It's almost 9:00 p.m. here and I have to get up at 5:00 tomorrow morning so I'll make this really quick.
Today is Day 1 of Week 3 of the interval training program. I did 2 miles with 10 intervals of running for a total of 9 minutes of running. Let's take a moment to celebrate...OK, that's long enough, I'm tired. I have never run that far in my life, I'm proud of that.
OK, now for the bad news. My knee is not improving, actually, it's getting worse. I am now faced with the tough decision of what to do to undo the damage that my classic push-yourself-too-hard rookie move has caused. Knowing that scaling back is the only way to get my knee healthy, I have no other choice.
Here is the game plan: cross train tomorrow as scheduled, rest Saturday, revert to Week 1 running for Sunday, take some Motrin, ice it, elevate it, not necessarily in that order. There it is. I'm not happy about it and I am really trying not to allow myself to feel defeated. What I can promise you is this, I will not revert to my old habit of holding down the couch (even though I am mighty good at it), rather, I will just take the intensity down a couple of notches allowing my body to do it's job and heal itself.
That's really all I can say right now, I'm frustrated and I'm trying really hard not to let profanity sneak it's way in.
Don't worry, this won't stop me, I'm still on my mission, it's just going to take a little longer so...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
and That Makes 8
Yesterday was Day 5 of Week 2, my last running day for the week. The heat wave continued and it was 79 degrees at 6:00, I didn't even bother to check the humidity level, I didn't want to know. My knees are still hurting, the right more than the left and I've been told that it's probably because I need to stretch my legs more after jogging. I'll work on that. Not only did I have the oppressive heat to deal with, there was a pit bull running loose. Now, you might recall that a couple of weeks ago there was a rottweiler I had to contend with, I don't know which is worse. The rott was bigger but the pit bulls have those massive jaws. It turned out OK but I had to walk backwards for part of my walk because every time I turned around it started following me again.
So the walking backwards meant that I had a longer interval of walking and I didn't think that I would be able to fit in 9 running intervals. (I am not about to try running backwards, I am not that coordinated.) Well to make up for the extra walking I decided to increase my running intervals from 45 to 60 seconds. As it turned out I did get all 9 in and I finished with a total of 8 minutes of running. That's right, 8. Look at me go.
Today was my easy walk day and I took it really easy. I walked for 34 minutes, the goal is 30 - 60, but I didn't want to push it any farther because of the knee pain. Tomorrow I get to rest. Now I know I've said it before but, YEA REST DAY! I'm going to give my legs a well deserved break so I can go at it again Thursday when I move up to 2 miles.
In case you were wondering, I did go to the dietitian today, more on that tomorrow, I have to go get ready for bed now. So, I haven't heard from you, what are you doing to make yourself healthier? Report back, that's an order and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
So the walking backwards meant that I had a longer interval of walking and I didn't think that I would be able to fit in 9 running intervals. (I am not about to try running backwards, I am not that coordinated.) Well to make up for the extra walking I decided to increase my running intervals from 45 to 60 seconds. As it turned out I did get all 9 in and I finished with a total of 8 minutes of running. That's right, 8. Look at me go.
Today was my easy walk day and I took it really easy. I walked for 34 minutes, the goal is 30 - 60, but I didn't want to push it any farther because of the knee pain. Tomorrow I get to rest. Now I know I've said it before but, YEA REST DAY! I'm going to give my legs a well deserved break so I can go at it again Thursday when I move up to 2 miles.
In case you were wondering, I did go to the dietitian today, more on that tomorrow, I have to go get ready for bed now. So, I haven't heard from you, what are you doing to make yourself healthier? Report back, that's an order and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
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.
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.
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