Laurie's Quest Continues....two more marathons in one year!!

[CaroleD]

Hi,
Hope you are feeling better. Great job on your running in the cold. I saw someone this morning running in the snow at 6:30 in the morning in 13 below Celcius while I was in my warm car on my way to work. I know I could not do it. I'm a cold weather wimp which is not good for a Canadian. Very inspiring though.
Enjoyed reading your posts tonight. I'm going to check out the Nike plus site. I love toys and it sounds like a real bonus for outdoor running...or in my case walking.
Keep up the good work...but look after that sore throat.

 

[hockeygirl]

So, I decided to check in while I watch the Super Bowl!! GO COLTS! Actually, I am not a big colts fan, but I enjoy watching Peyton Manning--as a GIANTS fan, gotta route for the manning family!

I am feeling somewhat better tonight, but felt pretty lousy all weekend. Sore throat, runny nose, etc. Hopefully, I feel better in the morning, or I may have to take a sick day tomorrow.

Anyhow, Toby Keith concert was AWESOME the other night!! I didn't feel so well, but I had a great time anyhow!!

Saturday and today, I basically just took it easy and rested on the couch watching TV all day. I couldn't muster the energy to get any workouts in. I figure I would rather rest and get better then go out and push myself and get more sick. This was very hard for me, because I am very hard on myself, and I kept telling myself that I couldn't miss my workout. But, I decided it was in my best interests to just rest!!

I did renew my gym membership today, as it is supposed to be very cold here this week and I don't think it will be so good for me to be out running since I am just getting over being sick. So, if I go to work tomorrow, I will take my workout bag with me and see how I feel after work.

I start my official training for the NJ Half Marathon this week. Monday's workout calls for strength training/stretching.....so I will try to get to the gym for that. First running workout is tuesday.
Carole and Nicole--Thanks for the reminder to take care of myself!!! As I said, I have a tendency to push myself a little too hard sometimes, and I need to be reminded to slow down once in awhile!!! That is why I love this board, everybody looks out for everyone else!!
Thanks to everyone else for the encouragement....it really means so much!!!

Time to get some rest in!!!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Laurie,

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the concert! I'm sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well though. Please be sure and take it easy until you are feeling 100% again.

That's great that you renewed your gym membership. If your weather is anything like ours, it is absolutely frigid out! It's hard to run or walk or even leave the house when it's this cold.

Have a great day tomorrow!

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Hi Laurie, I hope you are feeling much better by tomorrow! Our schools here already have a 2-hour delay because of the negative temps, so dh is happy about that (he's a teacher.) Maybe if you get that, you can sleep in a little bit again.

I am glad you were able to take the weekend off and rest- sometimes I think that just helps get you back to being motivated mentally too, kwim? Good luck going to the gym tomorrow, and I will look forward to seeing how your first running workout goes on Tuesday! I am excited for you that you are starting your "official" training this week- you will do great!!

Have a great week!
Lisa

 

[CaroleD]

Hope you are much better tomorrow. Its still frigid here so going to the gym is my only option. I'm looking forward to spring and walking outdoors. A whole new ballgame than the treadmill. lol. Scenery!

 

[hockeygirl]

Well, just checking in, and nothing new to report. I am still feeling kinda crummy. I am very stuffed up today and still have no energy. I dragged myself to work today which probably wasn't such a good idea, because I was miserable all day. And teaching 5-8 year olds dance when feeling a bit under the weather is not really that fun!!!! So, I will probably end up staying home and resting tomorrow and hopefully, if I feel any better getting to the gym for my run.

Running outside this week is out of the questions, it is quite cold here and the forecast is for cold weather the rest of the week, so I will be forced to the TM at the gym to get my workouts in if I am feeling better.

Thanks everybody for the encouragement!!!!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[npullen]

Good for you joining the gym! Just make sure not to try to start back to quickly! I hope you are feeling better soon! I'm sorry you're finally having to deal with rotten weather! Hopefully it won't get too bad. Take care of yourself, and stay warm!

 

[CaroleD]

Hope you feel better soon. And spring is coming soon. I love being on this side of winter. It may be colder but November is always more depressing to me because spring is sooooooo far away.

 

[hockeygirl]

Well, I ended up staying home from work today, as I was just not feeling well this morning. I was so stuffed up and couldn't breathe so well. So, I called in to work and went back to sleep. I woke up around 930-10 and felt a little bit better. I realize when I am home on a weekday, why I love working so much. I could never stay home everyday! There was NOTHING on TV! I ended up sleeping most of the day, or watching court shows. Wow what a day!

