Trash Clean Up

Today was my long run but it was also a run that I decided to do a challenge from the Daily Challenge group in the DailyMile website.
The Daily Mile is a great website for runners. What attracted me to it was the "Map It" feature that allows you to map where you run. I use it to plan my runs. *It doesn't help when I forget what street I'm supposed to turn down!*
They also have a Groups section. I joined a group called "Daily Challenge." It's really a weekly challenge that you're supposed to do every day.
This week's challenge is titled "Clean Up!" And it challenges you to pick trash up as you run.
It was impossible for me to clean up all the trash I approached. At first I limited it to plastic water bottles since we all know how bad they are. But then they started taking over my bag. So eventually I had to limit myself to smaller things, like lowering the overabundance of cigarette packs.
It was also very awkward to hold the bag. At first I was embarrassed but then I repeated my newest mantra, "Let me listen to me and not to them"and it was all good.


I found three of these (okay, 2 were in my hallway). This was a last ditch effort for Republican Richard Irvin to win the votes for mayor. He lost to incumbent Democrat Tom Weisner.







The trash I found. It's only a 16th of what was on the road.

Training Schedule 2009

My training schedule will be as follows:

• Monday-Strength Training(ST) & Medium Run(Med)
• Tuesday-ST & Short Speed Run (Speed)
• Wednesday-ST & Speed
• Thursday-Med
• Friday-Off
• Saturday-Speed
• Sunday-Long Run

I figure that I can increase the mileage as I go.
For example, this week I will be doing 3 miles as my speed runs, 4 miles as my medium runs, and 5 miles will be my long run. Next week will be 4, 5, 6. And so on. My speed runs will be either a fast run, or fartlek training.

Just Run

One of my favorite bands, The Dresden Dolls, has a song called "Sing."
I love to hear this song while I run because I always fit the word "Sing" in with "Run." I change some other words around to fit and it works really well.
*When you're running for a while, or when your run really sucks, you tend to get creative!*
So for your pleasure, "Run"

There is this thing that's like working except you don't work
Back in the day it just went without saying at all
All the world's history gradually dying of shock
There is thing that's like walking except you don't walk
You run
You run

Run for the bartender
run for the janitor
run Run for the cameras
run for the animals
run Run for the children shooting the children
run Run for the teachers who told you that you couldn't run Just run

There is thing keeping everyone's lungs and hips locked
It is called fear and it's seeing a great renaissance
After the race you can not run wherever you want
But for now lets all pretend that we're gonna get bombed
So run
Run cause its obvious
run for the astronauts
run Run for the president
run for the terrorists
run Run for the soccer team
run for the janjaweed
run Run for the kid with the legs that refuse to run Just run
Life is no marathon
We don't care what you say
We're inviting you anyway
You motherfuckers you'll run someday...

Racing in the Windy City

This past Saturday I had my first race of the season. My work buddy (mentioned in the previous post)and I signed up for Blackberry Farm's 5K Spring Gallop.
We arrived very early because we thought the race started earlier than it did. Which is better than missing the race or being late. It also worked out because something went wrong with my registration and they didn't have me on the list. I sent it a week ahead of time and the park is in my town so I figured it would arrive on time. That figures because I was just praising the USPS. :-)
After waiting in the cold and being shuffled around between race planners, they found my paperwork and gave me a bid number. We were able to stretch and jog around before the race started.


Waiting in the cold. Gloves were insufficient.













On your mark, get set........







Man, my stride looks good here. Last leg.







I love this pic!








After. We're awesome!






My race time was 26.53. I was 7th place. That's a few hundred dollars in the pros, right?

We Run Together

Twice this week I had the opportunity to run with two different people.
It was Tuesday or Wednesday and the weather was so great and I had already planned to run during lunch that day. My coworker and I were talking about the weather and I teasingly said to him, "Why don't you come running with me, then?" Expecting to be rejected. But instead he said, "Let's do it. Wanna go at 11?"
Shit.
I was nervous about running with him. I was thinking that because he's a guy and he runs on the treadmill nearly everyday, he was probably a lot faster than I was.
But I had planned on doing a speed run so I was happy for the challenge.
He did start off fast. I think he was digging the sunshine (a far fetch from the fluorescent lights of the gym). But eventually, he slowed down. And we ran at a pace that I could deal with for a longer time.
Usually, I like to really open up at the end of a run. I mean bear down, dig deep, sprint as much as you can. But I didn't want to say that to my coworker, because he seemed to have been struggling.
But the last 400 meters or so, he said, "Come on, let's run fast!!" Imagine my glee!

