Week 1 2011 / Total useless thoughts

Totally random thoughts of great stuff post!

• Yes, I am still going to write some coaching stuff (ahem Jenn :) ) - I just gotta organize my life.  Any topics of interest are greatly appreciated.
• I didn't do a long run Sunday.  Made it to 6.25 miles and my heel hurt the entire time.  But it wasn't paralyzing hurt, it was just annoying hurt.  That's huge progress on the hurt scale.  Nevertheless, my legs were just dead, and I just didn't have the run in me.  I need to get outside and run and off my stupid treadmill (Awk!  Did I just say that???  Sorry treadmill, I still love you)!
• I applied for new insurance mid-December.  For all who were not fortunate enough to be with me in early fall, I have an insurance fiasco which would make your head spin, therefore my heel has been unprofessionally diagnosed (unless you count my WebMD degree).  I have self-diagnosed it with at least 5 different things; currently I think it's neurological.  I could go into much detail why, but I'll spare you.  Email me if you want the full-blown explanation.  Anyway, insurance on "hold" because the new insurance company wants my medical records.  Here we go again; I'm totally prepared for the final "Denied" - and if that is the case, I am going to use the pre-paid money insurance money, which I will get reimbursed, and go seek advice for my heel from a real, live podiatrist.  I know, I can hardly believe it either - I may actually be able to see a breathing human with a degree in foot medicine before the turn of the century!
• Beginning of the year began season 2 of The Biggest Loser where I work.  Somehow, I got roped into doing it with the computer graphic teacher at work, which basically means I'll be manning the entire project by myself.  I spent 2 hours today organizing everyone into brightly colored folders, according to their personalities (plain manila sufficed just fine for some :)).  Everyone chipped in $10.  I have 45 contestants.  Student council matched our contribution so I have approximately $900 to play with.  It was heavily voiced to me that we do separate male and female winners, which is fine, but last year the top winner made out with $600.  This year we have less contestants and therefore less money and divide that in half, we're talking maybe $200 for the overall male and female winner.  Oh, we have to have weekly winners, too.  If one person complains to me, I quit; I'm very stressed about it already.  Any advice how to divvy up the cash?   Maybe a plane ticket to Cabo for Jill?
• Oh, and btw, I signed my sorry out-of-shape, over-weight, body up, too.  I figure I may have an advantage over several of the females - ya know, since I run and all.  I guess that would require me to actually RUN???
• I'm going to go back to logging my weekly running on this blog, something I actually used to do way back in the day when I used to RUN a lot; that way I will be less slacking.  Heel permitting.
• No, for those who have asked if I have any races on my plate.  The goal is to get the miles racked up with as little heel problems as possible, lose the excess weight, strength train galore, and feel good.  If I can get to that place, then yes, I have a few races I'd like to tackle, the first a trail marathon in April and of course, that 50miler which I SO WANT TO DO THIS YEAR (please heel, please let me do it!).  I have my sights on which 50, but not going to jinx it by yelling it out.  It's in October.  Or September.  I can't remember, but either way, I have my work cut out for me.
• I think I'm Boston'd out; the high of that race has fizzled for me.  Maybe I'll get it again, in time, but as I sit here and look at my two Boston Marathon medals sitting on my dresser mirror, the race no longer tugs at.  I'm proud I pushed my body well beyond it's comfort zone to earn those two, but now I'm ready to push my body to something else.
• This summer will be my 30th class reunion in Iowa. Crazy, since I'm only 31.
• DU #2 this weekend.  I've been on my bike exactly once since the last DU.  It snowed about 10" yesterday - I am therefore going to wipe out and kill myself.  Which will alleviate the girl parts pain problem I had last time.
• I have $7 and some change on my CSN gift card I won way back whenever.  Anyone want it?  Gotta be used by the 17th.  Looking forward to not getting anymore email reminders to use it come Jan 18th.  First to holler they want it it's theirs!
• I am off work on this Thursday and Friday and the following Monday and Tuesday for finals.  Why yes, I was just off for 2 weeks over the holidays.  No hating now!  I will use the time wisely (ha)  and get my coaching website up and running.  HELP!
• I so need to stop using so many exclamation points when I write!!!
• And the most exciting news of this entirely boring post, I was just asked to be an "ambassador" for Fitness Edge Sports.  Not as impressive as Beth's Athena gig, but I get to do some writing about running for them on FB and their website so I'm very excited about that.  And I love their product.  I'll write more on that later this week as I have a giveaway and product review to do for them.  Yay me.

Week 1 of 2011 


Can't say the week went according to plan, but it's done so no boo-hoo'n it.  Here's how it shook out:
- Monday: 1000M swim.  20 minutes of lower body weights (hardly worth the time, but oh well, it was all I had time for with the swim).
- Tuesday: Ran 3 miles at some pathetic slow pace.
- Wednesday: 6 miles. 1 mi wu + 4 miles of Short Interval Cardio (*SIC for short) + 1 mi cd.
- Thursday:  3.5 miles at an ok pace.  Weight lifting class.
- Friday:  4 miles at MP (8:24 MP??  hahahah.  Ok, sure.  Maybe in 2009, definitely not in 2010.  Doubtful in 2011.  We'll see.).
- Saturday:  Weight lifting class.  Adam's Virtual 5K race (4.5 miles total with all prep work).
- Sunday: Dead tired.  Imagine.  Long run (bahahahahahha) of 6.25 miles at some incredible bad pace.  With much heel pain.

Total 2011 run miles (with 11.5 miles from 1/1//11):  38

*SIC: Short Interval Cardio.  I do these right now about once a week (sometimes twice a week).  Great for reducing weight and body fat.  Warm up for a mile. Then 1 minute at an insanely fast pace @ 0% incline, followed by 1 minute walk.  Repeat 10 times but up the incline 1% every two intervals until you reach 5%.  Do NOT change the pace.  See how much fun it is!  But oh so good for your lungs.  And reducing your weight.  And body fat.  And they make you speedier!  There's your coaching tip for the week :).

That's all I got for today!  Run strong, Friends!!