MDC Running Club-WK of March 15th

[MamaSoleil]

Welcome!!!!

I had a thread called beginner runner, and it turned into a daily sharing of our training for running, and weekly stats on our overall excercise for the week.
We've decided to make a club of it, and will be doing weekly threads.

I personally am training for my first 5k race at the end of May, then am aiming to do a 10k in August.

Last week, I was at week 3 on the run/walk program, though I should've been on wk 4!!!
This week, I will do 5 runs, on wk4, run for 7 mins/walk for1, three times.
I will also do a total of 300 situps, and 100 pushups(not my forte).

So get moving, and tell us about it!!!!!

(BTW, I will be out of town until Friday, and unable to post, however, the others will continue on....*I hope* )

Mamasoleil/samson

[Geofizz]

Yeah! Thanks for starting this up, mamasoleil!

I'm training for a 10k race on June 6.

In case others aren't following the Beginning Runner thread, some of us are doing the running program listed here:
http://www.sanbernardinopacers.com/b...g%20runner.htm

I'm half-way through week 5.

My weekly goals are:

360 minutes of any aerobic excersize
350 situps
150 pushups (I do "girl" pushups).

For those who don't know me, the 360 minutes isn't all that huge a target because I count my commute to work ~2.5 hours/week on a bike. My week starts on Sundays, so I will report my weekly totals then.

I plan to go out when I get home tonight. Yipee!

[schatz]

member number three checking in...

ditto on the thanks to mamasoleil for starting the club thread (I like the name too)

I'm scrambling to get ready for a 5-mile race on April 24 and hope to continue my training for a 10-miler at the end of July (unless I get before then and feel like crap which is what happened with dd). My longest run to date has been about 2.5 miles but my big struggle right now is number of runs per week. I've run this April race before so I know I can do it - I just wish mother nature would help out in the weather department (although mamasoleil has me beat there -- glad we didn't get the snow last night like you did -- where in N. Ontario are you, ms?).

I ran 2.4 miles on Sunday. Hoping to go Tuesday or Wed am before work.

Where's the smiley wearing the jogging shoes?

edited for grammar

[MamaSoleil]

where in N. Ontario are you, ms?).

I'm in North Bay. About 3.5 hrs north of Toronto!!!

[lilyka]

Well, I am not runnin gyet, as I am waiting for funding for decent shoes and a sturdy bra (any recommendations on either of those is welcome - has anyone tried Pearl Izumi shoes? We carry thier biking line and get a huge discount but I have never heard anything about thier running line)

Anyhoo, right now I am walking and such and just getting my body ready to stat the above posted beginner program (thanks a ton for posting that by the way, I had no idea where to start).

I don't have any plans for doing any runs or anything (I am not a group person) but I want to be able to run at a good pace for 30 minutes by the time I am 30 (october).

So anyway thats what I am doing. I wanted to post on this thread so I wouldn't forget about it.

good luck everyone

[MamaSoleil]

Welcome Lylika!!!!

I am also approaching my 30th bday, (in a year), and am starting a new leaf in my life. Or rather, returning to my old athletic ways. I sadly, will not be having any more kids, so I'm working on getting to my prekids state.
This running program, really does work!!!
Looking forward to getting fit with you!!!!

[Geofizz]

Welcome Lylika! I was hoping you'd join us after I read your "year of lylika" post. Awsome attitude, by the way!

Running 30 minues by October is totally doable! (You're a month older than me, by the way ). Good shoes are key. I wouldn't worry so much about the brand as the fit. The fit is really important. For me, the fit in the heel is the most important. I will actually spend 20 minutes in a pair of shoes jogging and walking around a store before I buy them. Sometime I drive store employees batty.

Anyways, how long can you walk now? If you're up to 30 minutes or so, you might try jogging for 60 seconds to see how it feels.

I went out yesterday again. 3 days in a row! I'm a bit of a robot when I run, I guess, because I was within 20 feet of where I was on Sunday at the end of each time interval.

