Morning Workout and DietBet

I made it back to the gym this morning, and one of the front desk people came around to the front of the desk and gave me a big hug! If I had that kind of welcome every time, I'd be at the gym a lot more often! :-)

I did 30 minutes on the recumbent bike and then did a few weight machines and dumbbells. It's not much, but I'm sore this afternoon! Help!

I do hope to keep going back to the gym a couple of mornings during the workweek. I went to the saltwater pool in Raleigh on Tuesday night, straight for work, and didn't get home until 9:00! Too long a day, especially since I ignored homework, housework, AND my significant other to get that pool workout in.  I'm looking for some balance here.

Meanwhile, I've recently discovered the website DietBet, and have signed up for not one, but two weight loss "games!" I started one, and named it Mission Slimpossible. Then I joined another one, which runs concurrently, called From Fat to Fit Challenge. Both start next Monday, February 11, and run for four weeks, ending Sunday, March 10. The challenge is to lose 4% of your starting weight in 4 weeks! Everyone who hits the 4% goal will split the pot of money evenly with the others who reached the 4% loss mark. (I put $10 into the pot for Mission Slimpossible, and $20 into the pot for From Fat to Fit Challenge, via PayPal.) I'm a little nervous (4% is a lot to shoot for in 4 weeks), but I'm pretty excited about it too. Money sure can be a motivating factor! In a way, I feel like I've paid the registration fee for a road race, and now I have to train. I hope that this will help me get ready to return to the running scene. I do miss the road races.



Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Great Gym Workout

I made it to the gym yesterday for the first time in a while, and it felt great! I rode on the recumbent bike for 18 minutes, did some hammer and bicep curls and stretched in the weight room, then hopped in the hot tub. After several minutes in the hot tub, I got into the big pool, and stretched some more, then used a noodle to do some light strength training and a little more stretching. Dessert? Time in the steamroom! I felt so much more relaxed afterward, just amazing! My IT bands aren't fussy today, which tells me something! Yay!

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Back on the Bike

Cooks during the '12 Galloway Pancake Breakfast

I hopped on the recumbent bike at the gym for 4 miles (including several 1 minute intervals) this morning, followed by some light yoga/stretching, then a short workout with the dumbbells. Felt good to get the week off to a good start with some exercise! I missed working out this weekend but I had an okay excuse. Saturday morning, I volunteered to help with the annual Raleigh Galloway Pancake Breakfast. Since I'm not running with the group this season (yet), I figured it would be a great way to see everyone, and it was! Standing out in the sun for several hours took its toll on me though, and I didn't get around to exercising the rest of the weekend.

This is a new week though, and even though I have a final exam and a paper due on Wednesday, that's no excuse not to take care of myself, right?!

Back in the Gym

I made it back to the gym yesterday morning, and am not sore today, which is a pretty good thing, I guess. I'm still on the injured list with my ankle, but am going to the podiatrist today for another issue, and hope he can take another look at the ankle too. Meanwhile, the stationary bike and strength training seem to be good for staying active. Also, I received a new-to-me book in the mail yesterday, Yoga for Wimps: Poses for the Flexibly Impaired. I've been thinking about going to a yoga class at the gym, but I've been a big chicken. This book seems to be the way to go for now.

Good Bike Ride Yesterday

I had a vacation day yesterday, and meant to get an early workout in to start the day off right! I ended up puttering around, though, just enjoying a morning where I didn't have to be somewhere by a certain time. So, I ended up at the gym around 1:30 PM, since it had gotten so hot! I hopped on the recumbent bike, and went 7.2 miles in 40:05 minutes. I enjoyed working up a sweat!

This morning, I've been cleaning up my blogroll just a little, deleting a handful of blogs where the blogging runners have decided to stop blogging and move on to other things. One or two decided to stop running for now, as their lives have gotten busy with other things. It's made me a little nostalgic about running buddies (in person and through the  blogosphere) that I've met over the years. Some I keep up with, but others I've lost touch with. That's life, though, isn't it?

