My Hammy's Hurt!!

My hamstrings are so tight right now. But let's recap the last two days.

January 27th: Almost 2 laps of apartment complex (ending at Shelly's)
Distance: 1.1 miles
Weather: 33 degrees, clear
Feeling: Fine. Legs are a little sore.

January 28th: One lap of apartment complex, one lap of church
Distance: 1 mile
Weather: snowed, then rained earlier - dry when I ran. 38, feels like 30.
Feeling: My hamstrings are REALLY TIGHT!

Plus, I had a calf cramp earlier. My legs are revolting...I probably need to drink water. I ate two calcium chews after my cramps.

Running in circles!

I need to do laundry. My tights smell, and I'm running out of long sleeve shirts. I have bags of laundry that I need to drop off that I just haven't gotten around to it yet. So I decided, for the sake of laundry, to run at the gym.

January 26th: 12 laps of the Bally's Track (might have been 14 - I'm not good at counting)
Distance: 1 mile
Time: under 10 minutes (cause combined, the two songs are 10:12 and I finished well before Stronger-Faster finished - I was able to walk a lap)
Songs: Soul with a Capital S, Stronger-Faster
Weather: the benefit of indoor circles!
Feeling: Fine. It was my warm up before our workout today. I love working out with Tristan.

It's all been done...

So I had to make myself a resolution to get out there today during the day, cause I would have spent it sleeping and watching TV I'm so not motivated lately on the weekends. So at 1 o'clock, I threw on my clothes and went out.

January 25th: Right onto College Rd, Left onto Palm, Right onto Spruceton, Left onto Cherry which takes you back to College Rd, Right onto College Rd to home.
Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: about 15 minutes
Weather: 24 degrees, sunny, feels like 15 degrees
Feeling: Pretty damn good. Calves hurt from yesterday's workout with Tristan. Need to stretch. More hilly than my general runs, but felt good.

Felt good. Now if only I can accomplish all the rest of the stuff that I need to do today...

The weekend...

Thursday was CREOGs. And I was on night call, which left me an hour in the day to get outside and run. So I ran at work.

January 22nd: Out the HSC parking lot, up the hill to ASC, around the parking lot (wide) to the hospital parking lot (wide) and down to level 4, around to HSC and in on level 4 by the OR
Distance: ~1.6 miles
Time: 13:14
Weather: 32 degrees, sunny, feels like 32 degrees
Feeling: That was fun! And I didn't realize how uphill it is out of the hospital - I knew going up the hill to ASC would be a hill, but the whole way from HSC to ASC was uphill!

Friday I was exhausted - I had to do a PAT, I had a doctor's appointment, Vanessa's shower was that night, and the messages at the hospital still needed to be answered. I took a little nap during the day, but didn't get much sleep. After Vanessa's shower, around 10 pm, I went out to run, after essentially being awake for 40 hours.

January 23rd: One and a half loops of the apartment complex
Distance: 1 mile
Time: didn't time it
Weather: 31 degrees, cloudy, feels like 31 degrees
Feeling: I think I only got through this run with the drinks I had at the shower.

And today, I went to Group Workout with Tristan. So I had an hour + of working out (we did lunges, stairs, pushups, etc). I had to run, which I didn't get to until 8 pm.

January 24th: One and a half loops of the apartment complex
Distance: 1 mile
Time: didn't really time it...
Weather: 23 degrees, clear, feels like 9 degrees
Feeling: Saw the stars tonight. And did wonder initially now why I didn't run it during the day when the sun was out.

24 days in a row. Still running. And right now, going to bed. :)

Another Day...

...another bad meal. Friendly's this time.

I swear I'm going to get better about eating.

January 21th: One and a half loops of the apartment complex
Distance: 1 mile
Songs: Winding Road, Womanizer, Bad Guys Want
Time: didn't really time it...
Weather: 20 degrees, clear, feels like 13 degrees
Feeling: Lungs are starting to get tight about .6 miles in. Happened yesterday too. Probably need to take my inhaler pre-run instead of post run.

CREOGs tomorrow. I'll need to pack my running clothes. I'm either going to go out and run at the first break in the CREOGs or when I finish. I'm on call tomorrow night, so if I don't do it then, I won't still be "streaking" ~ and I don't plan on quitting yet!

