I`m not sure how I feel about this but the NYC Half lottery results are out ... and so am I - out of the race that is - I didn`t make it. On some level with the hip issues I`ve been having it takes the pressure off - my LR at this point has only been 6 miles and the NYC race is end of July - while I could make the LR`s up I`ve also been lacking on the weekly milage - I have decided to see how I feel this week and if my hip recovers I may take a charity place and run for the fresh air fund.

Just back from my hour with my main trainer - had a quick flirt witht he EC on  the way in ! - will do a little bike work later !

Joe - you better not run

WOW.. you all are an awesome bunch I'm SO glad I stumbled across this thread.

Today was day 1 of the 3 month training plan for the Va Beach RnR 1/2. Well.. today's plan was to do 8 cycles of 3 min walk 1 min run.. I know for some of you, that's a cake walk.. well.. my first thread was how to run w/o dying!! Well I did it.. and didn't die! lol. Took everyone's advise and sloooowwwed down. Kept the pace around 3.5 and 4 mph for the walking and running and was able to complete the whole training session. Small steps right???

I'm sure after reading some more of your wonderful threads and getting to know you I'll pipe in on everyone's accomplishments and pains!!. I know someone was talking about Chinese food.. you can keep it.. but give me Sushi any day!.. less MSG.

Ilissa

I went back for 50 mins on the bike and the EC ab workout !! runjr - I think you mentioned you had hip problems on and off - try this ab work out - I REALLY think it has helped me and the EC said he does it because he has hip problems too and it works the hip flexors

take a body bar - start off laying on the ground arms above your head - body bar in your hands legs slightly bent feet off the floor. Crunch up your upper and lower body keep your lower legs parallel to the ground bring  your arms over your head pass the bar onto your ankles - open back out with body bar on your ankles - crunch back up retrieve the bar and open up to the original position. Your feet do not ever touch the ground. 3 sets 10 reps.

misswendy - you are totally bad a$$ !!! Actually thats one of my EC`s favorite compliments - I`ve got to rather like it !!!

runjr - wow you bruised you foot with your laces - yikes !! great runs with your ladies !!

kevee - nice 60 min run ! I would love to train with you one day  - you run  close to my pace

chuck - 20 in the week is still decent milage - and your 8 miler pace was awesome ! you are doing so great

macd - great 2 miles - don`t worry about pace - you are doing really well

Cara - I agree - NY just wasn`t meant to happen - its fine - fate has a way of working things out

TinkPink - yes we are awesome ! - and so are you !!! - great job today - while that may be a cake walk now for us we have all been where you are today and not that long ago - you are so right - small steps - they all add up - trust the training it will work - enjoy the journey in 3 months you`ll be looking back on today and you`ll be just amazed how far you come.

Joe - I'm with you on the sushi!

Ilisa - Way to get started! I'm a newbie too working towards my first half. Finished C25K a month or so ago where I struggled in the early going with those 1 minute runs. Ran 4 miles last night, my longest run to date so I figure I'm almost a 1/3 of the way there.

Kevin - Your advice to llisa was inspirational

andahuff - Loved the escort story!

Mary- It would be nice to have a running buddy. I run with DH sometimes but he is faster than I am though I am gaining ground. We usually walk together after we've finished our runs.

Miss Wendy - I hear you on the hot. It was almost 80 with really high humidity when I set out at 10:00 pm last night to run. Sounds like you are having a fun summer.

Mac - After running with the Garmin and the Nike+ for a couple of weeks I've realized that the Nike+ is never the same. It always shows that I've run more than I have. I think the faster I go, the closer it is but can ran from .04 to .12 per mile off. I count my mileage by the Garmin but still run with the Nike+ cause I like the music or book on tape and I like the goals and challenges on the Nike+.

Spicegeek - Any advice for getting rid of flabby upper arms since you are the resident fitness expert? I've lost about 50 lbs this year and am fitter than I have been in years. Have been doing some weight training and am please with the result except my upper arms are still gross!

A general question to all. As my runs are increasing in distance and time, I am wondering when I need to start thinking about carrying water. Thoughts?

Hi all!

spicegeek, sorry to hear about the NYC Half. I thought you were guaranteed a spot by doing the roadrunner (?) races, but maybe that's the Marathon? Anyway, as you say, with the hip and the short training timeframe it's not all bad. That body bar exercise sounds like a killer!

Cara, sounds like an great weekend, and some good runs too. I need to remind myself that a short night's sleep doesn't necessarily mean a bad run... I have this tendency to want to stay in bed and try to get more sleep

Ilissa, I don't have anything to add to others' advice except that for me, the biggest hurdles are mental. Think positive!

runjr, glad to hear you took a rest day! What full did you decide on?

joe, I think your subconscious thought your body didn't need to be at the gym. Too bad it can't make the call for that MRI

misswendy, try not to get discouraged about not meeting your weight goal. It is really hard to lose on any particular schedule, especially when it's a small amount of weight you're trying to lose. The goals I'm working on are eating healthier (and less), and not beating myself up when I slip up. Seems to be working well for now. Great run in the heat this morning! I don't know how you do it. You're doing another half at the end of the month? I don't suppose it's anywhere north of say, the Mason-Dixon line? I'm in awe of you southern runners; I truly don't handle the heat well at all. I keep meaning to ask if you have a good carrot cake recipe? DD#1 likes it (and will be home this weekend), but all the recipes I've tried have too much oil and/or sugar for me--too heavy & sweet.

