Bravin’ the weather

I finally ran outside this morning.

We got a dusting of snow overnight, so I was a little anxious about my footing. I think it’s going to take a season if running in the snow to really get used to it.
I was excited to wear my newest piece of running gear, my Under Armor tights.

Last time I ran outside, my poor legs were still cold in the shower after (boy is that a weird feeling–warm water on cold legs!),so I announced to Andrew that maybe some thicker running pants were in order. You know, since we live in Buffalo now.

Look! New laces!

These trail runners came with long, thin, round laces and they didn’t stay tied very well, so I used this as an opportunity to brighten them up. LOVE the result!

And man am I glad I had I had those shoes! For about half my run I was on snow-covered sidewalk, which felt a little like running in sand, so I was thankful for a little traction. I can’t imagine running in my regular shoes…I would have been sliding all over the place! That, and the slush would all but destroy them in a few short runs, so I’m really happy I ended up with these.

Verdict on the tights: my legs were definitely a bit warmer, during and after the run, but it also wasn’t completely frigid outside. I think a colder morning will have to determine their “cold gear” abilities, but I’m happy for an additional pair regardless.

Happy winter running, all!

a series of unfortunate events

It was just that that led me to this at 9 p.m. last night:

Sharing chicken tenders at Tully’s with Andrew.

It all started with good intentions (don’t they all?); I had a Membership and Marketing ‘Team’ (which is what we’re calling ourselves now since it sounds more fun than ‘work group’ or ‘committee,’ which is what we’re all here for, right? Oh, and to open a cooperative grocery store in East Aurora…) meeting at the Panera up in Cheektowaga at 6 p.m.

While I could have gotten a yummy and healthy dinner there, I find it hard to go out to eat when I have perfectly good (and potentially perishable!) food at home (despite my Christmas gift cards–thanks grandma and Mom Layer!), so I ate before I left, intending to get a tea and save some calories for ice cream later.

Anyway, our meeting ran a bit late and after a quick errand in Target, I realized I was STARVING at 8:30. At just that moment, Andrew (who had found himself at the Eastern Hills Mall after his basketball game) called requesting my presence there–he’d been on the hunt for some on-sale golf shoes in his size and found them at the Dick’s there. The only snafu? Our Dick’s gift cards live in my purse. So, off I went, driving even further away from the house and not quite sure of my destination’s exact whereabouts.

To make a very long story short, Andrew decided against the shoes just as I was nearing the mall and we found ourselves rendezvous-ing in a Dairy Queen parking lot, looking for dinner (for him) and dessert (for me). We decided, after much conversation on the phone in separate cars, that we should probably just start driving home and be on the lookout for something along the way.

Well, we didn’t want fast food, nor did we want a traditional sit-down place (it was 9 p.m. after all) and everything else seemed to be hole-in-the-wall pizza joints. Well, I’m not against hole-in-the-wall or pizza, but last night I wanted an establishment that would offer variety, a.k.a something for me to order that wouldn’t break the caloric bank and I’d still enjoy. Thankfully, I had about 400 “saved” calories, so I wasn’t too worried…

ANYWAY… We finally get to Tully’s, which is a sports bar Andrew had heard good things about, and as I was beginning to get to the point of extreme frustration with not finding anywhere and watching the clock tick on the dash, I gave in.

It was packed (the Sabres were playing–they won!) and had what seemed like an upbeat atmosphere, so I was pleasantly surprised. Did I mention I was dressed up in jeans and boots and a cardigan and Andrew had come directly from his game? We made quite a pair, I tell you.

After perusing the menu, we realized their specialty was their “Tully’s Tenders,” and Andrew wanted to try both the buffalo style and the regular with their special honey mustard sauce. To get the half-price deal we had to buy two drinks, so I acquiesced and ordered a Sierra Mist. It arrived in the largest cup I’d ever seen! I mean, really, does anyone need a cup that big with free refills?! (The picture does not do it justice.) All I could see was about 40 calories, making it’s way from her hand to our table. I resolved to enjoy a bit, but not finish the entire thing, and I’m happy to say that I succeeded.

We shared the tenders and fries and I feel like I did pretty well; of the 10 tenders we took 2.5 home and I probably ate 2.5 on my own. It was the fries (not to mention the dreaded blue cheese!) that did me in… I was definitely hungry, but I was just craving the salt!