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...

Worked hard today. Had a great vag hyst with Pearl. Did a little time on L&D. And then, came home after eating not the best food, but less than yesterday. Still sorta crappy food though.

Had to take a nap first. Again. Makes me wonder if I should be running in the morning...

January 20th: One and a half loops of the apartment complex
Distance: 1 mile
Songs: Only the Good Die Young, Jiggy With It
Time: under 9 minutes, based on the songs and a glance at my watch
Weather: 24 degrees, clear, feels like 13 degrees
Feeling: I definitely feel faster.

It's getting nice though, running for just a few minutes. Less than 10 now, and even less than 9. :)

Food Resolution

January 19th: One and a half loops of the apartment complex
Distance: 1 mile
Songs: If I had a Million Dollars, Love Song
Time: under 9 minutes, based on the songs
Weather: 30 degrees, mostly cloudy, feels like 30 degrees
Feeling: I need to start eating healthier.

Went out to dinner tonight - BWW with Kirthi. Ate a lot of crap ~ really, all I ate all day. STOMACH ACHE. I need to eat better. It's not fun to get home after and have to take a nap to make the stomach ache go away so I can go out and run.

The Power of the Internet

This is going to be a mostly off topic post, but I think worthwhile.

January 18th: College Rd to Mooney Pond, left on Mooney to S. Evergreen, left on S. Evergreen to Inwood, left on Inwood to Galaxie, left on Galaxie to College Rd and left on College to home.
Distance: 1.75 miles
Weather: 31 degrees, mostly cloudy, feels like 31 degrees
Feeling: Pretty good.

So my run was uneventful, but my arrival home was more interesting. I called my parents tonight, and my mom said my dad had just gotten a phone call from a man named John Stolte who had seen my father's picture online from the Vietnam War with contact information from a Korean soldier named Seo Kun-jak that had fought with him. Mr. Stolte was trying to verify my dad's contact information so that the Seo Kun-jack could get in touch with my dad.

Wow. The power of the internet amazes me. Tonight, for one of the first times, I heard excitement and even happiness in my father's voice when he spoke of the war - or at least - his friends from the war. To see my dad's picture, to see his handwriting underneath, and to read to him the letter from his friend...just amazing.



So I sent an email to Mr. Seo Kun-jak. I hope to hear back.

On Track

Today was a group workout with Tristan day. That means that four of us work out in a track-team like workout. For example, we did jumps and lunges, wall sits, box jumps, planks, etc. It's actually nice - I'm generally not too sore after but I know I got a good workout. He always does little trick things with me - for example, I have 2 extra levels on my boxes, he gives me higher weights and more resistance on the bike. But it's fine, it pushes me. Plus, the group atmosphere pushes me like track practice used to - I don't want to be last, I want to be the example. It's fun.

So that was at 1. I ate on my way home (2:30) so I needed to wait before running. I've run enough times after eating and I didn't feel like having a stomach ache. So I rested for an hour (watched this week's One Tree Hill) and then I was off.

January 17th: To 25 and Back (Friendly's)
Distance: 1 mile
Songs: Just Dance, Come on Over, Brian Wilson
Weather: 16 degrees, mostly cloudy, feels like 8 degrees
Feeling: Not too bad. Didn't want to run much longer since I already worked out today.

Tomorrow, I might change it up. We'll see. Now I should do some work.

Just Dance...

I went out to dinner with LanNa and Kirthi tonight after work. My initial plan was go home, run, and sleep immediately after work, which would have gotten me in bed by 6. But it's okay, I'll be in bed by 8:30. So we had dinner, a few drinks, and then I came home to run.

I put on my long johns underneath my tights. My upper body is usually warm enough with a shirt, light running jacket, and my vest, but I added a scarf just in case. And a ski hat. And off I went.

January 16th: 1 loop of the Apartment Complex and a lap around the church
Distance: somewhere around 1 mile, probably a little more
Songs: Switch, Lose Yourself, Soul with a Capital S
Weather: 8 degrees, fair, feels like 8 degrees
Feeling: Um...it was so cold, I didn't sweat.

Ok, so when it feels like 8 degrees, that's friggin cold.

And now, I'm going to go to bed. I've earned it.

