New Week, New Weather

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
PM: 45-50 mins. ellip. (can't remember)

Back at it. The weather is changing, which is awesome. I could get used to 50-degree mornings and 70-degree afternoons. Now all we need is the leaves to start changing for it to really feel like fall...

Read More

Week in Review

3 miles running
6 miles walking
1 hour 15 mins pool
5 hours 30 mins ellip
1 day off

Well, I ran this week...sort of. Things still aren't back to normal, but I was happy to be on the feet for a few minutes on Monday and Wednesday regardless. Hoping to really up the ante next week--maybe 5 miles?--and see how things feel. I'm sad I will miss yet another xc meet this weekend, but keeping my sights set on November. Gotta keep chugging along.

Oh, and dogsitting Sanford was way fun. You should help me convince Jordan that we need a puppy ASAP!

Read More

Sunday Funday

AM: 60 min. walk with Sanford
PM: 45 mins. ellip.

As I type this two days later, I'm still pretty sore from walking Sanford. Or rather, should I say, from Sanford walking me. That puppy is a bundle of energy, and while she doesn't weigh an ounce over 30 pounds she is deceptively strong. Our walk started at Queens, where I left the car with Jordan so he could accompany the team to McAlpine. From there Sanford dragged me down Wellesley, along the main thoroughfare of Queens Road West, then down Princeton into Freedom Park. Once in the park we made several friends, including an adorable rescue mutt named Murphy and a variety of joggers. After making a big loop in the park we headed back to Chandler's place by way of Jameston, one of us still full of energy and one of us thoroughly exhausted.


My view for most of the walk

My workout in the afternoon was a bit lackluster, but to be honest my legs and feet were pretty tired from the morning walk and from the hour Jordan and I spent on foot at the Festival in the Park. Forty-five minutes was about all I could take on the torture machine before my legs and feet were aching, so at that point I was more than happy to call it quits. Plus, I wanted to watch Jordan and some of the guys on the team play a pickup soccer game on the elementary school fields next door. It was a great time and they were actually much more coordinated than I expected. It was also one of the most diverse sporting events I've ever attended. I counted one Ethiopian (Futsum), one Kenyan (Nelson), one German (Simon), one Norwegian (Marius), one El Salvadorian (Benny), one Mexican (Jordan counts for the purpose of this census-taking exercise), one Jamaican (Oscar) and Devin (who technically is Irish...by way of New Hampshire). A little later in the game I was joined on the sidelines by Holly, then by Chandler and Sanford. If I had the slightest thought that my morning walk had worn Sanford out, it was quickly dispelled by watching her sprint full speed after the boys for the next half hour. What I wouldn't give for that kind of energy.

Read More

"R" is for "Rhodesia"

Day Off
Dog Walking x 2

The workout just didn't happen today, but it was largely unavoidable. Actually if you count dog walking as a workout then I pulled a double. Jordan and I are dogsitting for Chandler's rambunctious pup Sanford this weekend while she watches the Horned Frogs destroy Clemson on their home turf. At any rate, I put in 7 hours non-stop on the feet at work today, which meant that I missed both ends of the 10-5 window at the fitness center. A cold drizzle post-work eliminated any chance of getting in the outdoor pool either, so I was content to drink wine and put my feet up while Jordan got waterlogged on his second run.

Our evening was rounded out with leftover dining hall cuisine and a double feature of Yahtzee and Scattergories at Chandler's while Sanford looked on. Trust me, I'm aware of how lame this sounds, but it was actually a decently fun evening. My personal favorite moment was during the "R" round of Scattergories when we were each supposed to fill in the blank for "State." For some unfathomable reason, Jordan was unable to come up with "Rhode Island," the only state in the entire United States of America that begins with an "R," a state he resided in for four years of his life and as recently as Tuesday was inhabiting. Nope, instead he left his line completely blank. I even had the foresight to fill in my own "R" blank with "Rhodesia," the now-defunct African state, so that we wouldn't both duplicate "Rhode Island" and end up canceling out each other's points.

It's times like this when I wonder why I didn't apply to any Ivy League schools. And, furthermore, how he graduated from one.

Read More

3 Miles=3 More Than Last Week

Friday, 9/25
AM: 30 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
PM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 25 mins. "predator"

Thursday, 9/24
60 mins. ellip. incl. 5x5 mins. on, 5 mins. off

Wednesday, 9/23
AM: 25 mins. core
25 mins. pool
2 mile run, 1 mile walk
active stretching
PM: Chiro
40 mins. ellip.

