love and be loved

At Benn's and did 4.5 miles on his treadmill while he went off to class. Stretched and ran 3.25 miles at 6.2mph and 1% incline. Then did a cool down of 1.25 miles at 4.3mph and 1% incline. Took a shower and ran errands with Benn's mom and Aggie (the saint bernard). Nice day today but looks like clouds might roll in. Have to wait and see, but I hope Benn and I can go for a walk together later today.

Went for a bike ride with Benn this evening. Got the new road bike! All snazzed up!!! It was fun. We biked to the school and back in 47 minutes. Did 9.4 miles. by the way...

QUESTION: DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW I CAN CHANGE MY BLOG TO THE TRIATHLON TEMPLATE THAT BENN HAS? WE CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT! THANKS! :)

Did an easy bike loop with Benn and his mom from the school and back. I was glad there wasn't any bad hills today! LOVE the new bike!!

Stretched and ran 3.61 miles on the treadmill at 6.2-6.3mph with 2% incline. Then did fast oaced walking cool down for 3 miles at 4.3-4.5mph with 2% incline. Stretched again and did free weight lifting routine.

Walked 1.055 miles for work in Lee, MA. I walked from the Berkshire Center at 18 Park St. over to the far side of the 33 Park St. plaza where I now meet with some students for the summer semester. Then had to meet a student for their individual Social Mentoring session at their apartment at 85 Housatonic St. Next, we walked to the convenience store on Housatonic St. and then to the grocery store on West park St. Next, I walked back to the 33 plaza from the grocery store to meet with my next student of the day. After, I walked back up to the Center at 18 Park St. to do paperwork and get a key, and then back down to the 33 plaza to do more paperwork and lock up. I google mapped all of my trips and used the walking trip option to calculate/estimate my mileage. 

So far today, I decided to walk to the bank and back to deposit a check. I walked 0.5 miles each way (with the way back being all uphill).

Tonight, I stretched and ran on the treadmill for 3.6 miles at 6.3-6.4mph with 2% incline. Then did fast paced walking cool down for  1.4 miles at 4.3-4.4mph with 2% incline. Stretched with Ruby (my cat) sprawling out and taking over more than her share of the yoga mat :)

Stretched and ran with Benn at Spa Park. Stretched and drove to the grocery store to buy ingredients to cook Indian food! Yummy chicken saag and jasmine rice :D

Did a warm up run for 0.55 miles at 6.2mph and 2% incline. Then stretched and continued running for 4.13 miles at the same pace and incline. Did a cool down of 1.361 miles at 4.2mph and2% incline. Finished up with more stretching, a few lunges, 3 different sets of squats, and free weight lifting.

Benn drove to my house after school today and we got ready to go for a jog. I looked up trails in Great Barrington and found one called the Housatonic River Walk. I thought it sounded nice so we decided to go! On our travels a baby fox, a black & orange cat, a chipmunk, and a bunch of birds crossed our path (much to Benn's dislike because of his recent biking accident). On our way through Lenox and Stockbridge, we noticed whiteness all along the sides of the roads and on people's lawns. I said I think it is SNOW and Benn said NO WAY, it must be pollen. Finally, I told him to pull over to really check it out. It was crazy hail piles everywhere about half a foot deep!!!!! We were stunned and Benn took a few pictures with his cell phone. When we got to Great Barrington, we found the entrance to the River Walk, stretched, and read the sign. Under 'Prohibited,' it listed the usual biking, skateboarding, yada yada and... RUNNING! Whaaat? Well, we said that we were okay because we would "jog" (hehehe) only to find out that the entire trail was maybe a half mile long!!! Urg! So... we just kept running through back roads and main streets (which was actually quite fun) and looped back around to our car to stretch. Arrived Back home and made some wheat pasta, green beans, corn, and salad with apples and beans for dinner. Excellent!

My oldest sister came home for a week and I asked her if she wanted to go hiking with me today. First, we went to Olovia's Lookout, which is somewhere near the Richmond/Lenox, MA border. The hike was was a 3.2 mile loop but offered no view at the top or anything. Next, we drove to Kennedy Park in Lenox and took several trails that passed by a cold spring, streams, a reservoir, some building ruins, and a "balance rock" (boulders piled in a glacier pass). It was pretty muddy on the trails and buggy (mosquitos!) in many parts of Kennedy Park. But, it was a good, fun hike and I got to take some nice nature pictures!