No jogging today as we're supposed to get 3" of snow today.

[schatz]

morning ladies!

Welcome to lilyka! I'm an old hag compared to you kids! Just turning 30 - hah! I hit the big 35 this January and suddenly felt old -- 40 is only 5 years away! aack! And I want to have two more kids -- double aack!

lilyka - 30 minutes of running by October is very, very doable and a great goal to have. I'm not really a group person and my aim is certainly not to place well in any races but I find that if I have a race out in front of me, then I am more consistent with my running. So who knows - maybe you'll get the itch after you're up to 30 minutes. The race I'm entering in April will have at least 10,000 participants -- a bit overwhelming but also energizing. I always start in the back which gives me a great view of the crowd as we run down a slight hill about 3 blocks into the race.

Anyhoo, went running this morning so I am proud. Didn't plan on making myself look fancy for work today (aka ponytail day) so I could have slept an extra half hour but I hauled the hinder out of bed and did my 2.4 mi route. yay me!

Ditto on the good shoes comments. Watch for shoes that might be too narrow in the toes -- I've had very sore toes before. I didn't even know that Pearl Izumi made running shoes but I have a pair of their mittens and I love love love them (for skiing and ice sailing).

Happy Tuesday!

[tofumama]

I just about jumped out of my seat when I saw this, YAY!!!
I 'used' to be a competitive runner, (track, cc, running team) in HS and College through my twenties, then I got burnt out. Then a car accident. Then another. So after years of PT, I am SIKED to be running at all! I did 'jog' part way through both pg. Now I am trying to work up to 4-5m. by summer (we are ttc#3 so that could change things!) I do 2.5-3 miles now, just about every day, plus some other strengthening exercises.
BTW, good shoe stores will let you run in your shoes a couple times, and still return them if you don't like them. I personally like Adidas, or New Balance. Run on, Mamas!

[schatz]

tofumama! Glad to see our little *club* growing.

[lilyka]

I can walk for hours. Up unitll a coupl eof years ago my dh, my 2 dd and I (along with my daycare kids) all lived in an a 400sq ft house and so as soon as dh would come home I would flee and walk and walk and walk. I have tried running at times but nursing bras just don't offer the support one needs for such tasks (at least not for a d cup :LOL) Believe it or not that has actually played into my descision to run. Ava has weaned down to about twice a day and I now have the amazing shrinking boobs. Its awasome. I may well be on my way to a C cup. I don't know why people pay to have them enlarged. It is terrible annoying. Anyway, Ava was our last child so they aren't going to re-increasing and I don't have to worry about pregnancy interupting my good intentions. I truely am entering a new era in my life. It is exciting.

Anyway, I should have run track in school. there were a couple of events I was very good at and the PE teacher (also the track coach) invited me to be on the team but I really couldn't stand her and resented being told i had to run (and I lived in TX so track usually started after the temps reahed 90+ degrees - no thank you) So we will see how thia goes. it would appear I am both stubburn and a fair weather runner. I have a gym membership all year (60 of which is crappy weather) I will have somewhere to run.

DH is taking the kids today. I will go to the guym I htink.

[Geofizz]

Welcome tofumama!

I "ran" track my freshman year in high school but didn't continue after that because I hated the coach and I HATE running bleachers. In college I had a huge crush on a guy who wanted to go running every night and we worked up to running for 55 minutes straight. I fell in love with running, but decided the guy wasn't for me. I prefer volleyball or soccer, but we're finding that team sports without a babysitter is really hard.

I've been having a good time so far this winter after I discovered that I make more progress running fewer, longer chuncks as advised in the program already quoted. Last year I was trying to go for an hour, and I never really improved much beyond 4 minutes jogging + 1 minute walking X 8 sets. (32 minutes of jogging) I'm already back to that point -- I ran 32 minutes in 4 sets of 8 minutes -- and I feel as though I can easily improve beyond that in no time.

Lilyka --
"I don't know why people pay to have them enlarged." Oh, my, you have me laughing!

