HFCS, preservatives, hydrogenated oil.... What's a busy girl to do?

Sadly I haven't been running as much as I'd like. I *have* been working out, quite a lot... a friend and I are doing Jillian Michael (from the Biggest Loser)'s Making the Cut workout book. They are really hard circuit training strength exercises that kick my butt!!! I feel like I am getting toned and in good shape, but I really need to up the pure cardio and running. It is so hard to fit in both. Today is a rare "off" day in the program so I am going to run 4 - 5 miles if I'm not too sore. We're in the middle of week 2 so I think now I can really start trying to incorporate running more miles like I was doing a couple weeks ago, *and* this strength workout I wanted to fit in back then. I don't think it has to be one or the other, but that's how it's turned out.

In other fitness news, I've decided to try to eat as healthy and naturally as possible. I've been frustrated because even though I run a lot and work out a lot, I don't really lose weight... more like, I flucuate between re-losing and re-gaining the same 3 or 4 pounds, when really I would like to lose a good 10 pounds and keep it off. I know it's all because of my diet, and if I can just be as discliplined and dedicated to that as I am to running and working out, I will be all-around healthy *and* I will finally get rid of these 10 extra pounds I've been carrying around for at least a year.

I've been focusing on that for only 2 days now but I already feel great. My skin gets softer when I drink more water and eat more fruits and veggies. During the day I have energy that feels so natural, and then at night time I am actually tired. So I am really, really liking it.

Last night I was headed to the grocery store and, lo and behold -- perfect timing -- on my liberal radio talk show, where they normally only talk about politics, came a guest speaker who was this guy called Chef MD who wrote a book about "culinary medicine". I guess he has a show called What's Cooking on Lifetime (but I've never seen it). Anyway, he is a doctor and a chef and he was talking about the American diet and why we are obese.

Since my new decision to eat natural, I have been trying to stay away from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and funny enough, he started talking about this on the show regarding his book. He said that today almost *everything* that Americans buy at the grocery store and eat has HFCS in it. In 1970, *nothing* Americans ate had HFCS in it. And it just so happens that the obesity rate in America has tripled since then.

So, after hearing that in my car and thinking about it lately, I went around the grocery store trying to find healthy food that didn't have HFCS in it. I was also looking to avoid preservatives and partially hydrogenated oils. It was honestly practically impossible. :cry: Even the bread I always eat, which I always thought was healthy -- Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat -- has it. At home I looked at my shelves and sure enough, there was either HFCS, hydrogenated oil, or both in my Special K Almond cereal, some chicken soup (the generic kind, not the Healthy Choices kind), my Quaker Oats 90 calorie granola bar.... almost *everything*!

What's a busy girl to do??!?! I am honestly usually proud of myself just for going to the grocery store and buying stuff to take to work with me for lunch and snacks, instead of eating the unhealthy free junk at work or buying McDonald's or a burrito etc. Now I realize that the only way to really be natural is to go to the co-op and buy stuff with preservatives that doesn't last long, and cook it up right away... wow, so much work. But I guess that's what's become of the American culture, huh... I guess I fit right in and that explains why it's so "easy" for us to buy all of this pre-packaged stuff.

I have not come up with a definite solution but I need to find a way to be healthy, eat naturally, work out, *and* work, *and* have a life. I think I just have to get used to slowly making better changes. Like, I'm only going to buy Kashi Go Lean cereal and others that don't have artificial stuff in them. I'm going to make it a priority to bring my lunch and prepare food so that I don't have to stop and grab a sugar-sweetened treat or fast food. Eventually I want to get to a place where eating healthy and knowing what I'm putting in my body is second nature. At this point, though, I am just surprised to learn all of this! I may check out the book the guy on the radio was talking about, and I also want to read "Fat Land."

Some statistics and links:

America Scores: Statistics on Childhood Obesity 15.3% of children ages 6 to 11 were overweight in 1999 and 2000, more than triple the average of 4.2 percent from 1963 to 1970.

US Obesity Rate Map: State by StateAlabama has the highest obesity rate, at 30%, and Colorado has the lowest, at 18.7%... my state, New Mexico, is about in the middle, at 24%.