Woke up this morning to talk to Benn on his way to work. Then had breakfast and tea. After that, I stretched and ran on the treadmill for 3.24 miles at 6.2mph and 2% incline. But, during the last 4 minutes of my run, I had to take a call for my doctor. So, I had to finish the 4 or 5 minutes of running after I got off the phone. Then I did a cool down of 0.96 miles at 4.2mph and 2% incline. (I wish I knew to do another 0.04 miles to have my cool down = 1 mile. But, oh well, I know I can get that done at work for sure). Stretched and had to get in the shower to get ready for work.

At work, my first student was a now show for our session and my second student called to tell me she is not attending today because she is sick. So, after doing some needed work, I hit to the streets and walked 0.712 miles around Lee, MA. It was not so comfortable wearing my work clothes (jeans, tank top with a button-up corduroy jacket). When I left my home this morning it was gray and rainy, but the sky opened up and it was quite hot out! After I got back to the office and calculated how far I went, it made my total 4.912 for the day. I want to do the remaining .088 before the day is done to at least make a complete 5 miles!

Walked another 0.5 miles at work before heading home.. Up to 5.412 miles now. Woohoo!

Benn came to my house after school and we ran 4.2 miles on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. I was feeling really tired and blah, and the run helped quite a bit (even though the weather was super windy, gray and ominous)! Toward the end, I was ready to just finish up the 5k and do some nice fast cool down walking, but Benn pushed me to run out another mile. I was not happy about it at the time (sorry Benn!), but I am now. 

Benn brought my bike to my house this week so that I could use it for a biking date on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. Despite all of the lousy weather, today turned out to be sunny and very humid... also mega windy! We biked the trail and it was lovely outside and inside, because my heart was so glad to be spending this time with Benn. Once we got to the end of the trail in Adams, MA, we wanted to keep going to a cafe (BrewHaHa) in North Adams. We biked most of the way there but it was becomming a cruddy experience (bad traffic on the highway, tons of wind and sand getting blown in my eyes, lots of noise... yuck)! So, we turned around and headed back to a cafe (The Grind) in Adams, only to realize that it was a sit-down restaurant/cafe and we forgot to bring the bike lock. We didn't really want anything much anyway, so we each sat under a tree and ate an apple and drank water. Then headed back on the trail... my tricepts (especially my right one) started becomming really sore, and then the soreness moved to my shoulder then to my neck and upper shoulderblade. Benn helped me bike it out the last 9 miles or with the soreness & weakness. Finally, we made it and I am glad he helped push me through the entire thing :)

After dinner, I did some weight lifting and leg lifts.

Was feeling worse and worse the longer I postponed myself from running. I am hoping to get back into the "morning run" routine, which was working well for me before. I would also like to start incorporating my Cardio tape (power yoga, kickboxing, crunches, etc.), Strength tape (pushups, free weights, dips, etc.) and of course biking into my weekly exercises. I think I should be trying to mix up my workouts more. 

Anyway, for today, I stretched and ran 3.3 miles on the treadmill at 6.1-6.2mph and 2% incline. Then went a little slower for 2.0 miles from 5.6-5.2mph and 2%incline, carrying 2-lb free weights for one of those miles. Got a call from Benn and talked while I started a cool down of another 2.0 miles from 4.2-4.2mph and 2% incline. Stretched afterward.

Right now I have several things to do around the house and then I hope to do some squats, lunges, leg lifts, free weight lifting, maybe crunches, and moooore stretchiiinnng. We'll see!

Woke up this morning, stretched, and ran on the treadmill for 3.3 miles from 6.2-6.1mph and 2% incline. Then did a cool down for 1.021 miles at 4.3mph and 2% incline. Stretched again and got a call from my big sister telling me about how she just made the BEST whole grain low sugar blueberry banana muffins. So, she gave me the recipe and I just finished making them. They are delicious!

Woke up early this morning to do gardening with my mom before she had to leave at noon. We dug up plants, I moved large rocks, shoveled, raked, and mulched in the front yard. Later tonight, I stretched and did a 35 minute Power 90: Cardio 1-2 video (power yoga, kickboxing, etc..) Finished up with lots of leg lifts, 230 crunches (11 different styles), and more stretching. Then did some weight lifting but got sidetracked by my sister, Liana, in California wanting to video chat with me on the computer and finally show me her new house there!

Called Benn just in time to wish his first 5K race this year. Stretched and wanted to run at the same time as him, so got on the treadmill and ran 4.25 miles at 6.2mph and 2% incline. Then did a cool down of 1.3 miles from 4.3-4.1mph and 2% incline. Did more stretching, squats, lunges, and leg lifts. My arms are kind of sore when I move them around from the power yoga and free weighting yesterday. But, I might lift a little later tonight. I noticed that my total mileage is 5.55 (all are Benn's favorite number- 5)! Is was completely unintended so I am hoping that is a good sign- I can't wait to hear from Benn and find out how the race went!