I don't know what that means. For all I know it's obscene. I hope not. :P I just like the idea of a kitty cat in between two other objects, durnit!
Well, not a lot going on... I did my run on Tuesday, but though it totaled about 4.5 miles it was very broken up (generally about a mile at a time with a little rest in between. The 0.5 was done in four sets of sprints). Yesterday I was going to just do a three-mile run and then do some Minna Lessig workout but I ended up changing my plan and doing five miles on the treadmill non-stop. This was easier for some reason than it had been - I was on a different treadmill, to start with - so I think there's some thing going on with the elevation on the treadmill I use at work. Again. Sigh. Well, no biggie, if I'm working harder than I think I am that's cool!
And finally, today I was back at the usual treadmill and although I did 4 miles (and the first two straight through) I still had to stop at the start of the third, and again about about 3.2 total before finishing. So there's got to be SOMEthing going on with that sucker.
Tomorrow is a "rest" day, meaning I'll just do a DVD, and then Saturday I'm aiming for another five-miler. I'd like to get these things a little more commonplace. By next Saturday I'm hoping to do a 5.5 mile run. The problem of course is that I do them on the treadmill so I'm kind of "on the clock". :P I'm just not really sure where else to go - I know there are places to go in the area, but it's the extra time of getting there and getting back and etc that puts me off. The treadmill is RIGHT there, about a two-minute walk from my apartment. Yes, I could certainly jog the perimeter of the apt complex, but for five miles that would be like six times around and I get effing BORED. ;D Oh well! I'll figure it out!
The Thanksgiving race that looks the best in this area is actually a 10K. I am all up for that - I have two months to prepare after all, and it's only a little over a mile more than what I've already done - but are the people who wanted to join me for it still up for it if it's 10k instead of 5k? (I know Mom is out, because it's on the morning of Thanksgiving, but it's early enough that the rest of us could still get back and get things done.)
Showing posts with label elevation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elevation. Show all posts
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Only once this week?
Okay, well, I've been quiet because I'm kind of trying to get myself into the headset that it's best for me to back off of running too much right now. Although I don't think I'm over-exercising as an individual in the least, I do think it might interfere with fertility somewhat so I'm trying to just pull back a bit. You know - running a comfortable amount each week rather than training and trying to do just a bit more every time.
So while I definitely still ran this week, I did so less, and I just never got around to writing about it. Starting with Saturday: I really, really, really was tired on Sat. I could not make it to work out, so I just accepted that I was not going to. Instead I ran 5 miles on Sunday! Yay! That was kind of a "last hurrah" in a way... I might do that again in one run but I'm not going to go over it for a while.
Monday was very busy since several coworkers were out, plus I had to make a sudden appointment, so I didn't have time to work out. Boo! But I have been fine since then; I did about 4 miles on Tuesday (including some sprints), 3 miles straight on Wednesday, and yesterday I went outside and got in 4 miles. AND! I came closer to conquering that damn last half-mile! I actually made it close to 2.9 miles before stopping. I spent the last part of it counting, which kinda worked.
Tomorrow I am running a 5K and since I never run the day before a race I just walked a lot today. I went on the treadmill and put up the elevation, and carried a couple of weights for part of it. I feel pretty good about it because it was *hard work*.
Diet habits are... complicated lately. I've been trying for about 2 months or so now to lose around 5 lbs, and although I guess I've lost between 1 and 3, most of it has come back bit by bit. I'm right around where I was when I started, I guess maybe a pound less. I've decided this is because I am SICK OF BEING ON A DIET. :P So I admit it: I'm not actually sticking to dieting. I'll do okay for half the day and then blow it at night, or do okay for half a week and then go to a wedding or something on the weekend. Remember what I was saying about binge eating? :P So I think I need to just let it go and start trying to eat regularly for a while, 1800-2,300 calories a day, nice and normal. That gives me a nice window, since I'm pretty active. Anyway most days I don't actually go *over* 2,000 or so calories, it's just I'm trying to do, say, 1300-1400. So forget it! I need to learn to just eat normally!
Also I certainly don't need to be dieting if I'm trying to get pregnant (even though hey, it didn't hurt last time). Now I'm just going to be tremendously paranoid that it'll result in me putting on weight over the next few weeks instead. Ugh. Too much to stress over! :)
So while I definitely still ran this week, I did so less, and I just never got around to writing about it. Starting with Saturday: I really, really, really was tired on Sat. I could not make it to work out, so I just accepted that I was not going to. Instead I ran 5 miles on Sunday! Yay! That was kind of a "last hurrah" in a way... I might do that again in one run but I'm not going to go over it for a while.