Easing Back In

I went to the gym this morning for a short workout. After warming up on the recumbent bike for about 15 minutes, I ran on the treadmill for about 5 minutes. Since my ankle has been fussy (tendonitis), and the plantar fasciitis still peeps at me, I decided that less would be more today. So far, so good. Now I'm a little more hopeful about starting a 10K training plan soon. One step at a time, right?

Third Workout in a Row

It's back to work for me tomorrow, so I hit the gym again today, my third workout in a row. To be honest, I wasn't really into it today. I stuck it out for 25 minutes on the recumbent bike, coaxing myself through 5-minute segments. Then I did some hammer curls, bicep curls, and shoulder presses with 5-lb dumbbells. Still bleh. Now that I'm home, I'm glad I did it. But I'm not used to three days of exercise in a row, and I felt it in the workout. Maybe I just need to shake things up a little bit. And maybe I need some rest.

Good Gym Workout

I had another solid gym workout before work this morning, between the stationary bike and the elliptical machine. I love early morning workouts, since there's such a feeling of accomplishment at getting a workout done first thing. I tell ya, though, I'm tired! I can tell I need to work on my endurance. For that, I'm thankful for a gym with plenty of cardio equipment. Since I've had such an issue with my feet the past few years, I'm glad to be able to give them a break early in this half marathon training cycle.

Bike Ride at the Gym

I hit the gym this morning and rode the stationary bike for 6.01 miles in 35 minutes, with a few intervals thrown in for good measure. While I was riding, someone on the treadmill said she recognized me running through her neighborhood yesterday morning! So we introduced ourselves, enjoying the small world factor. :-)

After the bike, I did a little core work, not a lot, but enough to get me restarted on it. I don't do the core work much when I skip the gym and run outdoors. I guess that's one of the negative trade-offs of hitting the roads. There isn't any good reason I can't do some core work at home, except for the motivation thing. When I'm at the gym, others are doing the same sort of thing and it's a reminder. (And sometimes I get good ideas from watching the gym rats!)

Training Update

Saturday's Galloway training run went pretty well, even though it was a hilly course. I struggled at times to keep up with the group for the first half of the run, but after a pit stop at a Burger King bathroom along the way, I did a good job of keeping up with the group on the way back to The Athlete's Foot in Cameron Village. I ended up doing 4.32 miles in 1:26:08, a 19:56 min/mile average pace (which included a walking warm-up at the beginning). I was happy to get the average pace under 20:00 min/mile, definitely a milestone for a "long run" that doesn't include the Magic Mile like the second Galloway run did.

I took Sunday off to recover and spend time with family, but I was back at it yesterday morning. I was planning to run outside, but rain sent me inside to the gym treadmill for a pre-work. I ended up running for 2 miles straight in 37:08 minutes, an 18:34 average pace! I'm happy to see that progress, though I know it was on the treadmill and not outside! I worked to keep myself from trying to go faster, and I'm glad I held back a bit. I was pretty tired from the workout (which included some strength training after the run) for the rest of the day.

This morning, I decided to give my feet a break at the gym, so I rode the bike for 6.41 miles in 37:00 minutes.

I'm Tired!

I finally made it to the gym last night for the first time in this week's exercise cycle. I've been pretty tired from last weekend's workouts (bike & running clinic on Sat, elliptical workout on Sun.), so I took Monday off from working out. I didn't want to take two days in a row off, so last night I hit the gym a bit later than I like, but I did an easy session on the recumbent bike, and am glad I did. Good to move the legs just a bit, a slow, cruising 5.26 miles in 37:00. I'm still pretty tired this morning, but I do plan to go to water aerobics with George tonight. Another running friend might join us, hope she does!

Meanwhile, early to bed tonight!

Some More Speedwork

This morning I joined some running friends for another speed clinic, and it was very helpful. We did some stretches after a warm-up on the track, then did some 400s. I was pretty pleased with my splits, even though I was the last one to finish each time. It was fun to see that I could go faster than I expected. I need to keep working on it.

