Picking up Speed!

Yesterday, when walking with the Buckeye Striders, I again ended up out front with the faster people. I was a little worried about keeping up with Catherine this week because I just have not been walking enough. (Rain.)

The pace picked up as we walked, which is usual. Imagine my surprise, though, when Catherine reported that according to her GPS we were walking at an 11:58 per mile pace! I've done that on a treadmill before, but never outside.

I was breathing hard (though I could still talk) and my legs were moving as fast as they could go. I kept it up as long as I could, but when Catherine said she was going to go faster, I told her to go ahead without me. I know I did not keep up the pace for a mile, but I'm not sure how far I went. Shortly after Catherine took off, I had to slow a little.

From my estimate, when Catherine went on ahead we were 2 miles from the end. When I finished, I was just 2 minutes behind her! We walked 4.3 to 4.4 miles and I finished in under 59 minutes. That averages to somewhere around 13:20 to 13:35 per mile!

I wonder if I'm picking up speed because I'm not working on distance. I don't have any races scheduled right now, so my training walks have all been shorter.

Now matter what the reason, I'm happy with the result!

It's Officially Spring!

Today I tried to fit in a quick walk between a few important things I had to do.

This time of year, you never know what the weather will be like, especially in Ohio. (If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes, it will change.) We have had snow this late in the year before, so I tend to be cautious when it comes to predicting spring. To tell the truth, the appearance of crocus or daffodils means nothing!

But today as I walked around the block, I noticed forsythia! I LOVE forsythia! The yellow of these flowers makes me smile. And what I really like is, it rarely snows after forsythia bloom.

Yep, this is a sure sign spring is here to stay! Woo hoo!

Bad Timing

It was supposed to rain this morning, so I opted not to walk with the Buckeye Striders at 8. I didn't set my alarm clock and when I rolled out of bed at 7:30, the sun was shining and it looked great! Hmmm, maybe I made the wrong decision.

As the morning progressed the skies got gray, the sun shined, the skies got gray, the sun shined ... Then there was a huge line of deep black clouds moving in. If I was going to get outside, I was going to have to get out quick.

Because the black clouds were moving fast, and partly because my friend Curtis has been running more than I have, I decided to try to run today. (I'm still training for the Warrior Dash.) I walked quickly to the "big block" and began running. I did a run/walk and was excited that I was able to run farther between walking breaks  than I did the last time I ran.

About three-quarters of the way around the block, the rain started so I tried to run harder. Just as I was about finished with my first lap, the hail started! Hail! I began to run home, but realized that by the time I got there the hail would stop and I would be less inclined to go back out.

It's spring and there are no leaves on the trees in my neighborhood. Still, I stood with my back up against a big tree and tried to use the trunk to block the wind. After just a few minutes the hail stopped and the rain slowed.

At this point I just wanted to finish my two laps as quickly as possible. I started running again, trying to pick up the pace and maybe run a little farther between walking breaks. It didn't work.

My legs were not tired -- in fact, based on how my legs felt, I could have easily run a mile non-stop today. The problem was my lungs! They burned, I gasped for air and just could not catch my breath. My heart pounded pretty hard, too. I hate this feeling! (The only other times I have felt this way have been at the end of long-distance races when I am racewalking as hard as possible, or when I am trying to keep up with some of the fastest Buckeye Striders.)

Just a couple of minutes after I made it back home, the rain stopped and the sun came out again. 

Here is what I learned today:

1. I am the last person who should pick when to workout outside. Many times I choose the worst weather of the day. (If my friend Deb is out, it is almost guaranteed to be the best weather of the day.)
2. I probably do not walk hard enough when I racewalk. I'm definitely not getting my heart rate up as high as  I do when running. 
3. I really need to practice running more if I'm going to be able to run 3 miles for the Warrior Dash.
4. Though I still do not enjoy running, I don't hate it anymore. Though it is hard, and I don't like the pounding, I really like going faster than when I racewalk. It's nice to finish just a little faster, too.
5. When I run, I can tell that I have regained 3 lbs. -- I can feel my stomach jiggle each time a foot hits the ground. That definitely does NOT happen when I racewalk. Maybe if I run more, I'll be disturbed enough by this I'll eat healthy more consistently again.

