Ran a new route but boy did I miscalculate the mileage

Just got back from my run.  This morning I decided to map out several different routes because I am getting bored with the one I’ve been using.  Well when I mapped out the route I ended up using today, I calculated it at 3.6 miles.

I have run this route before, but it’s been about 4 yrs.  Today’s temperature was 64*F, humidity was 46% and we had 18 mph winds.  I wish Mother Nature would make up her mind as to what Northern California weather is going to be!! Every day this week has been different.  Please….enough already!  Anyway, it is cool outside and it sprinkled earlier.  Since I still saw some black-ish clouds I decided to dress accordingly.  I wore my long nylon pants with 100% cotton long sleeve shirt with my gray nylon hoodie.

My current schedule is: 2 minutes run/2 minutes walk X 9.  I knew I would probably end up running more than that since I thought I was going to run 3.6 miles.

Well, the run was great.  I felt fantastic throughout and at the end.  I almost ran a little extra but didn’t.  Kinda wish I did after I found out I had calculated it out wrong   When I was done I stopped the timer on my watch and saw that I had only run 8 reps plus 36 seconds extra.  So, when I got home I re-checked the route and I was way off!!  This route is only 2.46 miles.  Don’t ask how I mis-calculated it because I have no idea.

I’m leaving it at this: at least I ran today and regardless of the amount I’m still happy that I got out there and did a different route.  I do want to run more than 3 miles at a time so I need to map out different routes in my area.

I still have to do the Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred later tonight.  It was an awesome workout last night, so I can’t wait!!

My first run since the 5K

Well, I couldn’t wait any longer!! I haven’t run since the 5K almost 2 weeks ago.  My ankle is fine and I decided to try out my own little experiment.  I really really wanted to run today so since I may be having a problem with my current shoes, I decided to run in my previous running shoes.  Even though I’ve had them for a long while there was a huge chunk of time that I didn’t run, so I don’t have that many miles on them.  So……if my ankle is going to swell up it’s gonna do it between tonight and tomorrow.  I’ll let you know what happens.

My run tonight was great! It was 82 degrees. Yes, that’s pretty warm but there was a nice cool breeze which actually made it perfect!  I love hot weather, so 82 degrees is a nice spring day for me!! I’ve even run when it’s been in the mid- to high- 90′s….that was a little much, though, even for me!

I run/walk, not run, at this point. My current schedule is run 2 minutes/walk 3 minutes for 9 reps.  Tonight I only did 6 reps. Besides it being my first run in almost 2 weeks, I was getting a little dehydrated and didn’t bring my water so I cut it short.  Being dehydrated in the heat is not smart.

Since I missed Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred yesterday I was going to do it today after my run.  But, I ended up running later than expected and by the time I stretched, got home, & ate…well, it’s too close to bedtime.  So, I will do it tomorrow.

I’ve only done the Shred 3 times so far…..once this week and twice last week. For whatever reason, I made a schedule that I would only do it 3 times a week. Don’t ask…..I don’t know why?!  Then I thought, wait, why can’t I do the tape every day???  So, starting tomorrow, I will be doing Jillian’s Shred for 30 days straight…….

Running shoe woes

This morning I left my house and found out my car battery was dead! It’s not how I wanted my day to start!  So, I called around to find someplace to replace it and Sam’s Club had the best price. Then I called AAA to come out to jump start my car. The rep on the phone told me a driver would be out within 35 minutes. I swear to you….he was there in 5 minutes!! He jump started my car, I signed the form, and I was on my way to Sam’s Club for a new car battery. I love AAA!!!

Well, I haven’t run since the Loop the Lagoon 5K race on May 1st. My left ankle swelled a little after the race—actually if I hadn’t been looking for it I would never have noticed!!  I could/can walk on it fine and it never hurt. But, I was smart enough to know I shouldn’t be running on it!!

My friend, Leslie, told me I should take my shoes in to my local Fleet Feet store to have them checked. The owner, Carol, was my trainer/coach when I first started running back in 2005. She fitted me with my first pair of running shoes.  Leslie told me she talked to Carol and she wants to check the shoes out. The shoes in question are ASICS GT-2140. They are the updated version of my previous ASICS. And, no, I didn’t get this newest pair at Fleet Feet!  Below is the running shoe in question:

If this were the first time my ankle swelled I would already be out there running. At first when Leslie suggested having the shoes checked I thought it couldn’t be the shoes, it had to be me and how I was running. But then I really started thinking. I bought the shoes mid September 2009.  I ran in them for a couple of weeks when I noticed my left ankle swelled. It never hurt, so I never felt anything and only realized the swelling by accident! I stopped running and treated it (R.I.C.E.) and it went away. Then I totally forgot about it. Well, in February I started training again and a few weeks later I realized my ankle was swollen again. Again, it never hurt, but I stopped running and treated it….and it went away. Well, third time’s the charm….

Since I have never had this problem with my previous shoes I think the new ones may, in fact, be the problem. So, I will be taking them in to Fleet Feet as soon as I can. But in the meantime I’m not running and I’m so anxious to continue my training since there is a 5K I want to run in on 6/6/2010– the Nike Women’s Fitness Festival in Sacramento. I haven’t signed up yet and they have a limited amount of runners they’ll allow, so I need to figure things out asap!!

I spent this evening looking online to find 5K’s I want to run in this year. There are three races I already know I’m running in: Lagoon Valley Trail run 5K in September, the Walk & Roll 5K in October, and Solano Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day. All three are local races. But I want to run in other races too.  For now, my goal is to participate in one 5K race a month for the rest of the year.  At the same time I will be training to eventually run in a 10K, probably not until 2011.  My ultimate goal is to run in the San Francisco Marathon!