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Healthy Living

Running Toward Health: Week Two

by Megan on September 19, 2010

After my run on Saturday, I was ready to run on Sunday. I was busy all morning, so I went for a late evening run. I made sure to stretch my legs, and I ended up doing okay. I ran 1.15 miles at a 10:48/mile pace.  My pace was better than Saturday’s run, but my distance was lower. I was really having a hard time breathing, and though my legs could handle a longer run, my lungs couldn’t. (I was never an athletic child, so I never learned the proper techniques of breathing while running. I’m still trying to teach myself.) After going home, my shins started hurting a bit, so I iced them to lower the possibility of shin splints (something I’m terrified of).

I decided to take Monday off from running. Mentally, I wanted to run, but I knew I needed to give my body a break. Instead, I read up on proper breathing while running.

Tuesday, I couldn’t wait to run. I was antsy all day, and I still wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run because I had a lot of homework to start on. I ended up making some time, though, because I really wanted to get a run in for the day. I started out by practicing some of the breathing techniques I had read about, and it really worked! I ran much farther than I had (without stopping to walk), and my pace was much better. At the park I run at, though, I ran into a couple of people smoking next to the track after about five minutes of running (without walking!), so it sort of threw my breathing off, and I was soon feeling pretty crappy. After that, I alternated between running & walking, but I was really bummed every time I ran by them. I ended up running 1.21 miles at a 9:58/mile pace (my best pace yet!), and I truly think the proper breathing is what helped me pace myself.

Wednesday was my first run with my Nike Frees, and it wasn’t a GREAT run, but my shoes felt great. It was hot, and it made me cranky, but I ended up running 1 mile at a 10:26/mile pace.

I took Thursday off. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t fit running into my schedule. I had a lot of studying to do for school. Friday, I had a test to take, and I made a trip to Chattanooga to run a few errands. I bought a new pair of Nike Dri-fit capris as well as a tank and t-shirt. That afternoon, I was able to fit a run into my schedule. It was a rough run, though. I started off well, but I wasn’t feeling great by the end. I think I pushed myself too hard, too quickly, and I ended up hurting my hip in the process. I ran 1.21 miles at a 9:45/mile pace. It was also extremely hot, so I’ve decided to either run in the evening (on work days) or in the morning (on weekends) until the weather cools down during the day. I really need to slow down my pace a tiny bit so that I don’t get overwhelmed so quickly.

So far, I’m still enjoying my runs. I have realized that it’s very easy to become overwhelmed during a run, and once that happens, everything goes downhill from there. Even during bad runs, I’m trying to maintain a positive attitude so that I can push through.

How do you push through a bad run?

P.S. As you know, I’m planning on running a Free to Breathe 5k on October 16th. If you have spare change, please donate to help me reach my goal of $300. The money will go toward raising awareness for lung cancer.

{ 9 comments }

Running Toward Health: Week One

by Megan on September 11, 2010

Remember when I said I wanted to run a 5k on October 16th? Well, I’ve ran three times since I posted that.

The first day was Wednesday, and I ran/walked a total of .87 miles with about a 10:00/mile pace. I probably did an equal amount of walking and running that day, but I felt amazing. The next day, though, my run was a little bit harder. I ended up running .84 miles with a pace of 11:06/mile pace. I slowed down some, and my legs were in pain. I was hoping to run for at least ten minutes, but I couldn’t even finish that. I think a lot of it had to do with not eating well on Thursday.

I ended up taking Friday off because my legs were REALLY hurting, and I didn’t want to do anything that would cause an injury. Instead, I did a quick 10-minute stretch, and then went shopping for new running shoes. I’ve had New Balance 790s (which are actually a trail-running shoe, if I’m not mistaken) for YEARS, and I wear them even when I’m not running, so I figured it was time for something just for running purposes. After trying on shoes (Asics, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, etc…) for quite some time, I decided on Nike Frees. I had to order my size, so it’ll be a few days before I get them, and I can’t wait!

Since I took yesterday off from running, I decided to run today. When I woke up, it was pouring, so I waited that out and went for a quick 15-minute run before the rain returned. I ended up running/walking 1.33 miles at a 11:50/mile pace. Though my pace slowed down a bit, I felt like today’s run was much better than Thursday’s. My legs felt better, and I slowed down and balanced out my running & walking a bit more. I intended to do a 10-minute run, but I felt well enough after the ten minutes to walk/run for another five, even though the sun was glaring at me and the temperature was above 90-degrees Farenheit.