The second run I did was with another coworker. She had also been a treadmiller for the whole winter. But she usually runs 6-7 miles so I was nervous about running with her too.
We decided to run at McDowell Grove Park in Warrenville.
It was a great run.
I really liked this run because we ran through the woods, around a pond, under Diehl Rd., and I-88.
It's a good trail because it has a lot of hills. And I love hills for the challenge.
The run came to about 4 miles total. My friend was also not used to running outside so we both did a slow and steady pace. I enjoyed this pace because it gave me a chance to check out the park and its wildlife. I didn't have my camera with me but here is a shot I found.




This shot was done by Jim Frazier in the summer so our run was not nearly as green as this. But what you may be able to see is that there is no pavement. You are running on dirt. That's it. Dirt. So it really had that rustic feel. I could easily forget that I was close to a major interstate.



After the run I finally went to Naperville Running Company to buy my new shoes!

By 11 am, downtown Naperville was bustling with shoppers. And the running company was no different. The shop was already teeming with runners looking at pamphlets, trying on shoes and talking to the sales people about the best fit. I got an encouraging smile from a worker (probably because I was still wearing my running gear) as I browsed through the running clothes.
I convinced myself not to buy anything extra this time and limped to the cash register. My shoes were already on hold and I got a 10% discount (that's $10.00 off my shoes) for being a member. I will probably go back to get my Nike+ sensor.

I did a short and fast run today in my new shoes. They felt really great. My feet were being controlled. And that is a good thing. I wasn't scared to kick back more because I knew that the landing would be better. I can't wait to see whether my knees improve.

See Jane. Run.

"It was one of those March nights when winter seems to regain its sway, and flings its last snows and storms with malignant desperation." Tolstoy's War and Peace.

Throughout all my runs this week, I kept thinking of this quotation. It perfectly describes the kind of week Illinois had. Okay, so it didn't snow. But it did rain a bit. And it was friggin cold!

For my Wednesday lunch break run, Weather.com said the temperature was 29, feels like 14. Throughout the run I kept telling myself that it would be the last time for a while that I would run in the cold. Then Thursday came and it wasn't much better. I ran with C and we still had to bundle up, and our breaths still produced little clouds.

But next week should be in the 50s and I am ready for that!

In other news, I need new shoes.

Today we went to a local running store in St. Charles called Dick Ponds. I thought that they would throw me on a treadmill to see how I run but the guy just looked at my running shoes and looked at how I stand on one foot (or tried to stand on one foot).
Surprisingly, I was satisfied with his analysis.
It was like he read my future (good 1/2 marathon time?) by the way I stood. He told me about the problem with my current running shoes; it turns out that they are too flexible for the way I run. Turns out, I have low arches so I need shoes with more support. And my knee pain is probably caused by the poor arch support of my old shoes.

I tried on about 5 different shoes. I won't list every pair but I will give you a brief overview.
I tried on a pair of Nikes that felt like there was a metal bar on my arches. A pair of Brooks felt like there were clamps on my heels.
The Sauconys felt perfect. According to coach C, Sauconys are great running shoes. But, I gawked at the price. They were $93! To some, that is pennies. But to me......"what?!!"
I know that the next pair of running shoes will be my close buddy for the next year. We will run through rain, heat, wind, dog poo, mud, snow, everything. But $93 is a lot to spend on something that I will discard in a few years.
Yet, a part of me really feels that it would be a good investment.

Either way, I know I have to shop around before I buy. C and I went to the Naperville Running Company to comparison shop. As expected, the shoes were more expensive in Naperville. Naperville is just too expensive for its own good!!
I also shopped online and found my shoe for only about 5 dollars cheaper. Once S&H is added, it's gonna cost more. So I will probably get my shoes from Dick's.

Ladies and gents, my next running shoe!







The Women's Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Ultimate
Its well-ventilated and has good arch support. Knee pain, goodbye!

She's Gone Country

This past weekend I visited my family in North Carolina. I was real excited to run a few runs in the heat. But let's just say that I had too much fun in NC and I only ran once. Either way, it was a great run.