Alarming Obesity RateThis blog entry by Dr. Davis sums up the CDCP's statistics on the obesity rate, including the alarming facts that children between the ages of 2-9 have almost a 17% obesity rate and adult males have a 31% obesity rate. Dr. Davis recommends a plant-based diet... I love veggies but I also love me some chicken!!!

Chef MD This is the guy I heard on the radio last evening. He seems like a cool dude! I'm going to look into his website, TV show, and book.

Super Bowl Sunday 5K Race Result

I did it! I finished the 5K in my goal time of under 27 minutes. In fact, my time was 26:55. :)

It felt great. I definitely went out too fast the first mile -- 8:15! I need to run more on the road instead of on the treadmill so I can gage my pace. I just started off with the head of the pack and my Garmin said my pace was 6:30! I'd try to slow down and it would say 7:30! Crazy.

The second mile I did in 8:55 or so, which was slower than my 8:40 goal pace. The third mile I did in 8:35 or so, so it all evened out, but I really want to work on my pace. At the end I felt spent and was hoping I could crawl over the finish line in time. Ha ha.

I had a great time, my boyfriend came and took my picture so I'll have to post it. I am really excited to have run my first race of the year and to start working on improving that time. But it's a great starting time... fast for me!

Here's a link to the official results.

What to do before a 5K race

Tomorrow is my 5K. It will be my first race of the year, and, sad to say, my first race since I ran the Portland Marathon near the end of 2007! It will give me a good starting time to build off of the rest of the year, for 5Ks and longer races. I want to come in in 27 minutes or less, which is a pace of 8:41 minutes per mile. I'm going to go out at that pace (with my Garmin 405 :) and see how I feel after the first mile. If I feel good, I'll pick it up just a little... to like 8:35. After mile 3, as long as I keep that up, I'll make it. If I feel really good, I might try to run the last mile pretty fast.

Here are some tips I've found online for what to do before a 5K race.

* Stick to your routine! Don't make any last-minute changes in what you eat, drink, wear, etc. It could throw you an unexpected curve ball! Wear the running shoes you've been training in.

* Secure your most comfortable race clothing the day before. Hopefully you know what is most comfortable to run in from training. If not, get a shirt or tank top made of wicking fabric that will pull the sweat away from your body. Wear running tights under your shorts or pants so you don't chap.

* Stay well hydrated the day before!

* Rest up the day before as much as possible. This is no time for last-second training sessions. You are not going to get any better in one day, and you may risk making yourself tired or your muscles sore for the race.

* Pack a sports bag the night before with essentials (safety pins for race bib, energy bar/ gel, gatorade, water, camera if you want to take pictures!, layered clothes/ jacket, sunglasses, cap, sunscreen, lotion or vaseline for anti-chapping, chapstick, MP3 player and headphones if you use them). Don't forget post-race essentials like change of clothes, towel, dry socks, sandals or comfy shoes, deodorant... especially if some poor person is going to be driving you home!

* A 5K is really not long enough of a distance to "carb-load" the night before, but, in addition to staying well hydrated!, make sure you eat healthy and enough the day before. Don't stuff yourself but don't go hungry. Eat plenty of protein and carbs. A sensible meal plan is oatmeal or high-protein cereal for breakfast, with whey protein if you're into that, or an egg and cheese sandwich; a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with cheese, and a side of fruit for lunch; a chicken wrap with veggiess for dinner. In between meals, you can snack on granola, nuts, yogurt, fruit, veggies, or protein/ energy bars.

* This may seem obvious, but get a good night's sleep! Don't party or stay up late the night before. Have a relaxed routine planned where you can take a bath, read a book, drink some tea, meditate, or otherwise calm yourself down and get to bed at a decent hour so that you have at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep before the race.

* Four to two hours before your race if possible, have a "last meal" that is light and easily digested, such as cereal (but don't have this if milk gives your stomach a reaction, especially when nervous), a banana, or two pieces of toast with peanut butter. If you're used to coffee and tea, it won't be a problem to drink. But again if this makes ever your stomach feel weird when you're nervous, skip it until after the race. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a 400 to 500 calorie meal about 3 hours pre-exercise.

* Make sure to drink enough water before the race, but don't overload yourself. 16 ounces should be plenty. You can also drink a sports drink, tomato juice, or fruit juice, but you may want to dilute these to one-third their strength so they don't weigh your stomach down or interfere with your body's natural process during the race.

