Compex on a Friday

Yesterday I woke up with so much pain. I have no idea why or how?!?! The alarm went off and it was time to get up @ 5am for bootcamp. I had pain from the top of my spine all the way down to my waist. But it wasn't the sore muscle pain, if i touched my back it was pain. All day yesterday I was hurting and at work didn't lean all the way back on my chair because of it. I got home and as Norris hugged me it hurt like a had a bruise going all the way down my back. So I said "ouchhhhhhh" he lifted up my shirt and noticed that at my waist was a big bruise and it was swollen. So....ice pack time! I didn't hit myself anywhere so I really had no idea where it came from.

Today I still got up and went to bootcamp, because of the pain, bruising, and swelling I'm limited to what I can do. So Keinan put the Compex on me to loosen up my back. He thinks the bruising might of been caused from my back being tight and running incline on the treadmill. Either way we don't know exactly what caused it I just need to make sure to take care of it and myself to prevent more injury.

Compex on my Back

I'm hoping to be back to normal by Monday. I'm on vacation and plan on going to a Yoga class tomorrow that is offered at the Resort we are staying at. I'll be going to my mom's next weekend and won't be able to do a running workout so I need to be ready for a full week of working out Monday (that is if I'm better)!

Wordless Wednesday-New Kicks

10-20-30

Saturday's running workout was a 10-20-30 on the treadmill. I got up got ready had 1 GU Energy Gel pack, took some GU Chomps (haven't had the chomps before), water, ipod and headed downstairs to the gym. I made sure to warm up and stretch before jumping on the treadmill. Don't want to make the same mistake as last time and think me running is the warm up and end up with knee and back pains.

10min (incline 10) it seemed like the longest 10 minutes of my life ever!!! I wont pretend like it was easy because it wasn't those 10 minutes killed me! I think my pace was 4.5 or 4.7 not sure, I was huffing and puffing (note to self: make sure to always have inhaler) I have asthma and I usually don't feel it much when I run flat but boy did this incline have me struggle.
20min (incline 5) dropping incline helped but i still felt out of breath I think my pace here was maybe 5 or 5.2 about 10 min into the 20 i had 2 of the Chomps and didn't feel it do much to me. But I wasn't feeling my legs being tired I mainly felt my chest being tired.
30min (incline 0) pop in 2 more Chomps ooooooooooooh yea! Now I'm running flat I feel the 2 Chomps from before kick in I'm feeling good I'm running at 6. My chest isn't hurting I'm not huffing or puffing! Now this is what I like here...running flat no incline although I much rather be running outside than on this treadmill. But I really am feeling my self and boost up the speed to 6.5 and there is 15 seconds left before I'm done and I'm trying to see the actual distance I accidentally hit STOP so I'm going to guess and say it was about 5.75 not so bad considering half of the time was at incline.

Snap kicks and a slow mile jog to cool down. The snap kicks didn't feel so good. I thought my legs were good until I got off the treadmill, then they kind of shook and the snap kicks...let's say I felt my legs were really going to "snap" The mile cool down I probably could of just power walked it the slow pace felt like I was walking.

My total workout was 1:27  with the warm up and cool down oh and can't forget the stretching before and after (a must). I wasn't as hungry as I was last week with my running workout outdoors, but I did feel as dehydrated. I did notice on the treadmill my feet slide to the front in my shoes so my toe hits the front of the shoe (again from previous posts I'm not wearing the right shoes) and I run much slower on the treadmill than I do outdoors. Or that's the way it feels. From the Energy Gel packs as of right now I think I like Cliff better over the GU but I'm going to try others and give them all a 2nd try before I decide on what I will have on the marathon.

GU Chomps and GU Energy Gel

To Do List:
Create Play List
Camel Pack (still not sure if i will use this on my marathon but I need to test it out)

A Day at Bootcamp

This is a video of what a day a bootcamp looks like! Everyday at bootcamp is different and a challenge, but i love it! Bootcamp is helping me train for the marathon and gives me the strength and stamina I need for my long runs and running workouts. I noticed that my stride is much better and recovery time from runs than it was before I started bootcamp and just did running on my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Motivation

Running Workout 2

On Friday I told Keinan I'm getting out and running this weekend. I was thinking he was going to say "good" but I got "you need to shock your body" I thought "shock my body in other words I'm gonna die" Shocking my body consisted of running 4 miles doing 50 jump squats, 50 pushups, 50 lunges x3 then do another 4 miles. Oh yeah I thought I'm gonna die, but I'm going to do die trying.

