Mexico - Day 2

I mustered another 5 mile run today. It was rough. I started out thinking I would run 45 minutes. 3 minutes into it I started to think - 'I am on vacation - 30 minutes is acceptable'. Then I got to 30 minutes and I thought 10 more minutes is doable. Once again I quickly started to shorten that, but then when I was close to 4 minutes, I was over 4 Miles and I thought - I should do 5 - so I ended up doing 5 and about 45 minutes. I tell you - that dreadmill is tough even when you are looking out over an ocean. The fitness room was hoping though! There are 8 treadmills and about 6 elliptical and about the same number of bikes and pretty much everything was filled! Everyone is trying to work off the Mud Slides they had the day before.

So - here is a helpful running hint I found. It is a video that shows how to tie your running shoes so they don't come untied. Plus, you can just pull on one of the strings to untie it. This confuses me though - since I do that with my double knots too. Maybe I am just strong!

Batting 1000

I see I have had over 1000 views of my blog since I started it! Wow! Thanks Guys! I hope to keep you entertained in the coming year!

Once again I ran on vacation! Jim and I are in Mexico at a Kwik Trip meeting courtesy of Jill. Actually not - Miller was kind enough to send us. Any Whoo.... I got myself out of bed and went and ran on the dreadmill. It was tough - looking out over the ocean and all. Larry would have been proud - I persevered and made it through 5 miles...tough with that view - wave after wave after wave.

I started on the random program and after it took me to 3.5% incline I said "enough of that!" and switched to the manual program. 1.0% is good enough for me... supposedly that is the incline you should be at to best compensate for the advantage of the treadmill. Of course the last 15 minutes I took it down to 0% - I am on vacation after all.

Miller really was asking a lot when they asked us to come here. Laying by the pool all day, drinking 'Mud Slides' (No Miller Lite is available so I am okay". We don't have to even get up and get our drinks - they bring it to us. Our only complaint is that the drink cups aren't quite big enough. I thought the Mexicans were generous! Of course I managed to somehow get a nice red hue to my skin although I was being careful. Jim somehow managed to avoid this - we still haven't figured out how - no it is was not due to excessive Mud Slides!

Hope all is well in WI - we saw it was 26 degrees today!

Wind Sprints?

A blustery day! When the cousins and I were on the back side of the Middle School it felt like we were standing (running) still! But as always, when we were done it felt so good. It has been so tempting to not show when I heard the wind outside, but I am so glad I did~ And not just because I won't get any grief from Mike.

Of course!

Of course my computer is down on the day that Wendy comes through for me and meets me to run in the morning. We were the only two, so she was committed! We enjoyed a 5.5 mile run without enduring all the harassing from those other people!

Now, if you have been lax in your morning commitment or you know someone who has been thinking about starting to run in the morning (We are always trying to steal people away from that Wednesday night group!) next week is the week to start! It is daylight savings time! So on Saturday we gain an hour. No excuses about it being too early! Get the word out!

Full of Information

I nice run with Kwik Trip Gal and New Job Woman! We missed Jenny and Wendy - but know they are still recovering. They probably missed one of the last semi warm mornings - not to rub it in or anything!

Tonight at 7:00 PBS (Channel 12) Nova airs its Marathon Challenge TV special. It should be a good show for all us runners.

I saw this video last and couldn't help but wonder - Sandy, has this ever happened to you?

And just to prove it is hard to find good help these days (as Jill knows) apparently they all work at Wal-Mart:
"Some people that work here had a going away party the other day for a woman that is leaving. One of the supervisors called a Wal-mart and ordered the cake. He told them to write: “Best Wishes Suzanne” and underneath that write “We will miss you”. Here’s the cake that was delivered."

(Just for clarification - this was not from the local Wal-Mart - I think!)

You missed...

a beautiful run this morning. There was a little bit of a breeze, but nothing to create misery. It was the same temperature this morning as last night when I went to bed.

I hear there is the flu going around and I am pretty sure it is not the excuses flu. Hope you are feeling better!

Don't miss the annual YMCA Winter Running Series. Here are the dates:

Jingle Bell Run/Walk
Saturday, December 8th – 8am start

New Year’s Resolution Run/Walk
Saturday, January 5th – 8am start

Valentine’s Heart Throb Run/Walk
Saturday, February 9th – 8am start

Part II - Wendy, Wendy, Wendy

I was so sure Wendy would be there, as promised, this morning. But at 5:01 (true to Morning Running Group code) Mike and I took off with no Wendy. He was trying to hold me back and wait, but the code was calling. I even reminisced with Mike about the time (way back when we had to walk 5 miles through snow just to meet to run) when Wendy would ask all of us to start at 4:45! Just goes to show you that times change!

Last night when I was surfing the web, I came up this motivational advice. I didn't think I would have to pull it out this morning, but here it is. Just for you Wendy....

(5.5 Miles with Ethanol Man this morning)

Favorite Excuse for Not Working Out: I'm Too Tired
Wed, 10/24/2007 - 11:30am by FitSugar

We all have a favorite excuse for not working out. If yours is "I am just too tired," I have something to tell you. Exercise will give you energy. For reals!

When you are tired, it is difficult to remember how great you felt at the end of your last workout. Chances are really high you felt better post exercise than you did before, and you probably felt more relaxed too. Exercise promotes oxygen exchange, out with the stale air and in with the fresh. Motivate yourself with the carrot of the post exercise euphoria!

Exercise can help you sleep better, and a night of restful sleep will help you stay more energized the next day.

When I am feeling weary and therefore wary of exercise, I have to work through the mind games I play to talk myself out of exercising. Once I finally get moving, I find my energy is there and I am for a full workout. So fight the "too tired" excuse with the mantra "exercise to energize." It may be a little cheesy, but sometimes all it takes is two words to get me off the couch.

