Focused on Fitness: Daily Check-In Group

Happyoceangirl

Great job Larry! Mind if I ask what your pace seems to be - or how much distance you're covering? Or are you paying attention to that at this point?

I had fun fitting my workouts in today. Did Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones which is 40 something minutes of strength training. It's really toning my glutes / hamstrings - and pumping up those muscles is helping a lot with my runs...

Today I did my usual route in reverse - it's just 3.1 miles of running, and a lot was uphill. Felt awesome! I have lots o calories left at this point (and it's 8:15 pm). Makes me think... Ice cream! :bigsmile:

ldarter

Great job Larry! Mind if I ask what your pace seems to be - or how much distance you're covering? Or are you paying attention to that at this point?

Smiles,

Actually while doing this run/walk program I have not been tracking distance or pace because since I am not running the entire time I think of those metrics to be somewhat irrelevant while I am just focusing on duration and calorie burn. During workdays due to time constraints, I do my workouts on a treadmill at my employer's fitness gym and on those days I consciously do the running repeats at a 10:00 minute pace and generally when I bothered to check was covering just under 3 miles. I know from past experience that my pace running outdoors is usually about a minute slower than that I run comfortably on a treadmill and your question piqued my curiosity. Yesterday I happened to run on a familiar course and referenced one of my old running logs to confirm the distance of yesterday's run/walk was 2.6 miles out and back. I actually ran the back portion slightly faster than the out and so arrived back at home in 29 minutes and had to finish the last minute running in my apartment complex. So 2.6 miles in 29 minutes comes out to be a pace of just over 11:00 minutes per mile.

In my past days as a runner I did keep meticulous running logs and did track duration, mileage and pace. Mostly I did so because it helped me to understand if my speedwork workouts were yielding improvement, it helped me identify a sustainable pace for the races I entered and kept me aware of the mileage on my shoes so I knew when to start thinking about replacing them. Once this run/walk phase is behind me and I am running full time again, I will then start logging all of those metrics again. But as mentioned, pace and distance aren't something I feel are terribly relevant for me right now.

As a runner I developed the habit of always having at least two pairs of running shoes and often three pairs so I could rotate them daily. Running on hard surfaces compresses the soles and liners and so it is always a good idea to allow shoes a day of rest before running in them again to get the best effects from cushioning. Also, it allows them to dry properly when a run must be done in the rain. The cushioning aspect is even more important to me right now because of my extra weight. So yesterday I opted to wear my Nike shoes instead of my Asics. Apparently the Nike pair do not have as much cushioning so by late evening my left ankle was so sore that I walked with a limp. Not good! It isn't a sprain but just tenderness from the pounding. Thankfully it feels marginally better today and today is a walk only day but I am a bit concerned about whether the ankle is going to hold up to the back to back run/walk days on mys schedule for Sunday and Monday. I don't want to push myself into a real injury but I am so not down with falling behind in my program.

ldarter

This past week I have been thinking about what I wanted to do next after completing my RW 8-week program and am finally able to run for at least 30 minutes non-stop again and figured that I should start working up a 5K training plan pretty soon. As an incentive I was also thinking about doing an actual 5K race at the end of the program. So today I checked out the race schedule on the site of one of my local running stores and wouldn't you know it, I found a great 5K but it is scheduled for May 8! Well after crunching the numbers I discovered that I have 27 training days left in my run/walk program and it is 22 days until the 5K. So I decided to accelerate my program to cut 5 days out of it and I entered the 5K this morning. :bigsmile: I hope I'll be ready! Wish me luck!

ldarter

My Daily Check-in:

Despite the stiffness and soreness in my left ankle, with the Texas Health Presbyterian Foundation's 19th annual HeartBeat 5K race now looming on my horizon, I decided to start chipping away at those 5 extra days I need to cut from my run/walk program and so today I decided to skip the walk only day on my schedule in favor of the next run/walk workout. So I completed D5W4 alternating 10 minutes running with 1 minute of walking x2, finishing up the workout with 8 more minutes of running. I also did a three minute walking warm-up before and a 3 minute walking cool down after. Total calorie burn was 534.

