New Week, Old Month

I started a new running week this morning with a different run--I ran outside with my new Garmin Forerunner 205! I slept in this morning, so ended up getting my workout in just before lunch (as I have today off from work). The run itself was nothing fancy. I parked outside my gym and ran around the shopping center and its parking lot for 20 minutes, going 1.59 miles, according to the Forerunner. That's a 12:34 minutes/mile pace, not as fast as I'm used to going on the treadmill. It was a good reminder that things can be slower out in "the elements," though it was a beautiful morning! It was a little windy, and I was looking out for cars (and also staring at the Garmin on my wrist part of the time!).

After the initial 20 minutes, I went inside the gym and ran another 30 minutes for 2.93 miles, a 10:14 min./mile pace. That's a 4.52 mile total for the day and new week, and 72.65 miles for the month of December. I'm shooting for another 20 mile week this week.

Another 20 Mile Week!

I finished the week of running with a 15 minute treadmill run for 1.32 miles. That makes for 20.89 miles for the week! :) I'm not even sorry I didn't go for 21 miles, being so close. I'm having some aches and pains, so I'm trying not to overdo it. I did finish up with 10 minutes on the elliptical machine. 25 total minutes of exercise isn't very much, but it's something. I am tired this morning, after staying up until 2 AM! Not my usual bedtime, and I'm feeling it this morning. Still, I'm glad I got out and did something this morning, because it's a rainy (yay for rain!), dreary day here, and I might not have gotten out otherwise.

Tomorrow I start a new week of running, both for my online log at running2win.com, and for my new 2008 paper logbook, The Complete Runner's Day-By-Day Log and Calendar 2008. I used to use this log in my previous running life back in the 80's, and it was a good one, so I decided to reinstate it. Maybe I'm overdoing the logging thing, but I'm going to give it a try and see if it helps or is cumbersome.

Almost There

This morning was kind of a wimpy workout for me. Did a little over 6 minutes on the treadmill for .54 miles, when I paused the treadmill to look at my iPod (which I rarely bother to do during a running workout). When I was ready to go again, I accidentally hit the reset button rather than the restart button! Ackdsubjkfdsbk! I got another 15 minutes on running in for 1.37 miles. That's 1.91 miles for the day, and 19.57 miles for the week! So close to 20! I'm tempted to strap on my new Garmin Forerunner 205 and run around the apartment complex. If I do, I'll report on how it goes.

I must confess that I'm running out of running steam a little bit this week. It doesn't feel like a loss of motivation, just feeling tired from getting accustomed to the higher mileage. I guess this is why the experts suggest that you have 20 miles per week as a running base for quite some time before sigining up for a marathon. I'm really feeling that it'll take my body a while to adjust. In time, I'll probably have to adjust my runs so that I'm running my long runs on the weekends.

A Little Less Running

The plantar fasciitis in my left foot was bothering me this morning, so I pulled back on the running a bit. Did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, and 20 minutes on the treadmill for 1.86 miles. I'm right on track to finish the week with 20 miles under my belt, am psyched about that.

I took a break from podcasts on the iPod this morning and listened to music from my workout playlist. That helped me get through the workout. :)

Going the Distance!

I decided to commit to running a 10K road race this spring to help me progress toward a half marathon later this year, so tonight I registered for the Inside-Out Sports Classic 10K in Cary on March 30! One reason I signed up for this one is that there's also a half marathon, and I can't wait to see what a half LOOKS like, even if (maybe especially if) I'm not running in one yet.

Signing up for that 10K has helped me to refine my list of possible races on the right side of this blog. It's interesting to see the puzzle pieces starting to fit together. It helps to have a plan. The list was starting to get a little unwieldy.

Meanwhile, I've been having fun playing with one of my new Christmas toys tonight, a Garmin Forerunner 205. I've been wanting one for a while, and am psyched about getting one from my sis and brother-in-law. It just might help me get outside to run more in the winter, which I really whould do!

Morning Workout

Today I started with 15 minutes on the elliptical machine, then 45:06 minutes and 4.30 miles on the treadmill. Yes, the extra 6 seconds were so I could hit the .30 mark--a little easier to remember. :) Of course, having an easier mileage number to remember meant that I had to keep the extra 6 seconds in my head. :-P

Continuing the Run

This morning I ran for 45 minutes on the treadmill, and got in 4.18 miles. It was another workout where I didn't expect to go far, but felt good once I got going. Part of the motivation is trying to make sure I make it to 20 miles for the week. Once I get into the groove, I probably won't be as worried about it. I'm up to 11.5 miles for the week so far, not bad.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to sign up for a 5K in mid-January. Would love to see my progress, but will wait until closer in to see how the weather looks. (Yes, I'm a winter wimp!)

"Gym Alone"

The gym I belong to is open 24/7, 365 days a year, so I went this morning, though I didn't really feel like it. I thought I'd do 5 minutes to say I'd been, but ended up doing 40 minutes on the treadmill for 3.61 miles. I was a little slower than yesterday, but I know my training speeds will vary a bit. Since I'm still getting accustomed to this higher mileage, slower miles help too.

I was the only one at the gym the whole time I was there! Not used to that! It was a little creepy, so I was a little more aware, periodically pulling myself out of my running "trance" to look around.

More running

This morning I spent 40 minutes on the treadmill for 3.71 miles, then did 5 minutes on the elliptical. Since I'm off work today, I slept in a little and worked out after breakfast instead of before. I enjoyed sleeping in, but missed getting my workout over with early. It really gives me a feeling of accomplishment to get it over with first thing.

Short Workout

I'm feeling "whole body" tired this morning, even with a decent night's sleep, so I had a short workout: 15 minutes on the elliptical, then 5 minutes on the treadmill for .43 miles. Most of the time when I feel tired, it's just the early morning sleepies, and I can work through the tired and get energized, but today wasn't one of those days. Knowing that I had a big mileage increase this week, I decided not to push it too hard today.

I'm glad to have finished the week with 20.39 running miles under my belt!

Run and Weights

This morning I ran for 35 minutes on the treadmill for 3.25 miles! That's a quicker pace than I'm used to (under 11 minutes), so that feels good. I also did 10 minutes of weight training for upper body. I saw the 15 lb kettlebells today and tried to use them, but even that was a bit heavy for me. My legs are pretty strong but my arms are not! So I worked with the 5 and 10 lb. free weights this morning. I am generally tired from the workout, so I think I'm going to curl up on the couch with a book, and read and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

By the way, I've clocked 19.97 miles for the week now! If I'd realized that during the run, I would've gone a little farther, and perhaps given myself a deserved day off tomorrow. But now, barring some emergency, I've gotta go for the 20-mile week!

Combo workout

This morning I did 3.18 miles on the treadmill in 35 minutes, then did 25 minutes on the elliptical. It felt good-but tiring, to get back up to an hour of cardio. My quads have been a bit sore since my first 4+ mile run of the week. I'll be glad when the soreness goes away.

I'd been noticing two strange looking weights at the gym, and thanks to Jimmy and his blog, I now know they are kettlebells. Thanks to a video he shared from YouTube, I know how to use them! I actually tried to pick one of them up at the gym this morning, and it was, at 35 pounds, too heavy for me to swing very high. Now I KNOW I have some work to do on my upper body strength!




By the way, where did all these videos on YouTube come from?! There were A LOT of kettlebell videos, just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what all is out there. I'd heard of YouTube, but had no idea.....

More mileage

This morning I ran 4.08 miles on the treadmill in 45.01 minutes! This makes the second time this week that I've run more than four miles, and that feels good. Provided I stay injury free, I feel sure I'll be ready for the Coach Bubba 4 Mile Race in February.

My weekly mileage total is 13.5. Wonder if I can hit 20 miles by the end of the weekend. (My new online mileage log has a Monday-Sunday week.) 20 miles/week feels like a lot to me. I'm definitely feeling more tired--especially in the evening, with the extra running. I can see myself topping out at around 20 weekly miles for a while, until I get acclimated. Then I'll set my sites on hitting 5-mile and 10 km distances.

Morning workout

This morning I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, than 15:01 minutes on the treadmill for 1.35 miles. My left foot was tender this morning from the plantar fasciitis, probably from the long (for me) run yesterday.

I went to the podiatrist this morning because of a couple of sore places on the bottom of my left foot. Eventhough my diabetes is "in remission," the foot sores have still been a concern to me. I wasn't ready to curb my running much, since it's something I'm having fun with and improving on, but you do what you've got to do. Thank goodness, both sore places were just callusses, which the doctor was able to file down. Already, I can walk more comfortably.

The podiatrist also gave me a recommendation for an over-the-counter orthotic to help with the plantar fasciitis, which is a blessing. (Custom orthotics can cost several hundred dollars!) I can't wait to go shopping for it!

Longer Run

I ran 4.54 miles on the treadmill in 50 minutes! Had a little problem with the falling arches issue in my right foot (which translates into burning under the bridge of my toes), but it wasn't bad enough to stop running. I'm glad to be making progress toward running for an hour straight. I've gotten accustomed to doing cardio for an hour (usually on the elliptical, though, so no impact there), so it's just a matter of getting used to the treadmill and running, with the impact, for a full 60 minutes.

I played with the incline a bit, doing most of the run on a .5% and 1% incline. I also adjusted the speed a bit, starting slowly and picking up speed over the course of the 50 minutes. Sometimes I speed up too much and had to pull back.

