I was grinning as I was puffing down the road, thinking about completing some goals, thinking about the better form I was running in, thinking about moving forward with the training schedule – it felt really good! 1st time to run 2 days in a row and I felt it at the end, but overall really good, and once I got through the yoga, I was doing good. 2 years ago

ack – this one was rough – forcing myself for the first 20 minutes. finally felt like I was hitting my stride in the last 7-10 min. tried to force my body into the right form earlier, but even when I focused on one bit at a time it just didn’t work. could it really be possible that I don’t really warm up until 20 minutes in?! that feels discouraging somehow, or at least annoying.

i think the shin splints are worse, although I’m very thankful that whatever they are they don’t hurt while I’m running. Had some majorly painful twinges in the right one for a minute or so once I stopped and was sitting down at home afterward. otherwise they only hurt when the cats step on them or when I try to squat down to do something – making me feel oooooold and stupid.

hoping for run #4 this week tomorrow. all 30 minute runs this week then hoping/planning to start the intermediate training sched next week, which starts increasing the length of the 4th run each week. 2 years ago

mixed – had to actively push myself and was NOT raring to go this morning, but I actually did pretty well pace-wise. Cut a minute off Monday’s time to bring it to my goal time, which was nice. Feeling good with the 30 minutes running now, which is encouraging when I think back to starting up this fall – the idea of only going 5 or 10 minutes before walking seems strange, when before it was a relief. I do need to be more careful of refueling though, as Monday I kind of crashed later in the day and didn’t get all the work done that I needed to. Got a bunch to do today as a result, but I’m working on it – snacks in hand.

Seemed so like autumn here, though, with the chill in the air this morning and the smell of fires – a lot of the security guards had set up little stoves to get some warmth. They’re always a bit amazed or something when I run by in shorts and there they are huddled in their thick long winter coats, but if you’ve been sitting around in this chill, especially as a lot of them sleep in their booths (the gates are locked), you can definitely get cold to the bone. When you’re running for a bit, it feels a heck of a lot warmer. :) 2 years ago

well, so after a week and a 1/2 pause for feeling crappy and exhausted, this run was awesome! Definitely feel recharged and ready to go. So here’s to the first run and onward! 2 years ago

this was supposed to be the final week – my last chance to complete this goal! :( and truthfully if I had stayed on schedule last week for when I went running I could have completed it then :( :( Since I missed it I was planning on this week but then I got a very bad cold on Monday that flattened me for 2 days basically so my first run for the week was tonight…. therefore [drum roll? trumpet fanfare?] I am extending this goal for 1 week and just trying to get in a couple good ones this week.

Man, it was hard to push myself tonight. It could have been a result of the cold, or it could have been a result of me letting myself off easy due to worry about that. Who knows. Anyway, I looped back early so had to do a couple extra side-jogs to get in the full run and still get a nice distance for the cool down walk. In the end my side-jogs off my route weren’t enough and I ended up on this long back loop – the end result is that I’ve discovered a great new hill route, and if I go in the morning it’ll almost feel like a trail route in places… if I can just avoid the 10 ft deep (not an exaggeration!) ditches along the sides of the roads and paths due to some kind of construction. Not going there at night again though – there was only one bar along the route (and I think it’s brand new), but this one bar had some really nasty guys in terms of words spouting from their mouths. Amazing how you can get the meaning of something when only understanding a couple words here and there – Nasty! 2 years ago

I just finished the training schedule, which I had forgotten until a little way into today’s run. That was a nice kick start. I was really glum starting out – nasty mood – and then decided to take on the hills route which ended up going much better than I thought, even as I was deciding for it – felt like it was a push from above. :) anyway, praising and thanking God for this first sense of completion and looking forward to continuing.

This next week I’m going for completion of the title goal here.

Right now I’m working up to a certain time goal on a 3 mile run. I’m also hoping, if I can work in a regular 4th running day, to work up to a 6 mile run, gradually extending time and distance each week. :D

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31 2 years ago

did not want to go tonight – was originally going to go this morning, then this afternoon, and between being wiped out so grabbing some extra sleep, and trying to meet some friends for an early dinner, none of this worked. then a friend wanted to walk after dinner so we went for a stroll :D saw this big, beautiful husky – gorgeous! and he was huge! – but he scared my friend who is terrified by big dogs, so that lent some excitement to the walk – he just wanted to be friends, but I guess when you’re afraid of something big and he comes jumping toward you with teeth showing it doesn’t matter if he’s just playing or trying to make a friend. ah well. :)

anyay, it was 9 by the time I got home and after 10 by the time I got back out on the road. The run itself was fine – pace and form pretty good, but when I finished and started walking back, I was just wishing it would end and I’d be back home. still, doing good training schedule wise, and next try for the 2nd 1/2 of this goal is next week. 2 years ago

ah, so I missed it last week – something hit me on Saturday and I didn’t make it out for a run… in fact, I missed Sunday and Monday too. In a way this is okay since I’ve been going every other day for the previous 2 1/2 weeks, but I really didn’t want to miss more than a day between runs. guess it gives the various stressed parts of my body a chance to recover though. Anyway, went tonight, so I can just make my 3 runs this week going every other day and then next week start up on the MWFS run schedule me hopes. :D

