Posts by sordino

RECOVERING from Gustav here!  I live in Baton Rouge as well, near the Garden District.  We just got power restored thankfully.  We have a branch through our roof, a tree down in the backyard, and a zillion limbs and branches.  Although we got damage, we were very lucky in comparison to those whose houses were ripped in half by trees.  Of course, I have an old water oak about 6 feet from my house that now scares me to death, I look at it like it's a weapon.  Unfortunately, I do not have $3500 to get it removed!

How did you fare the storm? (if you can read this yet).  I figure I gained a few pounds of hurricane weight from eating nothing but processed food for over a week, and not moving much.  I suppose that's the least of my worries though.  I'm also a teacher wondering when I go back to work and how we're going to make up the missed days...

khooder-  My longest run in training is 20 miles.  Originally, I wanted to run the full distance before the actual marathon, but I'm glad I didn't.  Trust me, after you run 20 miles you will understand.  Your body will definitely not want to run the next day, and you will have to take it easy even 2 days later.  Running any further than that will just exhaust you, and you'll run a high risk of injury or over-training. Try to get in two 20 milers if you can-  the more your body is used to it, the better off you'll be in the race.  Just make sure you don't run them back to back-  run 20 miles one weekend, the next weekend do 12 or so, then 20 miles again.  I was worried about tacking on another 6.2 miles, but when I was actually there doing it, I had so much adrenaline pumping when I past the 20 mile marker that there was NO QUESTION whether or not I'd finish.  As for long runs in hot weather, and I completely understand this issue being a few hours down the road from you in Baton Rouge, I schedule in short walking breaks every 15-20 minutes.  By "short" break, I mean no longer than 1-2 minutes, just long enough to cool down.  Also, if you have any of those water fountains with the misters on your route, they tend to help a lot.  Avoid running in mid-day, but I'm sure you know that.  I've tried carrying water, but I really found it to be a nuisance.  I like my hands to be free.  I tried belts, but they would always ride up, ride down, or twist around.  They're better than nothing though, if your route has no water fountains.  During the actual race, you probably won't need a water belt because they will have water stations set up every mile or two.  Other things to remember about running insanely long distances... BODY GLIDE is your friend (chafing gets worse the further you go), and experiment with eating.  You really need something with carbs and electrolytes after an hour or hour and a half.  I like the sports beans, some people like gels and bloks, others actually carry granola and raisins.  Really it depends on your stomach.

Good luck all you distance runners!

munrori good job getting your heart rate/BP/cholesterol down!  55 to 60 is ideal.  I'd like to see mine go UP a little to be in the 50's!

khooder hello!  Good to meet new people.  I've also tried the glucosamine, and I wasn't quite sure if I thought it was for real or not.  My knee pain DID go away, but I was also icing/stretching/ibuprofin-ing so much at the time also that I couldn't attribute the improvement to glucosamine.  I continued taking it  for a few months after, then stopped...  I hope I haven't screwed myself!

olivia  Work at school?  Are you a teacher also?  If so, what subject/grade?  I teach 6th grade English, and I go back Tuesday, August 5.  What time do you have to be at work?  I find I CAN'T run before work during the school year since I have to leave my house between 6 and 6:30.  It's dangerous for women to run alone while it's still dark outside.  Grrrr.  I will return to the late afternoon runs next week.

Just curious, since we're talking about heart rates.  Does anyone else have an abnormally low RESTING heart rate?  The last time I went to the doctor (for advice on knee pain), my resting heart rate was 45 bpm, and my blood pressure was very low as well, something like 80/55.  My doctor scared me to death by telling me it was TOO low and giving me an EKG on the spot.  Everything looked "beautiful" on it thankfully, and the doctor attributed my insanely low heart rate to a combination of genes and long distance running.

While I'm not overly worried, it does still freak me out when I think about it too hard, especially when Ryan Shay died suddenly during the 5th mile of a marathon.  He was around my age, and in seemingly perfect health.  Of course, he was diagnosed with having an "enlarged heart" when he was young, which also causes abnormally low resting heart rates.  Just makes me wonder.  I hope I don't have an "enlarged heart," and if I did, would that have shown up on an EKG?

I'm back to my running schedule, after a week of moving!  Of course, my crazy ass insisted on squeezing in 30 miles ANYWAY, despite not really having the time and being super tired from lifting boxes, lifting furniture, painting, and unpacking.  I usually get in 35 miles a week, so I still feel guilty about skimping on 5 miles.