Changing my Mind for the Better

Earlier today I was feeling so lethargic, all I wanted to do was to go home, sit in a comfortable chair and eat potato chips. I even have potato chips at home.

But a weird thing happened. While driving in the sunshine, I gained some energy! The more I was in the sun, the more I wanted to be outside. Gradually potato chips were not sounding all that great -- I wanted to go for a walk.

By the time I arrived home and changed my clothes I was excited. My plan was to walk to the library, do one lap around the park and head home. Though this route is only 3.2 miles, because of the traffic lights it usually takes more than 55 minutes. Today I was able to do the 1 mile to the library in just over 16 minutes! I must have hit the lights right for a change.

The park was beautiful and there were tons of people there either playing sports, watching sports, or walking around the park -- just like me!

I was testing a new heart rate monitor and had not read the instructions all the way through so I didn't get the chronograph working quite right. Despite that, I'm pretty sure I did the entire route in just under 50 minutes. It felt great!

And a side benefit -- when I got home, the craving for chips was entirely gone.

No Wonder Runners Don't Smile

Running is hard! I have no clue why anyone would voluntarily run.

I say this as a fairly fit person who racewalked nearly 4.5 miles yesterday at a good pace. I say this as a person who has racewalked two full marathons and about 25 half marathons -- six halves last year.

But I need to be able to run 3 miles in June. My family, friends and I have entered a race called the Warrior Dash. Because of the nature of this obstacle course race, I feel I should run it as opposed to racewalking it. (Seriously, I think racewalking to a climbing wall would look a little bit silly -- and I'm used to looking silly.) We have 8 weeks to get ready.

So, when I got up this morning, I put on my cushiest running shoes and went out the door. I walked the 2 min it takes to get to the "big block," hit my stopwatch and started jogging. The plan was to go as far as I could, walk for 1 min, then repeat.

When I was huffing and puffing and I thought my heart would burst, I hit my stopwatch and stopped running. -- 2 min and 51 sec. That was it? I ran for only 2 min and 51 sec? If I had been running as fast as my son, that would have been half a mile. Unfortunately, it wasn't even half a block!

After a minute of walking I wasn't ready to start up again, so I walked another minute. This time I ran for only 1:14 before I had to stop. Slap of reality here -- I had been overly ambitious. I was not going to be running for several minutes and resting for only one. I was going to have to start from scratch just like any other non-runner and run for 1 min and walk for more. (I think this officially makes me a Galloweenie*!)

I continued with something close to running 1 min, walking 2 min until I had gone around the block twice. I ran/jogged for a total of only 8 min and walked for 18 min.

What I like about running is that I cover more ground. Even jogging at this slow pace, I'm faster than when I racewalk outside. (On a treadmill, I was able to racewalk as fast as this jog.) Maybe I can eventually walk faster than I can jog. That would be great!

What I don't like about running is the pounding. I feel like a several ton elephant every time my foot hits the ground -- huge, heavy and not very graceful. Does that ever go away?
_____________________

*Galloway is a running guru who trains people to run/walk long-distance events. When you are near them during a marathon or half marathon they are extremely annoying! It never fails, a group of them will jog past you then suddenly stop running inches in front of you and walk very slowly. At that point you are moving must faster than they are, and you either run into them or have to go around. After a minute or so, they pass you again, get slightly ahead of you and stop -- again! This leap frogging will continue until someone gets far enough ahead of the other to stop it.

Dave McGovern calls them Galloweenies.

Get Faster by Walking with Fast People

Dave McGovern says something similar to: in order to walk faster, practice walking faster. A corollary to that is: walk with people who are faster than you are. I did exactly that today.

Catherine is one of the faster members of the Buckeye Striders. What makes me laugh is: 1) She doesn't realize how fast she is, 2) Her stride is so smooth and her attitude so casual, it seems effortless. I walked with Catherine today.

We started out at a faster pace than what I usually do. I didn't get to warm up and was feeling slightly stiff. Still, I let Catherine set the pace and I kept up with her. After about 5 min I made a comment about how I couldn't go any faster and if she wanted to go ahead, that was fine. She laughed and said she didn't normally start that fast and was thinking that my pace had really improved.

Though we decided to slow slightly, it didn't work. I'm sure she didn't realize that she immediately picked up the pace. I continued to keep up with her and though I was working hard, we were able to hold to conversation. (On long slow days, I don't like to go so fast, I can't have a conversation.)