Actually my ankle felt fine and I was able to run normally and while I could really feel the stiffness and soreness yesterday quite soon after finishing my workout, today it feels as good as before I worked out. So hopefully its just a minor issue that will soon pass. The schedule change leaves me with one more workout tomorrow, another run/walk, to complete Week 4 and Monday I'll be ready to start Week 5. Did I mention I can be a bit obsessive when it comes to running? :laugh:

Happyoceangirl

Hi there!!! You certainly have a passion for it - and that's incredible. I found myself feeling very excited and nearing obsessing with running too - and this is really my first time running as an adult. Congratulations on entering your race and working toward that goal. I look forward to hearing progress reports and updates -AND maybe seeing race day photos?

i don't quite have the nerve to do an actual race yet... though I can do the distance for 5k. The mental aspect of running with all those people is something I'd need to move through. Any tips?

And, so exciting to see you progressing with each day - so thank you for so openly sharing your updates. Interesting about your times. Seems like you're doing really well! Like I mentioned before, I've never really run before I started the Cto5K program - and so, have never run on a treadmill. I'm wondering how that would be... would I be able to run a bit faster? Or would it seem like forever, without pretty scenery to take in? I might need to find a friend with a treadmill just to check it out!

Today I wanted to run, but realized our 3 dogs have been quite neglected. (And, I ran yesterday, so a day off is fine). I took each dog for an individual walk - a total of just over 3 miles. They loved the attention and I loved spending time with them, so it was a win-win. Today is also a break on the 30 day slimdown program - but tomorrow looks like a challenge!

Hope all is well - keep up all the great work!

ldarter

Hey Smiles,

i don't quite have the nerve to do an actual race yet... though I can do the distance for 5k. The mental aspect of running with all those people is something I'd need to move through. Any tips?

Actually you would be surprised I think to find that running in a race is not intimidating at all. For one thing you get caught up in the excitement of the thing and I think you actually draw off the energy of the other runners around you. I have always finsihed pretty well within my age group but never been in a race where I had a real chance to finish first and so my philosophy has always been just to finish and have found plenty of satisfaction in that alone. At the start of a race you have to work your way around people who run at a slower pace so you can get into your own rythym but once you accomplish that, at least in my opinion, you kind of forget about everyone else and you just concentrate on your own running so actually I don't find running in a race to be a great deal different than just running on my own. I really encourage you try it. Running races occassionally I think really helps in staying focused and motivated.

I've never really run before I started the Cto5K program - and so, have never run on a treadmill. I'm wondering how that would be... would I be able to run a bit faster? Or would it seem like forever, without pretty scenery to take in? I might need to find a friend with a treadmill just to check it out!

Yes, I can tell you from lots of experience, running on a treadmill is not all that enjoyable but sometimes a necessary evil. For me, running on a treadmill at work during my lunch hour is the only way I can realistically get my run in during work days because I go to work early and get home late. But I have always referred to treadmills as "dreadmills" because it certainly doesn't compare with running outside. People do typically run at a faster pace on treadmills for a couple of reasons. First, you are indoors so there is no wind resistance and running takes a little less effort. Second, you dial in a speed and then you have no choice but to stay up with the belt. The one thing I do like about treadmills is that they are great for speed work when you don't have a convenient marked track to run intervals on.

Daily check-in:

Yesterday was not a great fitness day for me. I stayed up too late Saturday and slept in Sunday. Besides my full-time job I am also a part-time freelance writer and had a number of projects coming due this week and with a late start, by the time I managed to complete those that had to be finished yesterday it was after 7:00 p.m. So after dinner I only managed to get in a 30 minute walk instead of the run/walk I had planned. Better than nothing, but I was kicking myself for letting stuff crowd me out of my running schedule.

But today I did get the final workout accomplished for week four of my program. I alternated 11 minutes running with 1 minute of walking x2, finishing up the workout with 6 final minutes of running. I also did a three minute walking warm-up before and a 3 minute walking cool down after. Total calorie burn was 531. Interestingly the workout was the same number of minutes as my last run/walk and I ran and walked the same number of total minutes yet burned a 4 less calories. The reason for that was my max and average heart rates were lower today than last time. I know I ran at the same intensity because I ran the same course today so that indicates my cardiovascular endurance is improving. Also, I'm sure I lost a tiny bit of weight over the 48 hour period which likely helped too with lower heart rates. Finally, my ankle issue has resolved itself and it feels perfectly normal now and I'm pleased about that.

Hope you all had a good Monday!

nadine2unfit2bqueen

Hey All,

Well I haven't been good at checking in, it's been a very busy few days - rush rush everywhere! But I have kept up with my workouts and I'm happy to see some results starting to show.