The last two days...

Exhaustion has set in...here's the last updates for the last two days.

January 14th: 1 1/2 loops of the Apartment Complex
Distance: 1 mile
Weather: 22 degrees, clear, feels like 14 degrees
Feeling: I think I'm running in my sleep....

January 15th: To 25 and back (Bank of America)
Distance: 1 mile
Weather: 15 degrees, snowed during the day, feels like 2 degrees!
Feeling: FREAKING COLD!

Don't Want To, Don't Want To...

But I did!

January 13th: 1 1/2 loops of the Apartment Complex
Distance: 1 mile
Weather: 34 degrees, feels like 29, cloudy
Feeling: ugh...

So today was an OR day, which means I usually grab something to eat that won't agree with my intestines because I'm looking for a quick craving. I ate onion rings - which didn't do well last week either. And then, to top it off, I went out to eat so I could do some work and I know the food I ate isn't good for my stomach. Maybe I should try to start eating better as part of this.

So when I got home, I tried to sleep for an hour. But at 10:45 pm, I dragged my ass out of bed and went out to run. The short route, but I'll feel better tomorrow.

Just heard on the news...the bitter cold comes tomorrow. Guess I should have enjoyed this run more because it sounds like the rest will be REALLY COLD!

Spring Tights

Guess I forgot to write yesterday...it was a little hectic day. I took call for Jerry and then went to Nikole's to study for a few hours and didn't get home until 9 o'clock. So I had to run outside in the ice. A little dangerous, mind you.

January 11th: 2 loops of the Apartment Complex
Distance: 1.2 miles
Weather: 25 degrees, feels like 17, light snow
Feeling: Didn't break my neck!

And now, onto today. Yesterday, I switched the top I wore to my underarmour grey shirt and the lime green long sleeve jacket and my bright yellow vest. Today, I decided to switch my tights to a pair I bought a few years ago, after my marathon season.

January 12th: One and a half loops of the Apartment Complex
Distance: 1 mile
Weather: 23 degrees, feels like 23, mostly cloudy
Feeling: My Legs Are COLD!

So the tights turned out to be spring tights...not tights I should wear in the middle of winter! And as the week goes on, freezing cold, I'm not wearing them again!

Let It Snow

I slept in this morning, and that was nice. My pager never went off, which is good, since I'm on onc back up this weekend. Jerry called this morning and asked again if I could work for him tomorrow (I had actually forgotten about that - I thought it was next week). So my non-dedicated self of course said yes.

Eh, enough bitching. I'm actually happier after my run, so let's talk about that. Today we're supposed to have a winter storm. I decided I wanted to run in the snow, but we never got much more than a dusting. So I went out in the light snow, deciding that maybe if I ran more, my mood would be better.

January 10th: College Rd to 25, right on 25 to S. Evergreen, right on S. Evergreen to Elmwood, right on Elmwood to Galaxie, left on Galaxie to College Rd. left on College Rd. to home.
Distance: almost 2 miles
Songs: Only the Good Die Young, Miami, Attitude Dance, I Will...But, Dirty Pop
Total time: eh, no watch
Weather: 25 degrees, feels like 17, light snow
Feeling: I'm smiling...and I haven't done that much lately.

I still have lots of work to do. But I'm happier, at least for the moment.

Crossing Midnight

Yea, not going out again.
Off to bed. :)

A little mental math

Tonight after work, I went out to dinner with Nikole and Beth. It was a much needed dinner, as no one ate anything all day. And of course, we got to talking, and time passed, and we left at around 11. And I still had to run my mile. So home I went, clothes I changed, and off I go.

January 9th: 2 loops of Fairfield at Selden (1.2 miles)
Songs: Make Me Stronger, Oh What a Night, Follow me
Total time: eh, no watch
Weather: 26 degrees, feels like 17 degrees, clear
Feeling: My cheeks burnt a little...it's cold out!

As I ran, I did a little mental math. If the complex is .6 miles around, and there's the middle part that you could run up. So if I only ran the first square, it would be .3 for the half I would run, and .1 up the middle (or thereabout, figuring that the long parts are .2 and the sides are .1). Which would make exactly 1 mile around. I could save that for days that I wanted to run a little less.