* Find the race site and a parking spot early to avoid unnecessary stress, especially if you're registering on race day!

* Drive around the race course if you want, to get a good idea of the course and where any hills, tight spots, curves, loop-arounds, etc. are.

* Once you're all ready for the race (early!), just relax and tell yourself you are ready. Think of how far you've come in your training! Be proud of yourself for training, registering, and showing up for a race!

* You can do some easy running 30 minutes before the race to warm up your legs. Also some light stretching 15 minutes beforehand. But be sure to conserve your energy; don't do anything strenuous.

* If it's at cold out, it's a good idea to keep on at least a lightweight layer until right before the race.

That's it. You'll be all ready to race your 5K. And so will I, hopefully! Wish me luck. :)

Nutrition Issues

I was tired and weak for my workout today. I have not been eating well. A couple of months ago, I weighed 138 and decided it was time to get healthier. I ate really well, but didn't run very much -- maybe about 3 miles a few times a week with my dog, and some strength training at the gym with my friend.

I lost weight and got down to 132 in a few weeks. My goal is 125. But then when I started running more, I started eating more too! I get so hungry and I start to not care what I eat. I really love burritos, chips and salsa, ice cream (which I try not to eat very often), etc.

A lot of the weight came back, and I got frustrated. So I tried not eating very much and soon I was back down to 134. I think today I am at 134. But I haven't been eating *enough* and that made me too tired to work out. I notice that I really need the nutrients, but I should skip the heavy/ bad for me stuff.

I only ran for 3 miles in 31 minutes on the treadmill at the downtown gym. I felt like I could pass out. :( I also did some strength/training exercises for 15 minutes.

So now I am really trying to be balanced and healthy. I really can't lose weight unless I eat very well and not too much. That is hard to do when I'm running a lot. But I'm going to try to eat about 1400-1500 calories a day, except on days I have a really hard workout or long run, in which case I'll eat 1800-2000. And I'm going to try to stick to food that's healthiest for me, so I'm not filling my body up with useless crap.

First thing in the morning

I actually got up early and worked out at 7:15am. :)

I did a speed interval workout on the treadmill at the gym across from my office I did .5 mile at 10 min per mile, then .5 mile at 8:34 min per mile for total of three miles. Then 1 mile cool-down at 10 min per mile. 4 miles total in 37:45, plus cool down to 40 minutes.

It feels great to run first thing in the morning! I am going to try to do that more often. It was my New Year's Resolution to get up at 6am and try to work out right away, or else go into work early if I had a lot to do. But I've rarely put that into practice!

Skiing

On Friday the associates at my firm went skiing at Santa Fe. I skiied from 10 am to 4 pm, with a couple little breaks in between. Factoring in the ski lift time, I'd say I got in a good three hours of skiing. I was doing moguls on black diamond slopes... it was hard!

It was my first time skiing this season, and last season Kenny and I went just about every weekend it seemed. I remember I used to get tired last season and need a break. This season, even though I was rusty from being out of skiing practice, physically I felt great and I wanted to keep going and going, even after most of the rest of my co-workers were finished. I could feel a big improvement in my physical condition as a result of running so much. Woo hoo! I love skiing and I'm glad that running translates so well with it.

Yesterday I was a lot more sore than I thought I would be, though. My neck and back were stiff and tight, almost post-marathon style, and my calves were really sore. I was also really tired, like when I used to train for this uphill mountain trail race called La Luz. I was surprised, because I'd felt so good on Friday!

Today I still feel pretty sore, especially my tight calves. But I took Venus for a run around Kenny's neighborhood and it felt really good. Amazingly my calves didn't feel sore when I was running, but after I stopped again, they sure did. Weird! We just went for thirty minutes, about three miles.

