Are you someone who steps on the scales everyday? I never use to be. I hated the scales and I determine what I “thought” I weighed by how my clothes fit me. Two weeks ago, I decided that it might be a good idea to see what my “real” weight was since my clothes are a “little” snugger. I have been watching the numbers on the scale slowly creep up and I’m not liking it. Maybe I should brave the scale once a week?
I am an avid runner and running is how I have keep my “girly” athletic figure 🙂 I have ran 12 half 
marathons and 1 full marathon. In April of this year, I ran my first RAGNAR, but have taken a hiatus the past couple of months and am beginning to miss how I feel after a nice long run. For those of you who are not familiar with RAGNAR, it consists of a 12 man team conquering roughly a 200 mile course. I only knew two out of the other eleven runners and thankfully, we all got along! We took off in Huntington Beach and I was the last leg of the team, crossing the finish line in beautiful Coronado Island, San Diego. During this 200 mile course we ran, rode in the car, slept (if you can call it that), and played “leap frog”, repeating this under the California sunshine, beneath the stars at night, and over epic coastlines for 33 hours. I ran with the breeze blowing in my hair, the sun on my shoulders, and had amazing old and new friends at the finish line waiting for me. Along with a nice cold beer and a piece of pizza, of course! What could be better, right?! It was truly something I will never forget… six smelly runners, in a car, with a fantastic driver (my adorable husband) all tired, sore and cramping up, yet laughing your head off over silly mishaps and just getting know each other on a personal level. I am already contemplating doing another one…. but only if I am in warm country. Am I crazy, or what?!
I am aching for some nice long runs, but with summer here and the temperatures in the Desert reaching am aching for some nice long runs, but with summer here and the temperatures in the Desert reaching 110 degrees in the heat of the day, I think it’s best to stay indoors. I love to run outside, but I’d have to get up at 4:00 am or run at night when the temperature is in the 80’s. I begin my day at the hospital at 6:30 am and by the time I get home, it is way too hot. When I am training for the San Diego Rock-N-Roll Full Marathon in June, I do get up at 3:30 in the morning to run outside. I loved seeing the sun rise as I was finishing. I was a lot younger when I ran the full marathon and in this picture with my two sons, sister and her daughter and a lot braver then! These days, I get spooked much easier in the dark and am afraid of meeting up with a stranger or tripping and falling. (Which I am known to do.)
So, I have taken to the treadmill again just so that I can shed some of my excess weight, stretch my legs, sweat, and get the endorphins flowing. I have begun to look for my next race, too. I love the ones in Southern California because the weather is usually really nice; cold at the start of the race and after 1/2 hour I’m all warmed up and ready to go. 🙂
I always say that I am a “turtle”. I am not looking to be the first to cross the finish line. I am a people watcher and I love to run and watch other peoples forms as I run past them or as they glide past me. According to Harley Pasternak, a celebrity trainer and nutrition expert, “When it comes to jogging, the world’s most common form of strenuous exercise, a new study concludes that people who jog regularly, but slowly, tend to live longer than those who push themselves to the max.” That makes me happy! 🙂 I admit, though, I wish I had the form of a cheetah and am working on that.
I know that running is the most efficient way to tone up and lose weight (at least for me). If I can get in at least a 3 mile ‘farklet” run, I know that I am doing my body some good. Fartlek training is effective in increasing a runners endurance and speed. It has been around for almost 50 years and is a Swedish word that means “speed-play”. Using this method makes the run on the treadmill less boring and I can really challenge myself. It involves changing my pace throughout my run. I usually begin with a slow jog and alternate between intense sprints and return to a slow or recovery job.
When I run on the treadmill I know exactly how many calories I burn but, when I’m outside, I have to calculate it. I love this calorie calculator to help me determine my calorie expenditure.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned.asp?exercise=19.
For me, running is time-efficient. I know that walking is good for you and walking uphill is really good for you, but I get a little impatient and want to finish my run so I can move on to the next exciting thing I’m doing that day. Running is just a faster way to burn calories. I also like to do a quick 7-minute workout when I am on vacation with my husband. He does these every morning and you can get a great workout in.
Running is so convenient. I just got my first GPS watch at Christmas and I love it! I don’t know what I did without it. (Well, yes I do… I would run the same course over and over again or I’d spend an hour mapping out where I needed to run so that I covered the mileage that I needed on that day.) I can run anywhere and any time of the day (weather permitting), even while traveling. All I really need is a good pair of running shoes and I’m ready to go. (Oh, and my phone since I have my music on it… I know, I shouldn’t run with one, but I hate to hear myself breathe).
The biggest reason I love to run is the “runner’s high”. At the San Diego Full Marathon (I’ve done the half a couple, too), I had the best runner’s hight at mile 20. I know that many people do not like to run and I do believe that you have love to run to be as crazy as I am. Runner’s high is real and once you experience it there is no turning back. I would much rather run and fit into my clothes than be a slave the scales and watch everything I ate. I realize, though, that it’s good every once in awhile to step on the scales to check myself. Plus, I love the happy sensation of accomplishment as I cross the finish — makes you want to sign up for run, right?