Monday was very busy since several coworkers were out, plus I had to make a sudden appointment, so I didn't have time to work out. Boo! But I have been fine since then; I did about 4 miles on Tuesday (including some sprints), 3 miles straight on Wednesday, and yesterday I went outside and got in 4 miles. AND! I came closer to conquering that damn last half-mile! I actually made it close to 2.9 miles before stopping. I spent the last part of it counting, which kinda worked.
Tomorrow I am running a 5K and since I never run the day before a race I just walked a lot today. I went on the treadmill and put up the elevation, and carried a couple of weights for part of it. I feel pretty good about it because it was *hard work*.
Diet habits are... complicated lately. I've been trying for about 2 months or so now to lose around 5 lbs, and although I guess I've lost between 1 and 3, most of it has come back bit by bit. I'm right around where I was when I started, I guess maybe a pound less. I've decided this is because I am SICK OF BEING ON A DIET. :P So I admit it: I'm not actually sticking to dieting. I'll do okay for half the day and then blow it at night, or do okay for half a week and then go to a wedding or something on the weekend. Remember what I was saying about binge eating? :P So I think I need to just let it go and start trying to eat regularly for a while, 1800-2,300 calories a day, nice and normal. That gives me a nice window, since I'm pretty active. Anyway most days I don't actually go *over* 2,000 or so calories, it's just I'm trying to do, say, 1300-1400. So forget it! I need to learn to just eat normally!
Also I certainly don't need to be dieting if I'm trying to get pregnant (even though hey, it didn't hurt last time). Now I'm just going to be tremendously paranoid that it'll result in me putting on weight over the next few weeks instead. Ugh. Too much to stress over! :)
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Dude, there is no way I can do infinity push-ups!
I didn't do the push-ups today; I'm going to do Week 2, Day 1 tomorrow. Then I'll do Day 2 next Monday, and finish Wednesday or Thursday, and do the second exhaustion test a couple of days afterwards, with some more recovery time to start Week 3 by the subsequent Monday. Is that a plan? it sounds like a plan! :D
I found out that I'll probably be able to get a run in on Saturday morning, too; the bride-to-be thinks it'll be a great way to relax and wants to go with me! Fantastic! (She actually ran a half-marathon the summer before we met, as freshmen in college; she wants to get back into running now so of course I'm all "YEAH you do!")
Aaaand, as for today, I had to put off my workout until later in the afternoon b/c I needed to run an errand for my grandmother, who is staying in rehab/nursing care right around the corner from my office (I could walk, literally; I pass by it on my way to/from work) and this turned into lunch, as well. Which I kind of knew it would. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find anything that was within the calorie range I wanted at a place that would satisfy her, but when I went to Safeway I found some nice LARGE pre-made salads with a really good nutritional count that showed both with and without dressing. You do have to read carefully - the container was approximately three servings - but I ate 2/3 at lunch with only a little dressing and then finished it off as a snack post-workout. Yum. :) (I also had an Entemann's multi-grain chocolate chip snack bar; I am NOT that good, *G*)
Anyway, I did a run with elevation today: a mile on 2%, then 1/2 on 1%, then 1/2 with no elevation. After this I did about 20 minutes of the Winsor Pilates "advanced" DVD and found it much easier and more enjoyable this time, though I suspect I'll like it more when I am not extremely slippery from sweat. :P It's not to say I'm holding perfect form but I am able to do most of the exercises without modificatin, which is something! So my plan now for Monday is to just do the whole workout (with a very quick little warm-up beforehand), which is about 50 minutes long, and see how I feel.
And that's about it! Tomorrow is sprints day. Boy oh boy. :P
I found out that I'll probably be able to get a run in on Saturday morning, too; the bride-to-be thinks it'll be a great way to relax and wants to go with me! Fantastic! (She actually ran a half-marathon the summer before we met, as freshmen in college; she wants to get back into running now so of course I'm all "YEAH you do!")
Aaaand, as for today, I had to put off my workout until later in the afternoon b/c I needed to run an errand for my grandmother, who is staying in rehab/nursing care right around the corner from my office (I could walk, literally; I pass by it on my way to/from work) and this turned into lunch, as well. Which I kind of knew it would. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find anything that was within the calorie range I wanted at a place that would satisfy her, but when I went to Safeway I found some nice LARGE pre-made salads with a really good nutritional count that showed both with and without dressing. You do have to read carefully - the container was approximately three servings - but I ate 2/3 at lunch with only a little dressing and then finished it off as a snack post-workout. Yum. :) (I also had an Entemann's multi-grain chocolate chip snack bar; I am NOT that good, *G*)
Anyway, I did a run with elevation today: a mile on 2%, then 1/2 on 1%, then 1/2 with no elevation. After this I did about 20 minutes of the Winsor Pilates "advanced" DVD and found it much easier and more enjoyable this time, though I suspect I'll like it more when I am not extremely slippery from sweat. :P It's not to say I'm holding perfect form but I am able to do most of the exercises without modificatin, which is something! So my plan now for Monday is to just do the whole workout (with a very quick little warm-up beforehand), which is about 50 minutes long, and see how I feel.