Tuesday, 9/22
AM: 60 mins. ellip. incl. 15x1 min. on, 1 min. off
PM: 25 mins. pool
active stretching

Monday, 9/21
AM: 25 mins. core
25 mins. pool
1 mile run, 1 mile walk
PM: 45 mins. ellip.

Yup, I've run 3 miles so far this week. Don't act like you're not impressed.

In all honesty, though, it didn't feel great. I'm still kinda gimpy and my right quad feels like it's doing absolutely nothing. It's like the muscle just died or went to sleep or something. I did both of my "runs" with Holly post-morning practice, and both times my leg just felt tight/stiff/awkward from the get-go and never really got better. It never got unbearable or anything, but it certainly wasn't normal. I can definitely tell that it's muscle-related, not bone, which six weeks ago I would've thought was a good thing and now seems to just be semantics. The doc says I can continue attempt a wog every other day if I feel like it, so long as it's not more than a few miles at a time. And I gotta be honest, the prospect of running two miles in pain is more appealing to me than not running at all. I miss it soooo much. I suppose I'll give it another try one day this weekend and see if things have improved at all. Tomorrow is an unlikely option since I work all day, but perhaps Sunday.

Read More

Week in Review

0 miles
6 hours 5 minutes elliptical
3 hours 5 minutes pool
5 AFDs
1 non-dining hall night out (Sushi 101 with Jenny Matz--yay!)

Another week of "successful" cross-training in the books. My hip/quad feel stronger every day and I'm genuinely hopeful about running at some point next week. My latest discovery is that I can do some fairly high-impact stuff with absolutely no pain (think high-knee drills). When I do that, I'm completely pain-free on both the impact and the push-off. Has to be a good sign. Where I'm still experiencing some discomfort is with the kick-back motion inherent in running. To me, these two pieces of information mean that the muscle is still bothersome but the bone is not, which is definitely good news. My patience for cross-training is waning and I'm pretty eager to get back into the running scene, especially with the approach of cooler fall weather.

Read More

Rules Were Meant to Be Broken, Fitness Centers Were Meant to Be Open

AM: 30 mins. pool
PM: 60 mins. ellip. incl. 5x5 mins. on, 5 mins. off

This morning was full of racing action, though not for myself. Jordan, Tanya, Pezz and a few thousand other people were slated to contest the CVS Downtown 5k in Providence at 11:15 sharp. I was excited and nervous for each of my friends as gun time approached, and couldn't wait to hear from Jordan post-race. Turns out he didn't end up running as fast as he'd hoped, but still secured a spot on the Ivy League Ekiden team. One out of two isn't bad. Tanya didn't really run a great race either, but Pezz ran well, as did my friend Jennie from Atlanta. Turns out she and Tanya were roommates at the host hotel and quickly realized they both knew me--what a small, small world the elite running community is.

Full of post-race energy, I was eager to hit up the fitness center for my own workout in the afternoon. Since they're supposed to be open from 3 to 9 on Sunday, and the dining hall opens from 5 to 7:30, I decided to head up around 4:30 for an hour workout, figuring I could finish at just the right time to hit up the dining hall for dinner. So, imagine my frustration when I arrived to discover the lights were off and the "closed" sign displayed. Yet the side door was still open...hmm...so, I texted Jordan reporting the state of the situation and asking his advice.

Me: Just got to the fitness center. Lights are off and the closed sign is up but the door is open. What should I do?
Jordan: Turn on the lights and flip the sign.

So, yup, that's what I did. Turned on the lights and fans, flipped the sign, unlocked the front door...et voila! The fitness center is now open for business!

Read More

Queens XC At App State

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
PM: 45 mins. ellip.
20 mins. pool

Nothing of excitement today, so let's recap yesterday afternoon. It was then that I piled into the car with Tanya, Bennie (a new transfer on our team who is still ineligible), Chandler and Chandler's chocolate lab puppy Sanford to take a road trip up to App State for the team's second xc meet of the season. We left Charlotte a few minutes late after Chandler got off work late, and soon the drive became a race against time (and against other stupid people in our way) to make it to the meet before the girls' race started at 5. Once we realized that wasn't possible, we revised our goal to make it there by the time the girls' race finished. We made it to the parking lot at 5:20 and from there induced a mad sprint through the parking lot down to the course. I would imagine it was actually quite comical to watch--Bennie sprinting out of the car because he planned to run in the guys' race in less than 20 minutes; Chandler shouting "Don't run!" at Sanford, who had just been spayed the day before; then realizing it might come down to the wire and revising her command to "Okay you can run but just this one time!" I'm sure the dog grasped the nuances of her intentions perfectly. Meanwhile I too was running/hobbling pretty much the farthest and fastest I had in five weeks. In the end it was all for naught, as we arrived literally moments after our last runner crossed the line.