The worst part about moving is eating.  We just haven't had the energy to prepare our own food for the past week... so there's been a lot of eating out.  I didn't have the computer hooked up until today, so it was easy not to log those calories.  Hopefully I burned them all off moving.

fighead- About a year ago I bought a heartrate watch.  It worked really well for about 9 months.  Now it doesn't always work.  I don't know if it got wet too much or what happened exactly.  I enjoyed it while I had it, the only problem was I had to stop running for a few seconds to take the heartrate.  It wouldn't register while I was bouncing up and down.  It did help me monitor though.  I would try not to go above 170, unless I was incorporating short sprints.  I hear the straps work a lot better... I just think it would be awfully uncomfortable...

manta-  I would consider maintaining your endurance with some occasional 10 milers.  That way, you know that you are ALWAYS in shape for a half-marathon if one came up out of the blue.  Maybe switch off every other week?  Do 8 and then 10?  I've been in "maintenance mode" myself since my marathon.  I usually do a 8-10-12-8 sequence, just to stay in long distance shape.  My other 4-5 runs during the week are anywhere from 3-6 miles, varying with speed, intervals, hills, etc.

Leslee- great job!  Isn't it an awesome feeling knowing that you're in good enough shape to run 3 miles?  It's sad, but most of the population can't even run 1/4 of a mile without stopping, and a few years ago I was one of them!  Now that you've got 3 miles under your belt, you have 2 options:  either work on your speed or distance.  If you go with speed, run with intervals- say 30 sec faster pace for 2 minutes, then jog super slow for 2 minutes, repeat.  Just be careful not to run too hard or fast for your knees, feet, and ankles.  Listen to them carefully, they will let you know when they're being pushed by giving you little aches before they go out on you completely.  If you work on distance, just do 1 run a week that is longer than usual.  The rule is to increase total distance/mileage by 10% a week. 

By the way, I'm also a Leslie, but I spell mine with IE (the right way! LOL)

mkculs/olivia- The therapy run works to an extent.  I definitely chilled out and didn't kill people, but I was still angry.  Just not as quick to do anything stupid.  The closing date is now tomorrow, but I worked it out with the sellers to get my keys today.  YAY! So when I get back from my run, I go pick my keys up, and start moving!  Now, as long as Hurricane Dolly doesn't throw too much rain and storm my way, it will be a productive day (weather forcast calls for 40% chance)

I'm about to step out the door.  Today's run will be a form of therapy I believe.  WE just bought a  house, and the closing date was SUPPOSED to be TODAY.  However, the people in the mortgage company screwed up by not putting the FHA loan number on a form to send to the bank.  Well, they've had to redo the entire process and now I don't get my house today!

Of course, most people have the common decency to let you know when there's going to be a delay, but not my mortgage people!  The ONLY reason I found out was because I called them yesterday to confirm the amount of my down payment.  THEN, the loan officer had the nerve to FLAT-OUT LIE like he was in middle school, and told me that he had been in contact with us last week.  Pardon my language, but BULLSH**.  Nobody called me, nobody called my husband, nobody called the realtors, and nobody called the sellers (who are just as infuriated and inconvienced as we are.  we happen to know them).

SOOOO.... sorry for the rant.... but instead of sitting in someone's office giving them pointless threats and cursing them out for ruining my life this week, I am going running.

mkculs- Good job getting out there again!  Once you do it regularly for a week or two, it becomes routine again.

nicole-  I feel your pain about the weather.  Yesterday I was supposed to run a 4 miler to hit my 35 miles a week goal.  Of course, it was thunderstorming all day so i didn't make it.  I currently don't have access to a treadmill, although I'm thinking about getting a gym membership.  It would definitely help me get through the steaming hot months of August and September, when I go back to work and can't run in the morning! I will have to run around sunset instead. (I'm a teacher.  I have to leave my house at 6 am during the school year.)  Also, if I decide to do after-school tutoring this year for extra cash, I won't have to worry about it getting dark before I run.

For all you treadmill users- How often do you run on the treadmill versus outside?  Do you find that running on the treadmill sometimes makes it harder to run outside?  Is there a way to program it to automatically speed up and slow down at certain intervals so I could do speedwork?  I've been on one that did incline intervals, but I don't know about pace intervals.

littleshellys  ok i just looked at your profile and saw that you're 4'11.  i'm not much taller at 5'1, but your 92 pounds is probably the same as a 5'1 girl's 100 pounds.

STILL, you must be tiny tiny tiny with itty bitty bones.  your sprinting pace is about my 5K race pace, so i think i'm already getting that workout...   when i throw in sprints on my daily runs, i'm going at about race pace.  the biggest difference i see is a LITTLE longer on weight training, and using whatever the "nautilus"   equipment is.  i've never had a gym membership so i don't know what that is!  and your mixed workout seems to be elliptical combined with calisthenics.  with my running, i don't see the point in elliptical, but the calisthenics could help me...

ok, i think i'll try that.  i will add a set to my weight training to add 10 minutes, and add 2-3 calisthenic workouts a week. 

whew!  people already think i'm crazy for running so much!

seriously though, 4'11 and 92 pounds is awesome, it might actually be a little TOO small!  Good job! 

littleshellys- Just curious, do you know what your body fat percentage is? I just can't imagine it's possible for me to get under 100 pounds. I already wear size 1 and 2 in Old Navy... you must be one of those 00 people! Also, how old are you?

