Some Random Musings

This blog is really starting to look lame because it needs more photos. I will have to take care of that, won't I? Supposedly, BF's sister took a really cool picture of me holding a red umbrella in Cape Cod (so she says). I'll be seeing her this weekend so hopefully I can can borrow it to scan in.

Got my blood work back from my cardiologist and everything looks good. My LDL cholesterol could be better but my good cholesterol (the HDL) is so high (78) that she said it almost cancels out the bad. Still, I want to bring it down a mite and working with the personal trainer might do that. My blood pressure reading was 90/70...egads! (in a good way, of course!)

And yes, that is my Christmas present to myself. I am biting the bullet and have signed up for a personal trainer who will supposedly help me get my core (torso) in peak condition, thereby making me a stronger and faster runner. Also, it will help protect me against injury.

I seem to have reached a running plateau. I got down to 24:11 this past season in the 5K but just can't seem to get over the hump into 23-land. Hopefully, this program will help.

I will try to be diligent about writing about my progress here. One of the things I hope to accomplish is a reduction in body fat. Now, when I tell this to people they look at me like I have three heads because I look slim for the most part. But you have to remember that people who excel at running or other aerobic sports have very low body fat. Paul Tergat, for example, who holds the world' s record for the fastest marathon with a time of 2:04, has 4% body fat! Lance Armstrong has 9% body fat.

Now before you think that I'm comparing myself to these two, I am not! First of all, they are male and they are professional athletes. I am just making a point that one of the reasons they excel at their respective sports is because of their low body fat percentages.

The last time I had mine checked it was around 21%. Not awful, but as a female runner, it should be around 18%. That is my goal (unless my trainer tells me otherwise).

In other good news, looks like I will be getting third place USATF awards this year for both the Mini 1 and Mini 2 categories for road racing! Woohoo! I was really trying for the Mini 2 category (medium-distance races, 5 Milers, 8Ks and 10Ks) so the Mini 1 category (5ks mostly) came as a BIG surprise. I consider myself a better mid-distance runner than shorter distance runner. The awards dinner takes place in January.