Week 2 Report

Week 2: Thursday January 15, 2009 -- Wednesday January 21, 2009

Note: S/T = strength/ toning

Day Date Miles Type Time Pace
8 Thu 1/15/09 4 Mi Easy 39:27 9:52
9 Fri 1/16/09 5 Mi Hill 53:40 10:44
10 Sat 1/17/09 7 Mi Long 1:14:30 10:39
11 Sun 1/18/09 ----- REST DAY --------------
12 Mon 1/19/09 5 Mi Regular 50:00 10:00
----------- S/T: 10 min sit ups/ push ups
13 Tue 1/20/09 5 Mi Regular 48:19 9:40
14 Wed 1/21/09 3.1 Mi Pace 27:07 8:45
----------- 2.9 Mi Easy 20:00 10:32

Record:

Total miles: 31
Total approx running time: 5.5 hours
Total days a week running: 6
Total strength/ toning time: 10 minutes
Total work out time: 5 hours, 40 minutes
Total days a week strength/ toning: 1
Total days a week working out: 6
Runs done this week: Long, Hill, Regular, Easy, Pace
Pace Run: 3.1 miles in 27:07 (8:45 min per mile pace)


Notes:
I need to do more strength/ toning but I just can't seem to find the time.
I feel like I did at least one more strength training this week than it shows here, but I can't remember and I forgot to log it right away!
I am proud of myself for staying dedicated these past two weeks. :)

Pace Run = Success! :)

Today I ran a pace run just for curiosity's sake, and I ran 3.1 miles on the treadmill in 27:07. That is *just above* the 8:45 pace I want to run the 5K in to come in below 27 minutes. So I feel very assured that I will meet my goal. :

Running Forward: Inauguration Day!

At Runner's World, runner and author Amby Burfoot gives his take on running around the Mall during the days leading up the Inauguration today:

http://footloose.runnersworld.com/2009/01/jan-19-the-obam.html

I am so jealous that he actually gets to be there at the Inauguration. I just watched it in a conference room at work, and it is awesome to witness history being made. I feel that even though our country is experiencing really hard times, we are moving forward, and great progress is being made!

I have been a big Obama fan since the primaries. I volunteered for the Youth Vote Campaign here in Albuquerque, which gave me a lot of time to walk around and talk to people. Everyone was so fired up for Obama. And today I experienced that excitement all over again. I love that spurt of energy and I want to put it to good use -- I'll be off for a run over lunch!

To the right is a picture of me, in the middle, at an Obama Youth Registration drive at a community college in Albuquerque. Above is a picture of me and my friend and running buddy Penimah, at Obama's Eary Vote rally here in Albuquerque. We got to see him give a speech!

Upcoming 5k Race and Goal

The Race

Okay, I've decided that my first 5K of the year is going to be the Superbowl Sunday 10K and 5K. (I will be running the 5k part of course.)

Here are the benefits:

1. It starts at the high school right by my house!
2. It is sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings, so there is a free spread of wings for all participants at the end of the race. :)
3. It is over before the Superbowl starts, so I have no excuse to not work out before I indulge!

Here is the drawback:

1. It costs $25 bucks. Why do road races have to be so darn expensive? Hrpmh.

So, it's set in stone (I mean, um, in cyberspace type). I shall run it... my first race of the year and actually since the marathon I ran in October of 2007! Yikes.

I tried to get my guy to run it with me but he's been lazy as of late (note to self: don't ever buy boyfriend Guitar Hero or any other time-sucking video game). He's been trying to save up money. And, he didn't mention it, but I think he doesn't want his Superbowl Sunday interrupted by a silly little 5k. ;) So... perhaps it's better to run it on my own, because that's how I'm used to running (except with Venus, who they won't let on the course), and it will help me gage my pace the best. Which brings me to...

The Goal Pace

I am going to try to finish the race in 27 minutes or less. I looked that up in this handy pace chart from Running Times, which shows me what pace I have to maintain to run a goal time. The pace is 8:41 minute miles.

That's a tall order for me. I believe my best 5k time is just under 28 minutes. Ugh. Horrible. I aim to improve that greatly and I really think I can do it. If not, at least I have a starting point to build off of. Once I get my 5k pace down to 8:30, I will start training for a 10k. And so on.

