25. Or ever for that matter! I am trying hard to set a good example for my daughters, and to establish habits and a culture so that they can have healthy body images and a love of play.
Really, exercise should be fun. When we are kids its hard to keep us from running, jumping, climbing, spinning around in circles and generally exploding with kinetic energy in every direction. What kind of sad thing happens to us that we become so still and slow?
So I try to play: kayaking, mud/obstacle races, color runs, and trail running. My kids see this and want to play too. When they grow up I hope they are sitting at the dinner table after a date and beg their boyfriend to take them rollerblading next. Or bicycling. Or even just for a walk in the park! When they think of recreation and leisure, I want it to be active. So far it looks like its working.
50:00 dancing
I almost feel like this shouldn't count because it was so much fun. Our library hosted a Kid's Dance Party exercise program tonight and I took my daughter. It was a blast to dance with her. We didn't dance the whole 50 minutes, and it wasn't nearly the intensity of a Zumba class, but it was fantastic.
One of my goals I set when I had that quarterlife crisis back in 2009 was this: that my kids wouldn't need to lose 75 pounds when they were 25. Or ever for that matter! I am trying hard to set a good example for my daughters, and to establish habits and a culture so that they can have healthy body images and a love of play.
Really, exercise should be fun. When we are kids its hard to keep us from running, jumping, climbing, spinning around in circles and generally exploding with kinetic energy in every direction. What kind of sad thing happens to us that we become so still and slow?
So I try to play: kayaking, mud/obstacle races, color runs, and trail running. My kids see this and want to play too. When they grow up I hope they are sitting at the dinner table after a date and beg their boyfriend to take them rollerblading next. Or bicycling. Or even just for a walk in the park! When they think of recreation and leisure, I want it to be active. So far it looks like its working.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Crosstraining 1:42- kayaking and biking
Kayaking 50 minutes, from Lincoln to Robinson and back
Biking 8 miles, 52:01
I had a great morning. Last night I had decided that I REALLY wanted to go kayaking today, so that's just what I did. I drove up to OKC and rented a kayak for an hour ($12). It was warm and a little windy, and while that area is calm and scenically boring, it was just perfect! I enjoy the motion of kayaking, and while it is demanding, I find that it is more sustainable than using the rowing machine, or even running. And it was peaceful. I will definitely have to take advantage of OKC Riversport again, because exercise is so much easier when you are enjoying the activity and when you have scenery to keep your mind active.
Seth and I had a nice lunch on the patio at Chelino's, and then headed back home. I needed to go check on some equipment at work, and I was feeling so enthusiastic from kayaking, that I decided I should ride my bike to work! On the 4th of July! At noon!! Thankfully it was only 95 degrees and there was a breeze, but my body did let me know that this was not the best decision. I feel that I should also explain what my biking experience is like. I ride a "cruiser" style bike. You know, the kind with a basket, bell, and only one gear. And streamers on the handlebars of course. I always wear a helmet, and I recently acquired a Camelbak (primarily use it for running), but that is the end of my specialized biking gear. And while motorist may not have realized it, there are several impressive hills between my house and work. It was a good ride in that it was challenging, but of course I hated it, just like I do every time I think riding to work would be a good idea. But I saved a few drops of gas and burned an extra 330 calories!
Oh, and I weighed 173.3 this morning!!! So nice to see it go the other direction again.
Biking 8 miles, 52:01
I had a great morning. Last night I had decided that I REALLY wanted to go kayaking today, so that's just what I did. I drove up to OKC and rented a kayak for an hour ($12). It was warm and a little windy, and while that area is calm and scenically boring, it was just perfect! I enjoy the motion of kayaking, and while it is demanding, I find that it is more sustainable than using the rowing machine, or even running. And it was peaceful. I will definitely have to take advantage of OKC Riversport again, because exercise is so much easier when you are enjoying the activity and when you have scenery to keep your mind active.
Seth and I had a nice lunch on the patio at Chelino's, and then headed back home. I needed to go check on some equipment at work, and I was feeling so enthusiastic from kayaking, that I decided I should ride my bike to work! On the 4th of July! At noon!! Thankfully it was only 95 degrees and there was a breeze, but my body did let me know that this was not the best decision. I feel that I should also explain what my biking experience is like. I ride a "cruiser" style bike. You know, the kind with a basket, bell, and only one gear. And streamers on the handlebars of course. I always wear a helmet, and I recently acquired a Camelbak (primarily use it for running), but that is the end of my specialized biking gear. And while motorist may not have realized it, there are several impressive hills between my house and work. It was a good ride in that it was challenging, but of course I hated it, just like I do every time I think riding to work would be a good idea. But I saved a few drops of gas and burned an extra 330 calories!
Oh, and I weighed 173.3 this morning!!! So nice to see it go the other direction again.
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