On Sunday - my supposed rest day - I did intervals of walking 2 minutes and jogging 3 minutes for a total of 1hr:50min! I did a bit of stretching after and took the rest of the day off, lol.

Yesterday I went for a 45min walk and climbing at the gym. I finally did a bouldering problem I'd been trying to get for 3 weeks, so that felt really good. After I did a mix of yoga and pilates for an hour.

I am going to repeat last weeks running training because I found it too hard and next weeks training is much harder still. Todays plan is to run 14: walk 2: run 14. If I have time before work I will try and fit in an arms workout after. I better get going!

ldarter

Great job Nadine on your workouts and congratulations on nailing the bouldering move!

Happyoceangirl

Hey guys - sounds like you've been staying busy! Karin, where are you?

I didn't do anything yesterday - and now I'm trying to get pumped up to do my thang. Today is supposed to be Shred level 2 and if I feel inspired after that ,maybe a kickboxing DVD. Tomorrow morning I plan to go for a run. Fingers crossed for sunshine.

Great job with staying in motion - let's keep it up!

ldarter

Daily check-in:

LOL Smiles...sounds like we were both in the same mood today. I was feeling generally u-n-m-o-t-i-v-a-t-e-d!!! I've been off for a few days and have slipped into the bad habit of staying up late and sleeping in which is wrecking my days. It really screws my eating routine too. The last two days I have eaten breakfast late, skipped lunch and then ate a late dinner as my biggest meal of the day. I really need to pull out of this and get back with the program. I am a night owl type anyway and up until 18 months ago I had worked the midnight shift for 17 years because I just liked staying up all night and sleeping during the day. I changed to day shift because my employer instituted 12 hour shifts and that began making me feel worn out all the time. Anyway, just a little history behind why I easily slip into the night owl mode if I don't watch it.

So...it was after 7:00 p.m. and I still hadn't done my workout nor did I want to do my workout. But somehow (probably due to many years of self-discipline beaten into me during my military years - haha) I forced myself to get dressed, lace up my running shoes and forced myself out the door for my run. Actually I was glad I managed it in the end because it was my best run ever since starting the RW program. Everything clicked today; breathing, leg speed, stride, the whole nine yards. I felt so good I skipped all the way to D5W5 and ended up doing 14 minutes of running/1 minute of walking x2 for my 30 minute workout and it actually felt almost easy. Wow! I'm nearly halfway to my goal of being able to run 30 minutes non-stop again! Tomorrow I will be halfway since the schedule adds another minute of running to the two running repeats. I was a later bloomer today but in the end everything turned out great and I think I have reached a significant turning point in my running!

Hope everyone had a great day! Karin!!!! Oh Karin!!!!! Where the heck are you? You're AWOL!

Happyoceangirl

So proud of you!!!! :flowerforyou: Great job - lacing up the shoes -folliing Nike's advice - Just Do It! Sounds like it was good - and tomorrow you're at half way! Fantastic!

I did my shred today and then took one of the boys (dogs) for a walk. Fell short of my aspirations to kickbox and / or walk the other 2, but it's better than nothing and I know that.

Tomorrow I've got NMTZ on the schedule. I REALLY want to keep the running regular (every other day or so) and I'm finding it challenging to do that AND the workouts on a different 30 day program at the same time. I just need to remember - with planning, it can be done.

Have fun tomorrow!

Happyoceangirl

Got my run / walk in today - what a GORGEOUS GORGEOUS day for being outside! The sun was shining, the mountain in full view, flowers everywhere and blue blue skies. My warm up walk was 7 minutes, then ran 33 mins non stop, and another 25 minutes of walking after that. Pretty sure my total distance was between 4-5 miles. I'll have to check later.

Hope y'all are movin today!

Happyoceangirl

Just another add in - got in a 40 minute strength training DVD. Feeling great! :happy:

ldarter

Wow Smiles! What a productive day for you! Great going! Glad you had such a nice day for getting outside. Pretty nice here too with lots of sunshine.