I ran next to puppies! (or rather, I outran puppies, aw yeah!)

I really got a chance to look around the neighborhood and get a different perspective.

This cross says, "One Nation Under God." Thanks for the clarification.

I ran by some houses that were so cute.

This one was my favorite. I love the little handmade American flag.






But then I also ran by a lot of boarded up houses or businesses. It looks like the recession and/or drug war hits everywhere.










This one was an old convenience store or something by my mom's house.



Back to running.
I've realized that St Pauls is not very runner friendly. The only place I could run a few miles without too many turns was a road with a speed limit of 55. I ran it, though, because the traffic was pretty low.
Also, most of the streets do not have sidewalks (including the ones with the most traffic). I remember learning in my Humans and the Environment class that towns that are less walker friendly have higher rates of obesity. Just a thought.










The closest thing to a sidewalk that I saw. You can see that it ends fairly quickly.








Now that the weather should warm up, I will probably be running more after work instead of at work.
I will be running a 1/2 Marathon soon. I just don't know when or which one.
Also, a coworker and I were thinking of forming a running club with some others at work.
So there is a lot of cool stuff that's going to be happening in my lil running world.

Alert, Alert: Sensor Battery Low

Yes, my iPod sensor has low batteries and I have to buy another one. This is both good and bad.
It is good because it means that I have run enough since getting my Nike+it has wore out its batteries. Which is kind of awesome!
I first got my Nike+ about 2 years ago. I loved it from the start. The great thing about it is that it tracks how many miles you've gone.
Before your run, you tell it what your goal is for that run. You can have a time goal, a calorie goal, and, my personal fav, a mileage goal. I don't really know what it is like for the other goal types, but the mile goal gives you feedback as you go. A nice little voice will butt into your music and say, "Halfway point," or "400 meters to go!" Its awesome for inspiration! I don't know how many times I've opened up my stride when it says that I have 400 meters to go.
Another cool thing about the Nike+ is that it gives you a summary of your run: miles completed, time, calories, and pace. And if you're really good, Lance Armstrong will tell you that you did a great job. How cool is that?!
The bad part about my low battery is that I have to buy another one, of course! It is making me think whether I really want to continue this affair with the Nike+. I know that I can get the watch or another brand that sensors your run, but I'm not sure if I can find a cheap one that interrupts your music like the Nike+. I know that Apple has a monopoly on their accessories so I think this will be pretty hard.
Either way, I can't imagine running without something to tell me how I am doing or how long I've run. I know that for hundreds of years, people have been running without a Nike +.....but my question is how?!? I may find out if my battery runs out before I get a chance to buy a new one.
I am going to North Carolina this weekend to see my mom and my BFF's sister (her biking blog is http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com/) so expect to see a blog or two about running in warm, humid weather, in the country where people look at runners funny. "Wuts she running frum?!"<--- in my best country voice.

Love and Running

For Valentine's Day, C and I stayed in hotel Softiel which is practically in the city. Naturally, I needed to fit in a run. Softiel has an awesome gym. Saturday, I spent 20 minutes in the sauna. It was so sweet! It may seem weird, but it takes me longer to get cold now that I've spent that time in the sauna. Its like I got the chill out of me.

Dull, but warm.

I am not yet brave enough to run in foreign areas alone. I know its a great way to explore new places and that running outside is better on the universe. But I am really paranoid. What if I accidentally run into the ghetto part of town, and someone hears me say "Picture me rollin'" in my best Tupac voice, and then, BAM! I'm abducted or in the least, my run is stopped. I just can't yet. But one day.

So I ran on the treadmill. And I was actually excited about it. I knew this run would be different.

Last time I ran on a treadmill was at the Holiday Inn in Ottawa: they didn't have a TV, my ipod was dead, and the treadmill faced a wall in which only an empty water cooler stood. Not even a picture!!
But the Softiel, no, the gym was on the top floor. Its only 10 stories, but still! the top floor! It was a great view.




mmm...here it looks like the view is mostly the top of a parking garage. But you can see pretty far, honest.

But I have to admit, I only looked at the view for a 1/2 mile because there was a TV on the treadmill!!!! So I indulged myself with celebrity gossip.




Evil TV treadmills........

