August 07, 2011

Snail's pace

Yesterday was my "long run", and I once again, decided to follow the guidelines for heart rate training--trying to keep my heart rate between 65-75% of the maximum. For me, that meant 124-143 beats per minute. I sat on my porch for a few minutes prior to the run to see what my resting heart rate was. Per usual, it was <60 bpm.
Resting heart rate
I began running, if you can even call it running, as slowly as possible. Within about 1/4 mile, my heart rate was up to 143 bpm. I was basically shuffling along, feeling ridiculous. Normally, I inhale for 2 steps, and then exhale for 2 steps. During this run, I was inhaling every 5-6 steps! I know the point of it is that it's supposed to be an "EASY run" but I didn't feel like I was working out at all. 

However, when I was done, I certainly LOOKED like I had worked out! It was a sunny 80 degrees and extremely humid, so I looked like this when I was done:

You can barely see the dry spots on the bottom of my shirt
I tried to get a picture where you could see just how sweat-drenched my shirt was. I was completely soaked. When I got home, I read some more about heart rate training and learned about a different formula for calculating your target, called the Karvonen formula. This takes your resting heart rate into consideration, and is supposed to me more accurate. The 65-75% range for me went to 145-158 bpm. Yay! I'm going to switch it up and use that as a guide tomorrow and see how it goes. My heart rate is usually about 158-162 on my runs, so I'll just have to go a little slower, rather than sloth-like. 
These are MY numbers... yours will probably be different
 I laughed when I put my workout into Sparkpeople, because you have to click on an approximate pace... the highest it goes up to is 12:00/mi. Well, my pace was way more than that! 13:06 to be exact! 
When I saw that total time, I thought, "Seriously?! I could have been done with this run 15 minutes ago!" Oh well, at least it helped me to realize how far I've come since I started running at 190ish pounds.

And yes, I realize that this is the most boring topic I could possibly blog about, so from now on, I will definitely keep the heart rate talk to a minimum.

I think the hardest part about running so slowly was coming across other people. I kept wanting to explain why I was going so slow. Lame, right? Whenever I'm running and I come across someone, I automatically tend to run faster, to feel "cooler" or something. Does anyone else do that?

The boys were at my parents house ALL DAY yesterday, and they spent the night last night. I had the house to myself all day, because Jerry was at work. I wish I could say I totally took advantage of it, but all I did was my run and then read a bunch of crap about heart rate training online, and watch a couple of shows on TV. 

Today I'm ready to be productive. I think I'll work on the landscaping some more and then maybe mow the lawn. I've only mowed the lawn twice in my entire life. I think it's a "man's job", so it's Jerry's chore :)  Jerry generally gets the shaft when it comes to chores--he does the things I really don't want to do because they're gross. Cleaning out the litter box, cleaning the toilets, taking out the garbage, etc. I guess you could say I'm a little spoiled. A housewife that doesn't clean toilets? Really, Katie? 

Okay, so my food log for yesterday:
Breakfast- cold chocolate peanut butter oats and coffee (271)
Lunch- waffle with Barney Butter and coconut butter; grapes (336)
Dinner- 2 eggs, toast, cereal with milk (530)
Snacks- pretzels; carrots with peanut butter (341)
TOTAL CALORIES:  1478

Are there any chores you pass off to your partner because you don't want to do them? The two I hate the most are the litter box and toilets.


14 comments:

  1. Not boring at all. I actually don't run with a heart rate monitor and just go by feel so I could not tell you what I am at running but I bet I would be running slower too. If you are comfortable, run faster. If not, slow down. You are out there and to me that is what matter most. I used to do that faster pace thing when passing people too - haha - but now I figure I have to do what I am comfortable with.

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  2. The thing with chores is, he is always willing to do any chores that I don't want to do, or do chores when I'm too tired, BUT he'll do a crappy enough job that I'll end up redoing the dishes or redoing the toilet because I'm picky about cleanliness. I think he plans that on purpose.

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  3. So Jerry wasn't joking when he said he had to clean the litter box! I laughed so hard when he said you beat him if he doesn't! Hahaha

    Oh and I run faster too when I pass people! I thought I was weird!

