A Brief Hiatus From Blogging but Not From Exercising

OK, I know it's been a few days since I blogged, my apologies. I could tell you that I have been busy, that I have been tired from running, that it was my husband's birthday Friday and we had plans, or that Virginia is in the middle of a heat wave and it was over 100 degrees, but I won't.

Well, Wednesday was a rest day, yea rest. I kinda poo-poo'd the idea of rest days at the beginning of this thinking that they were holding me back. Now I realize that the rest days keep me going. The pain, as my sister warned me, has moved from my shins to my knees. If not for resting, I think I would be laid up injured and whining about losing momentum and so forth. On to Thursday.

I started Week 2 of my interval training program on Thursday. The distance for this week is 1 3/4 miles. Now I still have to warm up for 5 minutes at the beginning and cool down for 5 minutes at the end with intervals of running and walking in the middle. Because of the pains in my shins, I decided to keep the running time at 45 seconds. By adding the extra 1/4 mile I was able to do 2 more intervals making that, if you were paying attention last week, a total of 9. I'll even do the math for you...that adds up to 6 minutes and 45 seconds of running and when you add in the extra 15 seconds I did on one interval, I ran a total of 7 minutes. Did you hear me? I RAN A TOTAL OF SEVEN MINUTES!!! I never even did that in high school, I walked the mile, I didn't run. You might be thinking that I am getting a little carried away but believe me this is quite an accomplishment. I used to tell people that I wouldn't run if something was chasing me and I meant it.

So, Friday was my cross training day (and my Honey Bunny's birthday) for the week and I went swimming, this time I even remembered to take my goggles and nose clip. You know despite the embarrassment that it would cause me I am quite tempted to get my husband to take a picture of me with all that gear on because I know it is a sight to behold. Anyway, I swam a few laps probably not as many as I should have but I did swim them. I always marvel at the number of muscles that you engage when you propel your body through water. I am also amazed that I forget every time how tired it makes me. It's fun though and it's a good kind of tired.

Saturday was Day 3 of Week 2 of training and that meant it was time to run again. The alarm clock started singing at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that is insanely early for a Saturday, believe me I know. However, as I mentioned, we are in the midst of a heat wave and 6:00 - 7:30 a.m. is the only time I can run without dropping from a heat stroke. Now I might have slept in for another hour but we had plans for later in the morning so 5:30 it was. Saturday was a repeat of Thursday, I managed to run a total of 7 minutes. I am still walking for 2 - 3 minutes between eash interval which I think I can start to narrow down because I am really beginning to recover faster. The reason I haven't is that I read that I need to maintain speed and distance until the shin splints disappear, having already broken the distance rule I felt I should leave well enough alone.

With running completed for the day you'd think I would take it easy...ha! As part of my birthday gift to my hubby, I took him back to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. (If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to go, it's really cool.) I have to tell you that my husband is one of those folks who likes to read everything he can get his hands on and that includes every sign, every plaque, at every exhibit. You might be wondering what that has to do with exercise...well, that equates to 5 hours of walking/standing on a very hard surface. (I'm not complaining, I was happy to do it.) This would normally make my legs tired but after running earlier in the day I was in agony by the time we left.

A good night's sleep and day of rest (OK, I went back to the pool and bobbed around today, hey it's hot here) seems to be all I needed to set me right. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Week 2 and I will once again pound some pavement, my last day of running for the week. I am looking forward to it. I never thought I would say that but, it's true. I love that I am getting stronger and healthier, I can feel it. Now I just have to get that eating thing under control. I'm a work in progress, what can I say. Well, I'm going to the dietitian on Tuesday, that's what I can say. More on that later.

I can tell you that I will be more diligent and not take such a long blogging break again, I can tell you that I will keep moving despite the pain and the heat, I can tell you that I will listen to the dietitian with an open mind and really try to eat healthier. Now, tell me something. What did you do this week to make yourself healthier. Did you eat some fruit for dessert? Did you get on your Wii Fit? Did you pack healthy snacks to take with you for the day? Did you walk or run? Keep me posted, I hope you know that your comments keep me going. Are you still there?

Do something healthy for yourself and for those who love you and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.