Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls....

Quick update for you - there are no waterfalls in the Southeast Wisconsin area!  The closest would be those in the Green Bay area which is around 2 hours drive.  And most of these are rapids and not waterfalls.   So I need to find a different hiking goal for 2013.  Any suggestions?

I'm considering the Walk the Wauk program as an alternative.   This program is by the Ice Age Trail's Milwaukee/Waukesha Chapter.   I think that may be a good group for me to get acquainted with.  I've added their New Year's day hike at Laphem Peak on to my personal calendar.  That sounds like a nice way to start the new year.

http://waukeshamilwaukee.iceagetrail.org/

Ramblings

I need some motivation and possibly a kick in the ass.

I have a lot I want to get done before the holidays - mainly before the family arrives and stays with me.  And I think my perfectionism gets my way of getting things done.   Now to be clear, I am not a perfectionist in the normal definition of the word.  Perfectionism applies to me in a much narrower focus - it's my efficiency that sometimes gets caught up in the perfect / most efficient way to do things that slow me down.  The actual quality of the work does not get impacted by perfectionism.

I need to start working and making some progress - easier to say/blog than to actually do ....especially when work / life / dog / etc get in the way.

Suckie End of October Update

The title says it all for my running.  I don't recall going out for a run since the last running update post.  I have jogged a few places here and there to get somewhere faster but no outings for a dedicated run.

These are not (valid) excuses, but these are the key things that I let me keep me from running.  I'm not listing them to justify why I didn't run, I'm listing them for me to document and examine to see if there is a pattern I can help break.

• Lakefront Marathon - there is much work and some celebratory activity (now that I am in a leadership role on its staff) that I allow to take a priority over my me-tasks
• Barb T's Wedding and Travel to Vegas- almost the same result, I feel this is an important one time thing.  One-time being significant because it means I can't skip out and do it next time.   I allowed this to take a priority over me
• Soar Throat and Cough - I do not exercise when I don't feel well and this cold and cough lasted for 2 weeks.  
• Soar Right Knee - my knee feels tight and swollen often when I either do too much or wear shoes that don't provide enough support.   The knee hurt after the black trail hike; that trail has lots of hills and is about 7 miles.  The knee also hurt after Vegas when walking around in sandals.    I've been home from Vegas since Monday and my knee seams to be

The post title is pretty negative but there have been some positive things. I have been out walking and hiking a few times.  And it does feel sooooo good.  I want to do more and I think I can do more now that the dog is a getting a bit older and better by himself.   Also I ran into one of the trainers from the old gym at the LFM Expo and found out she left the gym and is doing some training on the side.  I would like to work with her a couple times a month where we do a routine together and gives me goals/program to follow.  And I am committed to the Santa Hustle December 5K.

So there is hope - I have a goal, the Santa Hustle, I like to walk - can I push that to a run/walk and keep pushing to a (slow) run?  and I could have a trainer to help get me there.   My cold/cough is almost gone.   My biggest concern/excuse is my right knee.  I need it to stop hurting!



 

Good bye Wally's Chair

I know this will seam silly and most will not understand this.  I left a beat up chair out for trash pick-up and it brought tears to my eyes.  

This chair has been sitting in my garage for at least 2 years, possibly 3 years or even more.   My brother's family had purchased the chair sometime back in the 90's when their kids were small, and when I moved back to Milwaukee in 2000 they gave to me for my condo.   My cat Wally LOVED this chair. He spent hours and hours sitting on the top of the chair back looking out the window.   I think of this as Wally's chair.   And it does make me sad to throw it away.  It is nothing I want back in the house - it has spent much too much time in the garage and had signs of field mice around it.  But it still made me sad - the end of an era - to see it thrown in the trash.  It had a good frame - and was an Ethan Allan chair.  Someone could have stripped it down and reupholstered it.  It was time for it to go.  It was doing no one any good in my garage and was unusable/undonatable in its current condition.  
So good chair I say to you 'Thank you for your service'.  I will miss you and the way you reminded me of my Wally.

