Workout - 11/29

I originally thought I'd get this workout in on 11/28, but work had other plans for me. After leaving at midnight on 11/28, it was wonderful getting out in time on 11/29 to hit the gym and have some time to relax at home. Mr. E had worked out as scheduled on 11/28, so I was flying solo. The gym instituted a new sign-in procedure for treadmills - not brain science, but there were some people who just didn't get it. After a few minutes of waiting and watching (also known as poatching), I got a treadmill. I think one of the greatest parts about an iPod is that there is the "suffle songs" option. Essentially is a built in auto suffle of any and all music you have without having to own a 100 CD changer or something (never mind faster!). After struggling on Monday, I was hesitant about this workout...especially since Mr. E wasn't there to keep me motivated. It actually ended up being easier that Monday, and maybe than I thought. Fluke? Maybe, but I'm hoping that it's more that the consistent workouts are starting to make a small, but noticable difference.

Stats: (all at 2 incline except part of cool)
5 min warm at 4.0 MPH
Run at 6.0 MPH
Walk at 3.5 MPH
7 min cool
Total distance: 2.09 miles

Workout 7 - 11/26

The easy part of running is officially over. My runs are no longer counted in seconds (except in my head as I'm doing them), and now are in minute chunks. SUCK. This week's workouts consist of two rounds of 90 seconds run, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes run, 3 minutes walk. It is absolutely AMAZING how the time flies during the walk but seems to go on forever while running. It was definitely a case of mind over matter tonight. I think that's going to be the biggest hurdle for me, getting my mind to not give up. I think my body will come along (slowly), but I have to keep the mind set that I can do it. Jillian definitely showed up again last night during the 3 minute runs. Mr. E tried to raise my spirits by saying that it would get easier as the week goes on....yeah right.

Stats (all at 2 incline)
5 min warm at 4.0 MPH
Run at 6.0 MPH
Walk at 3.5 MPH
7 minute cool down (total 30 mins)
Total distance 2.08 miles

Weight 11/24

I wish I could blame it on Thanksgiving, but I didn't even pig out. This upcoming week will be a big adjustment to my diet. Regardless, up a pound to +22.

Workout 6 - 11/23

Thanksgiving = 4 day weekend right? Umm...no. I spent all day in the office, so just what I wanted to do was go workout when I got home...Not. Went anyway. It's amazing the lack of a crowd at the gym the day after Thanksgiving. You'd think there'd be a ton of people feeling guilty and trying to work off all the calories they ate the day before (I heard somewhere that the AVERAGE Thanksgiving dinner is over 5000(!) calories), but the reality is more people either (i) count their 6 am shopping trip as their workout or (ii) just ate so much they decide to give up until after the holidays. Regardless, very easy to find a treadmill.

Today's workout was the hardest of the bunch this week - probably a combination of exhausted from the week and the fact that I worked a full day on what is one of my 7 official days off during the year. Made myself do at least what I did on Wednesday though and really saw that my body will respond when I want to push myself. Instead of doing what I think I can do, I really have to believe that I can do at least what I did before, if not more. That's always been hard for me, to push to my actual ability instead of my perceived ability. I think that is really going to be a challenge for me throughout this process, to do what I actually can do, not what I think I can only do.

Tomorrow is a weigh in...ick.

Stats:
5 min warm at 2 incline
Run at 6.0 at 2 incline
Walk at 3.6 at 2 incline
Cool down (at a bit of a fast pace)
Total distance 2.13 (mostly due to cool down)

Workout 5 - 11/21

Same as earlier this week. Actually not too bad in the long scheme of things. The Beach Boys provided entertainment. Amazing how you don't feel like workingout at times (especially after a long day of work the day before Thanksgiving), but at the same time when you actually get there and get started it turns out not as horrible as you think.

Stats:
5 min warm up 4.0 MPH
Run at 6.0 MPH, last one at 6.1 MPH
Walk 1st at 3.5, rest at 3.6 MPH
5 minute cool
Total distance 2.10 miles

Workout 4 - 11/19

Before I even got to the gym I figured this workout was busted. I worked late so Mr. E went to the gym and worked out before I even got changed into workout clothes. He calls and tells me "It was so much harder then last week". CRAP. I figured, well it was fun for a week to do the actual workouts, the fall begins today...right? So not the case! Maybe it was because my body was so numb from working for 12 hours that running didn't feel too bad, the fact that 2/3 of the Top Gun soundtrack are awesome workout songs, or . . . something else, but it was actually not horrible. (and not horrible is a huge accomplishment for me!). This week's workouts are all the same: 5 min brisk walk warm, 90 seconds running, 2 minutes walking for a total of 20. I'm sure that's going to feel awesome the day after Thanksgiving.

Stats:
5 min warm at 4 MPH
run at 6.0 MPH, 2 incline
walk at 3.5 MPH, 2 incline
5 min cool
Total distance 2.09 miles

Beginning Weight

Since this is a journey for both running and weight loss, figured I should keep myself honest about that part too. So my starting weight is +21 (in relation to my long term goal). Here's hoping that it goes down from there.

Workout 3 - 11/16

Workouts on Friday should really be outlawed in some way. So should the remix my gym was playing the last couple of days. For some reason they've tuned the overhead radio into some sort of very odd techno mix of horrible songs. For example - Wednesday it was ex-American Idol Kimberly Locke's "Eighth World Wonder" and today it was Natasha Bettingfield's "Unwritten" at about 100 times normal speed. As if working out isn't already miserable enough, they have to play music that wasn't great to begin with and then mix them and put them to dance music. As for the actual workout, it was easier today then the first time. Of course, that's just in time for a new workout next week.