And that's about it! Tomorrow is sprints day. Boy oh boy. :P
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tomorrow's gonna hurt
that might be a clever reference to Smashmouth, or it might just be a very true statement for my future.
Another title for this post could easily be "Ow! Pilates!"
I got the Crunch Fat Burning Pilates DVD today (well technically, last night) from Netflix and used it today. HOLY JABLONSKI!! I will say that I am able to keep up with the pace of the cardio part quite well, and that I actually did finish the workout - both the cardio blend, and the mat portion. I was really surprised each time one workout ended: I honestly thought I was only about halfway through. So, go me!
On the other hand, I have NONE of the "control" that the instructor talks about for Pilates. I just toss my limbs out all over the place. And the entire first ten minutes at least (probably more) focuses on squats! NOOO! That's just MEAN.
I also find it funny that they do exercise modifications for those of us who suck (er, I mean, who are just starting out) - which is great, don't get me wrong - but those modifications are led by a woman who, I kid you not, I thought was a very buff man with long hair at the start of the video. She's that ripped. YEAH, lady, YOU really need modified poses. Oh well, thanks for letting me slack off. ;D
The mat stuff is the most interesting to me. I did most of the exercises with modifications but I think in another week or so I will be ready to try them without modding (key word: TRY). I like the "Hundred" one - I've tried that before and I suck but seeing it demonstrated made me understand it a bit easier. Also, boys I was drippin' sweat at this point and my legs were all slippery. Not an easy workout!
So my initial response: if you are looking for a home workout and you really want to start Pilates, start with something easier! If you've got some background with Pilates, or you just REALLY want to push yourself, this is pretty good - the pace is good, and like I said it went more quickly than I thought it would, but it is definitely going to take me a while to learn to isolate my muscles etc etc. I got no rhythm, either.
Also! Today was day 2 of the Hundred Push-ups challenge! I forgot to check the chart to see what I was supposed to do, so I just did this: 12, 12, 10, 10, 8. I think that's right, and if not, it's really close. Total is 52! Ay caramba!
Listen folks I'm guaranteed to have my ass in a sling tomorrow I'll be so sore. And I claimed I was going to run sprints! We'll see, friends and family (mostly if not entirely the latter). We'll see.
Oh for the record though, I did start the workout with a mile at 2% elevation. Hooray! It showed me one thing: I will NOT be able to run the same at 6.5 mph on Friday. Instead I'm going to try to do that speed at 1% and if that's too hard I'll drop it down to 0 after a half mile. I'm sticking to the speedy though. It is in the cards! (I miss Magic 8 Balls.)
Quickie edit: I checked and I was wrong on the very last set of the push-ups, it was meant to be 10 again. So I should've done 54. Fie on that, though, I'm pleased with 52 (and 8 really was my max). Friday I'm supposed to do 15, 13, 10, 10, 15... I don't know about that. :P (63 total! Last week the highest I got was like 45 and at the end of this week I'm supposed to be up to 63! That's just special.
Another title for this post could easily be "Ow! Pilates!"
I got the Crunch Fat Burning Pilates DVD today (well technically, last night) from Netflix and used it today. HOLY JABLONSKI!! I will say that I am able to keep up with the pace of the cardio part quite well, and that I actually did finish the workout - both the cardio blend, and the mat portion. I was really surprised each time one workout ended: I honestly thought I was only about halfway through. So, go me!
On the other hand, I have NONE of the "control" that the instructor talks about for Pilates. I just toss my limbs out all over the place. And the entire first ten minutes at least (probably more) focuses on squats! NOOO! That's just MEAN.
I also find it funny that they do exercise modifications for those of us who suck (er, I mean, who are just starting out) - which is great, don't get me wrong - but those modifications are led by a woman who, I kid you not, I thought was a very buff man with long hair at the start of the video. She's that ripped. YEAH, lady, YOU really need modified poses. Oh well, thanks for letting me slack off. ;D
The mat stuff is the most interesting to me. I did most of the exercises with modifications but I think in another week or so I will be ready to try them without modding (key word: TRY). I like the "Hundred" one - I've tried that before and I suck but seeing it demonstrated made me understand it a bit easier. Also, boys I was drippin' sweat at this point and my legs were all slippery. Not an easy workout!
