Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Fartleks & Funny Convos

First thought when alarm rang at 5:30 am: I don't want to get up.
Second thought: Oh, I have new shorts to try out. I'm up!

It takes little things to make me happy and get up in the morning.
Little things like new running clothes.

I've been putting off the whole speed training thing for a long time now. I tried it last year and hurt myself. So I've been paranoid. But I know if I want to decrease my race times, I need to Fartlek. So today, this is that I did. Of course, I make up my own Fartlek rules because that's just what I do. So I ran a mile then did 2 miles of fast, then slow. Then 1 mile normal. Let's just say that my fast was fast and my slow was really slow. My quads and lungs were BURNING! I guess that's what supposed to happen, right? I didn't bring Big G with me, but I got home about 7 minutes earlier than normal. So I think my overall time was faster. I'll have to bring Big G next time to really see the numbers. It was kinda fun to switch it up like that, but really hard.

Here's the funny thing. I run on a boardwalk with several other runners and walkers. So, as I would speed up, I felt like people thought I was just showing off and trying to pass them. Then slow down once I did. Am I just making this up in my head? Or do you think people might really think that? Not that it matters, but I'm sure it looks kinda silly.

I'll leave you with this little gem of a convo I had with the Captain. I know you want more details, but I'm not sure where things stand right now, so this is all you get. tee hee

Captain: You look really thin right now.
Me: Well, I'm finally down to 131.
Cap: It looks like you've lost more than 5 lbs.
Me: Really? Well, I'm barely at 131, usually its more like 133.
Cap: Yeah, until you take a big poop and drop down to 127.

Song of the day: Waiting by Shiny Toy Guns

40 comments:

healthy ashley said...

Every time I tell my boyfriend I gained weight, he tells me to take a big poop and it'll all be okay. Funny how men think, huh?

And I'm glad the new shorts got you out running! That's why I love buying new running shoes- I'm guaranteed at least 1 full week of no-complaining runs!

Sun Runner said...

I felt really self-conscious doing my interval workouts on the treadmill. Speed up to 8 mph, slow down to 6 mph. Speed up, slow down. Speed up, slow down...sometimes for almost an hour! I really wondered if the other people there were thinking, "What the hell is she doing?" But no one ever asked...sniff.

Amy - the gazelle said...

ha! when I was bitching to the husband about my post naughty (yet yummy) food week weight gain, he asked if I'd pooped. Apparently all men are the same.

I've never done speed work, and was wondering if I should - as my goal for the PDX marathon THIS year is just to finish. I have some speedword in my schedule, but we'll see how committed I am to it. I do a boot camp style workout once a week, and we occasionally do speed work there - and I hate it. But, I've gone from a mile speed of 9:46 to 8:59 in 10 weeks, so maybe I should learn to love it.

Amy - the gazelle said...

oh - and at the gym last night, the guy next to me was doing speedwork on his treadmill - at least I assume that's what he was doing. I kept speeding up/slowing down, but that's because my treadmill was locked in metric mode & I had no idea how fast I was going.

audgepodge said...

I wondered the same thing as you when I did intervals on the track last week! I walked between intervals so sometimes people would pass me when I was walking and then I had to go pass them when I was sprinting again. Sometimes I wanted to say, I'm not trying to beat you - I'm just doing intervals!!! But I don't think any of them would care...

Ian said...

Yes, I think that is what people think. Before I started seriously running and following a training schedule I had never heard of fartleks, intervals, or tempo runs and when someone sped up and slowed down on the trail I thought they were showing off or idiots.

Now that I understand these types of runs though, I just assume that someone is doing intervals when I see it. I guess how people look at your fartleks probably depends on how serious they are about running.

Jess said...

I know what the Captain is thinking because I think that way too. Sometimes a big poop can certainly make your pants fit a bit better.

I love fartleks for speed training since they don't require any kind of numbers or calculations.

C said...

Hmm...I should really try speed training some day. That or just buy new shorts.

J~Mom said...

I want all the Captain details!! Where did you see him? How long? Was he nice?

Anonymous said...

is it just me, or is the word fartleks really funny? considering i have no idea what you all are talking about.

MissAllycat said...

I am always paranoid about people thinking I'm showing off or being a slacker when I'm doing speed workouts. I'm also paranoid about my speed when I do my LSDs...I want to should "I'm running TWENTY miles today...there's a reason I'm this slow!" :)

jen said...

I totally think that when I'm doing intervals. It's really awkward. Whatever!

That would be one big poop! Ouch!

Heather said...