When we walk on the Olentangy Trail, we start near the Park of Roses, walk straight out for 30 min, then turn around. Because of where we start, we weren't near a mile marker and walked for 11 min before we reached one. Now here is the exciting news to me -- we walked that measurable mile in 13:52! After we turned around, we walked that same measurable mile in 13:29! According to the Cool Running Pace Calculator, if we averaged 13:52 per mile, we walked 4:397 miles. (If I were editing a textbook, I'd round that up to 4.4 miles.)

Though I try to walk fast when alone, I think this shows how I can work harder and faster when I'm with someone who pushes me. (Or did she "pull" me.)

Thanks, Catherine!
___________

The weather was good! Temps in the mid-50s and partly cloudy.

The Slug is Gone!

It might have been the lack of rain today. It might have been the fact I could see the sun! It might also be that I have not exercised much recently, and my body knows it needs it.

Whatever the reason, I am thrilled to say I did three laps (about 1.2 miles each) at Antrim Park today!

The first two laps I was racewalking -- the last lap I did the dreaded run/walk. (I hate being behind people in a race who do the run/walk.) My first lap was in 17:28 for a pace of 14:33. Considering how long it has been since I have walked hard, I can't believe I was that fast. The second lap was in 17:10 for a 14:18 pace. Wow!

Believe it or not, my run/walk lap was 2 min faster! I'll explain about that later.

So, after doing 3.6 miles in 50 min, my legs were throbbing and I felt great! And the side benefit of healthy exercise in sunshine, I was craving a giant healthy salad. I did not have salad ingredients at home, but at least I was again craving healthy foods. That is half the battle afterall.

So I can safely say, the slug is gone! Woo hoo!
__________

Some friends and family members have signed up to run a 3-mile Warrior Dash in June. (Warrior Dash is an obstacle course race.) I'm starting to train to be able to run 3 miles by then. So today, I ran until I needed to stop, walked until I recovered, then ran some more. I'm pretty sure I ran 75% of the 1.2 mile loop. I can't wait until I can run a mile nonstop. And just to clarify, no I am not giving up racewalking.

Walkable San Francisco

Lombard Street.

From my experience last week, San Francisco is a very walkable city. Even if you are not interested in walking the entire city, the availability of trolleys, buses, BART and even tuk tuks give affordable transportation to interesting walkable sections.

I feel as if I walked a major portion of the city and I didn't walk half as much as my friend Deb did! But because of Deb's adventurousness and planning, I got to see major highlights by foot and trolley.

By taking a trolley up Embarcadero to a major cross street, we walked to Lombard Street -- the crookedest street in America. Though mentioned in a previous post, let me just say walking up Lombard is somewhat challenging and we wondered how the residents of this block deal with it (let alone how they deal with all of the tourists). I imagine their legs are very strong.

From Lombard Street, we walked through some very interesting neighborhoods, went to an open house (it was beautiful), and made our way to Coit Tower. Located on Telegraph Hill, it was built in 1933 at the bequest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit to beautify the city of San Francisco. Because it was built during the depression, it helped employ people, which I think adds to why the tower is cool. The view from the top is worth the $5 fee. We did not see a lot of green space in San Francisco -- very few parks of any size, no real lawns -- but the area around the tower is green and well landscaped. Definitely worth the visit.


From Coit Tower: the city, the bay and Alcatraz.



China Gate in the pouring rain.

On one evening, Deb and I walked to Chinatown. I had never been to a Chinatown before and was surprised at how quickly you feel as if you have stepped into a foreign country. Deb said the best time to visit was in the morning when the produce vendors are in the streets, but because of meetings and weather, I didn't get to do that. At night the street is lit up and pretty, but many of the shops are closed. The China Gate is great.

Though there is not much green space in the city, there are a few small parks. Each time we encountered one, we were surprised. Later I discovered we had a map that included walking routes which highlight each of these parks. I had planned to visit several, but on my one day off it was pouring rain and I just couldn't do it.

I wish I remembered
which park this was in.

We did a lot of walking around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, both big tourist areas. There were plenty of street performers here (and in other parts of the city) and it almost felt as if our visit had a soundtrack! The crowds were big and the people-watching was fun. I like the human statues, though they also creep me out a little. We visited a museum of old pinball-type games (I can't remember the name) which was also near the submarine Pampanito, built entirely by women -- Rosie the Riveters. There is an Aquarium we didn't visit, but we did see the famous sea lions near the pier.