So my initial response: if you are looking for a home workout and you really want to start Pilates, start with something easier! If you've got some background with Pilates, or you just REALLY want to push yourself, this is pretty good - the pace is good, and like I said it went more quickly than I thought it would, but it is definitely going to take me a while to learn to isolate my muscles etc etc. I got no rhythm, either.
Also! Today was day 2 of the Hundred Push-ups challenge! I forgot to check the chart to see what I was supposed to do, so I just did this: 12, 12, 10, 10, 8. I think that's right, and if not, it's really close. Total is 52! Ay caramba!
Listen folks I'm guaranteed to have my ass in a sling tomorrow I'll be so sore. And I claimed I was going to run sprints! We'll see, friends and family (mostly if not entirely the latter). We'll see.
Oh for the record though, I did start the workout with a mile at 2% elevation. Hooray! It showed me one thing: I will NOT be able to run the same at 6.5 mph on Friday. Instead I'm going to try to do that speed at 1% and if that's too hard I'll drop it down to 0 after a half mile. I'm sticking to the speedy though. It is in the cards! (I miss Magic 8 Balls.)
Quickie edit: I checked and I was wrong on the very last set of the push-ups, it was meant to be 10 again. So I should've done 54. Fie on that, though, I'm pleased with 52 (and 8 really was my max). Friday I'm supposed to do 15, 13, 10, 10, 15... I don't know about that. :P (63 total! Last week the highest I got was like 45 and at the end of this week I'm supposed to be up to 63! That's just special.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Boring?
Well, I know I haven't updated here since Thursday; it's mostly because i don't have all that much to say that is news and I think I'm getting a little repetitive and boring. :P
But I'll sum up from my weekend!
Friday I didn't do anything interesting, just another 1-mile run and then elliptical. I *did* try to start the workout, like an idiot, with some yoga while I was not warmed up - I only did it because Wai Lana was on public access when I first got there! I was fine when she was doing neck stretches and forward bends. All was well then. But then she gets down and goes into Plow pose and I'm like "My feet are supposed to go WHERE?!" To my credit, I tried it. I got them over my head and even onto the ground. And then I listened to my body, and my body told me "NO WAY, you FOOL!" and my feet came right back up. ;D I was able to more or less do the Shoulder Stand in between returns to Plow... but my back did not like. I'm probably lucky I didn't tear something. ^_^;;
Anyway, I did also do pushups, no crunches though. I forget the break down but nobody really cares anyway; my total was, I believe, either 43 or 44.
Saturday I did a long run in the afternoon, since earlier in the day Dorothy had a friend over (hee!) and when she went down for a nap so did I. It was 4 pm before I got out to the gym. I did another 4-mile run, this time going up to 3.6 miles before walking for three minutes and finishing out another .4 miles at 7 mph. When I returned I was DRENCHED I can tell that; I was literally wringing out my shirt in the bathtub.
Sunday I decided to try some cross-training on all the cardio equipment in the gym. I did another 1-mile run on the treadmill - I forget but I think I worked some sprints in, I *think* it was .8 miles at 6.0 and then the final .2 at 8mph. Then I did ten minutes on the step machine, and I take back what I've said about ellipticals; TRUE evil wears the face of the step machine. :P Going ten minutes on that is a triumph! Then ten minutes on the elliptical and ten on the exercise bike. Since I knew I wouldn't be getting in a workout on Monday (staying home to watch the kid don'tcha know), I tacked on another ten minutes on the treadmill with the elevation up high, though I just walked.
And like I said, no workout yesterday, though the day was full of walking and I have the sunburn to prove it. ...Yes, I know that sunburn proves nothing. Shut up. I also would have done reasonably well in terms of eating habits if I hadn't pigged out on tortilla chips at lunch. Boy! I did do okay mostly on the weekend though. Not "diet" okay but I didn't overdo anything at all. :)
So that's my weekend roundup! In a few minutes maybe I can come back and post about today.
But I'll sum up from my weekend!
Friday I didn't do anything interesting, just another 1-mile run and then elliptical. I *did* try to start the workout, like an idiot, with some yoga while I was not warmed up - I only did it because Wai Lana was on public access when I first got there! I was fine when she was doing neck stretches and forward bends. All was well then. But then she gets down and goes into Plow pose and I'm like "My feet are supposed to go WHERE?!" To my credit, I tried it. I got them over my head and even onto the ground. And then I listened to my body, and my body told me "NO WAY, you FOOL!" and my feet came right back up. ;D I was able to more or less do the Shoulder Stand in between returns to Plow... but my back did not like. I'm probably lucky I didn't tear something. ^_^;;
Anyway, I did also do pushups, no crunches though. I forget the break down but nobody really cares anyway; my total was, I believe, either 43 or 44.