I prepared myself had some gel packs ready to go and got up at 5:45am and got out the door by 6:20 or so

Mile 1- 9:47 it was the beginning there was no sun out yet I was feeling good very good
Mile 2- 10:26 slowed down a bit but all and all I thought the pace was good maybe I could of gone faster but the thought of I still need to do that workout in between I might be beat by the time 4 miles get here
Mile 3- 10:27 pace is still good there's a few car's out not so many red light but all in all I'm feeling good
Mile 4- 10:33 I stopped at the 7 eleven since they had grass and I wasn't trying to do jump squats on the sidewalk. Oh god how am I going to do this?!? I'm not completely beat but the thought I hate lunges!!! Ugh 150 good God help me! Round 1 is completed not so bad I have some water and my 2nd pack of gel. Round 2 ok I feel my legs are burning at this point it feels like the lunges are my recovery. More people are out driving, I get crazy looks from everyone they are probably thinking (WTF is that girl doing if I did not have to be out right now I would be in bed) . Round 3 at about 15 jump squats I feel like my legs are gonna fall they are buuuuuurning OMG I just want to be over not because I'm tired but because I feel the burn. Ok done now on to the next....
Mile 5- 10:32 pace is good considering all that I just did after Mile 4 my legs feel tight but not so bad and then....I feel pain on my left knee
Mile 6- 10:59 my knee is hurting and I pray every light I hit is red so i can get to stop and stretch, with my pain I continue it's not like I can't walk but it is slowing me down
Mile 7- 10:34 I need to change the music I have the ipod set to shuffle but I keep getting R.Kelly I don't exactly want to listen to R.Kelly when all I can think of is getting to the finish. I need something more up beat so changed the ipod to another play list and it give me a good pace.All I keep thinking is what am I going to eat when I get home?!?!
Mile 8- 10:34 I just go hard I can't wait to get home stretch, ice, shower, and eat!

Map of Route with Time per Mile

All and all my average mile was 10:27 it took me just as long to do the whole run and workout as it did when I did just the run it self 1hr 36min. I got home had a  protein shake and iced right after my shower. My knee was in so much pain I iced probably 6 times that day and I could not believe how hungry I was. I ate all day...really all day! It was pretty healthy eating and drank water like there was no tomorrow. After dinner went to the jacuzzi got back and iced some more I woke up on Sunday and no more knee pain, but the quads sure did feel nice and tight!

The workout didn't kill me like I thought it would I was able to get it done I just feel I could of done better, maybe if I didn't have knee pain . I had so much energy all day though. that I could not believe I thought I would of been up on the couch all day, but  I was up running around cleaning, running errands I didn't want to just sit I had energy! Yessssssssssss I SURVIVED!

I'm ready for next wknd.....

To Do List:
Get new shoes
Get a camel pack
Create a running playlist

Running Workout 1

September 24th, 2011 was a gloomy morning so I decided it's really time to get the ball rolling I won't be able to do this with just bootcamp. Plus nothing like getting out and running like there isn't a care in the world. Oooooh and I was very excited to take my new ipod (got for my bday from my boyfriend) on the journey!

I decided to run outside since the weather wasn't too hot or too cold and was overcast at about 10am. I got a lot of red lights so it took me longer than I wanted then my right foot started hurting but I kept it moving. I didn't know exactly the distance I was running I just figured it would be more than the times I have ran outside and other than my foot hurting it wasn't so bad or I didn't think it was then.

Once I was done I checked the time and it took me 1hr and 32min to complete I went back in my car to track the distance it was 8miles. I was a little disappointed I feel I could of done better, but it wasn't so bad. But oh then...my legs were so sore!!! OMG the next day my whole body was sore I thought I recovered quick from the run but my body was hurting. Maybe it was my body being tired from all the social events that I had in the past since that meant my diet wasn't the best when I had a social event that was every weeknd so there was food and alcohol....

Oh and let's not forget the blisters I got! Lesson learned NIKE FREE's are NOT I repeat NOT long distance running shoes!!!

Why and How I started this Journey

I find running therapeutic and relaxing....I completed my first half marathon back in January of 2009 and the rush and satisfaction of completing something I trained hard for and set my  mind to was unbelievable. I thought maybe I can one day do a Marathon but the thought of wow can i really run for 26 miles?!?!

As 2010 ended I started thinking and reflecting on my life and the "I'm going to be 30 in 2011" I have my own bucket list and completing a full marathon at the age of 30 was at the top of the list along with getting back in shape and not looking 30!

In January I did a 5K leading a blind runner and that just inspired me more and gave me a new look and perspective of life....I thought to myself "wow here is a blind person knowing he will not see ever again happy and care free with a bucket list of his own" that was a turning point in my life as a more positive person and happy. He convinced me to do a Blind Mud Run (10K blind folded) for June 2011. I recruited a couple of people and we had a team!

Once I was committed I knew I could not back down and although I can run a good 9 miles out of shape I did not want to be out of shape for this. I started running on the weekends outside and a few days during the week when I wasn't stuck working late and what happened?? My knees started hurting so I was out for about a week. I decided to call on my good friend and personal trainer (he trained me previously) Keinan Briggs www.coachk.webs.com. I started doing workouts and I was good. He decided to start up a bootcamp in April and it began from there. He knows my ability, I had a Marathon in mind so he gave me the confidence in telling me it was possible and I was capable. He would help me get to crossing the Marathon off my bucket list. I do bootcamp M-F from 5:30am to 6:30am.

The rest if history and forward to NOW!
Marathon goal: Feb 5, 2012 Surf City


p.s. I should have started this blog back then.....