Week 1 Report

Week 1: Thursday January 8, 2009 -- Wednesday January 14, 2009

Note: S/T = strength/ toning

Day Date Miles Type Time Pace
1 Thu 1/8/09 5 Mi Regular 48:54 9:47
2 Fri 1/9/09 5 Mi Interval 47:55 9:35
3 Sat 1/10/09 6 Mi Long 1:10:30 11:45
4 Sun 1/11/09 ----- REST DAY --------------
5 Mon 1/12/09 5 Mi Regular 48:25 9:41
----------- S/T: 10 min sit ups/ push ups
6 Tue 1/13/09 3 Mi Easy 30:50 10:17
----------- 2 Mi Pace 17:35 8:48
----------- S/T: 15 min arms
7 Wed 1/14/09 5 Mi Regular 49:25 9:53
----------- S/T: 15 min legs

Total miles: 31
Total running time: 5.5 hours
Total days a week running: 6
Total strength/ toning time: 40 minutes
Total work out time: 6 hours, 10 minutes
Total days a week strength/ toning: 3
Total days a week working out: 6

wrapping up the week

Today was my last day of week 1. I ran for 5 miles at the dowtown Sports & Wellness treadmill in 49:25, which is a 9:53 per mile pace. This is the first time it actually felt kind of hard, I think I am tired from running so much more than normal this week, and from doing arm weights yesterday. I slugged through the first few miles and then at mile 4 I started to feel better. I've noticed that lately -- like all of a sudden it just feels easy and I take off. I stayed at 10 minute miles until mile 4 when I gradually increased my speed for the last mile.

Then I did 15 minutes of leg exercises, 8 different machines/ exercises with an average of 2 sets of 12 reps each. I also did the captain's chair for abs because I feel like I haven't done enough abs lately.

Actually, I feel like I haven't done enough strength/ toning in general. It is just so hard to fit in because my 5 mile runs plus cool-down and stretching take an hour. I don't know where I can fit in the extra time but I really want to do more of that for toning. I also need to start tracking each exercise/ weight better. But these are goals to incorporate with time and for now I am concentrating on fitting in that 5 mile run as many days as possible.

Today I worked out for over an hour total. It was a nice way to wrap up the week. :)

Running twice in one day :) Speedwork etc.

Today I ran twice in one day. I actually got up early (it's one of my New Year's Resolutions to wake up at 6am every day... but I have rarely carried it out!), and was headed to the gym when my dog Venus gave me puppy dog eyes and got all hyper. She really, really wanted to go for a run. So I took her, although it was really cold outside! We ran for three miles on the bike path by Candelaria, in about 30 minutes, so a ten minute per mile pace.

Then after work I went to the downtown Sports & Wellness and ran 2 miles in 17:35... a 8:48 pace. That was a great pace run. I was aiming for 8:35 minutes per mile (which is the time I thought I'd like to run an upcoming 5k race in), but unfortunately that felt a bit too fast for me. Still, 8:48 is a good pace and I would be happy if I could run the remaining 1.1 miles at that same pace. I would love to come in under 27 minutes.

After that run at the gym, I did 15 minutes of arm exercises. 8 different machines/ exercises; about 2 sets of 12 reps on each. So I worked out for over an hour today.

5 mile run at different gym

Today I went to my gym, Sports & Wellness, but a different location than I usually go to, Midtown, because my friend Tamara wanted to meet up with me and that one's closest to her. I had an appointment close by so, after work, it worked out for me too. I actually like that gym better because each of the treadmills have little personal TVs on them. :) I like to watch TV while I run, it takes my mind off the monotomy and/or pain. ;) But it was very busy... the downtown Sports & Wellness, which is where I usually go because it's right across from my office, *can* get busy but is often not very busy.

We went at 6pm which is the latest time I like to start my work outs. Often I end up working out later than that, so I feel pretty good about it, but I'd *really* like to start working out first thing in the morning or over lunch.

I ran 5 miles in 48:25, which is a 9:41 minute per mile pace. :) It felt great! I've noticed a big difference in my runs after running 5 miles per day, more or less, straight. It feels easier and more natural. I remember when it was a struggle for me to run at a ten minute per mile pace for 3 miles. Now I do 3 or 4 miles at that pace easily and I start speeding up at mile 3.5 or 4 because it feels so easy. I feel like I really get into my rhythm at about mile 3. For the first couple of miles, I'm just sloshing along, then suddenly, I feel like I'm flying!

After my run Tamara and I did some sit-ups and push-ups for about 10 minutes. So I worked out for an hour today and feel great. :)

Sunday... the day of rest...

