New Cardio Machine

I think I may have found a new challenge for me at the gym. It's the Cybex ArcTrainer. It's like the elliptical machine, but to me it's harder! I couldn't stay on it all that long this morning, and I felt pretty uncoordinated on it, to boot. Watch out, ArcTrainer, I'm going to tackle you!

Crosstraining Day

My legs are feeling a little tired this morning from the week's running, so I cut back on the treadmill a bit. I ran 2.46 miles in 30 minutes with a 0.5% incline. Next I rode on the recumbent bike for 15 minutes and 3.01 miles. The elliptical machine got some action today for a mere 6 minutes and 0.51 miles. I capped the workout off with another stint on the treadmill, this time walking for 10 minutes and 0.55 miles. Total workout time was 61 minutes.

Crosstraining at the Gym

I'd planned to start on the treadmill at the gym this morning, but three of them were in use and two of them were broken! Arrgghh! So, I spent 21 minutes (4.12 miles) on the recumbent bike. My timing for getting on a treadmill was off, so I got on the elliptical machine for 12 minutes (1.03 miles), before finally getting on the treadmill for 25 minutes (2.05 miles)!

I also took two walk breaks at work today, so I feel like I really crosstrained today!

On BuckeyeOutdoors.com, I signed up for a weight loss challenge to lose 10 lbs. between now and Christmas Day! Yikes! This challenge feature is new on BuckeyeOutdoors.com, one of the best online workout trackers around in my opinion, so I can't wait to see how it works. It's got me motivated to see my little weight scale move (and not be last in the group!). I'll let you know how it goes! :)

Crosstraining

This morning I did a little bit of several things. I started with 20 minutes on the recumbent bike, then 10 minutes of running on the treadmill, followewd by 10 minutes on the elliptical machine. I had it in me to do a little more, but wanted to be careful with my left foot--the plantar fasciitis is still nagging a bit. Maybe I'll do more later. Or maybe I'll get some rest.

Back at the Gym

It felt good to workout indoors today, as it's going to be another hot weekend day here. I did 20 minutes on the recumbant bicycle, then 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I finished with 5:22 on the treadmill. I enjoyed the crosstraining, but I'm still a little tired from yesterday's long run, I think.

I've been thinking lately about how expensive running can become! Running has been touted as an inexpensive and easy sport to get into, and I suppose it CAN be. I guess it depends on what your goals are. For me, the cost of running has increased as my goals have gotten bigger. The more expensive shoes and clothing, the hydration and nutritional needs of longer distances, entry fees and travel costs for races, and the Galloway training group fee, they all add up. There are lots of benefits for me, though, so I'm going to keep at it!

On the Bike

This morning I did 30 minutes on the recumbant bike, and that was it. It's supposed to be a rest day, but I don't know how to do that yet, unless I am injured or sick! I didn't work up a sweat at all (which I missed!), and I didn't push very hard. Still, my quads feel a little sore, do I wonder if I did too much before tomorrow morning's 5 mile run. Time will tell!

Elliptical Workout

This morning I did the elliptical for 45:07 minutes, doing the Gluteal #2 programmed workout that had me doing a variety of crossramps, plus forward and backward. I ended up going 3.5 miles, a little faster than normal for me on the elliptical. I listened to music the whole time this morning, instead of listening to podcasts, and I bet that helped. (I have a workout playlist that's pretty good.)

I know I intended on taking it easy in the gym this morning, but it didn't quite work out that way! Part of it, I think, is that I read in my Galloway book last night that, if following this program, you probably won't lose weight training for your first marathon, because of the reduced mileage. To be frank, I didn't like the sound of that! One of the several reasons I exercise is to lose weight. So.....I can either go against the training plan and run more miles during the week, or I can do the miles some other way, via elliptical, bike, or walking. I certainly don't want to go overboard and get injured again. That would stink! :-P But I need to come up with some sort of plan.

More Variety

This morning I did a variety of things, so between yesterday and today, I feel like quite the crosstrainer. I did 16:04 minutes on the elliptical machine for 1.20 miles. Then I got on the recumbant bike for 7 minutes and 1.22 miles. After that, I ran for 18:01 minutes and 1.35 miles. My legs are tired and a little sore now, so I hope to get to bed early tonight and take it a little easier in the gym tomorrow.

Yesterday I took a couple of walk breaks at work for a total of 1.57 miles, in addition to the elliptical and treadmill work that I did earlier in the day. No wonder my legs are tired now!

Combo Workout

This morning I started with 21 minutes on the elliptical machine for 1.57 miles, then decided to hop on the treadmill. Ended up going 15 minutes without walking (yay!) for 1.23 miles. In Jeff Galloway's book that I'm reading now, it says that it's okay to run your short runs without stopping, but that the long runs need to be the run-walk-run method. It's nice to have part of my weekly running done already. The Galloway plan suggests 60 minutes of running (or RWR) during the week, followed by the weekend long run. I am tempted to work toward running much more during the week, but I know that overtraining can lead to more injuried, and I need to work on crosstraining anyway.

Big Crosstraining Day!

This morning I did a 30-minute workout on the elliptical, a pretty short workout. I was pretty tired, having had an after-work meeting each of the past 2 nights. I had physical therapy mid-morning, where she had me warm up on the bicycle for 7 minutes, then stretching. After work, I decided to go for a 30-minute run outside for 2.18 miles. I also walked to warm up and cool down after the run.

I might have a hard time convincing people that I was pooped when I got up this morning! I'm really tired now, so I'm going to bed very soon. Zzzzzzzzzz.........