Around 3 o'clock, I was feeling a little better, so I decided to head over to my gym, Bally's, that I just renewed my membership to the other day. The gym is really nice, but the only bad thing is that it can be a bit crowded at times, but I go early enough that I don't think it will be a problem that much. At any rate, I ran on the TM, with the hopes of finishing 3 miles. I ended up doing 2.11 miles in 21:45 min. Not too bad, a bit slower than my normal pace, but I didn't want to push my body too much while I am not 100%. So, I was happy with my workout.

Story about workout: The TMs at the gym are facing the windows to outside. My gym is in a shopping center. Well, I am running on the TM and I am looking outside and right in the parking lot of the shopping center, right in front of the TMs is a MCDONALDS!!!! That is some motivation, work out while staring at the McDonalds!!! There I am running on the TM craving french fries......lol, it isn't going to be good running on the TM at the gym. Somebody should have thought about putting a gym right next to a McDonalds!!!!!! Oh well, I will definetely learn self-control coming out of the gym everyday since I LOVE mcdonalds french fries!!


I will try to get to the gym tomorrow. Only have a two mile run schedule for tomorrow according to Hal Higdon's half marathon plan. Hopefully, I will feel up to doing it!!

Carole--I hear you about the weather....I feel like Spring will be here before we know it!! I can tolerate heading to the gym to run on the TM till the weather gets better....I am not sure I would have felt that way in November!!
Nicole---yes the weather stinks...but at least it isn't snowing. I can tolerate the cold, but I HATE the snow. Looks like you guys stole all the snow out west before it got here! Thanks!!

Thanks to everyone for the kind words hoping I feel better!!!

 

[toystoryduo]

I think they should put a Ballys next to every McDonalds in America! That might help me to stop eating there all the time or maybe I could eat there and then go work it off! When I used to workout at Ballys, we had a lovely view of the parking lot....

I'm glad that you are feeling better. That's great that you were able to get your workout in!

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

[npullen]

Way to go for getting your workout in today! Your time was great, and it is good that you listened to your body and stopped before you pushed to hard!
It's too funny with your Bally's! I was thinking about joining a Curves that was right next door to a Baskin Robbins, with a McD's and a Dairy Queen right across the parking lot. I could just see myself working out everyday, before going to get a hot fudge sundea! No one would understand why I was working out 7 days a week and still gaining weight!
Take care, and good luck with your workout tomorrow! I will hope for warmer weather for you!

 

[hockeygirl]

Well, I woke up today and felt GREAT!!!!!! I wasn't stuffed up, no headache, so I was so excited. I was so happy I was feeling better, as I was having my yearly observation at school first thing this morning. I had my lesson all planned out, we are in the middle of our dance unit, so I was going to teach the Cotton Eye Joe and Electric Slide to my students. The kids love those dances, so I was excited for my observation. Well, the Asst. Prinicipal, who is new this year, observed me and she loved the lesson. So, that was the start of a GREAT day!!!!

After work, I headed to the gym, since it is still WAY to cold to run outside. The temperature in the car read 13 degrees on the way to the gym. Well, I hopped on the TM for my workout and went 3 miles. I FELT AWESOME!!!! I will tell you that it was my BEST workout yet!!! I finished the 3 miles in 25:44----my fastest time for that distance. The best part is my pace was an average of 8:32...yes you read that right 8:32!!!!! I was so psyched!! My body felt great and I didn't feel like I was pushing myself that hard, my legs felt great and I could breathe so much better today. It is hard to believe that 24 hrs before I wasn't feeling so good.

Well, hopefully I am not too sore tomorrow from my workout, we shall see. Plus, I have hockey practice tonight for my women's team, so I will get a little cross-training in today as well.

Nicole-that is funny about your gym being by a baskin robbins, mcd's, and dairy queen....I was talking with one of my co-workers today, and we were laughing at the thought of fast food being right next to a gym!! Obviously the fast food owners aren't thinking about the poor people working out in the gym salivating at the thought of eating at their establishment!!!! Definetely teaches those working out self-control!!!

Tracy-I had such a craving again today for mcdonalds before and after my workout....i need to get over those cravings...I have been good so far about not eating it!!!

OK, off to rest before hockey practice!!!!

 

[hockeygirl]

Well, I had another great day today!!!