The good news? When the scores were tallied, the Queens ladies finished 5th place overall and, more importantly, two spots ahead of the perennial champs in our Conference and Region, Lees-Mcrae (we have a really sucky conference and region but that's beside the point). For the girls to do it today, especially when neither Melanie (5th girl) nor I were running, puts us in a pretty prime spot for when things get real in a few months.

After this we had a few minutes' break until the mens' race, which we spent chatting with Simmons and Jenna and trying to keep Sanford from running wild. The fact that Chandler's sole goal was to prevent her pup from running, yet brought her to a place where hundreds of people would be doing just that...may not have been the smartest idea. Oh well. Sanford was a crowd favorite and everyone loved her Queens shirt, even though it quickly become soiled from the damp and muddy terrain.

At 5:45 sharp the boys' race kicked off and, as expected, Mike shot to the front. Turns out that's pretty much where he would stay throughout the race; literally no one would come within 20 meters of him after the first mile, with the gap widening to almost 50 meters at some points. I swear, these guys should be embarrassed. He goes to a D2 school, remember? Aren't D2 runners supposed to be "babies," at least according to LetsRun? At any rate, as per usual Mike destroyed the field, although afterward he was pretty disappointed with his race and said he felt terrible throughout. Must be nice to have a terrible race and still destroy everyone. What I found most exciting was how well the other guys on the team ran together, finishing up with another two in the top 10 (Futsum and Oscar) and 8 in the top 40 (Simon, Matt, Nelson, Alex, Brian). The guys finished 2nd with 41 points behind Ohio State and looked strong doing it.

Overall, I left the meet proud of my team and more determined than ever to be back out there again soon. With over two months left before Nationals, I have no doubt we can continue to improve and see both teams have a fantastic race when it counts.

Read More

Catching Up

Friday, 9/18
60 mins. ellip. incl. 20 mins. "predator," 3x30 sec. sprint

Thursday, 9/17
AM: 60 mins. ellip. incl. 5x5 mins. on, 5 mins. off
PM: Chiro

Wednesday, 9/16
AM: 30 mins. pool
30 mins. ellip.
25 mins. core
PM: 25 mins. pool

Tuesday, 9/15
AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 4x4 mins. on, 3 mins. off
PM: 30 mins. ellip.

Read More

Frequency Specific Microcurrent

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
25 mins. core
25 mins.pool
PM: 25 mins. pool
Chiro

I started the week off right with a solid morning workout. The leg/hip is feeling stronger by the day, and though I'm hesitant to attempt a run this week, I'm definitely enjoying a pain-free lifestyle otherwise. This is due in no small part to Dr. Greenapple and staff, who have done a fantastic job with my treatment (and, you can imagine, have pretty much become my friends at this point--the only person I see more often than them is Jordan).

Today the good doctor tried a new treatment on me called Frequency Specific Microcurrent, or FSM. Basically he applied a few pads to my leg, abdomen and hip that were attached to the microcurrent machine. He programmed the machine to a specific frequency based on my ailment, then proceeded to zap me with electricity for 5-10 minutes. Okay, so I'm making it sound a bit more dramatic than it is, since I actually didn't feel anything (hence the "micro" part of the current). You can check out the video in the link above to see how it all went down. Anyway, the premise behind this treatment is that certain frequency levels correspond directly to certain injuries and are completely ineffective in treating others. So, for example, the doc found his frequency chart, looked up "bone," and plugged 'er in to the prescribed frequencies of 59 and 39. I looked over the chart while I was getting treated, and there were frequencies for virtually everything you could imagine. Literally. Everything from impotence to kidney stones to foot pain to hurt feelings. Yes, "hurt feelings" was actually listed. I thought the whole process was intriguing to say the least. If anything it's good to know I can go back the next time Jordan and I get into an argument.

Read More

Week in Review

0 miles
5 hours 45 mins. elliptical
3 hours 35 mins. pool
5 AFDs
2 entertaining bums

As you can see, this was a PR for me in terms of cross-training hours. Am I proud? A little bit. Is that sad? Probably. Oh well, at least I feel like I'm staving off obesity one day at a time. At this point I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and am really hoping/counting on being able to start running again in two weeks' time. Until then, gotta keep on truckin'.