Tonight was a good run though. This is the 7th week of an 8 week training schedule which is the farthest I’ve made it so far. This week is supposed to be runs of 28, 29, and 30 minutes, but I challenged myself to try for the 30 tonight, without pushing myself less in the beginning. Since I’m already going 28 minutes full out, adding 2 minutes on the end really shouldn’t tax me that much more. And I did it! 3 miles in 30 minutes and I strided out at the end, though not up to sprint pace, for the last 50ish meters. Felt really good. I think I’m reducing the walks on the ends of my runs since it’s been chilly and, even with extra layers to throw on as I’m cooling down, it just doesn’t feel nice to start feeling the chill after a run. Planning to restart some easy yoga post runs after I finish the training schedule. Feeling good! and happy! And this reminds me, too, of that verse that says, ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength.’ Feel like I’m learning this in a bunch of different ways. 2 years ago

tonight was awesome – speed and form felt good and my legs didn’t go through the fatigue and pain of the last few runs. I may have figured that out, but then this may just be another of a line of theories – anyway, hoping the problem’s gone away. Haven’t decided if I’m going for it tomorrow or not -I’ll see how I’m doing through the day tomorrow. But tonight was really nice. 2 years ago

yowzers this one hurt – I’m doing something funky to my ankles and calves and I haven’t figured out what yet, but I made it. This is run 2 of week 6 in my training schedule. doing good in general. 2 years ago

First run of the week and on schedule for a change. This one is a possible try since 4 runs in a week will put the last 2 on adjacent days – want to make sure my legs are up for it and that i don’t need an extra walking day. if i can start this up now, then when i reach the end of this training schedule i can go right into adding a long run on Saturdays and working up to longer distances and times running.

on a side note, what is with this Monday? ppl on scooters seem to be experiencing some kind of rash of bad road experiences. one scooter on the road with police nearby and what was possibly blood next to the scooter – didn’t see anybody but the police so i’m seriously praying this guy/gal is okay! one guy who ran into the curb dividing the scooter lane from the regular road and landed bodily in the bushes. i don’t know if i embarrassed the Chinese ppl nearby by stopping to see if he was okay, but in the end it turned out the guy was drunk – he fell over the next time he tried to go. They were trying to get him to stop and sit with them a while to sober up (it was a family that owned a store right next to where he fell).

it’s making me wonder if it’s a full moon, though, as there have been noticeable effects to ppl’s thinking in the past.

but off my tangent, it was a good run tonight—got my fastest mile yet according to nike+.com so i got a fun little message from one of the nike pros. starting to feel like a runner :D 2 years ago

I made it and tonight was an awesome run! for once i can say in a positive way that i’m feeling the effects of running – breathing was steady and unlabored tonight! would have been perfect if i hadn’t worn the wrong socks and the resulting compression effect on my feet fatigued them through the whole run… it’s hard to explain. Great run though!!! didn’t want to go out tonight, either, but having this goal and the stickers going on my wall calendar for each run helped me get myself into my running clothes and out the door, which is always the hardest part really of any run. Victory!!! :D 2 years ago

HILLS!!!!!!!! Tonight was awesome – ended up running a hill route by accident and it went really well. Initially I missed a traffic light and was just going to run a bit down this one road and loop back to the light so I could cross without stopping, but the argument in my head as I ran toward the hill was resolved for onward and upward. The hills went fine, especially the third one and I finished strong. Really really feeling good about the running this time! I’ve tried a bunch of times over my life to get going with a regular running habit, but this time it really feels like it’s sticking, and I’m loving it! probably more info than anyone but me wants, but I’m still hyped from it (boingy boingy boingy – bouncing off the walls). :D

Thanking God for a body that can learn to run better and faster and longer, for running through a night misting with light rain, for the blessings of today and the questions of the future. Thank you, Lord!!! 2 years ago

yay! got out tonight and it was a really really really good run, PtL! :D better running form – more like running, less like fast trudging/jogging – and strong throughout all the way to the very tippy end. 1/2 way there for the 1st part of this goal too! going to try to do some yoga or long walks on the off days, but I’ll see how that goes, especially since I walk A LOT on my teaching days and all those stairs stairs stairs need to be climbed. You’d think with all this walking and stair-climbing I’d be a lot thinner, but I’ve actually gained a lot of weight since I first came to China – the complete opposite of some good friends of mine who look like they would be completely unable to spare an ounce from their frames. 2 years ago

really good tonight and although I’m following the last run schedule for last week I’m counting it as the first run of this week since it’s Sunday night. 2 years ago

I can’t really start this one ‘til next week, but I still have hopes for how much I’ll run this week – tonight was my 2nd run. It went really well, especially toward the end, with my form actually improving toward the end of the run. I was doing more of a real run for the last couple minutes too. This last bit, however, may have contributed to how incredibly sore and tired my legs were as I started the walk back. Of course, it was a long day too with lots of walking and lots’n’lots’n’lots of stairs all over the place. Trying to decide if the muscle fatigue was a sign I shouldn’t run tomorrow night, but I was really wanting to, with the intention of starting to run according to my weekly schedule next week. rambleramblerambleramble. Anyway, great run tonight, and a good pre-start for this goal. 2 years ago