Before the speed clinic, I worked out at the nearby Gold's Gym, a different location from my normal Gold's Gym, but still in the network of gyms I can visit under my membership.That's one of the nicest gyms I've ever been to! I was very pleasantly surprised! It's much bigger than my location, with cardio machines both downstairs and up. The women's locker room is huge, with amenities like lotion, mouthwash, and Qtips. The steamroom has eucalyptus spray available, which was sinus-clearing and smelled great, and the pool (they say) is salt water! The whirlpool was indoors by the swimming pool. The weight machine area was expansive, with at least one machine I'd never seen before. Ever.

And then, there's the fact that I rode the recumbent bike (4.55 miles in 31:01 min) in the cardio theater, with a James Bond movie playing. I have no idea which one, but it was interesting to experience. At first I thought it would be neat to watch a movie while I exercised, but since it was dark, I couldn't see the buttons on the recumbent bike. I had to use my iTouch as a flashlight to start my workout, which was a little frustrating. Also, my bike pace was a good bit slower than usual this morning, and I don't know if it was because of the movie, or because I was being cautious before the running clinic, or maybe because of my slightly tired legs at the time. *Shrug*

Anyway, very nice gym experience, too bad it's 30-40 minutes away, with gas prices the way they are. "My" Gold's Gym is less than 10 minutes away.

Good Crosstraining Day!

This morning I went to the gym before work, and did 35 minutes (6.25 miles) on the recumbent bike, and followed that with some upper body strength training and much needed stretching. On a work break, I I walked 1.5 miles. After work, George and I met at the gym and took 60-minute water aerobics class together.  I am worn out and ready for bed!

A Little Running!

Yesterday I decided to hit the local trails again, and try my luck at a 2-mile walk. I headed to Cary, NC, and started on the Black Creek Greenway, then turned onto the Northwoods trail. When I got to the end of the Northwoods trail (a new one for me, pretty!), I turned around, and decided to try alternating minutes of running and walking and see how my foot would take it. I made it all the way back to the car doing 1:1 run/walk! It felt great to run again, even if it was just for part of a mile! I finished 2 miles in 40:35, still a pretty slow pace overall, but the second mile was a big improvement over the first.

Mile 1) 21:03
Mile 2) 19:30

Today, I didn't get to the gym until mid-afternoon, riding the recumbent bike for 6.67 miles in 37:00. I warmed up for the first mile, then did 1 minute intervals (fast/slow/fast) for the rest of the workout.

It feels great to be tired from working out again!

Back at the Gym After a Rest Day

After taking a rest day from exercise yesterday, I headed back to the gym today. I'm still a bit tired from Saturday's 16 mile run/walk on the American Tobacco Trail, but not as sore as I thought I would be! Still, I decided to save another run for tomorrow, and did some crosstraining instead.

1) Walked 2.06 miles (35:01 min) on the treadmill. I pushed the speed a little, but left the incline alone.

2) Rode 5.42 miles (30:01 min) on the recumbent bike. I pedaled a little faster, and did the interval program on the recumbent bike.

I've exchanged a couple of emails with Christina recently, and she's really got me thinking about my training, and how I need to step it up a notch and get outside my comfort zone, both physically and mentally, when it comes to my marathon training. There is a balance between pushing yourself and resting your body and mind a bit, of course. I'll want to listen to my body and try to prevent both injury and burnout. That said, I'm excited about this attitude shift, especially on the heals of my personal distance record 16 mile run/walk last Saturday!

Short Bike Ride, Plus Marathon Lodging Booked!

This morning I rode 5.25 miles in 30 minutes on the recumbent bike at the gym. Saving my legs for tomorrow's 16 miler! Holy cow, I still can't quite believe I'm doing it, but I AM!

I'm more determined now than ever, because I got an email from another one of my pace group leaders yesterday, suggesting I pull back from the marathon and go for the half marathon instead. I'm healthy (except for some extra weight), just SLOW right now, and the marathon is nearly three months away! Still a good bit of time to make improvements, in my book, plus it should be cooler in November--which will help!