Another question. Just how long are your workouts? I run marathons, so once a week I run anywhere from 10 to 20 miles, and 5 days during the week I run anywhere from 3 to 6 miles. My one day off from running I usually do tae-bo or ride my bike for an hour. I run at different paces, depending on the day. Sometimes I throw in short sprints. Sometimes I run at a steady 8 minute mile, sometimes a 9 minute mile. My long runs are always at a 10 minute mile pace.

How long are your strength training workouts? I'm thinking maybe I need to do more than 30 minutes 3 days a week. I do it at home with 8 pound dumbells, and I have to say I find it incredibly boring, even while I'm blasting my music. Any suggestions there?

As far as eating goes, I eat clean probably 90% of the time. My carb percentage is usually kind of high... around 60%.... but then again, I'm a runner so I need my carbs! And I get them all from whole grains, fresh fruit, veggies, and beans. My protein is low though, some days I have trouble getting it to 20%. I just don't like meat that much, and I would always rather eat bread, fruit, or vegetables. I never drink soft drinks, and I allow myself dark chocolate 1-2 times a week.

Seriously, what else do I do?

I LOVE RUNNING IN THESE SKIRTS!!!!!

For me, it eliminates the upper thigh chafing problem.  Every kind of shorts I owned gave me chafing, except tight little bicycle shorts.  Well... I don't exactly want to run in tight little bicycle shorts... I don't think people need to know exactly what my butt and thighs are shaped like!  The skirt/skort gives the perfect solution.  Tight little undershorts to protect from chafing with a skirt on top to hide your shape.

They're cute too.  But yes, people will stare.  I recently went to a neighborhood BBQ thing where everyone recognized me as the "skirt runner" and wanted to know they why's behind running in a skirt... of course, I was more than happy to share my discovery.

Original Post by taylore:

I'm 5'2.5 and my jean size is 7-9 depending on the store i get them from.

I don't so much have a jean goal. I'm trying to lose 20 lbs. though. so 20 lbs off of a size 9 would put me in what pants?

I'm 5'1, and my jean size seems to follow a 5 pound rule.  At 140 I wore 12, 135 I wore 10, 130 I wore 8, at 125 I wore 4-6, at 120 I wore 2-4,  and right now at 117 I have a pair of size 1 that I wear, but most of my jeans are size 2.  My goal is a 0.  I'm short, so I the right to want to fit in size 0!

So my guess is you would wear a 1 or 2.  Good luck!

Well, I'm going to have to agree with most of the people on here, and say that you do not look healthy in your "B" pictures.  You look fine in your "A" pictures, very healthy and cute.  However, I do understand wanting to lose some weight from your "A" pictures.  I am also healthy (5'1, 117, body fat 18-19%), but trying to slim down to the low-healthy part of my recommended weight range.  Right now I'm smack in the middle of it!

That being said, I think you took it a little too far.  You do appear at least 10 pounds underweight.  I can tell that it is not natural for you to be THAT small.  You would look perfect somewhere in the middle of the two pictures.  You should try to put on around 15 pounds to get some curves back, and at least 3 days of strength training a week to put on some muscle.

If you find out let me know!!!!

I am 30 years old, 5'1, currently about 118, medium frame.  I was almost 140 a few years ago, and lost that 20+ pounds by eating right and running. 

It seems for me that I plateau between 115 and 120 pounds.  I personally can't eat less than 1700 calories a day... which is probably why I can't get smaller... but I run A LOT (think marathons and 35 miles a week), so I get super super hungry and feel dizzy if I don't eat at least 1700 calories. Those 1700 calories are all healthy though: whole grains, lean meats, fruits, veggies, etc. etc.  Many days I eat more around 2000 calories.

I know I'm not fat by any means, and neither are any of us at 120 pounds.  However, I COMPLETELY understand wanting to get to 110 pounds, since that is my goal as well. I doubt there's any kind of a "secret" to get there, but if there is I want to know!

Out of curiosity, what size do you wear at this height and weight?  I pretty much only wear Old Navy, but I'm wearing size 2.  I'm thinking that at 110 I'd be in a size 0?

I was out late last night so I missed my morning run.  I already took my one "rest" day this week, so I can't skip...  In about 10 minutes, I will go and brave the 7 pm heat and squeeze in 4 miles before dark.

Will follow with Chicken Mexican Pizza.   (made healthy of course).  Yum.