Warhol self portrait.

Though not intense walking inside, when the weather was really bad we separately visited the Museum of Modern Art and the Ferry Building. I spent about 3 hours in the museum and nearly dried out before heading back outside. There are four other interesting museums I didn't visit. The Ferry Building was on Embarcadero near our hotel, so was easy to get to. There is a farmers markets there on weekends and the shops inside were nice. Lots of organic restaurants, coffee shops and cooking shops. Later in the week I walked along the water from the Ferry Building toward the double decker bridge. It is very pretty this way with fewer tourists and several nice pieces of public art.

There are plenty of other activities we didn't try, such as renting bikes to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and a tour of Alcatraz. (I'm not sure how much walking is involved in visiting Alcatraz.) There are also plenty of nice stores within walking distance of each other if shopping is an interest. (Deb and I are not big shoppers.)

The double decker bridge.

Disclaimer: San Francisco is extremely hilly. There were plenty of times that we adjusted our walking route to avoid streets because of the hills. At other times, such as on our way to Coit Tower, there was no choice -- we had to climb some pretty steep streets. We just took our time, stopped when we needed to and tried to distract ourselves with sights we couldn't find in Ohio. Though it worked for us, I have to admit that at the end of the day, my legs could tell we walked a lot of hills. I should also point out that Deb and I walk a lot -- though if you are reading this blog about walking, you probably already know that. One final point -- there seem to be a lot of homeless people who can be aggressive with their panhandling. Once it started getting dark we felt much more comfortable riding trolleys.

That being said, I was very pleasantly surprised at how walkable the city was! For the most part we were comfortable walking just about anywhere we wanted to go during the day. And when we did get tired, or the rain was too intense, we hopped on a trolley. I hope I can go back someday when I have more free time and the weather is more cooperative.





At Starbucks Too Long

I think I have officially been at Starbucks WAY TOO LONG! My chai tea latte is ice cold. Not one person here now was here when I arrived. The staff rolled the city trash bins through the restaurant and out the front door to the street. People are starting to look at me weird. My iPod and laptop batteries are starting to die. (I moved twice already and still am not near a power source, and felt weird moving again.) I know that about 75% of the people who come here pull the door handle even though it says "push". Yes, I need to leave. But first a little bit of San Fran.

One of my original intentions coming here was to post photos from walking the city over the past couple of days. I don't have enough time to do that now, but I want to share this photo of Deb and me at the top of Lombard Street. Lombard is the crookedest street in America and the incline is pretty steep. We had to rest several times on our way up. 

At the top of Lombard Street in San Francisco.



What I want to point out in this photo is the tower on top of the hill way in the background. That is Coit Tower. (I know, I never heard of it before either. History lesson on a different date.) It looks pretty far away, right? Well, we walked from Lombard all the way to that tower. Not a direct route, either. From there we walked back to the main street of Embarcadero where we caught a trolley to our hotel.

By the way, all of that walking happened AFTER we finished the 12K race earlier that morning.

Now back to my hotel to have dinner.







12K Across the Golden Gate Bridge was Fun

Walking toward the Golden Gate Bridge about a mile into the race. The hill from down here up to the bridge was grueling!

Though it was cloudy when we left the hotel for the Emerald Across the Bay 12K Race Sunday, we were pleasantly surprised it wasn't raining. (It poured the night before, we got soaked and had been pretty cold when out sightseeing.)

We took a trolley to Aquatic Park to catch a shuttle to Sausalito where the race started. The race would return us to the same place where we caught the shuttles. We arrived earlier than needed because we aren't used to relying on shuttles. Luckily, there were lots of busses, and though the volunteers made sure the participants in the first wave got on first, it didn't take long for us to board and head across the bay. (A few participants who had done the race before said the crowds were much smaller this year.)

The drive to the start was beautiful.

The bus dropped us off, and as we approached the start, there were several groups of port-a-johns and a table with water. We could only progress so far toward the starting line until there was a “wave checkpoint.” Only those participants in the first wave, wearing yellow race bibs, were able to pass. After that wave started the race, then those in the second wave were able to pass. After the second wave started the race, we were able to head to the starting line. It was so well organized and made for a lot less congestion throughout the entire event.