So I got to thinking, as I came inside at 11:44, why not go out again? It's supposed to snow tomorrow, and I could go running in the snow, but I have all my clothes on (or nearby) and I could just go now. So I'll think about it for the next 10 minutes. Of course, as I'm getting warm now inside, it sorta seems like a stupid idea....

New Music

I finally got new songs on my ipod today. Probably about 10% of the time, I can get my ipod to work with my computer. Today was a day it decided to work and I managed to download and upload a bunch of songs so now I have a little variety.

January 8th: To 25 and back, then some random running around the apartment complex
Songs: Come on Over, Disturbia, Hot and Cold, and a few more I can't remember
Total time: 9:30 for the mile, didn't time the random running
Weather: 31 degrees, windy, feels like 21
Feeling: Every time I should have been ready to come inside, I felt like running again. So I ran the half loop, then cut across some lawns, then did it again. It was in spurts, but I wanted to keep going.

So I'm happier with my music selection now and I expect the runs to get a little longer now. It's more than a week, and I'm still running. :)

One week down...

51 to go!

Today was a busy day at work. I booked 5 OR cases (they actually pay someone to do that, she just doesn't do her job), I scheduled their preop appointments and called everyone to let them know when their appointments were. But it gave me 5 cases for the OR, so good for me. :) I left at 7, and was supposed to meet LanNa and Don to go over, step by step, how to do a hysterectomy. So I got home at almost 7:30 and changed quick and was off.

January 7th: Around the apartment complex twice (1.2 miles)
Songs: No Other Man, Panic at the Disco, SexyBack
Total time: less than 10:50 (the total of the songs) - about a 9 minute mile
Weather: 37 degrees, "showers in the vicinity," feels like 29
Feeling: the last part sorta hurts, but I feel like I'm pushing the pace nicely.

Definitely starting to push it. The Panic at the Disco song (the Martyrdom one) has a great fast paced rhythm, and it really makes me run. I think that's what's helping me keep at 9 minute mile already. Which is better than I thought I'd be at this point.

Next week, I'll start changing it up a little bit. Fartleks and maybe a little longer milage. But right now, I'm happy to say that I've done it everyday for a week!

Another day in the OR

Today was my first day in the OR since starting the streak running. And man, everyone is talking about it! It seems there's a whole bunch of us doing it and it was all the talk at lunchtime. Some run in the morning, some run after work. People have measured the distance around the parking garage (0.4 miles - enclosed for the rainy days), the distance to Nicolls Rd (0.8 miles if you go right out of the hospital). The debate raged if running on the 9th floor counts when we're on call. I told them I was happy to run after work, that it felt good. So I was home, and it was time to run.

January 6th: Bank of America and back
Songs: Panic at the Disco, Hazel Eyes, Switch
Total time: probably under 10 minutes
Weather: 32 degrees, cloudy, feels like 27 degrees - not snowing yet!
Feeling: AWESOME! I was definitely speeding along, felt good about the run. Hurt a little at the end but that's cause I was really pushing it.

A change of pace

So today is Monday. Which means, it's my regular workout day with Tristan, my personal trainer. He's awesome, and I love him for kicking my ass once-twice a week. So I decided I'd be a little different today, since it seemed silly to dirty two pairs of workout clothes. That meant, off to the gym a little early to run there.

January 5th: on the treadmill at Bally's
Songs listened to: can't really remember...becoming less important, but I still need my ipod
Total time: started at a 12 minute mile pace and ended at under 9 minute pace ~ 9:47 for the mile, which means I'm already under 10 minutes outside, since I'm faster outside.
Weather: oh, the benefits of treadmill
Feeling: I really hate treadmills.

Tomorrow's an OR day. Better get my rest. Especially since I'll have to run after.

Myriad of Complaints

Okay, here's my myriad of complaints so far:

* I banged my left heel on the sonosite white dragging it around L&D yesterday. I'm getting quite a nice bruise there, and it hurts in my shoe.
* Shin splints. I forgot how much I hate them, and I'm doing my funny walking around my apartment to try to make them better.
* While running today, I realized I should have worn my baseball cap and not my winter hat. I can never tell which one I want by looking outside and the sun was in my eyes today.
* My ipod only works occasionally with my computer, which means I can't change my songs. I feel like when I was training for my first marathon and only had a mp3 player that held 8 songs. And I have no Barenaked Ladies songs on my ipod currently, which means I'm not running to my favorite music (though Will Smith's Switch song really gets me running).
* And Chris Page hasn't called me back yet and I'm supposed to go into the city to see him today for brunch and a movie. At the rate this is going, it's going to be lunch/dinner and movie.