This picture, while completely horrible, pretty much sums up how I felt by the end: not too full, pseudo-proud of myself for not totally overeating, and very “fat and happy.” In the end, despite the frustration of taking awhile to find a place and being indecisive and not getting home early to get all the things done on my list that I’d planned, it was a great opportunity to spend some quality time with Andrew, away from the distractions of the house.

Tully’s Tenders might not be enough of a draw to get us back there, but I’ll remember how much fun we had on our spontaneous trip.

intervals, and more

So, I totally wimped out on running outside this morning. I was so bummed because I’d been looking forward to trying out a new pair of winter running tights I just got. But, alas, it was damp, freezing and very windy and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Instead, I headed to the gym to use the treadmills. I don’t hate treadmills like some people do; in fact, I don’t even listen to music. I’m just not really a music person and usually people-watching and checking in on what’s on whatever televisions I can see is enough for me. Do I get bored? Definitely. That’s why, since moving away from my running partner, I’ve barely run on the treadmills if I can help it. Winter here, however, will inevitably force me inside more than I’d like to be.

Anyway, I did what I normally do if I’m forced to run inside: a speed workout. Having to actually pay attention to my speed and time is the only thing that gets me through a treadmill run. Tracking my intervals and things seems to make the time go bay faster. I feel like I’ve done a really good job keeping up my speed despite leaving my running crowd (and therefore, ‘competition’) behind. However, it’s the LONG runs that I struggle to fit in…

Part of it’s the weather, part of it is lack of motivation (who wants to be out on the road with no one to talk to for more than an hour??) and part of it my actual workout ‘schedule.’ With the beginning of a new semester, I’ve had to re-work my gym routine to try to fit it all in.

Here’s what it looks like:

Sunday – run outside

Monday – elliptical and weights

Tuesday – run outside, then Pilates at the gym

Wednesday – elliptical and weights

Thursday – run outside, then Pilates at the gym

Friday – elliptical and weights

Saturday – swim or maybe a class

I don’t even remember my last true long run (10+miles), and I haven’t done more than 6 since I was visiting Susy before school started earlier this month. I was supposed to do one this past Sunday, but my body was telling me to take a break. I don’t have a designated rest day each week, and I usually workout each day for about two weeks before my body overrides my desire to burn calories. I know it sounds bad to not take a rest day each week, but I change up what I’m doing enough that I think I’m OK.

Anyway, I try to do long runs on Sundays since we don’t have to leave for church until 10 a.m., but they don’t always happen. I’ve been doing a 3.5 mile loop around the house since we moved in, so it’s probably time to map another route to change it up. And I don’t have that much time on school mornings; I like to be home with Andrew in the morning, so I can’t leave until about 8, and need to be finished and showered and heading to Pilates by 10. Do-able, but tight. Especially when you throw in taking care of the dog, having a snack and all the other little things one does around the house in the mornings. I digress…

I’ve grown to really love my early-mornings and being an early-bird at the gym. I might complain about a lack of sleep, but that’s more due to frustration with the dog’s weird hours than anything else. As I learned the other day, more sleep is not always better!

Anyway, so this morning I was feeling intervals instead of a tempo run. The treadmills (and ellipticals) are preprogrammed to shut-off after 30 minutes (grrr…), so I my goal each time is to get 4 miles in before I have to start cooling down. I typically do, but it’s tight; this morning I finished my 4 at 29:45. Here’s what I did:

0 – .5 mile warmup – 7.0 and 7.30 on the ‘mill

.5 – 4 miles intervals – 9.0 (6:30 mile) hard and 7.7 (7:47 mile) easy for 1 minute on, 2 off

2-minute cooldown

I do gradually work up to those interval times, and if I’m getting close to the end and worried I won’t finish my 4, I start cranking up the speed or extending my interval times. My last two intervals this morning were 9.3 hard and 7.9 easy.

I’ve also really come to like the elliptical. I used to hate it when I was nursing a knee injury, but now I see it as killing to birds with one stone (gosh, doesn’t that analogy sound terrible? I say it all the time, but it wasn’t until just now when I typed it out that I realize what it means…) because I can workout AND study. I wouldn’t have aced anatomy last semester had I not been in my notes three times a week on the elliptical.

Anyway, not sure where I was going with this… I had the post all written out in my head while I was running, but somewhere between the drive home and now (fit in the morning rush, an article interview, more rushing to eat lunch, then class…), I lost all my good points.

Oh well! I love running 🙂 And I really mean that. And I love that, too. (Because I didn’t always feel this way. Not one bit.)