This arctic air that has been here for most of January is starting to make me feel like a real wimp!
I have not been on a run outside since I don't know when. I can't bring myself to do it! I don't want to do it! This arctic air is really messing with my running. I just need to
I headed to run club last night and with the temps in the low teens and the wind kicking..I didn't run. So as my friend put it I didn't go to run club, I went to club club.. yeah this weather is killing my training this winter. About twenty hard core runners bundled up with multiple layers and headed out for a run last night..I would say I was jealous..but they just looked cold both before and after the run. I just need some 30 degree days.
Today we got a surprise snow day from school. Such a surprise that I didn't have any yummy breakfast treats for this morning. I normally like to make something to celebrate the snow day. I ended up making a egg and cheese bagel. Something I would not make during a school day because I don't have the time. It was fine, not as good as my strawberry pancakes from last week. If I would have guessed a snow day I would have picked something yummy up from the store. I am guessing there was some icy spots on the roads this morning because really we only got maybe an inch of snow. I'll take it though. I love a surprise day off of work! I will have to head to the gym this afternoon and force myself to run on the treadmill. Either that or I will turn into Jabba the Hut.
And really nobody wants to hang out with Jabba!
What is the temperature that you take your runs indoors?
I headed to the gym hoping to run 8 miles on the treadmill. Yeah that didn't happen. I headed to the gym with ever intention of slogging away on the boring treadmill. There is just something about treadmills that I just can't stand. Oh how I wish the temps were not super cold and there was not ice outside.
I think I need some entertaining when I use the treadmill. Maybe a magician or something to distract me!
Or if this guy was beside me I bet I could go farther on the mill. I would spend most of my time wondering what in the world he was doing and not counting down the miles and minutes on the dreadmill.
I did about 40 minutes and then headed to the bike. My friend Stephanie recommended running a few miles and then doing something else and then hopping back on the mill and keep that up until I get my miles in. I am going to try that tomorrow. The only problem I could see is that when I get off the treadmill the last piece of equipment that I want to go back to is the treadmill. I will try this tomorrow at the gym.
On a good note I am down 4 lbs this month! That is a good thing. Hard to believe that I have lost anything this week with the laziness of all of the snow days. I guess that means I didn't eat like crazy. :)
So my race calendar is really open right now. Last year at this time I was pretty full. I have been looking and can't find anything that either strikes my fancy, is local, or a place where I would like to pay to run. I have my usual on the list.
February
Love the Run Your With - my birthday 5K
March
Running the half marathon. Its local so I can't pass it up.
April
No Cherry Blossom! Yep I have not signed up for it. Good Bye my least favorite race in DC.
May
Heading to the Burgh for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. Very Excited for this race!
Marine Corps Historic Half - Hospital Hill may try to kill me again, but it is so close to my house that I have to make this a yearly run.
That takes me to June and summer running. I haven't looked at the fall yet. There are some local races that I just like to run. I'm sure that I will also throw in some 5Ks and other random races here and there. Is it bad that I just feel like I should have some more races on my calendar??
I have been off from work all week long. There is just something about a snow day that I just love. I love the fact that it is a gift of a day and I often use them as my lazy days. Well so far I have had three lazy days in a row. I have had lots of time to clean and bake..but did I do that..some but not much. I did make no school strawberry pancakes
I used most of my snow days to read. I have read a book a day. Ah it has been great. I started with some free book from Amazon. They really sucker you in with the free book and of course it was the first of a series so I had to read the other three books in the series too. And of course those books were not free. :) I also guess that works out to more than a book a day. Ah my days ran together so much that I can't keep track of how many books I have read #firstworldproblem
We got a few inches of snow and under the snow was ice. So today was the first day that I have actually left my house. I am such a home body during snow days. Nothing beats a book, a blanket and some mindless TV during snow days. I did get out on Tuesday morning before the snow started to fall to get a workout in at the gym. I used Wednesday as my day off since there was ice everywhere. And I think today I will be able to head to the gym. The only problem I had at the gym on Tuesday was that I was not the only person that had the idea to head to the gym before the snow. I ended heading over to the elliptical since all of the treadmills were taken and then finish my workout on the bike. I am hoping that today everyone went early to the gym and I don't have to fight anyone for a machine. :)
So yesterday Megan and I decided to head up to the National Zoo to check out the new baby panda, Bao Bao. She just started to show off to the public on Saturday. Really she does not have to do much to show off because she is just so darn cute! We headed up early since they opened Bao Boa's enclosure early this weekend and we were hoping of getting there by 8:30. We didn't want to go and end up not seeing her because she was sleeping! That would just be the worst thing ever!
We headed towards her enclosure since most of the zoo's animals were not out in their yards yet and all of the houses at the zoo didn't open until 10. There really wasn't much of a wait..maybe 30 minutes. They were letting groups of 30 people in to see Bao Bao and her momma for a bit. Once we got in to see Bao Bao we were very disappointed. She was just finishing up feeding from her mom and of course that means nap time. Turns out pandas are not much different than we are. When we went to see her, momma was covering up Bao Bao so we really couldn't see much. So sad. The nice thing was the zoo people let us in there for quite some time hoping that Bao Bao would move around. I don't think they were as concerned about the length of time we were in the panda house since the lines were not yet crazy.