The other realization I had this week. There is a significant downside to running on a treadmill inside. A few years ago, Mr. E and I attempted to have a running regimen - and we did it outside. With allergies, cold weather, and numerous colds, there was always somewhere to dispense of snot along the side of the trail. Somehow I'm pretty sure spitting and blowing snot rockets are frowned upon by the Y. So, I must make a confession - tonight, I wiped my nose on the complimentary towel and I'm not sorry about it.

Stats:
5 min warm up at 4 MPH
Run at 6 MPH
Walk at 3.6 MPH (faster!)
cool for 5 min
total 2.08 miles

Workout 2 - 11/14

The workout is the same all week, but this is the first time I worked out with Mr. E. As usual, he kicked my ass. We are not on the same page as to how we're going to run these events. I think, "Mr. E is going to be slowed down by me, he should just run and meet me at the finish." He thinks, "We are doing this together, we should run the whole thing together." I try to explain to him that when he "trods" along with me (at my slow ass pace), I feel terrible. Never mind I hate running, but now I feel like shit as he slows down to hang out with me. Tonight was another of those situations. I'm HUFFING and PUFFING through the final run and I look over, Mr. E may have broken a sweat...maybe. Then when we get back to a walk pace (and I start to breathe again...yay oxygen), he looks at me and says "I did the last one 1/2 a MPH faster just to see how it was." Of course, I'm sweaty and pink as a strawberry and I'm thinking - well then just do it at your speed the whole time, why bother with slow, fat me. UGH. After I got control of my lungs again, I explained to him how it made me feel and he apologized. I fear it's going to be that way the whole time. I'm basically killing myself for something that is his medium-minimum effort. Oh, and my mini-imaginary Jilian was back again...

Stats:
5 min warmup 4.0 MPH
Run at 6.0 MPH, 2 incline
Walk at 3.5 MPH, 2 incline
Cool for 5 minutes
Total distance 2.04 miles

Workout 1 - 11/12

The workout sounded simple enough - "Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Alternate 60 seconds jogging and 90 seconds walking for 20 minutes." Then I did it. I realized just how out of shape I've gotten in the past few months. I think I watch too much Biggest Loser because the only way I actually got through it was to imagine Jillian standing by my treadmill yelling at me not to give up and reminding me that I'm stronger than I am. I finished 2 miles in 30 minutes including warm up and cool down. 2 down, 24.2 to go.

Stats:
5 min warm up at 4.0 MPH
Run at 6.0 MPH at 2 incline
Walk varied 4.0 to 3.0 at 2 incline
Cool down 5 min
Total distance 2.00 miles

Am I Crazy?

It's one of those things I thought I should do before I die - run a marathon. Easy? Oh sure, just pull my out-of-shape self up off the couch and go right? No. After always being the chubby kid growing up and continuing the trend into my early 20s, I decided to lose weight and get in shape. Over a year and a half I lost the weight, then I had surgery and put 10 pounds right back on.

The Biggest Loser must be the most inspiring and completely depressing show at the same time. It's great to watch all those people lose the weight, while you sit in front of the TV eating your carefully portioned dinner and weight watchers ice cream snack and realize that you haven't lost weight in months. Its a dichotamy I have a hard time reconciling to myself. I have a Y membership...I'm in a "healthy" weight for my height (the upper part of that scale)...I eat healthy...and yet, I can't get off my butt to the gym to get in shape and to feel good about myself. Thus, begins my journey for this blog.

I discovered about a week ago, that I have to have a goal to get me to go to the gym. Whether it be a specific competition, a team sport, or whatever, the thought of "I should go for me" has just never worked. This past Saturday was the Richmond SunTrust Marathon (figured I should get the sponsor plug in there). The night after the race I was at a party with Mr. E and we were talking to a woman who had run the race that day. As I stood there talking to her, I realized that although she hurt and hated almost every moment of the race, she had accomplished something that she sought to accomplish and that was something no one could take away from her. I looked at Mr. E and said "We should do it next year." It wasn't out of the blue that I decided the way to cure my soul was to run 26.2 miles, it's been something I've wanted to do in my life at some point. It just seems like it is the right time. So here I am, just a year shy of actually doing it.

Here's the problem - I hate running. It probably stems from always being in the back of the bunch during the 1 mile run tests in school, or perhaps because I'm almost as fast in the water (swimming I love) as I am running between point A and point B. Mr. E is the opposite - he LOVES to run, was a cross country runner and has this annoying ability to not workout for months while I do and still kick my ass at a moment's notice.

This week Mr. E and I started the "couch-to-5K" 9 week program (www.coolrunning.com). It's supposed to get you from not working out at all to being able to complete a 5K in about 9 weeks. Not a bad way to make a slow start. In January a local group has a 10K training program for a race in late March/early April and not long after that the marathon training program starts. We figure we'll work our way up - baby steps right?

As I was on the treadmill on Monday doing my first workout, I realized that this whole process is going to be more than just a physical challenge for me. It's going to be a mental challenge - I'm going to have to find a way to convince myself I can do the things that my workouts are going to require of me. That was never a problem on swim team or softball teams growing up, there was always a coach to keep you on track and challenge you. But when it's me, my iPod and the treadmill, the urge to make things easy is stronger than ever.

So the purpose of this blog is to have a place to express my thoughts and a place to have a record of what I've done and how it's gone, my challenges and to track my process. I'd be surprised if anyone other than myself reads it, but that's ok. This is going to be part of my process.