Last night, I had hockey practice for my women's team that I play on and I played awesome. I am the goalie for the team, and I was playing great. I think my training is helping with my goaltending skills, so I am really psyched about that.

Then this morning, my phone rings at 6:15am and I find out that the school that I teach at is CLOSED today because of a water main break near the school. BUT, the teachers still had to come in...uggh. I get to school around 8, and they tell us if there is no running water in the building by 11:30 we can go home. And, at 11:30, we got to leave....woohoo, a half day!!!! I ended up coming home and taking an hour nap, since I was exhausted from getting home from hockey practice so late(it was midnight when I got home).

Well, I didn't really feel like going to the gym when I woke up, but I made myself go. My legs were a little sore from yesterday's workout. I started out walking for about 5 min. to warm-up my legs a bit, and then I started my workout. This is one think I need to do more...WARM-UP!! I ended up doing 3 miles which was my planned distance. I finished in 26:16, with an average pace of 8:43 mpm. ANOTHER AWESOME WORKOUT FOR ME!!

I am so excited about my progress, I am almost done with Week 1 of the Hal Higdon program, only have a 4 miler on Sunday morning.

This has been a great week, since I have been feeling better!! Hopefully, this keeps up!!

 

[CaroleD]

Just dropping by to see how your progress is going. And WOW...you are doing so well. Great times. Where do you get the Hal Higen (Sp) workout.
Hey...I saw a puddle of water outside yesterday. The sun finally was strong enough to melt something in this frozen spot of the world. It froze later in the day but its a great sign.

Keep up the awesome workouts!

 

[hockeygirl]

Carole--I found the Hal Higdon training plan online...just search for Hal Higdon half marathon training. He actually has a variety of different training plans for half and full marathon, and for different levels of runners. I am using the novice half marathon plan right now. I have only just started but I like is so far!

Thanks for the encouragement on the workouts!!! I have felt great lately, and I can't wait till sunday for my LR!!

Have a great weekend!!

 

[CaroleD]

I'll google this and take a look. So far I only have instructions to get up to a ten K race. I've got several weeks before I finish that training period. Then I'm going to need instruction for training for the 1/2 and full. I haven't started the LR's yet. My longest this month will be 60 minutes. I'm glad its such a slow process. My muscles really need to be built up after months on the couch after my ankle surgery. This March will be a year after my ankle fusion and I was told it takes the full year for the muscles and ligaments to completely heal.

Enjoy your LR. Is it nice enough there to do it outside?

 

[npullen]

I am glad you are feeling so much better! You're times are wonderful!!! Congrats!! It is awesome that you come back from feeling crummy to do such great times! I do apologize for sending you the rotten weather! We have actually been doing pretty good with no snow for a full week! The first time in 2 months, although we are supposed to get hit again on Mon! LOL
Keep up the good work and remember spring will be here soon! And no more treadmills!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Laurie,

I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better! You are doing a wonderful job with your training! Keep up the good work!

Hope you have a wonderful week! Thanks for your encouragement and support!

 

[hockeygirl]

Happy Monday everyone!!!!!!

Well, I didn't get a chance to post here the last few days, I have been super busy!! Friday was a rest day, and I spent that just hanging out with my DBF for a change, we just watched television...we are big NASCAR fans and racing started this past weekend, so we were very excited.

Saturday, was also a rest day, I wanted to get some XT training in but didn't get a chance. I am a track and field official and I had to work at a HS track meet all day, and then we had a party for my DM's birthday at night, so no time for a workout. Oh well, nothing beats spending time with my family!

Sunday morning I woke up and I was so psyched for my workout. It was about 30 degrees here, which is warm for the last couple of weeks, so I decided to head out to the park for my workout. It was beautiful out. I did 4 miles in the park in 36:55, with an average pace of 9:11....I was really happy with my workout. I never realized how much faster I could go on a TM until last week, but I would still much rather run outdoors.

Hopefully, the weather holds up...doesn't look good for us this week, as we are supposed to get a storm for tom. night into wed.

Carole--Thanks for the support! you are doing great with your training...way to go for taking it slow after your surgery!
Nicole--Thanks for the encouragement and support!! I was very surprised at how good my workouts were last week, considering how I felt earlier in the week, but I tend to bounce back pretty quick after being sick.
Tracy--Thanks for the support, it is greatly appreciated!

Ok, getting a little XT in tonight, I have a hockey game, and we are playing a good team, so it should be a great workout!!