Okay, those are my complaints. Now here's my stats:

January 4th route: College Rd to Galaxie to Elmwood and Back
Songs listened to: Ends Tonight, London Bridge, See You Again, SexyBack
Total time: still don't have my watch
Weather: 28 degrees, sunny, feels like 18 degrees
Feeling: One mile's starting to feel easy.

So four days down. Tomorrow brings my first day back on oncology ~ yeah! I think I'll try to run in the morning. We shall see.

In the middle of the night...

So today, I meant to run before call ~ I even set my alarm. I did not, however, get out of bed.
"That's okay," I thought to myself. "I'm only on call until 8 pm."

Of course, I got sucked in at work. Henna, one of our nurses, came in laboring, and how can you not stay to deliver a friend? So at 9:16 pm, the world is one cute boy more (Gregory, 6 lb, 12 oz and only 6 pushes!) and I didn't actually leave the hospital til after 10.
"Don't run!" said Vanessa, on the way home. "You're crazy!"

But I knew had to. Now, it's a little late, so I didn't want to do my regular run. Instead, I drove a loop of my apartment complex and found it to be 0.6 miles as a complete loop. I parked my car, ran in, changed my clothes and was off.

January 3rd route: Two Loops of Fairfield at Selden
Songs listened to: Move Along, Switch, The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage (Panic at the Disco has the strangest titles), Love Song
Total time: around 10 minutes - I left at 10:48 and was back by 10:58
Weather: 29 degrees, clear night sky, feels like 19 degrees
Feeling: I'm still in it!
What I learned: I need some new ipod songs...

Admittedly, there's something a little tempting about going out after midnight for my second mile...

Mile #2

Okay, today was Day 2.

Today I was supposed to be in the OR with Onc. However, there were no cases scheduled since LIGO broke up. So instead, my job today is to work on my oncology fellowship application and my Doctors without Borders application.

But of course, before I can start that, I need to run my mile. Here's the stats:

January 2nd route: to 25 and back (Friendly's this time ~ ran on the other side of the street)
Songs listened to: The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage (Panic at the Disco has the strangest titles), Hazel Eyes, Ain't No Other Man, Move Along
Total time: don't know, didn't take my watch
Weather: 38 degrees, cloudy, feels like 29 degrees (and windy!)
Feeling: okay, my legs are a little sore and this is a little harder than yesterday...but I can do it!

You may have noticed I'm not taking my watch yet. Right now, I just need to run and get used to doing it again before I start watching the clock. I've always been a clock watcher, but I know what's a mile in my neighborhood and I don't need to time myself. Yet.

Okay, so I have to shower and I have to go start working on these applications!

Running Streak

Well, it's a new year.

2009.

This is the year I finally finish residency and have to go find a job.

Finally.

Well, there's that little thing called a gyn oncology fellowship, which I'll start in 2010. But hey, let's not think about that now.

Today, about an hour before call was finished on the labor floor, Steve Probst came up to me and told me about the OR's challenge, running streak. I must have looked at him strangely, because I was picturing certain faces in the OR running naked on this very cold first day of the year. Instead, he told me that the challenge was to run 1 mile everyday. $50 buy in, and whoever's still running at the end, the pot is theirs.

So I said, of course I'm game! I came home from call, slept on the futon for a few hours, and then when I woke up around 3:50, put on my running clothes, mostly left over from my first marathon training in 2005, and ran.

January 1st route: to 25 and back (Bank of America)
Songs listened to: Lovesong, London Bridge, SexyBack, Switch, See You Again
Total time: don't know, didn't take my watch
Weather: 24 degrees, sunny, feels like 13 degrees
Feeling: DAMN, this feels good again!

As we said this morning, it's 10 minutes. That's it. I can suck it up and do it before work. I can do it after work. It's 10 minutes. I can, and will, find the time. And every day, I'll record my stats.

Happy New Year!