Words...

I love words. They free us much in the same way in my mind, as running. They both free our minds. Language is connected to thought and is terribly important to human beings. I use running as a tool to express myself, to free my mind and to conquer my demons - especially since people like me live inside our own minds most of the times...and where would we go without words and language??

Anyway, enough of that.

I have had good strong runs lately. After the last post, I clocked a 110 mile week. Its hotter in Delhi now and I plan 20 miles tomorrow am. I will report back and tell you guys how it went.

Till then, I have eaten too much as always and should go to bed.

Sweetdreams people!

My log since the last post

Thursday: 6 miles 45 minutes and yoga
Friday: 8 miles and weights
Saturday: just one slow mile in 11 minutes or something - bagged this run. Ended up just doing some weights.
Sunday: 7 miles and yoga
Monday: 6 miles and yoga
Tuesday: 6 miles and yoga
Wednesday: 14 miles and weights
Thursday: 6 miles in 44 minutes and yoga
Friday: 6 miles 45 minutes and yoga
Saturday: 8 miles and weights
Sunday: 17kms on the highway and yoga
Monday: 18kms and weights
Tuesday: 5 miles (tired and sore)
Wednesday: 7 miles, weights and yoga.

So very tired and sore!

Hiatus...I'm sorry!

I am sorry people. It has been much too long. I havent posted here in over a month but rest assured I have continued to run. And log in big miles. I promise to log in a 120 mile week starting tomorrow friday the 26th of february. By next friday, I wouldve logged in 120 - even if it kills me. So there!

I love this date. I dont know why but most signficant things and people in my life happen around the last week of february. It is also the week that happens to be my father's birthday. Most times we log in some miles side by side. Not this year though. This year and the last have been different. I dont know how many people know but I got divorced when I moved to India - probably the best decision I could have ever made for myself. Today, I am in a new place mentally and physically and am still treading the waters to see where it takes me. Since this is a running blog, I will leave the personal (which cannot be helped) to just this bit. Rest assured, this girl will never stop running!!

I logged 22 miles 2 days ago. I plan another monstrous one tomorrow...except the weather is heating up and becoming dry. Oh well, watch this space for updates

I've had some really good fast runs lately. 8 miles in the 62 minute range. I am also trying to get rid of my dependancy on caffine - but who am I kidding? At 4 degrees and dark every morning, it is now part of my routine to wake up, drink the sludge, brush my teeth while tying my ponytail and wearing my socks (multi-tasking folks!). Lastly I wear my shoes and bound out the door. I did one run without coffee and it was ok. However, I had a 12 hour workday ahead with a 5 hour commute. *Daunting*. Anyway, I drink coffee alternate days, anymore than one cup makes me break out into my allergies - not pretty!

So! 3 runs in the 8 mile range which are like this : 75minutes, 70mins and 62 minutes yesterday. I think this has more to do with the previous night fueling than with me getting fitter. The priority right now is just to use runs to feel good and think. When the priorities shift to performance, then I know I am fit enough to meet the demands of that training.

Till then...run on...

I've been stuck on a stupid cross-trainer for the past 2 workouts so I wont bother writing them down. Except! They were both 70 minutes on level 10 and made me feel quite good these dreary days.

This morning however, I strapped on my watch because I didnt just want to clock in an hour, shower and go to work. Result? The most fun I have had on a run in the cold!

48 minute 10k!
15 minutes of jumping rope
15 minutes of yoga.

Bring on the weekend!

Toblerone is really f/cking good!

Monday was 3 miles easy followed by weights.

Tuesday was 8 miles, followed by yoga and 5 minutes of jumping rope.

Stayed in this morning - winter rain is never fun when you have a fever! This also explains why I am having naughty thoughts about chocolate *sigh*

Sorry for whining...hope the next run is better without the fever and a clear head!

Tabatas

I have been a pretty serious runner for twelve years now. It has been god-sent, because as a woman, my view of my body and my self-esteem was never a result of a number on the scale. Honestly, who cares what you weigh when you can run a 7 minute mile for 10 miles, out-swim any man and stand on your head?? It just dont matter no more!

Anyway, I digress...my point is that I have learnt to heal quickly and move on (most of the times) from awful situations because in sports, one cannot dwell....ever. You make a mistake and then move on to the next point, the next mile. My mind is trained that way still.

Its been so cold and dark and foggy here that I find motivation very hard to muster. I have made a promise to myself. I take myself to the treadmill for an hour and play. Thats it. I do like it long and hard - I'm talking about the run :-), but its not so desirable in the winter rain. I run on the treadmill to music and do intervals I call 'tabatas'. Basically, they are intervals where you go hard/easy in bursts of 20-30 seconds. So 20 seconds all out, followed by 30 seconds easy. Try it for 30 minutes in a row on a treadmill, cross-trainer, bike or stairs and I guarantee your legs will burn. I do it to music and during the song chorus I go all out 60 seconds, with a 20 second rest - repeat for 45 minutes and the rest 15 minutes is easy uphill running to cool off. This workout is challenging, gets me sweaty in the winter and very happy! This has helped me so much in my low motivation period. I feel challenged everyday. And what could be better than that?

Yesterday was 40 minutes stairs easy, 30 minutes weights and 20 minutes of yoga.
This morning I had a fever of 101 degrees, so I sweated it for 45 minutes of sprints 11kms and 15 minutes of easy walking, plus 10 minutes of stairs and 20 minutes of stretching.

Day off on sunday. I am sick, taking time out and just eating and drinking the sabbath away.

Reset-run!

I have logged in many runs since my last post, but they were not so memorable and I only did them out of habit. My little silence was deliberate - its a time for renewal, restoration and to hopefully, reset and re-tune ourselves in preparation for a better year. Perhaps thats why people make resolutions. I never do! Instead, I go for a Reset-run. Miles where I run ahead, into beautiful things, like freedom, friendship, contentment, joy, love and understanding. I wish we could all do it together - where we shed and where we breathe dreams to life; when you are brave enough to say what you want out loud.

So Happy New Year friends. I will continue marking my miles ahead with you thi year.

An excellent 600 repeats on the stairs with a 15lb backpack. Freezing this am!