Have you tried two bras? A regular bra and then a sports bra over that? I know people who have had good luck with that. Personally, I need a variable-cup sports bra, since I vary by about 2 sizes according to when DD has last nursed. Going right after I get home has been working well, though. I sit down, nurse, (shrink 2 sizes) get dressed and go.

I totally understand the problem, though it sounds like I'm a bit smaller. The worst was playing volleyball last summer. In the end, I decided I had to play setter or nothing. The setter jumps the least...

[dfoy]

I'm joining you ladies as the oldest member of your group - I'm 44.

I have been running off and on for years. When my parents both died of cancer when I was 28, I vowed to resume my healthy habits as a teenager (I was a dancer, practiced yoga, ran track & cross country, played soccer, biked everywhere).

Since that time, I have run more than not. Prior to dd, I ran 6 days a weeek, 3 -10 miles per day depending on the day. I've done lots of 5K and 10ks and love doing the races. Now that I'm "older" I sometimes actually have a chance to win my age division in the smaller races which is kinda fun!

Presently, I've gotten out of my running routine for 2 reasons - my 2 1/2 year old refuses to ride in the jogging stroller anymore. She wants to "run" so finding the time to run without her has been difficult. Also, I've had knee pain in the middle of my knee. Bought new shoes and it helped. And now that my dh is finished with his MBA, he will be around more in the evenings to watch after dd while I run.

Each time I stop running for whatever reason (last time it was my pregnancy) and then get back into it, I go through a training program like you linked to above. It works very well. I don't spend an entire week on each level, though. I think since I've run most of my life, it takes me less time to move through the training levels.

As for shoes, I have a wide foot with a very high arch and I love Saucony running shoes. I've worn them for years. My current pair are these and I will get another pair just like them:

http://www.roadrunnersports.com/cgi-...ekgcgecfeedg.0

I go to a local running store to purchase them but I have ordered from here before when they were unavailable at my local store. If you don't have a local running store, this is a good place to look.

As for the running bras, since I don't like to spend lots of $ on running clothes (I spend enough on the shoes!), I buy the bra tops that come almost to the waist that you can wear alone when the weather is warm & with layers when it is cold. I'm not into bearing my midruff - stretch marks and all - while running so I like to keep it covered but also keep cool. Brand wise, I like the Adidas or Nike ones.

I hope to go for a run as soon as dh gets home this evening!
Good luck everyone!

[schatz]

me too, me too! (that is nursing adversly affected my running) When dd was less than six months old, I tried running but it was only comfortable if I had just nursed her and trying to time everything got to be too much of a pain. Dd is now over a year and nursing less so I have "shrunk" too (I think I'm a D instead of DD but not my usual C - haven't actually measured though).

I got my running bra at Kohl's and I think it might be a Champion - it came sized like a bra (eg 36D) rather than S,M,L. It has underwires on the outside which seem to help. But, I really want to order a bra from Title IX Sports -- they're pricey but they look awesome.

I was encouraged to join track too! My older brother was a runner and the girls coach was my sixth grade teacher so he assumed that I would/should be a runner too. At the time I HATED running - I was a dancer instead and my instructor didn't want us getting big thighs. But, then I took an aerobics class in college (for credit no less) where you had to run for 15 minutes at the beginning of the term and 15 minutes at the end to measure our cardio improvement. I suddenly thought "hey, I can run". Now I like running because to me I get the most bang for my buck (big work out, short amount of time). I wish I had time to take a ballet class again but I don't like having scheduled things in the evening.

But I do enjoy running

cross post -- dfoy!