Wendy, Wendy, Wendy

Last night when we were running Wendy said she would DEFINITELY join the morning running group. She told me that if she didn't too feel free to send out a ridiculing e-mail about her. I however, decided to take the high road. In my ever constant effort to aide my fellow runners, I did an EXTENSIVE on-line search for motivational tips to send out to Wendy. The tips were originally for weight loss, but is just substituted 'running in the morning' for "weight loss'. What the heck - it is all the same... right? After all how much time do you think I have in the morning!

Here they are:

• Post a picture of yourself running in the morning if you are trying to run in the morning.
• Post a picture of yourself running at the time of morning you and would like to run at.
• Post a picture of a running celebrity you would like to emulate. Jessica Biel perhaps? Here's a pic of her in a bikini. Maybe Jackie Warner is your motivation, here she is.
• Post a picture of something that you would like to do while you are running in the morning, and thus extend your life, for example chatting with Mike about how good it feels not to have to run through the sprinklers for once.
• Post a picture of an outfit you would like to feel comfortable in while running in the morning, maybe some cute jeans or a hot string bikini?
• Post a picture of a reward you'll give yourself after you've stuck to it for a while. Maybe a brochure to a resort, a new necklace or it could even be something as small as a new CD... as long as it motivates you.
  
• Fit's Tip: I would post the picture (or pictures) someplace that will really motivate you such as on the fridge, in the pantry, where you keep your gym clothes, in your home gym, on your mirror, etc.

Here are a couple more:

• Buy a packet of small, smiley-face stickers from Office Depot. Choose six different colors-one for each fitness achievement. Put them on my office calendar after your workouts. A red face stands for a morning you had to run with Mike. A yellow for days below 30 degrees, Green for days Mike isn't there, and so on. This way, you can really entertain your office mates with your colorful wall decorations! I am sure that the stickers will fit with in the CU's decoration rules.
• The absolute best motivator is the astonished look you often get from your fellow morning runners when I’m show up to run in the morning or on really cold days much less on a regular day!

On a side note... my foot is doing good! I ran 5 miles two days in a row and it feels pretty good!

Two days in a row

I took a chance and ran two days in a row, but kept it shorter today - 3.5. I felt it more than yesterday, but not too bad. However, I think it was wise not to go the full 5.

I have been interested to read the blogs of people who experienced the Chicago Marathon this year. There seems to be a growing backlash aimed towards the race due to the race director not apologizing and essentially saying it was the fault of the runner's that there wasn't enough water. I have heard to things - due to the runners using water to cool their bodies (dumping it over their heads) they ran out of water. Second - that it was due to poor preparation by the runners. I find it interesting that the Twin Cities marathon run the same day did just fine. True, it was probably a little cooler that far north, but still it makes you wonder.

4.8

Up to 4.8 miles this morning! I was feeling it in my foot a little bit, but that is okay. I am not sure if I will run tomorrow am or not. I might, but go shorter distance. I haven't run two days in a row in a long time, so it will be interesting.

I can tell that I haven't been running. I am experiencing muscle soreness again! It is odd how it feels good - at least I am running so no complaining from me!

I hear people talking about marathons.... will be interesting to see what people have planned for next year!

3.8 and counting

Sandy did such a good job of guilty us in to coming that we were all there this morning. Unfortunately it backfired on her since she was sick, but felt that she couldn't miss after she gave all of us a hard time! Mike even skipped his favorite activity (second to watching Packer Games, of course) Beer Tasting! He was not going to chance the wrath of Sandy!

The running seems to be going well. Part of the adjustment is just getting into the rhythm of early mornings again!

Wow

Okay - I didn't run again since my last post, but I saw these two videos from the Chicago Marathon and couldn't believe how close the men's and women's finishes were! The women's was particularly amazing or sad depending on your perspective. Check them out:

Men's Finish

Women's Finish

Mantra of the Month (NRR)

Ran 3 miles today. My foot felt pretty good, but on to my Mantra of the Month (NRR - Not Running Related)

MANTRA OF THE MONTH (drum roll please) ESTATE PLANNING and WILLS

My running friends got my well intentioned lecture this morning. If you are blessed with having a parent still with you, give the the best gift you can give at Christmas and help them get some Estate Planning advice. Yes, I know it is a touchy subject, but it shouldn't be. It is so helpful to the survivors to have a plan in place. This alone is so valuable. Plus, you will save a ridiculous percentage of the estate (in my opinion) from going to Uncle Sam.

TWO - WILL, WILL, WILL - say it again people - WILL. Get one! We all know we should get one, but it seems to rank right up there with buying swimsuits, vacuum cleaners and getting the furnace serviced yearly. Yes, we know we have to do it, but it just is not fun to think about. It is so easy to put off, but think about your surviving family and children. They will know your wishes (preventing family arguments) and be able to follow through with them. And once again - it will prevent a large percentage of your estate from going to the government for administering your estate since you didn't have a will. It is not complicated - you can even go on-line get a template, fill it out and have it notarized. It is one of those things lawyers (according to my husband) don't charge much for since it is so simple - plug and chug.

So, say it with me - Estate Planning and Wills are GOOD things!

2.0!

I joined the morning runners for 2 miles this morning. I was able to run and that is good news. By the end I was feeling my foot, but it was better and that is good news!

It was so great to be back with the group - even if Mike was there (you know we love you Mike!) Here is a great article about running with groups. I think it touches upon many of the things we enjoy in our group.

Also - a shout out to Rhonda S.! Way to go on your first half marathon!