Week 19: Day 3 - 2012

cardio:

• bike ride (@ 11:30am) = 5.54 miles (with a short break/rest halfway)
• karate (@ 7pm) = 1 hour

So hot today! I thought that it wouldn't be that bad, so I went on a bike ride mid-day to do some errands. 11:30am was the worst time of day to exercise outside! Going uphill during the first half of the ride made it feel hotter than it really did and the hill felt pretty challenging too. I did the same route before in December and while I was a little sick and had a bit of a respiratory issue at that time, it didn't seem as bad and the weather was so much cooler too. I think I should ride this route more often so I can get used to the hills.

Week 19: Day 2 - 2012

cardio:

• hilly trail run (@ 6:15am) = 3 miles, time = 34:33, pace @ 10:46

Oops, I forgot to update my blog last night. I did get in some exercise for the day. A three mile bike ride and an hour in karate were what I did yesterday.

This morning, I did my three mile run on a hilly trail area. It was cold (not as cold as I'd like), cloudy and a little foggy. It's starting the clear up and become sunny now, but it was nice to run with that kind of weather this morning.

Week 18: Day 7 - 2012

cardio:

• trail/road run (@ 5:50am) = 5.33 miles, time = 58:06, pace @ 10:54

Total Weekly Mileage: 17.60
Total Monthly Mileage: 17.60
Total Yearly Mileage: 272.66
Total Shoe Mileage: 382.91

Because I had to work yesterday afternoon, I couldn't make it to karate training. But luckily, I didn't have to work at night since I finished early in the evening so I could go to sleep at a reasonable hour like a normal person and my mind would be off "work mode" by then.

But for whatever reason and I'm not sure if it's because I have a job that makes me tired from working hard (probably because I'm not used to that), I couldn't get into my run. I just wasn't in the spirit of it. I was also feeling sore on one side of my hips. I hate to blame my age for any random soreness because I don't consider myself old (not until I'm 50 years old and I'm not there yet), but I can't figure out how, where or why I got this random soreness from. I did the same things last weekend (and two weekends prior) as I did this weekend, and I didn't get any random soreness while running during all these last few weekends.

Week 18: Day 5 - 2012

cardio:

• trail/road run (@ 6am) = 4.86 miles, time = 53:50, pace @ 11:05

I thought I slept ok last night, but I don't think I really did because I woke up feeling tired this morning. It was difficult for me to get into my run and enjoy it. I'm pretty sure I'm not unmotivated or bored because I took a break from running all of last week. I thought about just doing a super short run this morning and just run for two miles. I took a break at mile one to stretch, but I decided to continue my planned distance/route. I felt a tiny bit better at mile 2.5 and slowly/progressively felt better as I kept running after that. I was slightly mentally tiredsleepy at the end of the run, but so much better compared to the beginning of the run. I'm glad that I didn't feel worse when I kept running longer than one mile.

Week 18: Day 4 - 2012

cardio:

• trail/road run (@ 6am) = 4.43 miles, time = 48:09, pace @ 10:52

My run was fine this morning. It was cloudy/overcast, but no mist. Since I don't have much else to say, I'm going to share this article with everyone. I think it can apply to everyone for general health/exercise and not just athletes.
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Five Best Carbs For Athletes
By Erin Connelly
http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/5-Best-Carbs-for-Athletes.htm


Carbohydrates yield the quickest energy production in the body. However, choosing the best food sources can be a challenge. Athletes need to consume more carbs than the average person to properly fuel and recover.
In addition, active individuals look for foods that help promote overall health and well-being, to keep them feeling good enough to enjoy their sport. When it comes to comparing foods, it’s important to look at the total nutrient composition. For example:

• What does this food have to offer?
• What does it contain besides its carbohydrate content?

Here is a list of minimally or unprocessed foods that you are able to find in the perimeter of your local grocery store:

1. Sweet Potatoes

The bright orange color of these root vegetables is a visual cue that they are an abundant source of the high-powered antioxidant, vitamin A. They also are a great source of potassium to help soothe sore muscles and maintain the right amount of fluids in the body. One cup provides 27g of carbs, 4g of which are fiber.

2. Oats

This breakfast staple has been promoted as a “heart-healthy” food due to its high soluble fiber and low saturated fat content, both of which have been shown to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol levels.
Besides keeping your ticker kicking, the magnesium found in oats helps to maintain nerve and muscle function and is involved in over 300 metabolic reactions in the body. One 1/2 cup of dry oats provides 27g of carbs.

3. Wild Rice

Going a little wild on your rice gives you an edge over the commonly hyped brown rice. Wild rice has the added bang for your calorie buck by providing 6g of protein and double the amount of fiber (3g) for 35 less calories than brown rice per 1 cup serving.

4. Banana

This finger-shaped fruit is widely recognized as a source of potassium. While this is true, bananas are also a source of vitamin C and support your immune system. They also contain prebiotics and help maintain healthy bacteria in your gut. Prebiotics help improve the absorption of other nutrients (i.e. calcium) for added bone health benefits.

5. Chickpeas

 

 

The legume that is used to make hummus is often forgotten as a quality source of carbohydrates. Chickpeas not only provide a generous 22g of carbs in one ½ cup, but also a whopping 6g of fiber and 7g of protein. Fiber helps to keep you feeling full, maintains steady blood sugar levels, and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Week 18: Day 3 - 2012

cardio:

• bike ride (@ 10:15am) = 3 miles
• karate (@ 7pm) = 1 hour

Last week when I was watching the weather forecast on tv, it said that it would be sunny this week. I think I'm glad that it's wrong because even though it's not winter anymore and I can't get SUPER cold temperatures until November or so, I prefer overcast/cloudy weather over sunny, semi warm mornings for my runs! I haven't checked the weather forecast for tomorrow, but I hope it will be overcast and slightly misty in the morning!

Week 18: Day 2 - 2012

cardio:

• hilly trail run (@ 6:30am) = 2.98 miles, time = 32:17, pace @ 10:50
• basketball (@ 6pm) = 2 to 3 hours

It was misty this morning when I started my run. At some point during my run, it stopped. I was too hot and sweaty to notice that it had stopped.

I'll be playing some basketball with some people this evening. I don't feel like updating this after playing, but I'm guessing that we'll be playing for two to three hours (with some breaks/rest). I heard that playing basketball is a good crosstraining/alternate exercise for long distance runners..so playing, I will do!