I just felt like wanting more

Today's workout was made in episodes. Instead of leaving home at around 6.45 with N I stayed until 7:25 because she didn't come and M was about to arrive at 7.30. I didn't have a real plan to do today. I thought of training only with M in order to do a longer run tomorrow. With M "covered" 3.5 miles. Running and walking. When we end made some stretching and watched the day was gorgeous,
windy, blue sky, fresh, lovely, believe me. We started talking and to continue with the chat invited her for breakfast. It happens from time to time, we are friends now.
I had what I usually eat for breakfast; 1 egg + 3 egg whites with fresh tomato sauce and a slice of bread, a glass of pineapple juice and coffee with a small pan cake.
Not conservative at all but this is the best I can make having breakfast in a hotel everyday in the buffet! The truth it was harder before not to eat other things they offer and that look great. Now I am stronger...
After that we took a brief walk, -about 10 minutes as we were finding out about an new Internet service available at the hotel (which could in the future solve my connection problems) and went to the parking lot and said goodbye.
While walking to my car I watched again the lovely morning. It was already around 10 but the sun wasn't that hot in fact the wind was fresh. I just felt like running again. The rest of course could wait. I just went and how nice it was! I had no water with me and had to stop to drink 2 times but continue until ended with 4.5 miles for a total of 8. Started thinking of going for 1 loop around the hotel (2 miles) but after drinking water felt like going for half of that again. Drank again but felt fine and went for 1 more. It is great to feel again the happiness of running. Stopping helped of course a lot but there was no one around who care in fact. Garmin had a day off as it ran out of energy but I didn't precisely missed it.
This second chance to run I was in a high. And it came to my mind that the only ones that could understand this moments is you my team from the blogsphere and knew I had to share this feeling.
It was surprising that I could run immediately after eating that amount of food, the first 3 miles it was fine ended with some discomfort but nothing that bad.
One thing different I had this morning was a dosis of ginseng that definitely was what made the trick. In fact after this that I call successful morning I am thinking about green tee. I used to have some before starting my workouts and gave me lots of energy. I will stick to that again.

Tanita loves me :D

Thursday went to Punta Cana for a bike ride. The area is a new neighborhood that is being built. There are open roads and there is no transit. It was nice to be able to develop the fastest speeds I've tried. 12m/h not continuous, but I could reach it as said by Garmin. In the hotel the traffic doesn't let you speed up. Still this high speed is relative. I don't know what is high speed for a bike ride. By the way the other day I was thinking while riding 10m/h that a marathoner that ends in 2.15 develops this kind of speed that I reach when riding! They are super humans!!! It is then a nice place to run or bike ride.

This morning my WO was 2miles+strenght training+2 miles.
I will continue training on the treadmill to end recovering my energy. I want to save energy and take care. I haven't mention but now the left foot is giving me some trouble spur related. I was warned about that. Seems like people with spurs develop them in both feet. Still as I stated before, spurs don't stop me.

Now to Tanita. The new scale arrived. I don't know how accurate it is but is should be close to what it states. I waited two hours after exercises and eating: 25% fat !!!
I like it measures the hydration percentage also. I will check it to see if drinking regularly elevates my % Now I'm in a medium point.
It has a mode for metabolic age. It said that mine is 25 and I'm 35. I don't know if it is true but it sounds great!
Luis was some angry. Funny. He is 39 and his MA was 50.
I also weighted some of my friends and even M who is 30 had a MA of 40.
Seems like I'm the only one that Tanita loves.

A real runner partner

On Tuesday I was supposed to met 2 moms from school to go for a bike ride. Instead of waiting for them 30 minutes I thought of going for a short run as I was in Punta Cana, the place where the school is. A beautifil green safe area that has a "trial" on the side of the road. I've run there once only as it is some far to get there early with my girls, but from this run I will have to go there more often, seriously.
It was a great run, a shame I forgot to my Garmin, I love the maps. Warmed up for 5 minutes and I was already able to run which doesn't happen lately. Immediately felt happy with a steady pace on this soft surface. I had my phone with me, there I checked the time and when I had run 20 minutes I went back. About five minutes later I met with L who was running, -she was in the group when I was with the kickboxing thing- I was so happy to see her that I turned back and continued with her. We started chatting and after about 10 minutes I started feeling the effort of running and chatting. But it was ok. She is a runner! In fact she was talking me about her training and an expedition to the highest point of the island called Pico Duarte at the end of January.
She is a short woman maybe a feet smaller than I -maybe- but she is FAST. Well at least stronger and faster. We accorded to run from time to time togheter.
The landscape and company made me realize about my lack of motivation this last days. It also should be some boreness. I need challenges, to feel motivated for running but with real runners. Sorry for N and M my actual partners but they've made me lazy :-P Now I decide it is their fault.
By the way I missed the other bike partners...