I wish she was moving around this much..but I guess when it is naptime and you are a baby, it is naptime.
We headed out of the panda house and just walked around the zoo. We visited the gift shop to find some panda stuff to buy later in the day. We then decided that we should head back and see if Bao Bao is awake yet. We kept checking the panda cam to see what she was doing. She looked to be moving some so we figured by the time we stood in line again we might be able to see her. After over an hour wait we were able to see her. She was just so darn cute!
Afterwards since it was near lunchtime we headed down the street to a very yummy pizza place. Really who wants to eat zoo food when you could enjoy a yummy pressed sandwich made with homemade bread and a salad? My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was so good.
After lunch we headed back to the zoo. I had hoped to see the new tiger cubs. They were about as cute as the baby panda. When we walked into the zoo the line for Bao Bao was outside of the panda area and the zoo person said that it was at least a 2 hour wait. I would guess closer to 3 hours. Wow! Glad we went earlier in the day. I don't know if I would have waited in that crazy line.
Unfortunately the tiger cubs were not out when we headed over to the Big Cat area. Boo. I really wanted to see the cubs.
We did get to see some other animals while visiting the zoo. It was not all panda and tiger cubs.
The Gorillas were not amused with us.
The cheetah wanted some cheetah friends to play with.
The Red Panda, I think, felt a little short changed with all of the panda craze. Really he is just as cute as the giant pandas!
It was a great day at the zoo. We walked for miles so when I came home, no running or working out for me. My legs were done! All of that walking and standing in line, I was done. It was a great day at the zoo!
I didn't run my 7 miles today. I would like to run them outside and not on the treadmill so I am going to head outside tomorrow. It is supposed to be in the 50's so that sounds much better than running in 30 degrees today. I did make it to the gym. Instead of running I worked out on the elliptical. So I am proud of that one. Now if only that stupid number on the scale will start going down I will be really happy.
I made some yummy beef soup tonight. So yummy I had two bowls. Yeah not sure if that helps the good old scale go down. But on a good note I had a salad for lunch. I would show you a picture of the goodness but I was enjoying it so much I couldn't stop and take a picture. Beef broth with onion, celery, a bit of tomato and beef pieces along with some egg noodles. Reminds me my mom. I usually request this soup when I go home to visit. I have just recently started to make it myself. It is really not hard at all. And so nice to have a bit of home once in awhile. Funny how some foods can just take you back to a specific place and person.
It looked sort of like this only no carrots and more beefy..less chickeny.
I finally wrote my half marathon training schedule down on the calendar..it looks like I am behind by a few weeks...guess I should have wrote it down sooner. This week my long run should be 7 miles. Sure..no problem! I had issues with three miles yesterday. So 7 miles should be super easy! lol
I have not really ran regularly since Marine Corps Full. Note to self: it is not smart to take so much time off from running. I am hoping that my muscles and lungs remember what it is like to run again. I ran for the last three days. Sunday I took my running shoes outside. It was a beautiful day for running in the hood. I was able to run in capris and a short sleeved shirt. Considering last week I was shivering under a blanket with below 0 temps. Today it was in the 50's. How could I not run in the 50's in January?? I was running and breathing heavy. Yeah definitely have to work on my lungs. Hopefully when I get home it will not yet be dark and I can run a few laps around the block. I love that we are gaining daylight everyday. I do not do well with the early darkness.
Well I still have not gotten back into the swing of things since my two months off. I don't think the cold from last week helped either. Really who wants to leave the house to go to the gym when it is freezing outside. It was much too comfy on the couch under covers when the temps were below 0. I did do a lot of walking during my time off from running and the gym, so I'm not feeling totally lazy...just sort of lazy.
I finally made it to the gym yesterday. I figured if I went in the afternoon I wouldn't have to wait for machines. I know I should be happy that people are all excited about going to the gym and getting fit..but I hate the fact that I can't find a parking spot or a machine. And I know I need to wait for 8 at night and I should be fine, but by that time I am all comfy at home. So yesterday I headed over in the afternoon. I figured everyone pretty much went to the gym first thing in the morning. Turns out that the afternoon is the perfect time to visit the gym during New Years Resolution January! Now if only I could take off of work during this month so I could go to the gym..but that is not looking promising. I ran some and biked some. So all in all I was happy with my gym time. I think I will head back there this afternoon.
I am supposed to be in training mode for my March half marathon. I have yet to actually put up my running schedule on the calendar. Maybe that will be today's goal. You have to dream big people! Since it has not been on my calendar I have sort of ignored the fact that I need to be in running mode. It is so easy to ignore training when you do not see it everyday when you make your morning breakfast. Well I am off to finish some cleaning and then head to the dreaded gym :) Temps might be great for running the neighborhood today so that could be on the calendar too.