Gayle, sounds like you and I are not that far off in our training, or wouldn't be had I not had this knee setback (well, that and you're faster...). My longest was 5 miles, just before the injury; I hope to be back to 3 in 2 weeks. I've been wondering about water, too, especially as the temps are rising. I think I'll just deal with the Nike+ being off, since it's been both long and short since I recalibrated it. I like those features you do, and at least the time is correct!

Kevin, the "laying in bed" felt pretty good to me this a.m. too... I had a walk with the dogs planned, and by the time I finally got up, only had enough time for a mile and a quarter. That was enough for them, tooit was about 65 and humid, their tongues were dragging. They give my arms & shoulders a workoutNOT in a good way--so I had had enough by then too.

Everyone have a good one!

I am planning a 3 mile trot on the tread mill later I`ll make up the hour hour cardio on the rowing machine I think and do some ab work - if I can climb out from under the system crashes and other mess thats going on here ! - I hate when there is someone camped outside my office waiting for me to arrive at 8:00 am - pre coffee panics suck !

runjr - my hip is a million times better - I know what I did - I simply pushed too much - I have to remember I wasn`t back from the stress fracture long and my legs were not built back up when I ended up in surgery and out for another 4 weeks - I have decided to go back to basics - 1 month of  2 x 3 milers and 4 - 5 miles at the weekend - stop if there is even the slightest indication of a problem ! I`m also starting - care of my trainers to hit the legs with weight training

Joe - very glad to you didn`t run - when is the MRI ?

misswendy - LOL on the abs comment - let me tell you having EC watch you do yoga ball pikes ups is much more traumatic - the a$$ is is the air and chances of face planting are very high not to mention that the head upside thing means sweat drips onto the floor at said EC feet - he can watch my abs all he wants - they are pretty strong - if a little more insulated then we`d like

GL - I`m not sure about being the resident fitness expert - I just have a bunch of crazy but creative and brilliant trainers I work with !! congrats on the weight loss - I`m right there with you - I dropped 50lb too - I went through a phase of having saggy bits too - but things do tighten up - the basic key for weight training - you need to do lower weight / higher reps ( endurance ) to build long lean muscle and low reps higher weight for strength. Now - that doesn`t mean that you should be prancing about with 2lb dumb bells. - High reps are 12 - 15 reps low reps 8 - 10. Regardless of the high or low the last 2 or 3 reps of the last set ( you should be doing 3 sets ) should be a struggle but not to the point that you lose form. Rest between strength sets 2-3 mins - endurance 1:30 - 2 mins. You can super set - do a push exercise, pull - then rest - like a chest press and a row. For arms I like bicep curls, hammer curls, single arm tricep extensions, skull crushers ( Also called laying tricept extensions, or french presses ), dips, kickbacks and preacher curls. For the whole upper body - rows seated and bent over, chest presses - seated, benched or declined, shoulder presses, pushups, lat pull downs, pull ups, You can do rows and presses with resistance bands, flys, reverse flys, lateral raises, front raises.

Core work - crunches on anything, back externsions, leg raises, v ups, oblique crunches, twists,

Switch the exercises often so you and your body don`t get bored. Proper form - I can not stress how valuable a good trainer is - and a good trainer is knowledgeable AND someone you you connect with  - you have to trust them, push youself - but be careful - anything where you are lifting a weight that is heavy for you get someone to spot you. One you have the exercise in it`s basic form you can challenge yourself by incorperating yoga balls, bosu`s resistance bands. You should also be trying to increase the weight you lift every 2 - 8 weeks depending on the exercise and the frequency or your workouts.

I like this site for basic form - they have a lot of descriptions and little videos

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Make yourself a workout plan before you start - note the reps and weights you lift so you can track progress. do multi join exercises first - like rows and chest presses - and single joint - like curls last.

Warm up with a movement prep before you start and stretch when you are done !

Here is a basic example of my Sat upper body work out - but I switch it about a lot - I left the exercises very generic - pick the way you like to do them - for example - I can do a chest press with dumbells with my back braced on a yoga ball - with the olympic chest press bar laying on a bench - on the seated chest press machine, standing with my resistance bands and adding a lunge into the mix at the same time, ... or with a plain old push up ! start with what you are comfortable with and can manage - and work your way to the "what in the world in she up to" ones !!!

warm up

shoulder and back movement prep - no weights - look at this link - the Y T W L prehabs - run thro twice

20 knee drops and 20 scorpion stretches

russian twists, chops and diagonal chops ( I use a 10lb ball- start lighter 4lbs is good )  - 3 sets 10 reps work up to no break between sets

http://www.performbetter.com/catalog/assets/Exercisesheets/PDF/MedBall%20Handout.pdf

super set 1

Chest press

rows

1 min plank or jump rope, or balance board or jumping jacks or 20 alternating step ups

super set 2

Shoulder press

lat pull down

side planks ( or as above )

super set 3

Curls

tri ext

lateral raises

super set 4

front raises

flys

reverse flys

I`ll finish up with back and abs

stretch

that was possibly much more information than you ever wanted ! ... sorry