Back to Running

I was back on the treadmill, running 3.56 miles in 40 minutes. I felt tired starting out, s it was a little slow going at first, but once I warmed up, it was a good run.

No elliptical today. It was kinda nice taking a break from it.

Shorter Workout

This morning I did 35 minutes on the elliptical, was all I coould muster after yesterday's run. I can tell I needed the rest today, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's workout already, and starting a new week of running.

Finding Balance

I've been thinking more about the Disney Marathon in 2009, and my overall racing plans for 2008. With the expense of registration ($105 for the marathon, $95 for the half--higher than more local half and full marathons), plus travel and lodging, I think I'll opt for being able to run (and afford) more races within 2-5 hours of home, at least for the next year or so. I need to build my base mileage anyway, and a plus of running around here is that I'll get to know the local running community a little better.

Big Run

This morning I ran for 45 minutes on the treadmill for 4.15 miles! This is the longest time I've run in training, though 5Ks earlier this year took me longer to run. 4.15 miles is the farthest I've run in over 20 years, so this is a milestone, for sure! I followed up with 10 minutes on the elliptical, before going to breakfast at the Rice House.

During the workout I listened to a podcast called Phiddipidations, done by "Steve Runner," and it was the episode where he ran the Boston Marathon--don't recall if it was this year's or last year's. Still, it was really interesting to listen to as I ran and did the elliptical.

I'm up to 15.2 miles for the week, which is exciting for me! Definitely a high weekly total for the year.

Running to Win

Yesterday I tried out the online running log on Active.com, since the online log I've been using on CoolRunning.com is shutting down and moving over to the one on Active.com. I tell ya, I just didn't like it as much! It seems to have more clicking, and it seems harder to find things...more cumbersome. I did wonder if it was just me, being "resistant to change." Well, I googled online running logs and decided to try out some others. I think I've come across a winner for now, at Running2win.com. The data entry is easy, and it has some cool mileage graphs. The querkiest thing on it so far is that on its calendar, the running week (with weekly mileage totals) starts on Monday instead of Sunday.

This morning I ran twice on the treadmill, first for 15:01 minutes (1.32 miles), then a pit stop (rats!), then 25 minutes (2.22 miles). Over three and a half miles for the day--yay! Wish I could've done it continuously! My mileage for the week is over 10, first time in--I can't even remember when! I also did 11 minutes on the elliptical.

Talk About Planning Ahead!

I was just looking at info about the 2008 Disney World Marathon, which happens in about a month. I've heard it's a really fun race! Turns out that registration for the 2009 marathon opens January 14, about a year in advance. Wow! It certainly looks tempting! I wonder if I could train (and save!) with a year's notice. Talk about a great big goal--but exciting to think about! Hmmm....

Keeping Track

When I got back from the gym, I logged onto the computer to plug my workout into my online running log on Cool Running, and they've finally taken the online log down for transfer to Active.com. There's been a note on the webpage for several weeks, but no exact date that the cool running log would be inactive. I knew it was coming, but was hoping for some notice, like, "Tomorrow the running log will be going down as we work to transfer your information to Active.com."

Since I already have a log-in on Active.com (it's where I sign up for a lot of my races), I decided to go ahead and start my log there. Thank goodness I've tracked most of my workouts here on this blog. I may go ahead and start plugging in previous workouts into Active, as I don't know how the information transfer from Cool Running will go, and how long it'll take. Meanwhile, I've bought a spiral bound running log for 2008, and am looking forward to having that record, as well as this blog.

This morning I ran 25 minutes on the tradmill for 2.25 miles, then did 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.

Marathon Advice

I found a handy-dandy website today called MarathonGuide, which offers runner comments on various marathons. I especially enjoyed reading the nice comments written about the Outer Banks Marathon. Although I doubt I'll run a marathon in 2008, it's interesting to read about well-run marathons when I know there's an accompanying half marathon, as is the case with the OBX Marathon.

Am I Getting Hooked or What?

This morning I started with 45 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym. I'd thought about going the whole 60 minutes, but I was just ready to get off. I thought I'd go 5 minutes on the treadmill, but 5 minutes turned into 20, for 1.85 miles! The pace is a little under 11 minutes per mile, thanks to the treadmill. :) I'm up to 8.5 miles for the week, almost a record for the year!

I wonder if I'm pushing myself too hard, or if I've been underestimating my abilities as a distance runner. Surely, the weight loss has helped.

Meanwhile, I've learned the 2008 date for the Cannonball Run Half Marathon in Greensboro, just an hour down the road. It'll be October 18. It's good to know there's a local option for my first half marathon. I love the idea of going out of town for races, but there may be an advantage of sleeping in my own bed the night before my first LONG (to me) distance race. Hmmm, something to think about. Advice, anyone?

Breaking It Up

This morning I split up my treadmill running, thanks to a pit stop, into two 15-minute increments--one for 1.30 miles, and the other for 1.31 miles. Then I did another 15 minutes on the elliptical machine. Feeling a little sluggish today, and the plantar fasciitis in my left foot is bothering me somewhat.

When I went to the Rice House this morning, I told Ryan about the Coach Bubba race, and she sounded interested in it as well.

OK, I Did It!

I just registered for the Coach Bubba 4-Miler in Durham this coming February, and it feels really good! It's a distance I haven't done in 20+ years (since doing a few 6.2 mile races in college), so I'm excited--and a little nervous! I bet I'll hit the 4-mile mark in training fairly soon, so I won't worry about it. It's nice to have an official goal to work toward again, though, something I'm committed to running on a specific date.

Monday Morning Workout

This morning I did 50 minutes on the elliptical, and thought that would be it. As I was passing by the treadmill lineup, I decided to hop on and go for , oh, 2-5 minutes, but I ended up doing 10 minutes for .89 miles. I'm happy that I did a whole hour of exercise, and glad I scaled back on the running today-but actually got a little bit in. It felt different doing the treadmill at the end of my workout.

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to run in a race this coming weekend. Part of me wants to see if I can keep peeling off time of my PR, but part of me wants to look ahead to the new year. Both races are at least an hour away....if at least one race were local, I'd do it for sure.

My weekly total mileage is up to 4 already, and it's only Monday. Funny that I'd be excited about that, huh?! ;-)

Even More Running!

I surprised myself this morning! I got on the treadmill, and apparently got into the groove, because I went 35 minutes for 3.11 miles, almost before I knew it! It felt good to get beyond the 30 minute mark, and it felt even better to hit the 5K mark in training. I felt strong enough to do 30 minutes on the elliptical machine after the 35-minute run, but now I've got the tired sleepies going on. I am missing caffeine this afternoon, that's for sure!

Normally, this would be a great afternoon for a nap, seeing as how it's Sunday and I'm at home. BUT, I've got a final exam to study for and take by midnight for my online computer class through Wake Tech. I'll be done with the class after taking today's final exam, and I'm excited about that. (It's been an interesting class, and I'm glad I took it, but I'm relieved it's wrapping up!)

Thanks to some encouraging post commenters of late (imagine me waving virtually to them!), I'm considering putting a half marathon on my to-do list for 2008. Since I turn 45 next December, it could be a great thing to accomplish in my 45th year, don't you think? Last night, I started scouting out possible halfs, and two appeal to me so far, BOTH scheduled for Nov. 9, 2008, and BOTH on the North Carolina coast! One is the Outer Banks Half Marathon, and the other if the Battleship North Carolina Half Marathon. I'll keep looking, and training. I would love to actually register for one pretty soon, so that I have that solid goal to work toward in 2008. There aren't many 2008 registrations up on the internet yet, though.

Meanwhile, I plan to sign up for some other races (and smaller distances) along the way. I need to be careful to take things fairly slowly, as overtraining could cause the usual injury problems!

Saturday Elliptical

This morrning I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I'm still feeling some residual weariness from yesterday's 30-minute run, I think, as I got plenty of sleep last night. My body's a LITTLE more accustomed to running more during the week, but not by much, especially for that "long." (30 minutes is chicken feed to a lot of runners out there, I know!) I need to keep at it, and not rush into adding more distance at this point.

Back when I decided to get back into running (and started this blog), my initial goal was to train for a marathon. I googled marathon training, and was totally surprised. I knew I needed to scale back my goals, but quick! I appreciate marathoning even more now. I remember one marathon training program started with the assumption that the runner was already at a base of 30 minutes of running several times a week, probably a little faster than I'm running, to boot! I still have a long way to go to get to where I want to be!

Getting Back on Track

This morning I ran 30 minutes on the treadmill for the second time this week, for 2.71 miles! It was easier today than earlier this week, partly because I got more sleep last night. I also think my body's getting used to the idea of running 30 minutes on a regular basis. I hadn't planned on running 30 minutes this morning, maybe 15-20, so I picked up the speed on the treadmill. It felt okay, so I just kept going. It seems easier sometimes when I exercise in 5 minute chunks.

I've hit my 5-mile running goal for the week, with 5.35 miles, which feels good. I'll stick to this goal for the rest of December, with extra being icing on the cake. I've been thinking about my next goal, and I'l probably shoot for 10 km (6.2 miles) a week next month.

I also did 21 minutes on the elliptical. Nothing like a good night's sleep to help me get more exercise!

Later this morning, I'm co-leading a class at the Rice House. Should be fun! I'm looking forward to hearing Andrea's story as well. I get the impression she's done quite well at home.