While we were standing around, the sun came out, and I warmed up pretty well, especially since I was wearing a black trash bag.

At the start, local doctors led us in warm ups and stretches! It was fun! Some of the announcements were different. The heavy rains the night before washed out gravel in a few places, and there were branches down, so be careful.

The first half mile or so was downhill with wet roads and lots of huge nuts all over meaning we had to be careful where we stepped. Shortly after the start, the rain began. I can't remember whether it was sprinkles or what, but it was raining at at one point early on, a huge gust of wind blew Deb's hat right off her head!

The biggest hill of the race led up to the Golden Gate Bridge and started less than a mile into the race. The hill was so steep I needed to rest on the way up! This was about the time the rain started again.

We finally made it to the top and were able to get onto the bridge. Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge was very cool! We could see sunshine off in the distance and knew eventually the rain would stop. At the beginning of the bridge it was chilly – the wind gusts and blowing rain were horrible!!! It seemed as if we were on the bridge forever and since it is 1.7 miles long, well it was a good chunk of the race. Near the middle the rain eventually stopped and we could see sun off in the distance. (We were hopeful!) We did notice there were several suicide hotline phones on the bridge and luckily, neither of us felt the desire to jump or the need to use the phone.

After we left the bridge, we went below it to go past Fort Point, past a nature preserve and along the ocean (Crissy Field) and the Presidio. It was very pretty. As we progressed there were tons of walking paths along the shore and beautiful homes across the street from the water. If I lived here, I think I would walk along the water here all of the time.

At some point along this side of the bay there are photographers who take pictures with the bridge behind you. As we turned the corner, we were looking stupid and missed the photographers. So, we asked for a “do over,” and went back, came around the corner and smiled and tried to look like we were racewalking! The photographers were great and took a ton of shots of us!

From there it was a straight shot to Aquatic Park and the after-race party! At the finish line we were just directed to the party. As we approached, there were tables with finisher shirts and there were plenty of sizes left. The long-sleeved cotton shirts are cute, and I decided to take a small. (I'll try to remember not to put it in the dryer.) We received a bottle of water, then walked around the soggy park and received bags of Emerald nuts, Kettle chips (baked), and a few other samples. There was music playing and I heard there was beer available, though I didn't see any. There were not many people hanging around but I think when the weather is nice, people probably stay longer.

At the after race party. The sky
is VERY gray, getting ready to rain.

We had our picture taken near the ocean, got a picture or two of Alcatraz which we could see well from the shore, then it started raining. Actually, it started pouring!

We rushed off as fast as we could to catch a trolley and went back to the hotel.

According to my watch, our finish time was 1:55+. Considering more than two miles we were slower than 16 minutes per mile, I'm not really surprised. Actually I was more surprised that we walked two miles under 15 minutes! Our fastest was 14:10! Since it is still technically winter in Ohio, we had not done any hill training and it has been a little while since I've done any speed.

This is probably one of the best organized races I have ever completed! The waves were done well, they moved a lot of people very efficiently on the shuttles, there were plenty of port-a-johns at the beginning. We were told that there we not as many people as typical for this race, which could add to the fact they handled the crowds well. When we finished there were plenty of shirts in a variety of sizes, too – I have to wonder if that would be the case if there were more people.

Despite the rain, it was a good race and I would recommend it for anyone wanting a chance to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Good Message at the Right Time

Sometimes when I walk alone, I get discouraged. When I'm out and I'm not able to walk as hard as I want, or I feel more tired than expected.

Yesterday, was one of those days. Luckily I had walked straight out more than 3 miles so there was no way I could cut my walk short. (Sometimes you do have to trick yourself to get in all of your miles.) On the return trip, I was getting tired and was feeling a little down. I wished I had someone with me to distract me more than Christopher Moore could. (I was listening to his book "Fool.")

At my lowest point, I was walking under I-270 when I noticed a message penned on the wall of the underpass. I read it, walked past, then turned around and took a picture. 

The author was absolutely right! And the truth is, it was exactly what I needed! I immediately picked up my pace and walked stronger, thinking about how that workout was going to impact the race in San Francisco next week.

In addition, I thought about this for quite a while after I passed those words. And it wasn't just about that day's walk -- this relates to my whole life. Yes, I do control my own fate -- and what am I going to do about it.