So, two group leaders--in less than a week's time (see last Saturday's post)--are trying to wave me off an event that's almost three months down the road, and I'm about half way through the training program! I've been gracious to them, but I am a bit disappointed in their timing. It feels like an ill-timed and premature suggestion. I would've appreciated advice on speed drills to try, or nutrition tips, or something. Granted, they aren't getting paid to be group leaders, and they're regular runners like me, only faster. ;)

So, I'm feeling a combination of discouragement and determination this morning. And I'm going to run tomorrow's long run on my own in the morning, instead of with the group. I enjoy the time to myself that running affords, anyway. I'm an introvert at heart, and savor the recharging time that my morning exercise usually provides. George may run with me tomorrow, but it's still up in the air.

Meanwhile, I've started doing some mid-week speedwork, and am working on my nutrition and weight loss as well. I'm thinking about finding some hills over in Umstead for mid-week training. I'm determined to make this happen, or pass out from trying! Marathon training is a journey, and part of the experience is learning about myself--my body, my mind, and how I can push the total package.

Meanwhile, I have made our hotel reservations at the Outer Banks for marathon weekend!! Woohoo!!

Okay, I'm not giving up!

Tired Monday

I was a bit weary when I woke up this morning, but I made it to the gym anyway, and am glad I did!

1) Walked 1.68 miles (30:04 min) on the treadmill
2) Ran 0.53 mile (7:02 min) on the treadmill, breaking in my new running shoes
3) Rode 2.7 miles (15 min) on the recumbent bike

Afterward, I'm still feeling tired, but more awake.

Blah! Summer Cold!

I'd been planning to get another run in today, but when I woke up this morning, yesterday's sniffles had become today's stopped up nose. Ugh. So, I decided to head for the gym instead.

1) Walked 1.75 miles (30:07 min) on the treadmill, with up to a 1.5% incline
2) Rode 2.69 miles (15 min) on the recumbent bike, pushing the resistance up to 7.

I've decided to try to make the gym workouts a little more productive, without overdoing it. Right now, I feel tired and a little sore. I'll try to get to bed earlier tonight, in hopes that I'll feel better for tomorrow's run.

Last night, George and I joined the Raleigh Galloway group for a Happy Hour at the Twisted Fork in Raleigh, and had a good time visiting with folks. It was fun trying out a new (to me) restaurant, too!

Umstead's the Charm

Well, I decided to return to Umstead State Park for my run this morning, to see if going back would be enjoyable. I was a little wary of the bugs, since I have two big bug (horse flies, I think!) bites on my legs from Monday! I'm so glad I went back, as I had another good run, this time sans bugs, and I had an even better average pace today than Monday! Plus, I went a little farther! Can you tell I'm excited?!

I also listened to music instead of podcasts today, and I think the songs on my workout playlist helped me pick up the pace a little.

On my way home, I stopped at the gym and rode the recumbent bike for a bit. Final result:

1) Ran/walked 2.13 miles in 36 minutes
2) Rode 2 miles in 11:11 minutes on the recumbent bike

Thanks, Umstead!

I decided to get one of my mid-week runs in this morning, eventhough I'm still a little sore from the weekend. I got in the car, and decided what I need was a change of scenery from the gym and my normal running route. So, I headed to Umstead State Park! Man, what a nice change of scenery that was! It had rained in the night, so the trees and plants had that nice, post-rain-uber-green look to them. There was very little car traffic, so I had the park almost to myself. I listened to music, which as a nice change of pace from the usual podcasts too. The only out-of-the-ordinary thing was that these big, winged buggy things started coming after me after I turned around. (I think a couple of them were tag teaming me!) I tried to outrun them for a while, and thought I'd succeeded, but I learned the hard way that there was one still one me when I sat down in the car! (Yikes!)

After I got Big Buzz out of my car, I headed for the gym, and got a 2.32 mile (13 minutes) bike ride to go with my run/walk (1.94 miles, 33 minutes) in the park. Ahhh, I'm feeling better today!