Dragging My Feet

Eventhough I got a little more sleep last night, I'm still dragging my feet a bit. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine this morning, and that was it. Perhaps I would benefit from taking a day or two off from exercise, but I haven't been able to bring myself to totally pass on the gym! I don't want to mess with my routine, being generally well and all--no fever, broken bones, anything like that.

I'm sure I'll get back on track soon.

More Elliptical

I did another 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I seem to be in a "tired" rut, and need to get some solid rest soon. While being busy and active are good things, I need to remember to balance all of my activities with taking care of myself. I'm starting to feel a little run down.

I think I'll find another race to sign up for soon. Some of this tired, "blah" feeling could be the result of post-race letdown after pushing for that elusive sub 40-minute mark for several months. New races and new goals await!

Official Times for the Jingle Bell Run Posted!

I just saw the official times for the Jingle Bell Run, and I finished in 38 minutes and 2 seconds! Yippee! That's two minutes and eleven seconds off my previous best time. My running buddy and I finished in exactly the same time, which is cool too!

I finished 461st out of 536 runners, and 33rd out of 37 in my age group. It's hard to be competitive against other runners when I'm THAT far back in the pack, but it's encouraging to see that the 2nd female finisher overall was 40. She's in my decade, at least. :-D

Shorter workout

I only did 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I'm feeling tired this morning, some of it muscle-tired, and some of it body-tired. Being another year older today, I could complain that I'm feeling older, but I don't think it's that today! ;-) I'm just tired, and need to get to bed early SOON.

30-minute training run!

This morning I ran 30 minutes on the treadmill for 2.64 miles, first time I've hit the 30 minute mark on the treadmill in about 6 months! I followed it with 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, so I'm officially TIRED today. It felt good to push myself, but I don't think I've fully recovered from the 5K race on Saturday. So I feel tired on top of tired. I need to listen to that and make sure I get enough rest tonight.

Still, it feels great to be working on my stamina and endurance! My resting heart rate yesterday morning was 44! Sounds abnormal, doesn't it? The nurse who tested it said it was a nice, strong beat.

When I set the elliptical machine this morning with my age and weight (for a more accurate calorie display), it dawned on me that today's the last day I'll be able to put that age down. Wow, it's been quite a year for fitness (and other things!)!

Still waiting on offical race results. (I think I'm obsessing!)

The Day After...

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical. I actually looked at the treadmills, then passed them by. I'm tired this morning after yesterday's race push, and could've done with a shorter workout, but oh well! I'm a little sore too, but mainly tired. (I got plenty of sleep last night, so I can't blame my tiredness on that.)

Still looking for offical results from yesterday's race, can't wait to see that the PR's official. :)

I was thinking about doing another 5K next weekend, but think I'll wait until the 15th now. There's a 5K in Fayetteville, a bit of a hike, but doable.

Jingle Bell Run 5K Race Report

This morning I ran in the Jingle Bell Run 5K in Raleigh, NC. It was a beautiful morning, but chilly! I wore a new pair of leggings, and a new longsleeve Duke t-shirt as well, so I felt comfortable. I got there early so I could be sure to get a decent parking space, and to walk around my old stomping grounds a bit. The race started and ended at St. Mary's School, where I graduated from high school! Much looks the same from the outside, but there have been some changes as well. I took my camera with me this morning and took some pictures. The picture on the left is one of the main buildings on campus. It's a pretty school.

There were some festive costumes out for the Jingle Bell Run! Although this picture is blurry, and I was on the wrong side of these people (the people in the boxes and the Santa), here's a sampling of what I saw outside the registration area!

The goodie bags for this race included a pedometer and some Burt's Bees Lip Balm (yay!), as well as a long sleeve t-shirt and bells for our shoes, a cute idea! They suggested we put the bells on the opposite shoe from the timing chip, and since one shoe already had my spare car key, I decided to go with just one bell, and that was plenty. :)

After I put my camera back in the car, I ran into not one, but two people I knew who were running as well! That's a first for me since I've started running again, so I was thrilled! I knew that someone on staff at the Rice Diet, who was going to try to make it with a friend of hers, and she did..ran into her in the restroom, of all places. (She was faster than I was, but yelled out to me whenever she passed me at turn-arounds! That was encouraging!) As I was leaving the registration area, I ran into a friend from the Junior League, whose blog I enjoy reading. I learned pretty recently that she's a runner too, but I didn't think to ask her if she was running this one. Of all the hundreds of people there, it was a treat to run into her without expecting to see her! I got to meet her hubby and a couple of their friends as well. (Wish I'd still had my camera!)

Near starting time, I went to the back of the pack, as usual. Lo and behold, my Junior League friend spotted me and encouraged me to come start the race with them. It was nice to have company for the pre-starting time stretching and chatting. As it turned out, S. (Jr. League buddy) and I were running in the same ballpark, as we ran mostly on Hillsborough Street, down to part of the Capitol area, then down to NC State and the Bell Tower, then back to St. Mary's School. She pulled out ahead of me at first, and I gradually caught up with and passed her. Then she caught up with me, and we pushed each other to the finish line! The official times haven't been posted, but we were right together at the end. It was a lot of fun having someone to run with, very serendipitous, since we hadn't traveled to Raleigh together, or even planned to meet and run together. We both had a really good race, finishing around 38 minutes! Turns out it was a PR for both of us!

My foot and knee aches and pains were pretty minor in this race, and for that I'm glad. The pf wasn't really a factor as I'd expected, since it was sore early yesterday morning. I spent some time massaging and icing it, as well as doing the ibuprofin thing. My right foot burned a little from the falling arches issue, and I felt some tendonitis on the right of my right knee, but it wasn't too bad. (I took at hot bath and some more ibuprofin when I got home, so I'm feeling much better!)

I feel relieved and happy to finally break 40 minutes! Now I'm looking to break the 35 minute mark, and branch out into longer races. There's a 4-miler in Durham I'm thinking about in February that's a good possibility! 10Ks, here I come!

When I know my official time, I'll post an update!

Getting Ready for Tomorrow

I did an hour on the elliptical machine this morning. Decided to stay off the treadmill one more day, as I'll be running in the Jingle Bell Run in the morning. It looks to be a chilly, but pretty morning! The race starts at my old high school in Raleigh, so I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

A reader asked if I listen to the Phedippidations running podcast. What a conincidence, I just subscribed a couple of days ago and listened to this week's podcast yesterday! I really enjoyed hearing about this runner's experience with the 2007 Philadelphia Marathon, as I'd love to be able to run a marathon someday. He beat his last marathon time by several minutes, but was very disappointed that he didn't hit his big goal of breaking the 4 hour mark. He missed it by about a minute and a half---oh, so close! I felt that way with my last race, when I hoped to break 40 minutes and missed it by 13 seconds.

We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'll write a race report later this weekend.

No Running Today

I did 50 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Decided to take a break from running, since my leg muscles were feeling slightly achy, and my plantar fasciitis foot a little tender. Just felt like a "something different" kind of day.

Last night I watched a couple of videos of an Ohio high school cross country meet, where a girl was so determined to finish that when her leg popped (that was her leg BREAKING!), she fell to the ground, but continued crawling to the finish. She tried to get up and her leg broke again...she ended up with several breaks by the time she got to the finish line and got picked up and taken to get medical help. It turns out she'd been injured a couple weeks before, likely with stress fractures in her leg. She's been billed as determined and courageous, definitely true, but I'm sad for her that some adults didn't step in and discourage her from running that race. It was, I believe, the last cross country meet of the season, but she was also planning to run spring track, and that's out of the picture now.

I had a dream early this morning that I was running in a 5K race and nearing a PR (personal record) when I came across a building along the course with a restroom in it, so I popped in. While I was in there, someone pointed out where the race expo was, but I didn't stay and look because I wanted to get back out and finish the race. When I got back outside I didn't see any runners, so I ran ahead and discovered I'd taken a wrong turn! I followed the other runners down the right trail, worried that I'd really fallen behind! My alarm went off before I finished the dream, so I don't know how the race turned out. I hope this wasn't a premonition of Saturday's race! ;-)

I listened to a running podcast yesterday that talked about weather. In one instance, it started snowing before a winter-time race, but after they'd marked directional arrows on the road. The first-place runner took a wrong turn, but corrected himself in time to win the race anyway! That wasn't happening to me in this particular race. :)

Good run

This morning I spent 20 minutes on the treadmill for 1.74 miles, a record for me this fall. (The last time I ran longer on the treadmill was back in June.) Running a 5K on the treamill seems like a realistic goal again! I've run 3.46 miles for the week so far, already beating the 5K/week goal, so I think it's time to shoot for a steady 5 miles/week. (I'll nail it this week with the mileage from this Saturday's 5K.)

I also did 45 minutes on the treadmill! I'm still feeling strong and pretty awake, not as tired as yesterday.

More running

Today I ran 15 minutes for 1.3 miles on the treadmill, then 35 minutes on the elliptical. I felt a little out of sorts on the elliptical this morning. Because my normal machines were full at the time, I started on another elliptical that I don't like as much. Went for 5 minutes, then noticed one of my favorites was open, so I switched, only to find the TV monitor wasn't working on that one! Oh well, I wasn't going to switch AGAIN! I had my iPod.

I'm feeling tired now after my workout, even though it's been 4-5 hours. Part of it's probably a short night's sleep, some of it's probably the running, which is a little longer than I've done normally, outside of a race. I'd like to make 30 minutes of running the norm, though I'm still a way from that level. It's a little discouraging, but I know I'm making progress. It's hard to see the progress day by day sometimes, but when it comes to the 5K races, I can really tell a difference. Now I need to remember to start getting plenty of rest leading up to this Saturday's Jingle Bell Run 5K!

