Chorus Run

On Thursday, I decided to do a "chorus run".  If I'm running solo, I always listen to music on my iPod.  So, for a chorus run, I pick up the pace whenever I'm listening to the chorus of a song.  I'm not sprinting, but I increase my speed by at least a minute per mile.  I ran an easy 2-mile warm-up, and then did a 2.5-mile chorus run.  I am not a big fan of speed work (it hurts!), so the unpredictable nature of this workout appeals to me.  I have no idea how many "reps" I have left to do, so I'm not constantly thinking about how much longer I have to suffer.  As much.  :)  I have learned, though, that the last part of a song is almost always all chorus.  Agh!  After the bridge, bam! 

I like thinking that this type of workout prepares me for surging past people in races.  And no matter how tired I am, when that chorus comes, I go for it.  It reminds me that I can still pick up the pace with tired legs.  

My knees started aching a tiny bit during this run, for the first time in months.  I realized then that I'd been neglecting the strength exercises that I think were instrumental in my finally returning to running last year.  As soon as I got home, the repentance process began, and I reminded my knees that I do indeed love them.  I thought I'd share two of these exercises with y'all, in case your knees are a bit sad.  

*Disclaimer: I am not a physical therapist, but these exercises were prescribed to me by one.  If you have further questions about how to do these exercises, you should probably not count on me, but consult a pro.  

The first exercise consists of the above and below pictures.  You bend the leg you're standing on until your knee is lined up over your first couple of toes (for me, this means that my knee follows a slightly diagonal path, slanting inwards).  As you straighten that leg, you squeeze your bum, both to strengthen it, and to remind it to fire and support your legs when you're running.  

Bonus: a cuter bum!  Ha.  :)  

I do 15 reps, slowly, followed by 15 faster ones, on each leg.  30 reps total.  

The next exercise targets your hips.  It's a tough one!  For me, anyway.  The exercise is simple, though.  See below:

You lay on one side with your back against the wall, and lift your top leg up until it's basically vertical and then lower it back down.  40 reps on each leg.  This sets my muscles on fire.  It's awesome.  And yes, I always look this happy when I work my hips.  

I try to do these exercises, along with planks, at least three days a week.  

New birthday outfit #2!  The tank top is from Old Navy, and the capris are from Athleta, and I LOVE the pants.  The tank, too, but oh, the pants!  They're so comfy and move with me perfectly when I run.  I wore them again today on a run with my new running buddies (a topic for another post).  They are seriously the coolest women, and I'm feeling very lucky that they're letting me crash their running party.  

About to get out of the car to run with my buds.  6:30 a.m.  Look at all that light!  Spring is coming!  

Thirty-seven.

On February 22nd, at 10:23 a.m., MST, I turned 37.  THIRTY-SEVEN.  I realize that this is not old.  By most people's standards, I am still young, with (hopefully!) many happy, healthy years ahead of me.  But I find this birthday sobering.  Beginning with my 36th birthday, I have felt a bit overwhelmed with a feeling of, "Time is running out!"  Time for what?  I'm not sure.  My therapist assures me that the Mid-Life Crisis is as certain as puberty, and that everyone will go through it, no matter how enlightened they are.  Comforting, yes, but I still wish I could avoid it.  Once again, I'm feeling the urge to pierce something.  :)  

What my face in this picture says to me: "I may be 37, but if you call me old, I'll cut you!"  

My first run as a 37-year-old, on the 23rd, required the presence of Tess.  I slept in that morning, as I struggled to emerge from my sugar coma.  I don't like running with the jogging stroller, but it was worth pushing that heavy beast to get my run in.  We breezed through 6.2 miles, except not, because stroller + cute toddler = a lot of weight.  But it was a lovely run, IN THE SUN!  I passed many a flowering bush, and feeling the sun's warmth made me especially eager for spring and summer runs.  

My darling running coach.  She likes to yell, "Go, go, go!" 

Post-run, cooling down with some walking.  Try not to be jealous of the horse bum on my forehead.  I am nothing if not stylish.

Tess was hitting the bottle hard...

I realized recently that I couldn't wash the stink out of most of my workout clothes.  To be fair, those poor clothes have suffered as receptacles of my sweat for a long, long time and through many, many workouts.  It was time to set them free (i.e. burn them).  So, I asked for workout clothes for my birthday, and boy, did my family deliver!  Here's what I wore for that first run:

  

Love!  And so far, they cling in all the right places, and stay where they're supposed to as I jiggle down the road.  As I wear the other ones, I'll let you see those, too.  The top is a tank top and the pants are actually capris.  This outfit is from Old Navy, and though much less expensive than so many other workout outfits, appears to be good-quality gear.  Time will tell.  

So far, so good, 37.