Quick Update

Quick update to let the world know I did make it out for a run over lunch.   I ran around the Condos across from the ravine.  Almost no traffic and very few people (especially people I know) to see me.  At first I was only going to go a mile or so, but I felt fine - a little warm as those streets are better protected from the wind than St James and Parish are.   I ended up going for 2 miles.   Pace is slower than I would like but I my approach is to first get the miles in - ie, build endurance to support 3 miles, and then work on the speed. 

Mac at Get Fit Slower recommends a different approach.  He says if he were reteaching himself to start running he would go for the same duration each time and not worry about distance at all.   I think that approach works well if you are running on a treadmill.  In my approach I build up to a route that I know if 3 miles and keep running that - and just to keep me form getting board, I usually have multiple routes and variations to the distance.

I'm planning to hike on Saturday so I'll try to get some biking in on Friday.  Possibly another run on Sunday, and if not then I'll make sure to get it in on Monday.

So, I have a goal (Santa Hustle 5K) with an approach.  I do have some more work to make a plan -- and to stick with it!  Considering my running motivation being as low as it has been recently, it is a big success to have both a goal and an approach.   And I have the luxury of time - the run is 12 weeks out.  As I write this, I realize my true goal is the Snow Run in January - so 14 weeks out to get 5 miles in under 60 minutes.  For me this is an aggressive challenge.

Midpoint goals

• Run 3 miles comfortably
• Run 3 miles under 40 minutes
• Run 4 miles comfortably
• Run 3 miles under 36 minutes
• Run 5 miles comfortably
• Run 5 miles under 60 minutes - January 5, 2013

The more I type here, the more I worry if this is even possible.   I have to get my but in gear!  I know I can make these goals.  You hear that Destiny?  I'm ready now!

September Update

Hmmm, good thing I had added an ongoing task to post to this blog at the end of each month with a running update.  Otherwise, not sure you would see any updates.  Which is a key indication of how well (or not well) this has been going.

My running continues to be primarly only at the BLS fun runs.  Well the problem with that is because of life and traffic, etc I have not made it to a fun run in time to actually run since August 22.   Wow that means I've basically missed running at all in the entire month of September. 

And for some reason I signed up for the Dec 22 Santa Shuffle 5K at the Milwaukee Lakefront's Veterans Park.  It was one of those' spending money to save money type of deal';  I had $5 expiring on Groupon so with that and the groupon discount this run costs me $15 (instead of the early prerace $35 which goes up to $45).  More about this later.

I have continued hiking and of course the daily dog walks.   My knee continues to bother me - to the point where I'm considering going get one of the free sports physical therapy evaluations.  My issue with that is I feel like no matter what shape your body is in, they will always find a need for 6 weeks or more of therapy, And that will be another several hundreds of dollars, and this year I have already maxed out my HSA spending account.

I'm disappointed in how I let the running goals drop and disappointed in where my running condition is. 

The good news is that I do feel a new level of motivation.  Part has to do with our Light Weigh program restarting - that does help keep me motivated in overall health and weight loss focus.   Plus we are done with the extremely hot weather that did limit my hiking, and now also have the beautiful Fall colors that make me want to hike more and more.  I hope to see an increase in physical activity in the near future. 

Another plus is that I'll be developing and adding 'training' to my schedule to be able to comfortably complete the Santa Shuffle.   I'll admit part of the appeal of the Santa Shuffle was its timing in late December -- I'm hoping that if I can do this run comfortably, then I can continue the running and this year runs the S-No-W Fun Run which is a 5 mile run in Lake Geneva with an awesome after party that my friends Dave and Bonnie almost always attend.   My problem is this run is in early January and most years I have not run since late October (Discovery Run) and the added fact that because of the average January temperature they have a time limit of 60 minutes (12 min miles) on the run so that their volunteers do not need to stay outside for long periods.   This run has been on my bucket list - not the list of big item but a unwritten, undocumented list of local things I've heard are fun or good and want to try.  This could be the year for the Snow Run!