So, I will take this tagger's words to heart and with any luck I will think about them often.

Being in the Wrong Place



One of the bridges crossing Alum Creek.

It was about 7:29 this morning when I realized I was in the wrong place. I was at Alum Creek Park Trail in Westerville and my friends were all somewhere else -- waiting for me. None of them ever has their cell phones on, so I couldn't reach anyone to let them know I was in the wrong place. (We do joke about this. I even tried calling. No one answered.)

For a moment, I thought about heading home or going to a park closer to home. Then I decided I was already at the start of a beautiful walking trail, why not go ahead and walk.

This is not the type of trail I would normally walk alone. It has a lot of secluded sections and often there are not many people on it. Not an ideal place for a woman walking alone -- even if it is a Saturday morning. I didn't have any underlying feelings of fear, so I went ahead. The temps were in the high 20s when I started, so I wore gloves, but limited myself to just one long-sleeved shirt under my wind-resistant jacket. I was chilly, but I knew I would be OK.

This trail is beautiful. It follows Alum Creek with bridges crossing over it in several locations. There are tons of trees, a pond with geese, and other than crossing under Schrock Rd. and 270, you feel as if you are somewhere farther outside of the city on much of the trail. And if you pay attention, you'll notice extras such as the plaques on some of the trees identifying the type, artwork posted on utility poles, some small flower beds or benches made from huge pieces of rock (granite?).



Look for the art.

My plan was to head out for 45 min. then turn around to guarantee I walked at least 6 miles. Because my pace has been getting progressively faster, I had no doubt I would walk faster than a 15-minute mile.

Mentally, I had trouble today. I kept checking my watch to see how long I had been out. That makes for a rough walk. I picked up the pace and tried to keep my heart rate higher -- near 150 -- for most of the walk. That was pretty easy on the way out. Heading back I got slower and my heart rate was closer to about 144 for most of the way. Still, I felt I had a good balance of working hard, yet maintaining endurance to finish.

Though I felt bad about missing my friends, for the most part I enjoyed my walk alone. The course was beautiful and as the sun rose and the temperatures got a little warmer, my mood really lifted. (I live in Ohio and we have a lot of gray days this time of year. A sunny morning is a real treat!) 

On the way home, that 70's Dr. John song ran through my mind:

I been in the right place

But it must have been the wrong time

I'd of said the right thing

But I must have used the wrong line...

__________

Note to my Buckeye Strider friends: This error was entirely my fault! And I really do think it is funny that none of you turn on your phones.

How Much Seaweed?

Trader Joe's roasted seaweed.

I admit it, I'm becoming a little obsessed about seaweed. I bought several different kinds and I keep trying to find more information about how to use it to effectively to reduce fat absorption.

Last night, it finally dawned on me how obsessed I had become. While out I spent a lot of time talking about it to our friends who came out simply to enjoy an adult beverage. (I'm pretty sure they did not want to hear about seaweed.)

Despite this obsession, I still could not find out how much seaweed it is necessary to consume to make a difference. Though the package of roasted nori I found said a serving is half a package -- about 5 grams -- I wasn't sure what that meant for fat absorption or even when to eat the seaweed for the best results. Even then, how would I know for sure it was even working?

So today, after reading the exact same information from Newcastle University on several different websites, I was frustrated. I know the seaweed will absorb up to 75% of the fat consumed and has been determined to be as effective as the drug Alli -- but how much to eat and when? (You all know that I would never take a weight loss drug like Alli -- for so many reasons, but the final is the horrible side effects.)

Finally, I found something close to what I was looking for -- according to an Active.com article, eating only 1.5 grams will make an impact. Still, I'm not sure how much of an impact. How much fat will it absorb? And better yet, how will I know if it is working?

Because Trader Joe's roasted nori sheets are so light, 5 grams is a lot of seaweed! I'm not confident I can eat that much at a time. In fact, because I'm not really fond of the fish flavor (though I am getting a little used to it), I found if I stuff several pieces in my mouth at one time, it's a lot less difficult than eating several individual sheets.

So, though I don't have definite answers to all of my questions yet, I think I will continue eating a little nori before some of my bigger meals. From everything I've read, it won't hurt me, and if the professed benefits are true, then all the better!
_______________________

BTW: I am working hard to eat healthier. I've been increasing the number of fruits and vegetables I eat and reducing the amount of red meat and unhealthy fats. I'm hoping adding a little seaweed will help me achieve my health and fitness (and weight loss) goals just a little bit quicker.

