7 miles down, 5 to go

Well this has been one tightly packed week! Yowza!! I made it to the gym yesterday after a 9.5 hour day for a quick 3 mile run. That took me about 34 minutes. Today I'm working 10 hours and then heading to the gym for my 5 mile run of the week. I'm not a big fan of back to back running days but that's what I'm stuck with since my laziness kicked off a slow start to this week. My reward will be to take Saturday as an exercise-free day!

With the race on the horizon, I'm aiming for three runs per week. Right now my longest run is 5 miles, I'd like to get up to a 7 mile run. And, since the race is five weeks out, I think that's a very realistic goal. I'll also strive for an intense drill of weights and balancing exercises on my lower mileage days.

TGIF suckas!!!!!!!

Am I The Walrus or The Eye Of The Tiger?

We will soon find out! I signed up for the Meteor 10K (part of the Martian Marathon) on April 5th. It takes place at 9am on Hines Drive.

As of this posting, that's a healthy 5 weeks away. I can easily run 5 miles now, so I have no doubt that I'll be able to run 6.2 by then. Actually I'd like to get in maybe a 7 mile run before then. That way 6.2 doesn't become this large, looming distance that I bust my gut trying to rally for. I feel good though.

Maybe you're reading this and wondering why I even have to psyche myself up at all? I mean didn't I run a half marathon last October? Yes, I did. However, it wasn't the best race personally. It was a good experience and I'm thrilled that I made it to the finish line, but my body was hurting. I had tweaked my knee on a prior training run and it never seemed to heal completely. So that half was actually a combination of running, walking and hobbling. This time I aim to cross the finish line without having walked once. I know that if I stay dedicated to my weights and PT-like strength training and balancing moves that I will cross the line feeling spritely and exuberant. Cheers!

Where do we find the willpower?

Monday I was supposed to hit the gym, especially because I had taken Sunday as a lazy day. That was great for Sunday, not so great for Monday. Some days I think I just have all the gusto zapped out of me by 6:00 at night. Other days, the lure of OT is like a siren not so far away. The way I see it, skipping a workout to be lazy is pretty pathetic (albeit, occasionally necessary); however, skipping a workout for a few more hours of OT well it's the perfect excuse!!

That's how I justified my 10-hr work day on Monday. Could the same rationalization hold true for Tuesday as well? Gosh, I wrestled with that one for a long time. I even turned my day into a 9hr work day to talk myself out of the gym. But finally I got on chat with Martinique and by the time I had a chance to see what my whining looked like, well, it was a kick in the butt. I went to the gym. I was giving myself an option for an easy day, thinking I could do a short 30 minute run and be out of there.

Well, one burst of energy lead to another (luckily!) and I was there for about an hour and a half.

warm-up: 5 minute walk
run: 4 miles (in 45 minutes)
weights: a hodgepodge of upper and lower body quick sets.

I played with speed a little (very little) bit as I tried to do my own interpretation of a treadmill tempo challenge that was suggested on runner's world. I started at my base pace for 10 minutes, decreased the per mile pace by 15 seconds and held that for 5 minutes, did that twice more and then back down to finish my 4 miles in 45 minutes. It was refreshing. I felt especially proud since I was one gmail chat away from no exercise at all!

If you're reading this and you don't feel like working out, well DO IT! :)

Feb 18--Feb 24: 11.5 miles

I feel very positive about my my level of exercising last week. I completed a 5 mile run in the middle of the week. I also ran 3.5 miles outside on Saturday afternoon. In addition to my running, I had a good weights session to start off the week. I got in some abs and upper-body work. I am quite pleased with all I accomplished, especially while working over 50 hours and doing my writing for HAL.

Catching up with some articles

Campbell’s Makes a Heart Healthy Move

Become a Sly n’ Savvy Snacker

Allergies? Skip the self-diagnosis

Exercise for your heart---and your happiness

More Whole Grain for More Weight Loss

How Healthy is your Brown Bread?


World Cancer Day: What's Your Risk?

Step Away from Double Dippers

Keep Cold Meds Away From Kids

Avoid Eating American to Avoid Health Problems


Super Frauds vs. Smart Foods

Avoid a Super Sunday Heart Attack

Vaccinations aren't for kids only

Let's all have a laugh!

My feeling is that if you find a song that makes you feel like running, then play it loud and sweat hard. Sure, we all have different ideas about what makes a good workout song and what makes a god-awful song. Some of our running music even transcends other music that we like. Maybe I like country but it's better in my car not when I'm huffing along. I also sort of like some electronic music for working out, even though I probably wouldn't rock it on my apartment on Sunday morning when I'm doing a crossword puzzle. Okay, I don't do crosswords on Sunday morning but my point is that different music suits different moods. And since we're all wildly different people, we're going to have some strong differences for the kinds of tunes that really give wings to our runs.

This whole topic was actually kind of spurred on by my friend Ed. On his blog, he talked about liking a particular Jethro Tull song.

So I watched the video and decided it wasn't my cup of tea. And I commented to him that I really like a particular song for running right now. This one.


Well once Ed saw that crazy video, he wrote "I honestly have no idea whatsoever how you could not get a headache listening to that!!!! And yet, you probably feel the same looking at some of my videos and songs!!!!" So I chuckled inside because it's a little bit true.

Then to really flesh out the differences in taste, I asked my friend Emily for a song that gets her pumped and this was the first choice she came up with.