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  4. Bathrooms, Yard Work, & Garbage......that's all I ask, and I do everything else.....lol

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  5. The biggest chore I hate is the dishes, because I grew up in a household that didn't believe in dishwashers *eyeroll* and I had to do them every night by hand. As an adult, it got even worse. My husband and I started by cooking together, but discovered we have different styles. Mine is very efficient, putting things away or rinsing them out after use etc. His is haphazard, taking up three times as many dishes as necessary and never wiping up or rinsing out or anything. It leaves a tremendous mess and used to give me panic attacks just thinking about doing dishes. I no longer help with the cooking because I can't handle his style and the kitchen has become his domain. In 2003, I finally told him that if he rinsed and stacked the dishes nicely, I would take care of them, but if he just laid them around everywhere with sauce and stuff crusting them over for a couple hours, he would have to do them himself. I haven't had to do them since.

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  6. I totally run faster around other people. It's why I won't ask any of my friends who are at all slower than me to join me on a run...i'm afraid I would hurt them by going way too fast! :)

    Ever since I learned during pregnancy you aren't supposed to change the litter box, it has been my husband's job. Truthfully, we would likely not have any cats if I had to change it. Ha, ha. Also, I never refer to myself as a "housewife" simply because I really am not the usual laundry/dishes/vacuuming person. I'm a stay at home mom. If the butts are wiped and the kids are fed and alive, my job is done! (applause)

    I am going to be looking into this heart rate training you speak of...thank you for taking the time to blog about it. :)

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  7. Nothing you blog about is ever boring! You write VERY well and it keeps me interested.

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  8. ugh...I'm a slow runner. :( I am the sloth you compare yourself too but I aim to be the jogger I once was! I know my weight is my number one enemy because I feel as though I can run further or faster but my knees and feet ache so much that I have to either slow it down to a snail's pace(yowsa) or stop all together. I am thankful for your blogs...even if you think they're boring!

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  9. My husband's jobs are also the one's I find to be gross. Killing bugs, taking out the trash, retrieving things from the shed (it's scary in there)... and then he ends up doing the laundry when I don't get it done. He's the only one that HAS to get dressed and go to work. We homeschool, so if we stay in pj's for the day it doesn't matter. So yeah, some days he gets suckered into doing the laundry too. I like to mow, so I usually do that. He's really allergic, so it's good that I enjoy it.

    And as for a boring post - not at all. When we close on our house (and have money again) I want to buy a treadmill and a heart rate monitor. (I'm too fat to run where people are). So I enjoy you talking about it. It's the little things that keep me motivated.

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  10. Okay, I just set a personal speed record, I walked 2.4 miles in 42 minutes. Then I see your personal slowest is 4 miles in 52 minutes. BOY do I feel S...L...O....W!! I even jogged a little bit a couple of times. Like you, I am soaked clear through my clothes with SWEAT. Shower Time!

    You're right--we both need to buy bike helmets. I can hardly take one hand off the handlebars either, it's so sad. What happened to all that agility and skill we had as bicyclers when we were 10??
    Maggierosebowl/Dupster/Pam

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  11. My husband 80% of the time will do the dishes for us. I hate doing it, and I'm the one who has to cook and meal plan all the damn time haha! He also takes out the garbage and recycling but I have to put liners in the bins or they will sit in the middle of the floor until Armageddon. :)

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  12. Dishes, Dishes and Dishes!
    I would rather clean the toilet, although honestly, he does that too!
    I am pretty spoiled myself. As long as I do the general cleaning like dusting, sweeping, laundry and picking up, he's great about doing the "gross" stuff. The way I look at it, if I cook, he does the dishes!

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  13. haha if you're a snail's pace, then I must be a slug's or something, tonight I did 3.1 miles downtown Nashville and it took me 48 mins - true I do the jog/walk combo but only because I literally can't run non-stop. Especially with all those darn hills downtown! My goal is to work up to a 12 min/mile pace and eventually faster of course, but lately I've been super slow like 14-15 mins/mile pace which I know is terrible. :(

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  14. When I was little, my father never let me near the lawnmower. I "could lose a limb! Those things are dangerous!" I guess I've kept that mentality. I've never mowed the lawn. When my husband and I bought our house, we were "going green" so we bought an old fashioned push mower. I'd be willing to use that, but my husband declared that it's not enough for our yard and has since bought an electric mower. Maybe some day I'll be brave. =-)

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