This wasn't a "planned" rest day but I was lazy. We watched football games and TV and I did some work at home and I just didn't get around to running before it got dark. My gym closes at 9 on Sundays so at about 7:30 I thought, okay, it's officially my rest day. I hope it's the only one for me this week, but it sure does feel nice to rest up!

Long run

Today I did a long run, but it wasn't that long because it was only 6 miles. But I'm going to increase it every weekend. I ran with my dog Venus on a bike path near my house that goes for miles. It was at 4:30pm and it was sunny but it got pretty cold near the end. My total time was about one hour and ten minutes, although my Garmin died. My pace was just under a 12 minute mile, probably about 11:45. I need to get that pace faster for ultimate training. But I felt sluggish and weak. I should have eaten more before I headed out. But it really relieved stress and I was glad I found time to fit it in!

Interval workout

Today I did an interval workout at downtown Sports and Wellness on the treadmill. I left work early, at about 4 pm. In total the workout was 5 miles in about 49 minutes.

I was working on my target 5K pace which is 8:30 minute miles.

I warmed up for 1 mile at 5.5 speed (11 min mi pace). Then I did 8 speed intervals of .25 distance at 7 speed (8:34 min mi pace), alternated with .25 at 5.5 speed (11 min mi pace) recovery intervals. Then I did a cool down at 6 speed (10 min mi pace).

It felt awesome. Like I was flying!

Here is the break-down from my Runner's World training log:

Type	Distance	Time	Total Time	Pace	Avg HR	Max HR	Notes
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	2:05	8:20	180	185	8 intervals of .25 at speed 7 (8:34 mile pace) w/ .25 recoveries in between at 5.5 speed (11 min mile pace)
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	4:50	11:00	170	175	recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	6:55	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	9:40	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	11:45	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	14:30	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	16:35	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	19:20	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	21:25	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	24:10	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	26:15	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	29:00	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	31:05	8:20			speed
Recovery	0.25 Mi	2:45	33:50	11:00			recovery
Interval	0.25 Mi	2:05	35:55	8:20			speed
Recovery	1.25 Mi	13:00	48:55	10:24			warm up .50 mi at speed 5.5 (11 min mile pace) and cool down .75 miles at speed 6 (10 min mi pace)

The magic number of 5 (miles!)

I just got done running 5 miles on the treadmill at the gym. I ran it in 48:54, which is slightly faster than a ten minute per mile pace. Woo hoo! I remember when it used to be so hard for me to run just a couple miles at a ten minute pace.

Why five? Well, my sister and father, who just ran the Philadelphia Marathon in November, told me they always run five miles at a time (at least). My sister said that if she's going to run, it's for five miles. That seemed strange to me, because I usually run about three if I'm not training for anything. That takes me about thirty minutes and it seems to fit into my schedule just fine, and sometimes leave me extra time for weights or yoga or whatever other exercise I might want to do. Plus, I've been wanting to work on my speed, so I've wondered if it isn't better to run less at a faster pace (I've always been able to run forever... just very slowly).

But my dad, who lost 20 pounds in 8 months training for a marathon (and he didn't have a lot to lose... he just wanted to get into really good shape) told me that five is the minimum to run daily for weight loss because you burn approximately 100 calories per mile, so if you run five, you've already burned 500 calories for the day. If you only run 2 or 3 miles, well then you've only burned off the protein bar you ate before you ran to fuel you up!

Okay... weight loss motiviation can sell me on *anything*. And, I figure, if I get faster and run 5 miles at a 9 minute pace, then that's only 45 minutes and not too much more time out of my day. Plus I'll burn more calories running at the faster pace. I think it will help me get faster and better at running overall. It will definitely get my mileage up to 30 miles per week (with a weekend long run). When I want to do a hill, speed, tempo workout, etc., I'll try to still do additional miles on top of that to get to the magic number of five! I know there will be some days when I can only squeeze in two or three miles, or when I'm too spent from an interval workout that took me three miles to run two more. But that's fine; in *general* my rule is going to be to aim for five miles each time I go out, ideally at least five times a week plus a long run on the weekends.

I've been sick for three or four days and I *finally* started to feel better today. So I can finally start my New Year's Resolutions, which include running more and hitting the magic number of five and getting faster. So it felt really really really great to run five miles today.