Another Hour

It was another hour on the elliptical machine this morning, and it felt good to get back to "normal." I missed running this morning, but want to be careful about my foot and the plantar faciitis, and not aggravate it too much before the next 5K, coming up this Saturday, the 1st. I'm really looking forward to this race, with high hopes of getting under 40 minutes.

Almost a Day of Rest

This morning I pushed out 15 minutes of exercise, just couldn't do any more. I did 5 minutes on the treadmill for .42 miles, and 10 minutes on the elliptical. I went to the Rice House afterward for medical check-in and breakfast, and my blood pressure was 80/50, a little lower than usual for me. Maybe that had something to do with it. Perhaps I'll get some more exercise in tonight, but certainly I'll be back in the swing of things tomorrow.

I'd hoped that yesterday's big variety workout would keep me refreshed, but maybe it played a part in tiring me out a little. I do feel a little out of sorts for not having a longer workout today.

Varied Workout

This morning I ran 20 minutes on the treadmill for 1.72 miles, then did 20 minutes on the recumbant bike (cross country program), followed by 25 minutes on the elliptical (weight loss program). Funny, I'm not as tired as usual! Part of it might be that I went by breakfast at the Rice House first, and I'm used to working out before breakfast. I feel great!

A Little Shorter Today

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical, a little shorter today. I felt the need for a bit of rest, both for my foot and in general. I miss hitting 60 minutes, though, so maybe I'll get some more exercise in on my day off here.

I'm currently reading a book called The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michaal Pollen. I'm learning a lot about what goes into the food we eat. Right now I'm reading about farms and corn. I'm less than 1oo pages into it, but so far I'd recommend it.

In Training

This morning I ran 20 minutes on the treadmill, for 1.7 miles (11:45/mi. pace)! It's been months since I've run twenty minutes outside of a race, so I'm excited about the progress. I've been looking at my running log on Cool Running, and have noticed that my mileage on non-race weeks is less than a 5K, so I've decided to run at least 5K (3.1 miles) per week to start building my mileage base. I've been wanting to increase my mileage, but since I hadn't put a number on it, it wasn't happening yet. So, I've run 3.46 miles already this week. Hmmmm, should I make it a 5-mile minimum per week? I haven't hit that mark since May and June, when I got sidelined with the plantar fasciitis. My foot is feeling a little sore this morning, probably because I've run three days in a row. I'll go light on the running for the rest of the week and see how it goes.

I also did 30 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I've noticed that when I run first, my heartrate is up on the elliptical, and I tend to sweat more. I feel like I'm getting a better workout. I did raise the resistance to 9 during my elliptical workout for a little boost, while doing one of the gluteal programs. (I also did a .5 incline for part of my treadmill run.) I'm trying to get stronger for hills during races.

Jingle Bell Run 5K!

I registered for the Jingle Bell Run a little while ago, am excited! I really want to break 40 minutes in a 5K soon, so I decided to go ahead and get another race on the calendar. This one's on December 1 in Raleigh.

Running Increase

This morning I ran 16 minutes on the treadmill for 1.35 miles, then another 35 on the elliptical. Felt pretty strong, though still kinda tired during my workout. Looking forward to more sleep tonight.

Short Workout

This morning I ran 5 minutes on the elliptical for .41 miles, then did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I'm feeling especially tired today, eventhough I was in bed at 11:00 last night, not horrible. (Okay, not great either, but I've done worse.) Hoping I'll get some rest tonight (after finishing up some homework assignments).

Mixing it Up

This morning I did 21 minutes on the elliptical, and decided I'd had enough, so I switched to the recumbent bike for another 40. Although I didn't burn as many calories as I would've with an hour on the elliptical, it felt good to switch off.

Back to Normal

This morning I did an hour on the elliptical machine. I'm surprised my muscles aren't sore this morning, but I do feel like I pushed my body yesterday. I went to bed about 8:30 last night, and think I was asleep by 9:00! I'm feeling more refreshed this morning, but still slightly pooped. I could've used a nap yesterday, but had a meeting from 1-3.

I still feel some tenderness in my right leg today. I asked Dr. Rosati about it at the Rice House this morning, and he said it was tendonitis. The usual rest and ibuprofen stuff. I'd already done my hour on the elliptical. Oh well. ;-)

Apex Turkey Trot Race Report

This morning I ran in the Apex (NC) Turkey Trot, which started and ended at the Apex Community Center. The path went around a 50+ acre lake, and was quite pretty! The fall leaves made it even prettier. The race started at 10:00, still plenty cold, but I was thankful that it didsn't start any earlier! (I wore leggings and a couple of short sleeve t-shirts, and felt comfortable, temperature-wise, in no time.) It was a fairly flat trail, for which I was thankful! The worst hill was near the end, and it wasn't that bad. There were signs at each mile, but no one giving splits, which I missed. (I know, I know, I need to wear a watch!)

At the end of the race, I got a high five from a big 6-foot turkey, who beat me! The Chick-Fil-A cow was at the start of the race, but I didn't see him at the finish line when I got there. Perhaps I beat the cow! ;-)

I was pretty excited to cross the finish line in 40 minutes, 13 seconds, a new personal record! This is also the first time I've averaged under 13 minutes per mile, and that's a milestone too. I am a little disappointed that I didn't break the 40 minute mark today, though. While I was mainly hoping to beat my last race time of 40:54, finally getting below 40 minutes would've been sweet! Oh well, maybe next time!

Both of my feet held up well in this race, but my right leg started bothering me some, on the outer part of my knee, plus down the outer part of my leg a little. Will take some more ibuprofen and see how it feels tomorrow.

Laura, my niece, wasn't able to run with me as planned. I missed her, but George came along for moral support, and that was great! I also made a point of chatting with several other runners before, during, and after the race, and that added to the fun experience. Runners are a friendly bunch! :)

I've enjoyed having two races (and two PRs!) this month. I need to sign up for another one soon. There are a couple in December that I'm thinking about.

Are you a race runner? If so, what's your next race?

UPDATE: Official results have been posted, and I finished 235th out of 244 running in the competitive devision (using chip timing). I finished 11th (and last) in my age group.

Pre-Race Day

This morning I overslept again, still feeling a little sleep deprived, so I did a 30-minute workout on the elliptical machine.

My next 5K is tomorrow, the Apex Turkey Trot. 5Ks are still a big deal for me, especially since I'm still working on improving my finish times and hitting landmarks. Tomorrow I hope to finish in under 40 minutes, and as I've learned from my weight loss journey, it's always fun to hit a new "decade." People in my age group tend to have finish times in the 20s to fairly low 30 minutes, so I'll feel like I've made even more progress when my finish time starts in a 3 too. Still, I'm excited about the progress I've made so far.

I was hoping my niece could run with me tomorrow, but she can't after all, as she's heading home early for Thanksgiving.

Look for a race report sometime over the weekend.

Hour on the Elliptical

This morning I did an hour on the elliptical, despite the fact that I was up past Midnight (thanks to a school assignment due at Midnight), so I got a little less than 5 hours of sleep. Yawn! I've been tired all day, and am looking forward to going to bed early tonight.

I'd hoped to get more running in this week before Saturday's race, but at least I've kept up the cardio workouts.

Rest

I overslept this morning, so I only got a 45 minute workout on the elliptical in. I hope to get a 15 minute walk in this afternoon.

Meanwhile, I've created a new Yahoo group called Triangle Roadrunners, for folks who want a free alternative to the local running clubs, North Carolina Roadrunners and Carolina Godiva Track Club. It's only three members strong, but perhaps it will grow! :-) Runners and runner wannabees of all levels in the Triangle are welcome to join.

I'm thinking about saving for a Garmin for running. Any suggestions about which model I should get?

Back to Elliptical

This morning I spent the whole hour on the elliptical machine, my way of "taking it easy" today. I'm feeling a little tired from pushing myself recently with the recumbant bike and treadmill.

I'm still enjoying the iPod a lot, going between podcasts and music. In addition to adding some running podcasts, I've also added some genealogy podcasts, in addition to various NPR shows.

Increase in Running

This morning I ran on the treadmill for 15:01 minutes for 1.26 miles, felt good! Followed it with 45 minutes on the elliptical. Worked up a good sweat.

Longer Workout

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical, then 15 minutes on the recumbant bicycle. I felt like I got a really good workout this morning, though I'm not really sore now. I'm aware of my thigh muscles, but not sore.

This week I'll do some running to get acclimated a bit for next Saturday's 5K.

Back to an Hour

I only did an hour on the elliptical this morning, although I was hoping to get some running in. I did sleep as well last night. Again, rest is a factor I really need to pay attention to!

My arms are a tad sore from the weights yesterday morning.

Small Upgrade in Workout

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical machine, then 5 minutes of upper body weight training. I felt rested and pretty strong, though my left foot (with the plantar fasciitis) twinged a little. I'd like to have more time for weight training, at least some days of the week. something to work toward.

Even with plenty of cardio, I haven't done any running this week, need to start working that back in. Meanwhile, I've been running vicariously through a couple of running podcasts, The Extra Mile, and Running from the Reaper. In each podcast, contributors actually make segments on the run, while training, so you can hear the panting and the cars in the background through the microphone. This whole iPod thing is great! Funny, though, I tend not to listen to my iPod while I run, but I do enjoy listening while I'm on the elliptical and other places.