Saturday I did a long run in the afternoon, since earlier in the day Dorothy had a friend over (hee!) and when she went down for a nap so did I. It was 4 pm before I got out to the gym. I did another 4-mile run, this time going up to 3.6 miles before walking for three minutes and finishing out another .4 miles at 7 mph. When I returned I was DRENCHED I can tell that; I was literally wringing out my shirt in the bathtub.
Sunday I decided to try some cross-training on all the cardio equipment in the gym. I did another 1-mile run on the treadmill - I forget but I think I worked some sprints in, I *think* it was .8 miles at 6.0 and then the final .2 at 8mph. Then I did ten minutes on the step machine, and I take back what I've said about ellipticals; TRUE evil wears the face of the step machine. :P Going ten minutes on that is a triumph! Then ten minutes on the elliptical and ten on the exercise bike. Since I knew I wouldn't be getting in a workout on Monday (staying home to watch the kid don'tcha know), I tacked on another ten minutes on the treadmill with the elevation up high, though I just walked.
And like I said, no workout yesterday, though the day was full of walking and I have the sunburn to prove it. ...Yes, I know that sunburn proves nothing. Shut up. I also would have done reasonably well in terms of eating habits if I hadn't pigged out on tortilla chips at lunch. Boy! I did do okay mostly on the weekend though. Not "diet" okay but I didn't overdo anything at all. :)
So that's my weekend roundup! In a few minutes maybe I can come back and post about today.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
"Gotta keep those balls in the air... how hard can it be?"
Ahhhh a montage. If my life rated a montage I'd be in MUCH better shape, just automatically. I mean, they only show montages of people who get really fit, right?
Oh well. I had a kind of aimless day today in workout-ville.
I did run another mile; this time I felt I should mix it up a little so I ran elevations on the treadmill.
0-2 minutes: 6.0mph, 2% elevation
2-4: 6.0mph, 4%
4-6: 6.0, 2%
6-8: 5.6, 6%
8-10: 6.0, 2%
I figure that's probably good for me. Or something. I hope it wasn't too short to do any good.
Then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, which I must reiterate I HATE, but which is very efficient for calorie-burnin'. I did something somewhere like 500 calories, although I know you can never really trust the readout on a gym machine. Still though. It was on "hills" also, I figured I should stick with a theme.
Afterwards I did some more stretches, and then crunches, this time being good and working hard! 25x2 regular crunches and 25x2 bike abs, so that's either 75 or 100 total depending on how you look at it. :) I skipped the pushups. I'm too sore.
Nothing else really to talk about. Boss is out on a meeting today and tomorrow so I'm busybusy, though admittedly some of that is becuase I am taking it upon myself to be Proactive! and Get things done! like that.
From the "don't say I never did anything for you" department, to those who sit all day (like hmmm, I don't know, me) here's a little mini ab workout that FitSugar posted a while ago. I haven't done it in about a month. But it's mini and you can do it at your desk without anyone really knowing. At Your Desk Abs Workout
Oh well. I had a kind of aimless day today in workout-ville.
I did run another mile; this time I felt I should mix it up a little so I ran elevations on the treadmill.
0-2 minutes: 6.0mph, 2% elevation
2-4: 6.0mph, 4%
4-6: 6.0, 2%
6-8: 5.6, 6%
8-10: 6.0, 2%
I figure that's probably good for me. Or something. I hope it wasn't too short to do any good.
Then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, which I must reiterate I HATE, but which is very efficient for calorie-burnin'. I did something somewhere like 500 calories, although I know you can never really trust the readout on a gym machine. Still though. It was on "hills" also, I figured I should stick with a theme.
Afterwards I did some more stretches, and then crunches, this time being good and working hard! 25x2 regular crunches and 25x2 bike abs, so that's either 75 or 100 total depending on how you look at it. :) I skipped the pushups. I'm too sore.
Nothing else really to talk about. Boss is out on a meeting today and tomorrow so I'm busybusy, though admittedly some of that is becuase I am taking it upon myself to be Proactive! and Get things done! like that.
From the "don't say I never did anything for you" department, to those who sit all day (like hmmm, I don't know, me) here's a little mini ab workout that FitSugar posted a while ago. I haven't done it in about a month. But it's mini and you can do it at your desk without anyone really knowing. At Your Desk Abs Workout
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