--I think all these differences are just awesome!! I've always thought it was entirely a waste of time to say "How could you work out to that? That music sucks." So what if you don't like what someone else digs? The point is if you can find some music that makes you run, well that's fantastic because you're one less person chugging soda, and watching tv reruns on the couch.

If it works for you, crank it loud! :)

The power of new purchases

My friend and I often read a blog by a lady who once lost a lot of weight and now counsels people about fitness and eating. The other day she had written "What areas of your life are you purposely not setting up to be a success? Common things are:

1. Wearing funky, old workout clothes: Don't do this! Dress like you mean business not like you are cleaning the business. You can't get in a good workout if your pants stay past your crack rather than at your waist."

Well in my old clothes I was definitely cleaning the business, but in my new duds, I was taking care of business. I ran five miles without stopping and felt pretty light and energetic the entire time. Yeah me!

Excited!!!

Thanks to the bountiful kindness of some fabulous people, I was finally able to buy myself some new workout apparel. I was so excited when I packed my gym bag this morning that I felt like a little kid on Christmas. I didn't need new clothes for any fashion reason. I needed them for practical, functional reasons. Of course if I look oh-so-cute while I'm jaunting along, then so be it. Darn it, I'm just adorable.

A determined Monday to start off the week

warm-up: 6 minutes walking

run: 3 miles (34:30)

lower-body weights
squats: 3x15 (70 lbs)
leg press
single leg 3x15 (75lbs)
alternating 3x20 (90lbs)
abductor 2x15 (60) 1x15 (55)
adductor 3x15 (70lbs)

balancing moves: each leg, 1x15

The stars aligned and I had an intense much-needed session at the gym. Even though my run was 3 miles, I still felt that I challenged myself with hills and increasing the speed. Plus, I remembered my headphones but forgot my i-pod so the fact that I still stayed at the gym was a good start :) My strength-training routine was wonderful. When I can do 3 sets of 15 reps at a certain weight, that's how I know it's time to increase the weight. Since I did that many for about each exercise, I'll be whooped, but in a wonderful I'm-such-a-champion sort of way. Move over, Ahhnold.

Then after I came home and showered, I threw my workout pants in the garbage. Drastic, I know. But I had to. As long as I kept them in the house, in the laundry rotation, I would keep wearing them. Gawd! That is simply not going to be acceptable any longer. They were many years old and the cotton was wearing thin. I don't think 10 laundry cycles after each wearing could really eradicate all the nasty bacteria and microbes that burrow into sweated-on apparel. Nasty. So today my big treat is going to Target to find a suitable replacement.

Feb 11--Feb 17: 2 workouts and 4 miles

Last week was a rather unfortunate week in terms of finding time for exercise. On Monday I took a cardio kickboxing class for my HAL column. That meant I wasn't doing any of my regular routine. Then there was a horrible snowstorm which didn't bode well for my Tuesday plans. After taking 2 hours to get home, my energy was shot. Then I ended up being super lucky and getting to go to a Pistons game so that was another day not at the gym. My last hurrah was on Friday morning when I finally got to the gym for a 4 mile run and a quick set of weights.

Moral of this tale: Better luck this week :)

Feb 3-Feb 10: 3 workouts and 9 miles

Now that I am once again excited about overtime, I'm trying to find that balance between working longer hours and still finding time to exercise.

Last Sunday I had a robust workout to start the week. I got in cardio on the elliptical and strength training for my upper body.

On Wednesday I was at the gym by 7am where I managed to run for 30 minutes straight even though my enthusiasm was lacking.

nataliedee.com
I also did about 5 sets on the leg press machine. I was in a bit of a hurry and didn't consider this to be that intense, but 3 days later my hamstrings were still sore.

On Thursday, I squeezed in 15 minutes of ab work with my IWTB dvd. You might be surprised at how a small amount of time spent on your gut can really have a lasting effect a few days later.

Friday was the tough one. I worked a 10 hour day and then had already vowed to still go to the gym. I had to boost my waning energy reserves. I added two new songs to my work that booty playlist. I jammed a cup of coffee about an hour before I hopped on the treadmill. With a fortunate feeling of an eager spirit, I pulled off five miles! That was a huge emotional accomplishment. I haven't run 5 miles since, gosh, maybe before my half marathon in October? So, hmmm, it has definitely been awhile.

I feel great!

Sunday. A new week.

Sunday's workout was a bit different from my usual stints at the gym. I had ran the previous day and don't like to run two days in a row. Plus, my legs were still recovering from a fierce weights session. I decided to still make it to the gym. I completed an intense 35 minutes on the elliptical. That was a nice change from the treadmill. Then I performed about every upper-body exercise that there was a machine for. I'm aching today. I can barely roll my shoulders without wincing, but I feel good.

Last week was alright

Well as I stated early in the week with my moderation post, sometimes that is the best you can hope for. On Monday I attended an hour long Yoga For Abs class. Skipped Tuesday. On Wednesday I put my heart into an interval-esque 4 mile run. On Thursday I showed up at the gym for all of 40 minutes for a quick warm-up and a few circuits of upper body exercises. I skipped Friday. Saturday was the day for an industrious effort. I ran 4 miles again. I did a grueling regimen of lower body weights. (Yep, still sore on Monday.)

Ideally I'd like to run 3 times per week. I think that is about on par with my projected goals and what I am capable of. However, life happens. For the most part I act healthy when I can. Isn't that best that we all strive for?