Back to an Hour

I did an hour on the elliptical again this morning, was glad to get back to "normal," eventhough I forgot to set my alarm and overslept a bit.

I'm beginning to feel the need to vary my workouts a bit, but I'm not willing to give up my cardio time yet. To get more weight and core training in, I'll have to get to the gym earlier, or make some time in the evenings.

Tired

I had a feeling I'd get some rest soon, and this was the morning. I woke up "gut tired," so I slept in a bit, and did a 30 minute workout on the elliptical machine. I was ready to get off after 30 minutes. I missed the longer workout, but I could tell I needed to give my body a bit of a rest. Still, 30 minutes is okay.

More Running

I stretched my running this morning, doing 15 minutes on the treadmill for 1.22 miles. (I'm especially happy about that!) Then I put in 35 minutes on the elliptical. Felt pretty strong through all of it, but I'm still feeling a little sore from the road race and subsequent workouts. I'll get more of a rest soon, but I'm enjoying feeling stronger. I think part of it was getting that extra hour's sleep on Sunday. Amazing what sleep can do!

Another Good Workout

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical again, pedaling forward and backward using the ques from the machine. It feels good to be working different muscles, and to be breaking out of what was becoming a ho-hum workout. I also did about 5 minutes of free weights on my arms. I need to do more, but it's a start.

Latest Progress Pictures from the Rice Diet

Check here for the latest shot of me from the Rice Diet Program. It's been a great "diet" program for me. I feel so much better!

Morning Workout, Plus Official Results

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, and actually followed the instructions for the #2 Gluteal" program I was doing on the machine, going forward for 15 minutes, pedaling backward for the next 15 minutes, then forward and backward again. The final 5 minutes was a programmed "cool down." I was still a bit sore, and now I'm even more sore, but it's a good sore!

The official results are in from yesterday's 5K, and I was right on the money about the time of 40:54. I finished in 410th place out of 601 people in the competitive division (768 participants in all). I expected to be farther back in the pack, but I think there were a lot of walkers who decided to wear a timing chip. In my age bracket of females 40-44, I placed 20th out of 35 women. Usually I'm the last one. The top three in my age group for women all finished in less than 23 minutes--wow! I'll be glad to finish in under 40 minutes--definitely my next goal!

Free to Breathe 5K Completed!

This morning I ran in the Free to Breathe 5K in Raleigh, NC, which started and ended at Ravenscroft School. This was a "1st annual" event, with proceeds going to lung cancer research. The cause has meaning for me, as my father was diagnosed with lung cancer a few years ago, and is doing great!

I was glad to have pre-registered, as the race day registration line was long. (The unofficial count was over 700 runners, a pretty good sized race.) When I walked up to the table to get my race number, the kid with the stack of numbers found my number, and asked the fellow behind him (who as handing out the t-shirts) what "J" meant. The t-shirt guy replied, "Jumbo," and handed the number kid my XXL t-shirt. This little exchange caught me off guard, having "jumbo" announced as I get my pre-race goodies! Decided to shake it off, and show them how "Jumbo" runs a 5K! It did make me think again about how my body image is still a little out of whack, eventhough I'm in a smaller shirt size. I was glad for the bigger shirt, though, because I was cold enough in my single t-shirt that I put the new tee on top of the old, and felt much more comfortable!

The race itself started just a little late, to let the late registrants join the race. We ran from Ravenscroft School into a residential area, then back to the school. There was one water stop during the race, at the halfway point, but I didn't stop. There were some pretty good hills, but nothing too bad. Still, both feet bothered me some during the race, one due to plantar fasciitis, the other due to falling arches. I adjusted my gait a little and was able to finish in good shape with a personal record in this rebirth of my running "career!" Between my feet and the wind (it was gusty at times), I was happy for that! My unofficial time is 40:54, will be looking for the official results on runnc.com in a few days.

The post-race refreshments looked great! I had some orange slices, but passed on the pastries and cheese pizza slices.

I was sad to hear that a runner died this morning at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City. It's another thing that has me rethinking my goal of running a marathon. I may cut that back to a half-marathon. Of course, thousands of people run marathons every year and finish. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm excited about running the Apex Turkey Trot with Laura in a couple of weeks! Perhaps I can run another personal record!

Short Workout

This morning I only did 30 minutes on the elliptical. Got to bed late, but for a good reason. I picked up sister and her youngest daughter from the airport. They're in town for the weekend for Parents Weekend at Duke. (My oldest niece is at Duke.) It was fun to see them last night!

I'm excited about the 5K tomorrow morning, but must get to bed early tonight. Got to!

No Running Today

I did do the elliptical for an hour this morning. I'm trying to save my foot (with the plantar fasciitis) for the 5K on Saturday now, though I probably shouldn't be worried, with the small amount of running I'm doing these days! I hope I'm ready for Saturday! In reality, I know I can finish. I have expectations of beating my last time of 42 minutes, so that gives my butterflies a little. At least I know I have the endurance for it.

Holding Steady

This morning I started with 5 minutes on the treadmill, then did 60 minutes on the elliptical machine. I'd like to increase my treadmill running time, but have been hesitant to do so. I'm not sure why, really. I'm not scared of signing up for a 5K now, as I have two 5Ks in November. I think part of it is that I'm worried about the plantar fasciitis getting worse again, and the elliptical machine feels safe.

At any rate, getting 65 minutes of cardio in again feels great!

Another 5K!

I've registered for another 5K! Wow--and yikes! I feel like I'm in decent shape, even if I haven't been running a lot. I decided I needed a bit of a wakeup call, something to get me going sooner than the race on the 17th. This one is the Free to Breathe 5K in Raleigh. The fact that the proceeds are going to help with lung cancer research was also a draw for me, since my dad is a lung cancr survivor. I'm very excited!

More Running

Today I did 5 minutes on the treadmill and 60 minutes on the elliptical. I'm thinking about doing another 5K this weekend.

More Elliptical

This morning, I did 50 minutes on the elliptical. Yesterday I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, then 5 minutes on the treadmill. Excited about getting ready for the 5K road race on the 17th. It'll be the first time that Laura and I have run together, which will be fun!

More elliptical

Did 50 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Foot's still a little tender, so no more running this week. Oh well, next week! I'm learning how much runing I can take right now.

Still enjoying using the iPod while I work out. I go between podcasts and songs, usually my "workout" playlist.

Friday Workout

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical. Still a bit tired, and my foot's sore from the plantar fasciitis. *sigh*

The Rice Diet reunion is this weekend, so things are really hopping there! A number of people I've met from the past year are back. It's nice to see so many familiar faces this week at the Rice House. I'm looking forward to being on the panel tomorrow afternoon.

This morning's workout

I did an hour on the elliptical this morning, but kept it low-key, after two workouts in a row that had me a little tired and sore. The plantar fasciitis in my foot is better-still a little tender, but better.

More Running

This morning I did 20 minutes on the treadmill for 1.57 miles, followed by 25 minutes on the ellptical! Felt pretty strong at the time, but I'm feeling it in my body now! I'm feeling a bit tired and sore. Ah well, all for a good cause. Hope I can actually get to bed at a decent time tonight; that always helps.

Good workout!

This morning I did a vigorous hour and 30 seconds on the elliptical. Had to use an elliptical machine that has the arm movements (though I passed) and only has resistance (but not crossramp/incline) today, but I made the best of it, using the hill climbing program. I'm a little more tired than usual now from the workout, but it was a good one. I went the 30 seconds over, by the way, to make sure I surpassed both 5 miles and 600 calories burned. :)

Some Treadmill

I did 10 minutes on the treadmill this morning, was a strong run! I followed with 4o minutes on the elliptical machine. Feeling good, wish I'd had more time for a longer workout.

Almost an Hour

Today I did 50 minutes on the treadmill. My ankles (=tendons?) were pretty tender after all the exercise yesterday, so I backed off just a little. They're feeling better after taking it easy today, so I look forward to more exercise this week, hopefully including some running.

Double Workout Today

This morning I did an hour on the elliptical machine (yay!), and after I got back home from breakfast at the Rice House, George and I did a combo of running and walking around the apartment complex. It was fun to get out and exercise with him, though it wouldn't have been enough for me. Glad I got my own workout in, helped me to enjoy the exercise with him even more. We only did maybe 20 minutes total, but I am a tad sore from the double workout. It feels good. If we make it to the North Carolina State Fair this evening, I'll get even more walking in!

Training for another 5K

Well, I didn't exactly start training for another 5K this morning, as I only managed to do 30 minutes on the elliptical, due to continued weariness. But I did register for a 5K next month, the Apex Turkey Trot on November 17th! I'm excited to have this to shoot for and can't wait to get back on the treadmill now.

There's another 5K in Raleigh on November 10. I'm thinking about doing it too. Could I do 5Ks two weekends in a row?

Tired today!

I only did 30 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I was up past midnight the past couple of nights, finishing up the paper for my computer class. Tonight I'll be crawling into bed early by default. Meanwhile, I'm looking for some 5Ks to register for to get me going again. I need a jump start to stay motivated.

Back to an Hour

I did an hour of exercise this morning, on the elliptical again. I plan to get back to the treadmill soon. I miss running, and the motivation that having road races as goals gave me.

Almost an hour

Did 55 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Feeling a little tired, and my foot was getting sore.