I'm actually considering taking a short run of approximately a mile or mile and a half right now as a break - and once again work gets in the way.  I need to finish one contract before I can exit and run, and hopefully nothing new will come in as I'm working on that contract.  Remember - no matter how slow you are you are still passing everyone on the couch!!!

August update

The semi monthly running update!!  And sadly it's not much of an update.  Over August I have only run twice- yes only two times!  Both runs were with at Badgerland Striders fun runs - the Corn Roast and the OU812 (meatball) fun runs.   In both runs I felt OK - not bad, not great - maybe good, but OK is really the right description.  But it also made me feel like I really need to add running throughout the week.  It's such good exercise and I do like it - I just need to get around my personal issues with making time for myself away from the dog commitments.






The weight loss progress has been at a plateau - summers are challenging for me.  There are so many fests, fairs, sporting events, gatherings, etc that is makes it hard to lose weight.  Normally I'm hiking, biking and even running (remember I said normally) enough that it counter balances the extra indulgences.  Sadly the puppy has taken over so much of my free time that I'm doing a lot less.  To clarify, it's not that I can't leave the dog; the situation is there is only so much time I have where I can leave - usually the morning before work, lunch time, and a little bit in the evening before I'm heading out to something.   Those times are now most often spent walking the dog for bathroom breaks.  Luckily the Light Weigh program does work for me and that is counterbalancing my lack of exercise.   I wish I could add more exercise in, because I think with that and the light weigh combined I would be losing weight even with the extra indulgences.   I attribute some of my 15 pounds of Light Weigh session one to the springs hikes I was doing.  I hope to add more hiking, maybe with the dog (that overcomes one of the conflicts I have).   This weekend I am boarding the dog to free up more time for me - I have some decluttering/clearing tasks I want to do, and I hope to get in some good exercise - probably a hike and possible a long bike ride.


Update on the specific running goals
First goal is to be ready for the BLS Fun Runs
Overall summer pace goal is to be a 9+ minute miler by the last of the fun runs.
---I'm doing ok with the 3 mile distance.  It's hard and challenging but doable - at last night's run there were times I thought about stopping and walking but never felt the need so I kept running.   Getting to a 9+ minute mile by the last fun run is next to impossible.   I'm not sure what to do here....admit defeat and move on?  select a much slower but more realistic goal?  I'm not ready to do either - I need some time to think on this.     

Second summer goal is compete a long distance race. 
-- My running goal to complete a long distance race has been heavily on my mind.  There are a few candidate runs - the BLS Discovery Run and the Chicago Perfect 10.   As I slogged along at way too slow a pace made me question doing either.  If I ran the Discovery Run at the same pace as last night's fun run then I would be the very last runner by at least 30 minutes.  Now if I trained I'm sure I could bring down my pace and finish with those final stragglers.  That's a better result but still not what I want.  The Chicago Perfect 10 has a wider range of running paces and I would beat a handful of other runners.  That race includes an Expo and Chicago tends to do Expos very well - so that is a big plus.  The downside it that would require a hotel room because the run starts too early on Saturday to make it viable to drive down that morning and no train runs at that hour; although that is in someways a plus because it helps make this an "event" for me.  I'm not sure either is a good fit - I'm questioning keeping this as a goal.  I need to either get moving on getting to running regularly (and therefore increasing my pace and endurance) or drop this goal for this year

 Third running goal is to run hike with Zeus.
 -- Zeus and I have done the Wirth Park trails.  He did really well and seamed to enjoy it.  The only concern was that it was really short - I want him to be able to go at least 3 miles without issues.  We were through the trails and I wanted to take the path around the rest of the park but the pup was pooped and would not walk more than a few yards before he was stopping again (and again).  This was only about a mile and half.  Similar thing happened on today's lunch time walk.  Zeus was so tired and barely made it back - all he wanted to do was stop and take a nap in the shady grass!  It's things like this that make me concerned for taking him on a hike at Laphem Peak State Park - he may be taking a nap in the middle of the Red trail (Zeus is definitely not up to tackling the Blue or Black trails ....but we hope someday he will!).