Walking in Sunshine, Oh Yeah

It was beautiful in Ohio today! The sun was bright and the temps were in the mid-40s with almost no breeze. I couldn't wait to get home to walk.

My original plan was to head to Antrim Park and do 4 laps around the lake. I was a little worried that by the time I drove there I wouldn't have time to walk as far as I wanted since it starts to get dark a little after 6. I don't feel safe near Antrim in the dark.

At the last minute I decided to walk to the library instead. That way I wouldn't be wasting time driving to a starting location and if it started to get dark on my way home, I would feel fairly safe on the busy street that leads to my neighborhood.

Temps were in the mid-40s when I left the house. I was chilly and my hands were cold, but I refused to go back home to add layers or gloves. I wanted to work hard enough I would get overheated.

On the way to the library, I decided to do two laps of the park for a total of 4.4 miles walked. Halfway through the first lap, I decided the sun was setting too fast and I would do just one lap. Being the decisive person I am, I changed my mind again -- as I finished that lap I decided to do the second one.

As the sun got lower, so did the temperatures. My hands were pretty cold even though my core was warm and I was sweating under the jacket.

I picked up the pace and my heart rate was well over 150. Though it was a much harder effort than I have been walking lately, it didn't feel like I was working too hard. It felt very comfortable.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long at any of the traffic lights, so I felt I was able to keep a good pace.

So, I walked the 4.4 miles in 1:05, 2 minutes faster than I walked the same route Sunday! Even with stopping a little for lights, my average pace was 14:46. My fastest loop was at a 13:24 minute mile! Not bad at all.

Though I am glad I was walking at a pretty good pace, and my IT bands felt great, the highlight of the day was walking in the sun. It has been so gray in Ohio, I really needed it! Because I was out, I will be much better able to deal with whatever grayness the day has to offer tomorrow.
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Mile 1 - 17:01 (Traffic lights.)
Mile 2.2 - 16:11 (13:29 per mile pace.)
Mile 3.2 - 16:05 (13:24 per mile pace.)
Mile 4 - 16:22 (Traffic lights.)

Picking up Distance

Because I'm entered in the Emerald Across the Bay 12K March 20, I need to pick up my training distance a little. 12K is only 7.46 miles -- I know I could walk that distance tomorrow, but I haven't in a while.

I wasn't able to walk with the Buckeye Striders on Saturday, so I did a 4-mile route on my own Sunday. Not in the mood to drive anywhere, I left from our house, walked to the library 1-mile, did two 1.2-mile loops at the park, then walked home. It was relatively warm, though gray, and it felt good to be out.

The thing I don't like about walking this route is the traffic and traffic lights on the main street between my house and the library. Sometimes the cars can be loud, which is annoying, and if I hit the lights wrong, I end up standing at intersections longer than I would like. For example, heading to the library took over 17 min., but it took only 16 min. to return.

My goal was to make this a true long slow distance day. I didn't walk very hard, keeping my heart rate below 140. The main purpose was just to finish the distance.

So, that said, I walked 4.4 miles in 1:07, which would have been a 15:13 pace if I didn't have to wait at traffic lights. I'm happy with that. Speed workouts in the near future.

Eat Seaweed for Weightloss?

On RealAge.com, http://www.realage.com/tips/roasted-seaweed-snacks-fat-blockers?eid=1098930009&memberid=12259079 there is an article about eating seaweed helping to block the absorption of fat. Now I won't take fad drugs or weight loss drugs that claim the same thing, but eating seaweed to block fat -- that doesn't sound like a bad thing.

So, excited about this idea, I went to the Asian market down the street to find toasted nori. There were two problems with this plan: 1) I don't read Japanese or Chinese and most of the products in the store had very little English on them. 2) I have no idea what toasted nori looks like or where it would be.

I walked around the store for a while -- totally conspicuous as the only non-Asian person there. I looked in the snack aisle (I think it was the snack aisle), I looked at cookies, crackers and other treats, then I saw tons of different types of noodles, there were lots of packages of green stuff that could have been seaweed, but the only nori I found was a jar of shreded seaweed that might be for cooking. I bought it.