Can tell the seasons are changing, as it's nippy and dark when I head to the gym. I'm able to watch the sun come up, but not so much now, from my elliptical machine.

A Little More Running

I did 5 minutes of running this morning after 35 minutes on the elliptical. Feels good to be reintroducing running to my morning routine!

An Hour!

Got back up to an hour on the elliptical this morning! Yay!

On Healthy Vacation

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical at the hotel's gym. It's a nice change of pace to be able to work out in a new, though temporary, location. I've brought all my meals from the Rice Diet with me, which makes our vacation a little different. Sleeping in and eating out aren't a big part of my vacation routine anymore. It feels good to be healthier on vacation. :) George and I hope to get some R&R in; it's just been redefined a bit.

Meanwhile, today is the first aniversary of my participating in the President's Challenge for physical activity. While I pretty much breezed through the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, now I'm on the Bronze level, and am only 30% of the way there! (And points carry over from one level to the next. At this rate, it'll take me two more years (and change) to finish the Platinum! Wow! I'm determined to do it, though.

Good workout!

This morning I ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes, 1.59 miles! Then I did another 30 minutes on the elliptical. It all felt really good!

A Little Running

I'm excited about running for 10 minutes on the treadmill this morning! It felt pretty good, though I could feel my foot a bit. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical afterward, and could really feel my foot then. Still, a good workout, all in all.

Different Machine

This morning, the machines I usually work out on were all full, so I tried another elliptical. It felt a little strange, but it worked. On the "new" machine, I couldn't change the incline, just the resisitance. I pressed the "variety" button to pick my workout, and instead of if two gluteal workout choices, the only one I could do was something called Cross Country. It was a good workout! Did it for 45 minutes.

I also jogged on the treadmill for two minutes. Eh. Wasn't in the mood this morning, but thought I'd give it a try.

Long workout

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical-woohoo! I do feel tired now, partly to the workout, and partly to getting to bed late last night. Yawn!

Good workout

I did an hour on the elliptical machine this morning, and it felt great! I got a good night's sleep last night, to boot. What a difference a good night's sleep makes!!

More of the same

This morning I did another 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. I got to bed late last night due to a computer class assignment, so I slept in a little bit. I'm looking forward to getting more sleep tonight!

More elliptical

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical, not bad. My foot's feeling better. I've been eyeing the treadmill again.

Back to an hour!

I did an hour on the elliptical machine this morning, and it felt great to accomplish that! And I did it with less sleep! It's a crazy balance I'm trying to find. *sigh*

Shorter Workout

This morning I did 35 minutes on the elliptical before returning home to get ready for work. Despite my busy weekend of studying, I finally feel rested with this morning's slight sleep-in. I feel much better this morning! I do miss the longer workouts, though. Tomorrow?

Elliptical workout

I had a really good workout on the elliptical machine this morning! Did 45 minutes in "variety" mode, with #9 resistance at a faster than usual clip. When I first got there, I was the only one in the gym, and that was kinda fun. :-)

Shake it up!

Today I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (doing the interval program), 5 minutes on the treadmill (for .37 miles) and 10-15 minutes on weight training. It felt great to run again, and my foot held up pretty well-minimal pain, and the upper body strength training is always good. (Second time thie week I've done that.) I've already logged my running on my online running log, and it's nice to see that continuation.

Still Working Out

I haven't posted much this week, but am still going to the gym, mostly for shorter workouts, though. I've been tired (getting to bed late), and am a little bored with my workout. This morning I did 15 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes of strength training to shake things up a little.

Weekend workouts

Saturday morning I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 35 minutes yesterday, and 50 minutes on the elliptical again this morning.

Barely there

I just did 15 minutes on the elliptical this morning. After two nights out in a row for meetings, and several nights in a row up late, I'm out of steam. I'm glad I got to the gym and made the effort, but wish I'd had the time and energy to do more. Need to find some more time for rest as well as exercise. How would it be if I had children in addition? What if I were in grad school (which I'm planning) instead of community college right now? Guess it's all a matter of priorities.

More of the same

Today I did 45 minutes on the elliptical, then took a 15 minute walk around the Quad this morning. I didn't get much sleep last night, but have felt surprisingly peppy considering. I'll probably crash tonight!

I've decided not to do the 5K this coming Saturday, and continue to nurse the plantar fasciitis. Perhaps next month!

Half time

This morning I went back down to 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I was up too late last night, and have really been feeling it today. I'm sooo tired!

60 minutes again

I did an hour on the elliptical again. Nice to see that number, since it had been a few days since I had been there. The scales jiggled back down a bit this morning, thank goodness. It's been a frustrating few days on the scales.

Labor Day Workout

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical before going to the Rice House. I'm still on a weight loss plateau (since last week! eeek!), so I'm planning to go exercise some more later. Gotta find away to jumpstart the ole metabolism!

Short workout, rest needed

This morning I did only 15 minutes on the elliptical before breakfast at the Rice House. I was sooo tired, so I decided to pack it in and head for breakfast, perhaps having more of a workout after breakfast. At weigh-in, I gained .3 of a pound, pretty discouraging after the plateau I've been on since Wednesday. I'm staying on the straight and narrow with the diet, so it's hard totell what's causing this. It's not time for my period or anything like that. I'll just keep sticking with it. Anyway, I was still tired after breakfast, so I came home and stretched out to read Harry Potter, and fell asleep for THREE HOURS! I feel so much better!

Crosstraining

This morning I did 10 minutes of walking on the treadmill, 5 minutes of upper body weights, and 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. Felt good to do different things, but the scales didn't budge this morning. I'll keep on keepin' on, though.

Time at the Gym

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical. The foot is still hurting some. (I bought some new arch supports to try.) Saw Brigitte and Kelly at the gym, which was fun.

On a roll

Did another hour on the elliptical, pushed through the tiredness again. Didn't do a good job of getting to bed at a decent time last night. It'll catch up with me soon!

Back to an hour

Did another hour on the elliptical this morning, eventhough I was sleep deprived. Getting to bed at a decent time tonight.

Thinking about signing up for a 5K in a couple of weeks. Exciting to think about testing the waters again, and seeing how my foot does.

Short workout

This morning I did 40 minutes instead of the usual hour on the elliptical. Will try to get some walking in today to round out the hour. I have the extra energy, just didn't have the extra time this morning.

I'm still working on the President's Challenge, and am 27% of the way to the Platinum Award. Points are awarded for exercise in the President's Challenge, and 500,000 points are needed to hit platinum. I've completed bronze, silver, and gold so far. It'll take me a while to finish the platinum!

Back to an hour

I did another 60 minutes on the elliptical this morning. My foot's still a little sore, but otherwise, I felt strong. Got more sleep last night, thank goodness! I'm thinking about trying another 5K next month. I wonder how my foot would do....could I run through the discomfort? Should I?

Shorter workout

This morning I did 45 mnutes on the elliptical. Slept in a little, as I got to bed late last night. :-( Still went down on the scales this morning, thank goodness.

At breakfast at the Rice House this morning, two ladies who sat down with me were talking about their overeating habits. One said she overate at restaurants, while the other overate at home where no one else could see. One of them turned to me and said, "Lesley, what do you do?" It kind of caught me off guard, since I was in my own little world, hurrying my breakfast down to get to work. The lady who asked the question laughed and said something like, "You do it all, right?" Truth be told, yes. Restaurant portions are infamously large, of course, and high in sodium, among other things. There's that. I used to do my share of overeating at home too, especially in front of the TV. What a difference a year makes!

Morning workout

This morning I did another 65 minutes on the elliptical. It's really helping with my weight loss at the Rice Diet. Foot's still bothering me some.

Good workout

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical for the second day in a row. I've been following the "variety" program's instructions to pedal backward and forward for the most part, to boot, and have had some sore muscles as a result, but am feeling stronger now.

Got to the gym earlier

I made it to the gym earlier this morning, did 65 minutes on the elliptical, plus some strength training (upper body), and was able to start getting ready for work a little earlier. Not a bad way to start the work week!

Much more elliptical

Yesterday after lunch, I went to the Duke Fitness Center and did an additional 30 minutes on the elliptical machine there, after doing an hour at Anytime Fitness. It felt great at the time, but I felt really tired later, and am a bit sore this morning. I still managed to do an hour on the elliptical this morning, though. I'm glad, though I was hoping to be able to last longer. I'd like to get to the gym in time to do 90 minutes on the elliptical every morning!

I ran into Bob at Duke Fitness, was nice to chat with him about Rice Diet stuff. He was telling me about a good personal trainer he works with, but I've already forgotten the person's name. Bob exercises 4-5 hours a day, amazing.

Elliptical and weigh-in

I did an hour on the treadmill this morning, and my foot didn't bother me as much. When I weighed in at the Rice House this morning, my weight finally hit the level where my BMI has fallen to the "overweight" level, where I was in the "obese" category before! That's been a mini-goal I've been shooting for for a while. Yippee!

More elliptical

This morning I did 50 minutes on the elliptical. (Was a little short of time this morning.) Need to get to bed earlier.

A Little Running

This morning I did 5 minutes on the treadmill (.36 mi), then 55 min on the elliptical. Foot still sore.

Combo

This morning I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and I've walked 15 minutes around the Quad here at work. Hope to get another 15-minute walk in this afternoon to finish out the hour.

Back to an hour!