Read More

Relaxing Sunday

60 mins. ellip. incl. 5x5 mins. on, 5 mins. off

In contrast to the craziness of yesterday--I was going nonstop from 6am until 10pm--today was pretty laid-back. I was content to lay around on the couch watching Sunday morning political shows and US Open tennis until well past 2, when an errand with Tanya finally roused me from my lethargy. I closed out the week of cross-training with a "long run" on the elliptical, which surprisingly wasn't bad. Sometimes the minutes seem to pass in slow motion and sometimes the session is over before I know it; thankfully today represented the latter.

Read More

Hog Jog 5k

AM: Hog Jog 5k (spectating)
PM: 40 mins. ellip.
20 mins. pool

I was up before the sun to accompany Jordan to the Hog Jog 5k in Uptown. He was hoping to snag some cash and I was there to stand by for moral support (and to act as sherpa for his many and varied clothing and accessories). I will let him regale you with details of the race--he got 2nd to Thomas Morgan, a Zap guy--because the highlight of the morning was definitely what happened afterward.

The good times began when I walked over to Starbucks for my first pumpkin spice latte of the season while Jordan and Thomas cooled down. I figured that was the least I deserved after getting up two hours early to watch Jordan not win 250 bones. Anyhow, just as I exited the store a homeless man on a nearby bench beckoned me with a request for money. Seeing as I'd just scavenged the post-race food tables, I replied, "I don't have any, but I do have a banana." Expecting him to decline, I was surprised when his eyes lit up as he said, "Great! Those have lots of calcium!" I didn't have the heart to tell him that the banana contained little calcium and even less booze, but nonetheless I felt most beneficent as I handed him the plantain and continued on my way.


You can't make stuff like this up.

The bum situation went from good to great a few minutes later as we stood around waiting for the awards ceremony. A local band had set up on stage and one solitary chap proceeded to dance his little heart out for all to see. I'm not sure if he was on something or perhaps just high on life, but at any rate I have never before seen someone put as much energy into a solo dance effort at 9am. Words don't do it justice...which means it's a good thing that I have photos and video. I sure hope this link works because if so it's guaranteed to make your day just as it did ours. The video was passed on to me by my new friend Andrea, whom I met at the race when I saw her husband taking a video of the aforementioned dancing. My introduction went something like this: "Excuse me, my name is Meagan. If I were to give you my email address is there a chance you could send me this video? It is amazing." Fortunately she was happy to acquiesce and as a result I can now pass it on for your enjoyment.

Read More

I Like Bread

AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 20 min. "predator"
PM: 15 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
20 mins. pool

I had a pretty intense day of training today. That's right, I'm calling this training. As ludicrous as it sounds, I often find myself as fatigued after an intense elliptical workout as I do after a tempo run. I may not be able to achieve all the benefits of running, but I'm going to simulate the effort as best I can.

As such, I was pretty tired going into my afternoon session so I kept things fairly light. Or perhaps I was just feeling a bit bogged down from all the free samples Tanya and I ate at Great Harvest for lunch. It's so good to have my partner in carb crime back.

Tomorrow's looking pretty busy, what with accompanying Jordan to a race in the morning, slinging shoes all day, then watching some college football at Chandler's in the evening. I'll be lucky to get in a workout at all. Taking days off isn't as big of a deal now as it is when I'm running, but I'd still like to keep up the routine if possible. Here's to hoping.

Read More

Boring Cross-Training

Thursday, 9/10
AM: 30 mins. ellip.
30 mins. pool
PM: Chiro
35 mins. ellip.

Wednesday, 9/9
AM: 20 mins. core
25 mins. pool
25 mins. ellip.
PM: 40 mins. ellip.

Tuesday, 9/8
AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 16/1 min. on, 1 min. off
Chiro
PM: 25 mins. pool

Monday, 9/7
AM: 15 mins. core
45 mins. pool
PM: 40 mins. pool

Read More

Week in Review

4 hours 50 mins. elliptical
2 hours 15 mins. pool
1 rest day
1 failed run
3 days in a Kinley sandwich

Considering I vented most of my rage in my previous post, there's little to add here. Guess I'll let Jason Mraz sum it up for me.

Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed
Instead of running around
And pulling all your threads
And breaking yourself up.

If it's a broken part, replace it
If it's a broken arm, then brace it
If it's a broken heart, then face it.

And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way.
And everything, everything
Will be fine.

Are the details in the fabric?
Are the things that make you panic?
Are your thoughts result of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow?
Hell, no reason, go on and scream.
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.