Nonetheless, it was a great run. It was a little harder than I expected. There is an ongoing debate about whether it is harder on the treadmill or outside. Some say its easier on the t-mill because there is no wind or hills. While other say it is easier outside because you can set and change the pace.

I feel that it is definitely easier outside. Whenever I'm on a machine, I am always watching my time and distance. I feel like I've been running forever. Outside, I watch the yards and the cars and I look for squirrels. It's grrreat. I forget what I'm doing. I finish my run feeling energetic and, sometimes, I'm ready for more.

Either way, it's another run under my belt. The downfall: Pool Closed. We did get to swim in it Saturday, but I really wanted to after my run. I figured a nice swim would be good on the knees.

My Run Today

Today I was blessed to run with my boyfriend Chanh! He hasn't ran in months so I figured it would be an easy run but it wasn't because the weather was against us. When we checked weather.com the weather was 8 degrees, feels like -5. But we ran anyway. We planned on only running 2 miles (because of his hiatus and the fact that I ran 3 on Friday) but we kind of got lost around the neighborhood so we ending up running 2 1/2. Towards the end of the run, things got hard. I think it was because I started off fast so it was hard to keep that pace. I don't think I dressed warm enough because my shirt was riding up and after the run I had a red mark on my belly. I think it was from the wind and cold even though my overcoat/windbreaker covered my tummy. That's how cold it was! It was no joke!!









I wore the following: two pairs of pants, cotton yoga pants and windbreaker pants, two shirts, a running t-shirt and a longer cotton shirt, big snowboarding gloves, a neck protector, and a sweat resistant cap.



























Chanh wore running tights underneath some cotton workout pants. He was wearing 1 long-sleeved cotton shirt and then the windbreaker. He also wore a great warm, sweat-wicking cap. Can you tell he loves Nike??

















Here is the front of our apartment building with all the snow.

Running and Shunning

Like many other highly dedicated runners do, I've decided to start running at work so I do not have to run at night when I get home at about 6pm. I have been doing it for about two weeks now and I have to say that it's pretty fun. Of course, there are some downfalls; I have to change twice, I eat my food at my desk, but mainly the sidewalks are not shoveled around my work so I have to run on the road (as runners are encouraged to do anyway by running communities). The problem is that my work is located in an industrial park where the surrounding streets are heavily used and have high speed limits. So I just run up and down the hill in front of my building. This hill looks low when I'm sitting at my desk or even at the bottom of the hill. But once I start running up the hill, its is obvious that the hill is steep. I tried to take some pictures of my weekly run. See below. The captions for the pictures are below the pictures.





This is the road in front of my work. Again, you can't really see the hill part from the bottom.






This is the top of the hill where it flattens out. Can you tell that it looks like it drops off?




I run by this area everyday. This is my idea of what it looks like as the icebergs melt. They're all dirty and the ocean is dark, dirty, and cracking.




Now this post was intended to be about my latest running exploit at work. However, since I had my camera with me when I went to Planned Parenthood to get my last month of birth control from them (thank you insurance), I figured that I would take a picture of the crazy people that stand in front of the building to yell at the patients. This is an attempt to show everybody what women and girls in Aurora have to go through to protect themselves from being pregnant at the wrong time in their lives. These people really annoy me. They are protesting abortion but the funny thing is the abortion services weren't even open when I went to the clinic. So they were protesting my supply of birth control. I have thought of so many things to say and do to them but then I realized that it would be in vain. They would still come. Nothing would change their mind because they mindlessly do these things without an independent thought in their head. See the robots below.




I thought this picture was ironic. These people are standing out there with their rosary beads so they are obviously Catholic. The third person from the left is wearing a blanket with a pattern on it that resembles a Native American pattern. The irony is that Catholicism had a big hand in civilizing the American Indian. They had schools for all the savage Indian children where the children weren't allowed to speak in their native tongue, sing their native songs, or even see their parents. Now they are civilizing all of America. They're on a rampage!






I stopped my car in front of them and took a pic just to piss them off. It looked like it worked. Dummies. Revenge is sweet.


But not sweet enough. I think I will try to volunteer at Planned Parenthood. I will sit out in the cold. But I will be in front of the building, and not on the side of the road. I will talk to the patients. But just so they can't hear the protesters. I will hand things to the patients. But just so they know the clinic's hours of operation. I will win.