Who I am and why I run

My name is Anita. I was born and raised in a small town in South Central Pennsylvania. I have a big family who still lives there, including my dad, who has loved to run ever since I can remember. We used to cheer him on at marathons when we were kids. He got me to run a road race when I was 12 years old. I won first place, but only because I was the only kid in my age group! ;)

I wasn't very enthusiastic about running at first; it was more something I did for him. In middle and high school I participated in track and field. My good friend Charlotte and I would goof off during practice and I remember one time we went for ice cream when we were supposed to be going on a long run! Our other good friend Heather was much better -- she was naturally faster and she actually worked hard in practice. She excelled at track and was in cross country too, whereas I was very happy and surprised the few times I won third place in the 800 meters.

I stopped running for the most part in college and only very occasionally made it to the gym. I went to Sarah Lawrence College in New York, known for its arts programs, and I was one of those people who thought I was too cool and smart to be athletic. My dad and my sister and brother were still running, and they'd ask me to go with them when I was home on visits, but I usually declined.

Finally, right after college I was living in Germany and I realized I was overweight! The scale was nearing 150 pounds, which is way too much for my 5' 2" frame. So I started running again as a way to lose weight. I soon found I enjoyed being outdoors and I loved the solitary time it gave me to think and reflect. I also went on the Atkin's Diet, which I don't recommend!, but the combination worked and I lost the extra weight.

I would trace the start of my real love and commitment to running -- and to fitness in general -- to when I moved to Albuquerque in 2003. I moved here for law school and knew absolutely no one. I adopted a little dog named Katie and together we jogged the bike paths of Albuquerque. I love being outdoors here -- I love the mountains, the sunshine, the weather, and the way the city has gone to great lengths to make everything easy and accessible for bikers and foot travelers. (I've read that we have one of the best biking system of any city in the US). I started riding my bike to school, 7 miles each way. I loved that I could ski or run in the Sandia Mountains, where my first apartment here was nestled near the foothills. I also love skiing in nearby places like AngelFire, Durango CO and Pagosa Springs CO. At that point I became active and I actually really loved running and other forms of exercise; it became part of my life. I joined a gym and started weight training and doing aerobics classes.

I have run approximately 6 marathons with my dad and/or sister and/or friends. I usually feel like I'm just trying to survive, except during the Portland Marathon I ran with Kate, my best friend from college -- I felt like I was flying! I think my level of fitness was at its highest and it helped that I had come from high altitude down to sea level. My PR at that marathon was 4:45 and that was "fast" for me. I felt like if I kept training and running marathons, I'd get much faster in no time.

Alas, I did not. For some reason I stopped running. I always thought I'd rather stick to half marathons (where my PR is a 2:09, at the Phoenix Rock n Roll, which I ran with my dad), because they seem more manageable to me, like I could conquer them instead of just survive them. But I stopped doing that too. Lately I've been really consistent about running and other forms of exercise, which is great because in the past it was like train for a marathon for awhile, run it, stop doing anything for quite awhile, repeat. But my runs have consisted of 30 minute jaunts with my dogs. I've been concentrating more on strength and toning; my boyfriend and I joined a gym and I like to go work out on the weights and follow Jillian Michael's strength training book. I have limited time due to my career but I am proud of myself for getting to the point where exercise is a part of my life. If I don't run or work out, I feel stressed, and then when I do, I feel great!!

I've always wondered how fast I could be if I really tried. I'm tired of being mediocre. So in 2009 I am going to train harder, run more, and be more dedicated to the sport of running. I will log it all here, as well as things that I find that help me along the way.

What is this blog all about?

I've been a runner for most of my life, but I've usually been a slow runner, always content to plod along on my merry little way. I've finished about six marathons and my PR is 4:45. I've run in a couple half marathons and my PR is 2:09. I've run a 10K and a bunch of 5Ks and although I can't remember my exact times, my PR in the 5K was probably around 28 minutes.

I am determined in 2009 to be mediocre no more. I want to become more competitive, one of the fast girls. I'm not trying to place in local races or qualify for Boston, but I want my overall pace to get faster and I want my times to come down. In this blog I will track my "journey to fast" and I will also post inspiring articles, links, quotes, book reviews and other motivation aimed at other runners who want to become faster... whatever that may mean to you.