[Shantimama]

I am not back to running yet but you guys have me excited! I had my wisdom teeth removed almost 2 weeks ago (it was very, very bad) and I am not yet recovered enough to run but I did start walking again yesterday. I walked 2km yesterday and 3 today. It feels great! Once the swelling has gone and my mouth isn't so tender I will try running again. The only good thing in this has been losing a lot of weight since I take so long to eat anything - I still can't chew a thing . I am hoping that I will get used to the smaller portion sizes and not go back to feeling so hungry all of the time. My jeans slid on today for the first time in years! I hope that with spring coming this is the beginning of something really good for me.

lilyka, have you tried going to a specialty bra shop? That's what I had to do to find a sports bra that fit properly. I was an F cup when I was nursing and am now down to a D/DD. I have noticed that my bra is a little looser since my surgery and maybe that will continue. My youngest weaned in December and I think I am finally beginning to shrink. How I envy women who can buy a bra off the shelf!

[schatz]

Hi Shantimama! Glad to see you back. Sorry about your wisdom teeth. A friend of mine had trouble like you with hers but I didn't seem to even though two of mine were impacted -- odd : But, good to hear you're beginning to feel better.

[maddysmommy]

Hi Everyone!
Can I join too??? I'm doing a nine week 5K program (couch to 5K at coolrunning.com) I'm going to finish week3 tomorrow am (snow willing.) I've been working on this on and off since last September but I've never gotten past week4. It's a serious challenge for me to be consistent working out - my 2.5 yo dd is not happy in most of the gym daycares so I have to really plan ahead with my traveling husband to make sure that I'm getting my workouts in. How does everyone else make their exercise a priority??? I need serious motivation... Cheers,

Leah

[joyfulheart]

Ooohhh...what an inspiration, can I play?

I've been a runner for - umm - 15 years now. Yikes! It's been such an important part of my life for so long. It's my St. John's Wort/Prozac!

I ran 6 miles regulary every other day until I got preggie with ds #1 seven years ago.

Now, I run about 3-4 miles.

I am currently training for a relay race this Memorial Day -- 8 miles.

After my relay race, I'd like to try the Danskin Triathlon, but I stink at swimming.

Thanks for sharing your stories!

[schatz]

maddysmommy and joyfulheart!

How does everyone else make their exercise a priority??? I need serious motivation...

well, pre-dd that was easy. But, up until recently, I didn't make exercise a priority. Bfing had melted away the pregnancy pounds so I didn't have weight issues and I really found running to be uncomfortable with nursing (until just recently). But, I've been feeling flabby, the weight is creeping back now that dd doesn't nurse as much, and a spring race that I always run with a good friend is coming up -- so I'm pounding the pavement again and it feels great.

I found it difficult to stay motivated in winter even when I didn't have a baby. The weather is just such a pain (I hate running on snowy, icy, slushy pavement). But, if the weather is cooperating, then I use things like an upcoming fun run, this new board, mini goals that I set to keep my enthusiasm up. As for fitting it into my week, that's tricky sometimes. I actually find that it's easier right now to get up and run before work (or before dh and dd get up on weekends). I'm energized for the day. If I wait until later in the day, then the time gets away from me and it's too easy to skip a run. But there are times when I run in the later morning or afternoon on my days off and I'll take dd in the jogger. Luckily she likes it. I don't belong to a gym so I have no daycare options there - I either take dd with me or have dh watch her.

No run for me today -- snow last night.

[daylily]

Can I join? I've been running since college when I did crew and a daily run was required for our training.

So I currently run about 18 miles a week, spread out over 6 days. I'd like to gradually increase to running 4 miles a day or 24 miles a week. Boy am I glad that winter's nearly over! I'm usually running by 6:15am and I was soooo tired of running in the dark and having to worry about slipping on ice.

Right now I'm plagued with minor injuries. I think it's time for new shoes--I have Nikes right now that I got at a "buy one pair, get the second pair half price" sale, and I think they're the cause of my problems which are mainly with my right foot. My big toe has been hurting on and off for months and now the heel in the same foot hurts as well--I'm not sure if I've bruised something or if I have a tiny stress fracture. It doesn't hurt so much that I can't run.

Dfoy, I have wide feet with a high arch as well, and I've always had good luck with Sauconys. Time to ditch the Nikes, I guess.