Yeah everything will be fine
Everything
In no time at all.

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way.

Everything, it will be fine.
Everything in no time at all.
Hearts will hold.

Read More

Fail.

PM: 50 min. ellip. w/intervals
~5 min. run
~2 mile walk

Let's just get straight to it: I tried to run this afternoon and my hip still hurts. It's not an unbearable pain, and if someone put a gun to my head and told me to run a 5k I could do it, but it's still considerably far from where it needs to be. To classify my reaction as discouraged, frustrated and/or upset would be a gross understatement. For now this means I'm back to the elliptical and the pool and the doctor for at least another week. Maybe two. Hell, maybe a dozen for all I know.

As you can imagine, this is disappointing to me for several reasons. For one, I feel like I've been patient--one might say uncharacteristically so--in paying my due diligence the past three weeks. I've been doing everything I should be and nothing I shouldn't in order to facilitate recovery, so the fact that my hip doesn't seem to appreciate this at all is quite maddening. Add to this the realization--which, I can assure you, I think about on a regular basis--that I'm losing a little bit more fitness with each passing day. Fitness I gained over the summer. Fitness I acquired while at the same time being overly careful not to run too much, too fast or too hard. I can't think of a single day in the past four months when I've felt as though I'd overdone it or pushed too far. Instead I was content to bide my time and keep things under control, knowing I'd have all the time in the world to get fit once I got back to Charlotte. And then I injured myself by...driving? Riding in the car? Seriously??

Don't get me wrong; I know there are bigger people than me with bigger problems than me. I know it's just running. I get all that. But for someone who is ever the perfectionist, who is always used to having all aspects of my life under control thankyouverymuch, who still remembers the disappointment of watching my entire track season slip away less than six months ago...well, it hurts. Half of me wants to just stop cross-training altogether and say screw it. What's the point? Is it really keeping me even remotely fit? The other half of me wants to do twice as much as I'm doing now, to go 40 minutes when I only want to go 30, to do three hard workouts a week when I'd really be happier doing none. I'm not one for mediocrity and I'm not one for wasting time, so it seems as though I need to pick a side and commit to it. And while I'm at it, I should probably buck up and stop feeling sorry for myself.

No promises just yet. But it's good to have goals, right?

Read More

Saturday at the Biltmore

Day off

First of all, let me say I'm pretty mad at Jordan right now. Not only did he steal my pics for his blog (which I normally wouldn't mind), but he also stole my thunder by telling about our trip to the Biltmore on Saturday. Since I'm not running right now my interesting blog entries are few and far between, and I was really looking forward to wowing my fans with our adventures and regaling you with interesting factoids and tidbits about the estate and the Vanderbilt family. Instead I am now forced to link to his blog (both entries) in order to avoid redundancy. I will, however, include a few of the pics he managed to keep from pilfering.


Prom photo in front of the house


I would wager this was Bolt's first visit to the Biltmore.


Okay so Jordan already posted this one but still...almost leaves you speechless.

Read More

Start of the Holiday Weekend

AM: 55 mins. ellip. incl. 20 mins. "predator"
PM: 30 mins. pool

Jordan's dad is coming to visit today, so that should provide some excitement for the holiday weekend. And by "excitement" I mean meals eaten somewhere other than the dining hall.

Read More

Feels Like Autumn

Thurs., 9/3
AM: 45 mins. ellip.
PM: Chiro
30 mins. pool

Wed., 9/2
AM: 30 mins. ellip.
25 mins. core
20 mins. pool
PM: Chiro
30 mins. ellip.

Tues., 9/1
Happy Birthday Mom!
AM: 30 mins. pool
PM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 3x6 mins. on, 4 mins. off

I've been a bit delinquent in updating the blog this week, but as you can see it's been nothing remarkable. Pool, core, elliptical, chiropractor, repeat. To be honest I'm a bit down because I'm missing the team's first meet, which will be held tomorrow at App State. I would love to be out there with everyone testing my early season fitness, but it's not meant to be just yet. That said, the good news is Greenapple thinks I'm coming along quite nicely and has given me permission to attempt a brief jog on Saturday if I feel so inclined. Those of you who have been injured before can surely understand the mixture of excitement and nervousness I feel at that prospect. Nonetheless, just the opportunity to give it a shot will no doubt be a bright spot in the coming weekend.

Oh, and the weather is absolutely gorgeous right now. Autumn has arrived early and I'm hoping against hope that it's here to stay. Cooler temps like this make me even more antsy to get back out there.

Read More