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical for the first time in what seems like a while! My foot got sore, but I decided to push through this time. Felt great! Afterward, I did a little bit of upper body weight training with the free weights. There was another gal in the weights area when I went over, so I tried to push it with the 10 lb. weights, but had to return them for the 5 lb. weights. Oh well.

I'm still on the Rice Diet Program, and had a milestone of one year on it last week! It's been an amazing journey, and it's not over yet! I still have some pounds to lose, so I'm going to keep going!

Elliptical again

Yesterday morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical machine, this morning I did 50 minutes. Feels good to be working my way back up to an hour. Lately I've been doing different pre-programmed workouts on the elliptical, and that's helped perk things up a little. The past couple of days I've done the "variety" one, which includes different crossramp levels. Beats having to push the up and down arrows myself so early in the morning!

Morning workout

This morning I did 32 minutes on the elliptical. Still struggling a little to get back to the hour-long workouts of old. Life has gotten busier, and my foot still hurts from the plantar fasciitis. *sigh* Hoping this weekend is better for exercise time.

Yesterday I tried a different machine at the gym, a treadclimber for 10 minutes It burns a lot of calories, but I found muyself having to walk a little wider, and it's a noisy machine to boot.

Changing things around

This morning I did 15 minutes on the elliptical, and was ready for a change! Did 32 minutes on the recumbant bike. I soon discovered I don't burn as many calories on it as I do the elliptical, but my foot is feeling better. Hmmmm.

Early week workouts

Workouts the past couple of days have been out of sorts. Yesterday, as I was stepping onto the elliptical machines, Angela (one of my best friends from junior high) called, and we had the best time catching up!!! I sat down to talk, though, and ended up heading to the Rice House while we continued to talk. An hour and a half, we talked! :-) I finally had to go inside for my medical check-in and breakfast at the Rice House, or we might have continued talking for a while longer! After breakfast, I returned to the gym, but was only able to work out for 10 minutes. My schedule was a little out of wack, and I felt like I needed to get on with the day. Now, I wish I'd gotten on the treadmill while we talked and taken it at a slower pace as we chatted. At least I would've gotten more exercise in yesterday.

I overslept this morning, but got myself to the gym for a 15 minute workout. A little better than yesterday, but not a lot. I'll plan to get out for some walking breaks today to help get toward the hour of exercise I strive for.

A Little Longer

This morning I did 40 minutes on the elliptical machine. I got a little more sleep last night, but am still feeling some residual tiredness. I'm out running errands this morning (I'm typing at the computer at te public library, where I stopped to pick up a couple of books), but hope to get a nap in after lunch. Perhaps I'll get some more exercise in later today. If I don't, though, I need to remember that it's okay to get some rest!

Shorter workout

This morning I only did 35 minutes on the elliptical. Had a meeting after work last night, got to bed late. :-( Plan to get to bed at a better time tonight!

A Little More Running

I did 15 minutes on the treadmill this morning, and 45 minutes on the elliptical. My foot was pretty tender when I got through with the workout. I was ready to stop earlier, but pushed myself to finish.

I did manage to get to the gym a little earlier today. I need to work on continuing to roll back the time.

I'm starting to see pretty regular people at the gym early in the morning. There's always somebody there, which is good.

Adding minutes again

This morning I went 45 minutes on the elliptical, up from 35 yesterday. Still need to work on geting to bed a little earlier, so I can get up a little earlier. Balancing sleep and exercise can be a little tricky for me these days!

My foot's still a little tender from running on the treadmill a couple days ago.

Shorter workout

This morning I spent 35 minutes on the elliptical machine. I could've gone a little longer, but was crunched for time. I needed a shorter workout anyway after yesterday's push on the treadmill. Although I was tired, I got to sleep later than I wanted to last night. I hope tonight brings an earlier bedtime.

Back to some running

This morning I started with 30 minutes on the treadmill, jogging 2.27 miles in 30 minutes. I felt pretty strong, but my foot started hurting a little toward the end. Was so close to the 30 minute mark, I decided to push. Then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. My foot was definitely tender by then. I iced it while I got ready for work this morning. I definitely feel a little more tired after that workout; C. even commented on it at breakfast at the Rice House this morning. Still, it felt great to run again!!!!

New Shoes and the Gym

I bought some new running shoes today, a pair of Brooks (Adrenaline GTS 7), at Raleigh Running Outfitters. Yay! Can't wait to try them out tomorrow. Meanwhile, I did 60 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Still enjoying the new gym; it's a nice change of scenery overall, and I just realized that it reminds me a little of the first gym in Durham where I started doing early morning workouts. The elliptical machines at the new place, like the old one, are located near the front of the gym, where the big windows are. Granted, it's in a strip mall, so the view isn't great, but still, it's nice to bea able to see the morning sky bloom as the sun rises.

Longer on the elliptical

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, felt strong. Watched the morning news for a while on the elliptical machine's monitor, then switched to music on the iPod. (After a while the news stories keep repeating, and the weather is the sme ole story this week.) I'm still enjoying the NPR podcasts, and have added some new music to boot. Afterward, I did a little strength training (upper body).

I tried to go get some new running shoes at 9th Street Active Feet a couple nights ago, after a good reminder from B. about the importance of good running shoes, especially with my plantar fasciitis. Alas, they were about 25 minutes from closing, and they needed more time for the consultation and all. I'll try again this weekend, there or at one of the other area stores that takes time with shoe fittings. B. suggested Raleigh Running Outfitters, and I've heard good things about Fleet Feet in Carrboro.

Another elliptical session

Had a nice surprise at the new gym this morning, ended up on the machine next to a lady I met a few weeks ago, running one of the trails at Umstead Park, but we didn't make the connection at first. Then, the lady who organized the running group came in to work out, and we made the connection! I'd only planned to work out 30-45 minutes this morning, but stayed on the elliptical for an hour talking and stuff. It was nice to see famiiliar faces at the gym!

Hour-long workout

I did an hour on the elliptical this morning at the new gym, felt good to push through to the 60-minute mark. I'm enjoying the new gym still. I'm a little sore this morning. My foot's getting a little better, but it's time to buy some new shoes, I think.

Different gym

Last evening I joined a gym across the street from my apartment complex (that's open 24/7) for my early morning workouts. It's pretty basic in terms of of what it has (cardio machines and weights), but the equipment it does have is very good. The elliptical machine I worked out on for 45 minutes this morning is one of the nicest I've been on, and includes a vidoe screen for watching TV if one chooses. I got to watch the local morning news this morning, which was a bit of a treat. I also enjoyed being able to adjust the crossramp as well as the resistance on the machine. In addition, I liked the displays for various things like calories, time, and steps. I hope to get there early enough to do some strength training soon. My big goal is still to get back to running! I really miss it.

Weekend workouts

I had some good (and interesting!) workouts over the weekend. Saturday morning I did an hour on the elliptical at the Duke Fitness Center. It felt great to be on a good machine in a nice environment!

Yesterday morning, before breakfast, I went to the local gym chain in a nearby town for a 15-minute workout on the elliptical and some time in the sauna. (My foot was bothering me a bit.) On my way to the sauna, I noticed a man with a feminine-looking necklace and one earring (not a stud) in the hot tub. When he pushed himself up on the side of the hot tub, it was hard not to notice he had a thong on! Lo and behold, he came into the sauna, sat down, and started carrying on a conversation! We talked about a variety of things, from jobs to bathing suits (He suggested I get into the pool in my shorts and bra if I were inclined to swim, since I didn't bring my bathing suit--he came up with some other solutions as well...) to his broken earring--which is why he was only wearing one. I didn't think to ask him why he just didn't take them both off, or why he was wearing jewelry at all in the hot tub, pool, and sauna, especially after he commented on my wearing my running shoes in the sauna. Eventhough I consider myself to be open-minded and all, this whole set-up was fascinatingly strange to me! As he left the sauna, he introduced himself as Connie with a strong handshake.

Today I was back at my apartment complex gym for 45 minutes on the elliptical. All the variety and excitement of the weekend has helped me get off of a frustrating plateau on the Rice Diet. I'm feeling better today!

Sleeping in

Being Saturday morning, I slept in a bit, and it felt like a treat! I've just finished breakfast at the Rice House, so I'm heading to the gym for my exercise. I usually exercise before breakfast, and I must admit, there's part of me that wishes I had my workout behind me now, but sleeping in was oh, so sweet!

More exercise

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical, up from 35 minutes yesterday. I didn't make time to ice my foot after the elliptical, so it's sore now. *sigh*

Need to shake things up

I need to rejuvenate my exercise routine somehow. I'm getting bored with it. *sigh* I'll be happy when my foot feels better....that's pretty limiting right now. I really miss running, being able to run in different places. Early Saturday morning I went to Umstead Park and walked for an hour. My foot didn't feel so good afterward, but it felt wonderful to get outdoors to exercise!

More elliptical

This morning I was back up to 30 minutes on the elliptical, though the apartment complex gym seems to be down to just one working elliptical machine. The other machines are a little questionable too. Time to seriously consider another regular morning workout place!

Looking for a change of pace

This morning I could only stand 5 minutes on the elliptical, then I headed outside to walk around the apartment complex for another 25 minutes. I feel the need to shake things up a bit with the exercise. Living where we do now, the options are a little different. I wish there was a good lap pool nearby for an early morning swim.

Quickie

This morning I only had time for 10 minutes on the elliptical machine. *sigh* Better than nothing, I suppose. I was up late taking care of "life things" last night, as I have a busy week of meetings and such the rest of the week. With the extra commuting time, I need to figure out how to do everything that's important, including exercise!