Agreed, I demand all of the Captain details. Where are we? :)

the Bag Lady said...

Okay, now you've got all of us curious...why are you talking to the Captain?
What's happening?

Sarah said...

I love telling people I'm doing fartleks - because the word just rocks. And I think you should be OK with making people think you're trying to pass them. You have cute shorts to show off!

Teacher Pursuits said...

I am an observant chick so sometimes I wonder if I pay more ttention to other people than most people... because I am always wondering what people are doing in their routines... but evidently, we're ALL aware of what our fellow workeroutters are doing and we're conscious of what other people might think WE'RE doing!! I love it.

Marcy said...

I'm with Vanilla. If I see peeps doing the speed up/slow down I just assume they are doing some sort of speedwork.

Reluctant Runner said...

Looking like you're speeding up to pass people: try looking at the big G in an exaggerated way, with a really intense, "This is a very complicated training exercise, you wouldn't understand," expression. That's what I do, anyways. :-)

And the five-pound poop?! What do guys eat, anyways?

Stephanie said...

Hmmm new clothes = motivation! I may just have to go shopping this weekend...

Since I've heard so much about interval training lately, if I was running on the boardwalk too, I would probably assume that's what you were doing and be jealous because I don't do it - sounds like too much work. :)

Erin said...

LOL!!!! That is so funny that he said that...As if. My husband always says that about himself - that he can lose 10 pounds a day that way. Funny.

Robin said...

There's nothing like a good poop. :)

Seriously, did they have to call them Fartleks? That sounds horrible.

Debbie said...

It's amazing what some new shorts and a good poop can do!

Funny.

Crissy Rae said...

What is it with men and bowel movements? I think they think a good one will cure cancer, too. hee hee!

Isn't it great what new clothes can do for motivation?!

Razz said...

Hey, hey, hey! A good poop never hurt anyone! Well, sometimes if I have too much fiber, but that's another story.

Brianna said...

I think that I'll have to try some speed training and see what kind of reactions I get from others, if there are others around, that is. I'll likely give it a try on our nice flat trail which can get busy on a nice day, but otherwise is fairly light on traffic.

And, now I'm off to research the word fartlek to see JUST what it means and where it originated, because it is killing me not knowing (though I'm sure I've read about it in Runner's World)!

Aron said...

LOL love that conversation!

Amy said...

Poop. It's a funny word. Say it out loud with me: "Poop". *laughs*

I am so 8 years old.

Off to google FARTleks as I have no idea what the fartlek you're talking about.

re: the Captain - hope you're happy and healthy. Will wait with baited breath for details!

carla said...

that second thought is SO what gets me up many mornings.

except its shoes

new air rifts

I HEART Nike.

MizFit

chia said...

The exfiance said something like that to me about 5 months after he called off the wedding after letting me and the family pay for it.

Him: You lost a lot of weight.
Me: Yes, 230lbs of worthless man is a lot to lose but man do I feel a lot better.

Turd.

In retrospect, should have told him how much better my sex life was without him too.

You said fartlek *tee hee*

I was on the track doing 1 lap slow 2 laps fast the other day - some older chick said "if you just run slow and steady you'll go a lot farther." Ya. Thanks for that :-). lol.

*hugz* I'm sorry to hear about your friend's grams - funerals always scatter my thoughts too and makes me question a lot about myself as well.

teacherwoman said...

I would feel the same way about running a fartlek on the boardwalk!

The convo with the Captain is pretty funny. Men.

TNTcoach Ken said...

Poop talk, it’s getting serious......

Anonymous said...

When I see people speeding up and slowing down, I figure they are doing some speed work. However, when I do it, I wonder what people must be thinking.

Christine said...

so when are we gonna get to see the before and after pics?!! haha. Obviously take the after pics AFTER you poop..haha

B. Kramer said...

Thanks to the brilliant combination of fartlek and poop, you've tapped into our collective childish unconscious.

p00p!

BeachRunner said...

New shorts, poopy in the potty talk and Fartleks. This post is fant-ASS-tic.

Unknown said...

I love how little things like new shorts can make everything so happy!

Judi said...

So whassup with the boy?

Speed training. Hate it. Take the G with you so you know what you are accomplishing!

Viv said...

Great job on the fartleks that word always makes me giggle. If the refound convos with the conversation make you tee hee
then I am smiling.
The you are thin compliment is always a good place to start.

Viv said...

Great job on the fartleks that word always makes me giggle. If the refound convos with the conversation make you tee hee
then I am smiling.
The you are thin compliment is always a good place to start.

Motownrunner said...

love the poop comment.