After getting it home I popped a big handful of shreds into my mouth. The texture wasn't bad, but the taste -- fishy! I don't think this is the "snack" I was looking for.

I'm not giving up. I'll try again and next time I will ask. In the meantime, I might try putting the seaweed I have into a soup -- a fish-based soup.

Taking it Easy

Because I have been stiff and my IT bands have been sore, I decided to take it a little easy Saturday morning when walking with the Buckeye Striders. I was happy there were a couple people I haven't seen in a while and decided I would walk at Barbara's pace. We had a great time catching up and walking at a comfortable pace.

The funny thing was, at 32 degrees, it felt cold! We've had a pretty hard winter and temps have been much lower than average. Then this past week, the temps got up in the 50s and the snow melted. Now after being used to frigid temps, 32 feels cold.

Regardless, the easy pace did a great job of helping to relax my sore muscles. And later I was even able to get my husband to use The Stick on my IT bands.

It was a good walk both mentally and physically!

The Stick is my Friend!

My legs are stiff! A few Nike Club Workouts, a couple intense walking sessions, ineffective stretching ... My legs are tight and stiff.

So after today's walk around Antrim Lake in the sun, I was sitting around feeling stiff thinking about how I need a massage, when it ocurred to me -- I have The Stick!

I have a love/hate relationship with The Stick. First, if used correctly, it is great for relieving the pain and stiffness in muscles. Second, in order to get that kind of relief, you have to really dig in with it, and that really, really HURTS! Is the cure worse than the ailment? I don't know.

The problem is, I can't apply enough pressure to get that total relief. When it starts to hurt, I stop. I can't help it -- I'm a wimp. What I really need is to get someone who doesn't mind causing me pain to roll out my legs. Before all of you come running to volunteer, I was thinking I would ask my husband.

But it's a Good Sore

My entire body is sore -- my legs and hips, shoulders, abs and even my biceps. This is from a combination of Nike Training Club workouts and yesterday's racewalk workout. Whew!

To loosen up my legs, and maybe release some of the stiffness, I decided to take a casual walk outside in the sun. The temps were in the high 40s, the sun was shining and the day was beautiful!

There was one problem -- as I walked, the muscles in my legs and hips didn't loosen up. More than an hour later, I still did not felt any better.

Sounds like it is a good day to take off from exercise and it might be time for a little ibuprofen and stretching.

Getting Faster

I did another indoor track workout Saturday and it was great!

Because it has been extra cold this winter, I have not been outside as much as usual. This time of year I tend to not focus on speed, but just work on getting outside even if it is just in a heavy winter coat and boots. That is why access to an indoor track is so nice! Not burdened with winter wear, we can work on speed. And Deb and I both want to be faster.

We walked in the middle of the track. I have to admit -- I HATE being in the first two lanes. You have to go around so many more times to do the same distance. I would rather be in the outside lane (not practical with all of the people there hanging out on the edge), but the middle seems to be a good compromise. As we did last week, Deb was one lane closer to the middle and I tried to pick up the pace on the curves to keep up with her as she maintained a steady pace.

We started out a little faster than I should have. Still a little stiff and sore from the Nike Training Club workouts I did this week, I probably needed to warm up more. We picked up the pace and both of us were breathing hard while we walked. I kept up with Deb for the most part. There were only a few times when she got ahead of me on the curves and I had to work harder to catch up. It was great!

The only thing I didn't do is one lap as fast as possible. I typically like to finish with a fast lap to train myself to finish a race strong. It definitely helps -- I usually get a second wind near the end of a race and can go faster at the finish.

So, I think Larry would be proud of us! Two weeks in a row Deb and I have been working hard. We have faster leg turnover and I think we are faster too. (Yes, Larry, I am pumping my arms!)

I really hope I can keep up this faster pace for a long distance. I'm looking forward to breaking a 3-hour half marathon this year!
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I wore the Chinese racewalking shoes. They are great because they are so light and flexible. This weekend my right ankle started to feel wobbly in them. I think ankle strengthening exercises are in order.

I wore my heart rate monitor yesterday. It indicated my peak HR was only 141. Hmmmm. It sure felt as if I was working harder than that. We used the 140 benchmark as our "pace" for a couple of half marathons last year. I felt as if we were walking much harder than we did in those races.