Back from vacation

My week of restful vacation is over! It's nice to be back in a more normal routine, though, I must admit. I did keep up with daily exercise last week, but also took a nap nearly every day. Boy, did that feel great!

This morning I was back ont he elliptical machine for 50 minutes.

More elliptical

I did 45 minutes on the elliptical at the apartment gym this morning, felt pretty strong. I'm still being careful about my left foot, which is feeling better today. Dr. Neelong gave me several suggestions for it yesterday, which included laying off of running. :-( His suggestions also included a new off-the-shelf orthotic for now, an oral anti-inflammatory, plus bicycling and swimming, and I've already been icing it sporadically. *sigh* I'm not going to give up on my running dream, but am a little sidetracked and discouraged right now.

Elliptical

I slept in a little this Sunday morning, so I did 30 minutes on the elliptical at the apt. complex gym. I had the gym to myself this morning, so was able to watch the local news on the TV in there. (George and I don't have any televisions hooked up yet, which has been a blessing--though I do miss the easy news feed on the TV a little!)

I'm on vacation this week, so I hope to get some more exercise in during the week ahead!

Getting better

I was able to do 50 minutes on the elliptical this morning, felt stong and not so tired. Hoping to get more sleep over the weekend, looking forward to feeling less tired and getting back on a more normal exercise schedule.

Next week I'm taking a week of vacation, but staying close to home. Maybe I'll get some extra exercise in, to boot!

Bunnies!

This morning I did another 31 minutes on the elliptical at the apt. complex gym. It's nice having basic machines so close, as I'm still staying up later than I should, getting settled into the new place. On the way back to the apartment, I spotted three rabbits together in the grassy, wooded area at the back of our apartment building. It was a treat to stop and watch them for a few minutes. I saw one first, in the green grass. He hopped toward the trees when he saw me, and once I saw him again in the pinestraw area, I was able see the other two, which were camaflouged against the pinestraw and dirt.

Back "home"

This morning I was back at the apartment complex gym for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. It was nice not to have the drive to the gym I had yesterday. I was spoiled at the old apartment with good gyms nearby...that's what I miss most, I think.

There is a gym across the street from the complex that's open 24/7, and I considering joining for my early morning exercise. I've visited once, and it has really good cardio machines and plenty of weights, but not pool, steamroom or sauna that I like so much. I may very well join any way, since the gym at the apartment complex has limited cardio and weight machines.

I haven't run at all this week due to weariness and my tender ankle/heel. I'm feeling slightly more rested today, and my foot feels a little better too. Maybe I can get back to running this weekend.

Venturing out

This morning I drove to Raleigh to work out, and one of the locations of the gym chain I belong to. I wasn't particularly impressed with anything except the hot sauna, and the traffic was pretty heavy for early morning. Between leaving late (was up past midnight last night--whew!) and having to find this new place, I only got a 15-minute elliptical workout in, followed by about 5 minutes in the sauna. I didn't feel very satisfied when I finishsed. *sigh* It was good to explore, but I think I'm going to keep searching for a better early-morning gym.

I'm also going to go to bed sooner tonight! The sleep deprivation is starting to take its toll.

Tired from moving

George and I moved over the weekend, so I really got a lot of exercise through that! We're in a nice apartment on the THIRD floor now, so I'll be getting some extra built-in exercise climbing the extra stairs. I'm still pretty worn out (and sore in the legs!) from moving, but I'm glad I've been exercising and have lost some weight. That helped a lot with the move.

Meanwhile, I used the new apartment complex gym this morning. George got up and went with me, bless his heart! It went pretty well. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical there, and then got in the pool. My bathing suit is getting really loose....need to get a new one!

Another try at the treadmill

I tried the treadmill again this morning, but only lasted three minutes before I had to stop due to the pain in my left foot. *sigh* I did 30 minutes on the elliptical with relative ease, even with less than 5 hrs of sleep. I'm definitely looking forward to a little more sleep!!

George and I are moving to our new apartment tomorrow morning, so that will be my exercise for the day, especially as our new pad is on the third floor (no elevator!).

Better today

My left foot is feeling better today, thank goodness. I did the elliptical again, though, for 30 minutes. This morning I went to my other morning gym, and it turned out to be a great change of pace. I sat in the steam room for a few minutes after my workout....heaven!

Hope to get back on the treadmill tomorrow.

By the way, I realized recently that I could feel my ribs, at least while I'm lying in bed. It was strange to feel them....can't remember how long ago I could feel those bones.

Oh, bother!

Between my weariness and my hurting left foot, I only did 20 minutes on the elliptical this morning. It's a little discouraging, for sure. I told the nurse about my foot issues this morning at medical check-in at the Rice House, and she used to have plantar fasciitis too. She gave me several good suggestions, including some stretches. I'm going to try those things and see if it helps. I'm so eager to get back on track with the exercise and training. I think getting a good night's sleep will help.

Ouch

I couldn't exercise as long this morning, as my left heel and ankle are pretty tender. It could be due to my longer workout yesterday, perhaps because I was up late packing my apartment. I took some ibuprofin when I got home from the gym this morning, and put my foot on ice for a few minutes.

I did 3:04 on the treadmill for .23 mi, and 35 minutes on the elliptical.

Perhaps I'll start swimming soon. I need to get a new bathing suit, though....my current one is too loose! :)

Saturday Running Group

I joined a running group Saturday morning to run the Graylyn Trail, a 3.22 mile out-and-back trail at Umstead Park, and it was a challenge for me! It was more hilly than I'm accustomed to--not a bad thing, right?! As I expected, I was at the back of the pack, but the group was nice enough to loop back around a couple of times. I finished the run in 43:57, a fair pace for me with the hills. I was so worn out I went home and took a nap, and felt some residual tiredness yesterday. Honestly, I felt a bit like I did after my first 5K in April of last year. I felt like I accomplished something by finishing the run, but it was a little discouraging to feel worn about like I did a year ago! I did enjoy meeting the other women, though: Brigette-the organizer, plus Karen, two Amys, and Debbie.

I won't be able to run with the group next Saturday because we're moving, but I plan to return in a couple of weeks if the group keeps going. I'd love to be able to nail that trail and get my time down on a challenging route with hills.

Yesterday I walked 40 minutes around the East Campus Wall, but was back in the gym this morning for 65 minutes on the elliptical. My left ankle and heel are still pretty tender, so I wanted to go easy. Hopefully I'll feel like running on the treadmill tomorrow.

Back to the treadmill

This morning I had a couple of stints on the treadmill, totaling 23 minutes and 1.88 miles. I also spent 20 minutes on the elliptical. I felt pretty strong, and wish I'd had more time to work out. (I need to get to the gym earlier!)

Been pensive lately about how this time last year, I caught the cold that I didn't pay much attention, since it was the end of the fiscal year at work (like NOW!). That was the start of body's downhill slide toward the hospital stay and the Rice Diet. What a difference a year makes! Last week, while lying in bed, I realized I could feel my ribs! Wow! It freaked me out, but George thought it was a hoot, and was surprised by my reaction. I'm still feeling them just about every night in bed, and just can't believe it. Perhaps it's partly psychologicial, my reaction, in realizing I'm missing a layer of "protection."

Elliptical again

This morning I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and passed on the treadmill. I've been sore in my left foot in the ankle, heel, and in the back of the arch. After some research, it looks like I have tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. (Actually, one of the doctors at the Rice Diet suggested the tendonitis a few weeks ago when I had the ankle pain only.) I'm taking Tylenol/Advil and trying to do an ice pack at night, but it felt especially sore yesterday, so I decided to pass on the treadmill today. Eventhough it was still sore this morning, I pushed for 45 minutes, and now my ankle and heel are feeling better than yesterday. There's something to be said for rest and crosstraining. :)

I did miss running this morning, though, and am looking forward to hooking up with a running group at Umstead Park on Saturday. It'll be my first foray into running groups, and of course I'm a little worried about keeping up. The 6 AM meeting time is good for me, though, even if it's a bit of a drive to Umstead from where I live now. (After next weekend we'll be much closer! Yay!)

Good treadmill workout

This morning I warmed up with 5 minutes on the elliptical, then ran a 5K (3.1 mi) in 38 minutes on the treadmill! Was excited about the time, though it was indoors (at the gym) and with just a little incline (.5% for part of the run). I was a bit tired when I finished, but felt fairly strong. I'm coming to enjoy the treadmill, especially since I can control the speed and increase/decrease as I want/need. I need to remember to incorporate the incline function as well, to mimic racing more realistically.

Back at regular gym

This morning I went back to my normal gym, after a different routine for the past three days. It was good to get "back home." I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and a total of 16 minutes on the treadmill for 1.24 miles.

George went to his gym this morning too. Since he doesn't have to be at work until after than I do, I assume he went a little later than I had him out of bed yesterday morning. ;-)

Gym with George

George and I went to the gym together this morning, and it was nice to be together at the gym early on in the day. I only did 30 minutes on the elliptical, though, then spent some time in the sauna. I don't like the cardio machines at this particular gym as much--it's a different one from the gym I usually go to, because they're older models and are showing their wear. George was wanting to see how exercising first thing affected his day, and asked if we could go together, so I thought it sounded like a great idea. We plan to do it again on Wednesday. :-) I think I'll add some strength training into the mix then. Meanwhile, I'll plan to go to my regular morning gym tomorrow.