Today I went to the gym thinking of running at the treadmil and do there an easy workout considering yesterday as a hard day. Warmed up for 5 minutes and had to stop to move one of my orthotics that has caused me a blister grrrr. Still I was able to concentrate and continue running.
I was checking my low heart rate. I set my usual speed of 5m/h and it was still around 140 when normally it is over 150. I wondered if I could reach again 160 as before. Started a hill session. Made in total 8 reps of 1 min at 8 incline which is the max rate I usually reach, with about 2 minutes to recover on 4 miles total.
For the first 5 reps I lowered the speed to 4.7 The HR continue being very low; it only increased to 150 not 160. But it was nice, incredible, but I wasn't as tired as before in same conditions.
The last 3 reps I left the speed on 5 and finally the HR climbed to 160. But it was fine, in fact I haven'r feel tired or bad during the day :D
With this run I completed 6 days in a row training with a low total of 17 miles and 1 hour bike. I am feeling fine so I'm planning to go to Punta Cana tomorrow again for an hour or more of bike ride!
Photos and map tomorow!

*A note about weight. I feel happy to confirm that I didn't gain weight on December. I feel proud. Didn't loose but I'm still on 149 despite my lack of training. Yeah!
Spell checking doesn't work and loggin in is a whole problem since I moved to betta grrr.

Looks like I'm improving :D

Yes, I'm feeling better. I haven't feel that weak and not stomach issues!
Saturday wanted to try the tread mil which I haven't in a long time. They were busy. Instead of that since I was already in the gym and mentally programmed for not hitting the road I choose an elliptical. Stayed there for about 45 min. I will count it like 3 miles, as it counts on distance. I don't really like it. My feet become still there. But still it felt like a good effort and a big sweat.
As Spark suggested better now than latter I started with the bike. An hour, 10 miles. Felt fine. If I will be using it for my marathon training it will work nicely since now while I recover my energy.
About the marathon training I still think that if I feel better I still can change some of the Cross training sessions for easy runs.
I will focus now on hydration. Now that here is not that hot I am not drinking enough water. I bought on an Internet sale a Tanita that measures the hydration level, I know for some of your blogs, that it is not that accurate, but I hope it helps me to focus on that as a key to improve my running.

A start

Well, finally made it. The year started with four easy miles.

A good point is that my heart rate is lower now. It should be not only for the fitness level :P but because of the weather. Still it is some strange looking that my heart rate is still on 145 -148 at the end of 4 miles. It used to be 150- 155. Of course I have no good fitness level at this point... is it maybe the age???

I'm looking for the marathon training and found some with only 3 days a week running, the rest combines lots of xt. Maybe that could be a good way to enjoy my runs again.

I have talk about my "partners" since a long time. Two of three that started are still trying. N is already running 25 minutes non stop. M is still doing intervals of running as she has missed many sessions during this months. I am trying to motivate them to follow a half marathon training and travel with me to Cleveland on May but will see if they finally want to come. I also understand that racing is not for everyone :)

Beyond numbers

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Looking at my numbers, well, I might say that is not that I can precisely say that I feel proud of this year as a runner and there are doubts about my running that I would like to state here.

I understand that long distance is not for everyone. I realized about that reading Lulu's blog, seems like a good choice doing it right before going to the next step. Am I prepared for it?

I like to be there "in the long run" as Scott referees. I will find out again how to get there. I have no clue of how to do it right now. Thinking of a 10 mile run seems pretty scary. I know I like it but am I able to do them again?

I wonder what is the secret to keep all the way up during the year with a fresh Moho and feel full with all the energy required to run all those miles most of you do.

I also think that anyone complains as I do. And I don't mean complaining about spurs. In general I think that my health is not that good as yours for example. My stomach is still giving me some troubles and looking back during the year makes me think that I am not strong as you are. I won't say I am not strong enough since I've already done it before, but has it taken too much from me and my body is not reacting as it should adapting itself to this new stress that will make me grow and instead of that is somehow stepping back getting weaker and weaker against what is expected??????

How many times were you sick during last year?

I was thinking of all this last night when trying to figure out how will I start training for the marathon again. Anyway I feel very engage in this marathon thing and I will attempt and will take this new challenge. I want to enjoy my training and at the same time feel proud of how I do it and do it complete and with quality, which will not exactly mean being fast ;-)

THANKS, THANKS, THANKS for your supportive words, it is incredible to have to say this but is like feeling that you guys will understand what I mean, people that I don't actually know but from the ones I receive so much! Your welcome back words have being so important to be inspired about my running even more.

*My running year hasn't started yet. No miles logged yet. I want to refresh my legs and try to recover my Moho which I will need a lot for the marathon training.