I’m still trying to figure a few things out (my breathing, what to eat, what stretches work best for me before and after my runs), but I’m feeling good about it. I’m really trying to listen to my body when deciding when I should run and how much. I don’t want to overdo it, and I definitely don’t want to injure myself.

You know what excites me the most about this? The fact that I’m actually looking forward to my next run (it’s really kind of addicting) and that Husband is extremely proud of me.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! If you have any advice for me, I’ll gladly take it.

{ 6 comments }

Running Toward Health

by Megan on September 7, 2010

I often write about my late grandparents because they were and will always be a source of my inspiration. They both taught me a lot, even when they didn’t know they were teaching me anything. Granny died from lung cancer (from smoking most of her life), and Pawpaw died from congestive heart failure (from not being as healthy as he should + high blood pressure, I’m sure). Both of my grandparents had high blood pressure, as does my dad (though he takes medication to control it). I believe, if I continue living the lazy lifestyle I live, I will have high blood pressure as well.

I don’t want that.

Right now, I’m at a very healthy weight, but I can see that it will rise as my metabolism slows down and as I age. That is, if I don’t do something about it now. I’ve had several family members pass away due to lung cancer, and while I know there are some cancers that cannot be prevented, I believe lung cancer CAN be prevented. I’ve never smoked a day in my life (nor do I plan to–that’s one of the many things my granny taught me), and I know I can prevent heart failure, too.

That’s why I’m thinking about running a 5k in honor of my Granny. A 5k that will take place on October 16th (less than SIX WEEKS away). A 5k called “Free to Breathe.” Here’s the problem: I don’t run. I haven’t ran in years. Is there a way I can do this? Can I train for this 5k in less than six weeks? (I’ve looked at the C25K program, and I saw that it’s a 9-week program.) I know that I can walk the 5k as well, if I just can’t run the three miles, but I really want to run it.

Any suggestions for training? Whether it’s a training program or running gear, I’m open for any suggestions at this point. What should I do so that I can run this 5k on October 16th?

{ 12 comments }

Four Simple Goals

by Megan on August 27, 2010

[via]

I’ve been seeing “4 simple goals” posts around the blogging community lately, and I love writing down my goals, so I thought I’d join in. The point of these simple goals is not to focus on the end result but to focus on the journey that gets you there. So, this fall, I’m going to focus on these four goals.

1. Plan dates with Husband that we can BOTH enjoy. I often plan things that I know he’ll be okay with but not necessarily like (going to the movies, walking around in a city). For the rest of the year, I want to plan dates that we’ll both be excited about: hiking trips with picnics, riding our bikes to the creek, camping adventures on the weekend, board games & movie nights at home, making s’mores over a fire in our backyard. My husband LOVES these things, and I really want to take these next few months to appreciate him and show my love for this amazing man that I’ll be spending the rest of my life with.

2. Find a healthy routine for my lifestyle. I go through phases of eating healthy, but I really want to make it a main priority in my life. I want to know and understand what is going into my body. Though I know I’ll splurge occasionally on cupcakes and cookies (because I love to bake!), I want to make a point to bring healthier foods for lunch at work and cook dinners with healthier aspects. I also want to take some time to tone up and get into shape. I’ve been very lazy lately, and I want to start running and biking this fall to lower the risk of high blood pressure and an unhealthy weight later in life.

3. Work less, live more. I’ve written about my thoughts toward working less and putting my focus on my marriage and school, but I haven’t taken any action yet. For the rest of the year, I’m going to start making final decisions on what the next plan of action will be, and then I’m going to actually do it.

4. Find a clear separation between my offline life and my online life. I need balance. I need to step away from the computer/cell phone/television/ipod and really focus on myself within. I need to spend more time outdoors and more time doing nothing and loving it. Life is always go-go-go, but I’d really like it to have a few pauses in there when I just step away and enjoy sitting in the grass while the wind blows.

If you had to choose four goals (focusing on the journey) for the rest of the year, what would they be?

{ 4 comments }

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