I run because... July 2-9

[yellow]

...it's my bestest alone time with Ma Nature.

Ran long-ish yesterday morning (81 F at 6:00 already! Yikes!) and then a short run this am before work (only 78 at 6:00 am...cooler overall today, only got up to 95 or something like that ).

I really don't like running in the morning that much, but it's a must this time of year. I am just so stiff, and crotchety, and it takes me forever to get warmed up. It makes my back hurt. Wah. Too warm outside to think about jacuzzi-ing before running, but I probably should anyway just to get things a little warmed up before I start slogging up the hill.

Doing an actual real road ride tomorrow so no running again until probably Thursday am. Supposed to stay in the 90s and get up into the low 100s by the weekend. At least the humidity is only 8% midday, so when it's 100 it only feels like it's...100.

Run on, ladies!

[Veronica]

I just don't see you as crotchety.

V.

[colby]

... it gives me "me" time.

I ran a brick (felt great... well, as good as a brick feels) on Sunday, and will probably not be running again until Thursday (swimming/riding tomorrow). Not sure about the rest of the week, though.

I almost always run in the morning, but my brick ended up being later in the day. If I could stomach food later in the day, I might be able to do that, but the morning has kind of become my "me" time.

[SadieKate]

Not running, but I am proud to say that Izaak the incredible pit spitting Wonder Poodle has walked every day this week. He's already perking along better than he used to (okay, I admit, the puppysitter gave him a headstart on the new regimen).

I also talked to Garmin and they are sending me a new Forerunner. The Tech Rep thought it was cool that I wanted to set up a log so he could "putter, piddle, log, repeat." Maybe we need a new website: puppyjournal.com

[tattiefritter]

I run because it gives me injuries . No really, I run because I love it and am itching to get back out there. It has also improved my general fitness immensly.

Prior to my hols I went for a Sports Massage and let him know I thought I had IT band problems, cue possibly the most painful hour of my life and I also paid for the privilege! I thought my IT band was tight, I had no idea. Things had already improved when I walked out of the clinic and the optimum thing would have been to rest completely however I got on a plane the next morning and jetted off to New York where I spent a very enjoyable but tiring week on my feet (and hot, hot, hot - we decided to do one of the Big Onion walking tours on a day when it was in the 90's ) . My right leg took all the strain for a couple of days while my left recovered but by the end of the week I seemed to have turned a corner. A tentative short run on Sunday showed things were still not 100% however it seems to have settled on being a hip flexor problem and my outside knee was ok. I currently have a cold (picked up on the return flight no doubt) so can't run or bike, which I'm telling myself is a good thing. I have another chiro/massage session this week and I'm hoping they will tell me to get started on some strengthening exercises as my left leg feels very weak. To that end I made myself go climbing last night for the first time since April (were my forearms pumped after about two routes or what, pathetic) and got the class timetables for Body Pump. I'll check out the weight machines in the gym on Thursday when I go to yoga.

I have dumbells and a bar at home but I'm a little lacking in space to use the bar. I'm bracing myself for lots of lunges, I know I need to do them but I hate doing them.

[rocknrollgirl]

Big Onion? Don't ya mean Apple?

Any who...

I started running as a means to an end to race, adventure races, duathlons etc. Now I run because I race...No just kidding, I fell in love with it. I only trail run ( tough here this time of year), but I absolutely love it. A while ago, I describe the difference between how I feel on my mt bike and on a trail run.

The mt bike makes me feel like ...weeee...look at me, I am 10 years old again and riding with the boys in the dirt.

Trail running makes me feel like Grrrrrhhhhhh, look out for me, I am a warrior princess and I own this dirt......


Maybe that means that deep down inside I am a 10 year old dirt princess?

Biking today, and running tomorrow....see you then!

Ruth

[Kimmyt]

I run because I never thought I could!

(and quite a bit of the warrior queen thing too...)

Off for some road rides today so no running, letting my legs rest up a bit. Tomorrow its back to the grind!

K.

[tattiefritter]

Big Onion? Don't ya mean Apple?

The mt bike makes me feel like ...weeee...look at me, I am 10 years old again and riding with the boys in the dirt.

No, defo "Big Onion", see here:

http://www.bigonion.com/

We did the "Gangs of New York" tour and surprisingly out of about 25 people we were the only non-New Yorkers there! It was very interesting and took us round the old Five Points area down streets we'd never have wandered to on our own (just need to actually watch the movie now!).

I also feel like a kid when I'm on my bike, any bike, it reminds me of when I used to head out all day on my bike when I was a kid and it was always sunny and warm in the summer (rose tinted specs most definitely on).

I love running because it feels what my body was meant to do, I've discovered I love off road running even more, particularly being up high on the moors breathing that clean air, the air just feels different up there.

[KSH]

I run because I'm training for a Half Ironman and I'm scared to death that I won't be able to finish strong if I don't get all the miles in that my coach tells me to!

I have learned that I simply must keep my miles up, or I pay dearly with lower leg pain when I up my miles again. So, no matter what happens, I DO NOT MISS my MILES RUNNING.

So far this week I got in 4 miles on the treadmill last night (won't stop raining in Texas). Tomorrow I have a 8 mile run, 3 miles on Fri and then a tri on Sunday with a 5K.

[mekira]

... because I'm doing a tri and have to

I really hope to learn to love it... right now it's a struggle but I feel good when I come back and I feel like it wasn't as hard as last time

[luvs2ride]

Because it makes me feel strong and powerful . . in all areas of my life. I know it sounds silly but when I encounter a difficult problem at work or home I've learned to "dig deep" in the same way I've had to "grit it out" to complete some of my longer runs. I'm pretty new to riding and just completed my first Century in early June. I'm kinda feeling "caught" between the two sports . . still love running but I find myself facinated with the bike. When you're new to a sport, everything seems like some sort of "gain." There are just so many new challenges to work through and I actually like that . . makes me stronger. So trying to figure out how much running-vs-how much riding should I do so that one does not hurt the other, etc. Am I making sense !?! Anyway girls, keep up those miles-it's what keeps us younger and feeling ALIVE!!

Blessings!
Susan

[teigyr]

Because I'm doing a tri. Also because it's a very time efficient means to exercise. I'm not to the point where it's fun yet though I have "wow" moments where it is more energizing than not. That's still rare though

This morning I ran 2.5 miles before work. I could not get my heart rate down but I'm recovering from a cold and I rode a total of 100 miles in the previous three days. I was sore and coughing so it wasn't one of the more memorable runs

[rocknrollgirl]

Well today's run turned in to yesterday's brick if that makes any sense. We were already at the trails riding, and although it was a hard ride yesterday, and I did not really want to do a run after, it made sense to just do it while we were there instead of driving back out to the trails today.

So in an effort to save gas and time....viola..brick.

I am guessing probably around a 5k. Sore legs today!!!!

[alpinerabbit]

Because I will do another tri and because I was frustrated from work and it was raining. And because I needed to earn dining out.

5.5K very slow (37 min) with BF in tow. HR was still around 140-145....

[HillSlugger]

...it's the last leg of the triathlon.

That's why I started running, but at this point I would keep doing it even if I were to decide not to tri anymore because I like the way it makes me feel about myself.

I got out this morning and did my first run since I sprained my ankle on 6/16, almost three weeks ago. I did a short slow run. The ankle felt fine but my legs didn't seem to have much life in them. I've now got two weeks to get my stride back before my (first ever) triathlon on 7/22.

2.16 miles in 23:20