Daily check-in:

Well today was quite different than yesterday's experience which didn't surprise me much since in all the years I was a dedicated runner I can't remember too many times when I had two perfect running days in a row. Today felt as hard as yesterday felt easy. Legs were tired and breathing labored almost from the start. I ran earlier so it was considerably warmer today plus my poor sleeping and eating habits of the past few days likely caught up with me. Steve Prefontaine once said, "I run to see who has the most guts." Sometimes I guess all of us who run get the chance to understand better what Pre was talking about and find out whether we have guts when we face a difficult day but grit our teeth and manage to get the run done anyway. So it wasn't pretty but I accomplished my mission today; 15 minutes running, 1 minute walking interval and a second 15 minute running repeat. No motivational issues today but I readily admit I was happy when the workout was done and in the books.

Today was a milestone for me as I am now halfway to my goal of running 30 minutes non-stop having run 15 minutes straight. I blew through week 5 of my program in only two days due to yesterday's acceleration and will start D1W6 tomorrow. I only have to cut two more days from the program schedule to wrap it up before my May 8 5K. I did a few minutes extra walking today after the run/walk and total calorie burn was 524.

kalmf

Oops. I'm the dilettante of the group.

I went to Utah on Thursday to pick up my errant younger son and life has bit a little nutty since. But I'm here, damn it! Except with a rather large glass of wine in my hand instead of a dumbbell - not quite the same weight, but oh well!

So. Where were we. i was being asked about taking out my shoes. YES. ONCE. Okay, slightly humiliating, but I'm easing into it. V-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. I have, however been going to yoga faithfully - you should see me planking!

I'm so proud of you three - Larry! Ten pounds and half way through! Nadine and Smiles! (stop me before I use another exclamation mark, I'm getting slightly queasy) Good job, you guys.

ldarter

Oh thank goodness! Karin you're back! Evidently the rumors you had entered the witness protection program were exagerated. LOL LOL Welcome back!

Happyoceangirl

What Larry said.... glad you're back.

Pretty sure an hour of planks and other contortions can cancel out a glass of wine..... (Mmmmmm.... wine.)

Larry - good for you, sticking with it. I'm glad you pointed that out - that one day can be fab and the next can be hell. Makes me remember not to worry to much when I struggle (bc I certainly have those days).

In August, when I was making my way through Cto5K, I found an article on Runner's World.com that really struck me. Here's a copy / paste: (Don't have the author credit though, sorry!)

"Running changes you. Running is changing me. It knocks points off my blood pressure, returns the color to my face, takes the bags from beneath my eyes. Running makes the brownie taste better. I have no idea why--I eat the brownie and drink the milk and don't ask questions. But the biggest change I've felt a# er four months of running is something I can't see or precisely measure or fully describe, yet it's the change I feel most acutely: I've gone from a person who sits still to one who moves--from a body and a mind at rest, to a body and mind in motion. If you'll excuse the amateur Zen moment.

The only thing running hasn't changed is running itself. I would have guessed that by now it would be easier for me to do. It isn't. People say the run gets easier, but people say aliens abduct you in the desert, too. I've stopped looking for signs of an easier run in exchange for signs of an easier life. Those signs I've seen. Running is still as grueling as ever, but life outside of running is getting easier, better. In the vein of the classic huckster's call, it truly is the One Authentic Tonic for Whatever Ails You! The Only Certified Elixir of Beauty and Health! The A-1 Tincture to Boost Vitality and Strength! If only someone could hand it to me in a small brown bottle. Just my luck that the ultimate supertonic is carried on the wind. I can't see it, but it's there, floating outside the window right now. All I have to do to get a dose is put on my shiny pair of gold and silver Asics and run for it. "

nadine2unfit2bqueen

Smiles4miles - You just improved my day 100% by posting that. I've had a tough couple of days and haven't run or been eating healthy at all (Last night I had a snack wrap, fries AND a mcflurry from McDonalds.) At week4 in my training this is where I always hit a mental wall and give up, and thats just how I've been feeling. I knew I had to run today, to get back on the bandwagon or else... but I could feel the extra sluggishness in my body as it anticipated the dreaded run and I was starting to convince myself that I didn't really need to run and maybe I would just rent a movie, get some candy and veg out instead.

And then I read that article you posted and "something in me changed." I want to run. I want to feel the burn in my lungs. I want to conquer the mental wall of 'I can't' with 'it's just one foot in front of the other.' And I want to do it because that article reminded me that just thirty minutes of hard per day is allowing me 23hrs:30mins of daily life that is so much easier! I was dreading my run, but thinking about it now my feet feel lighter, my head feels clearer, the sky seems bluer and I'm listening to the birds chirp when before I was drowning out the sound. If I could I would be out the door running right now and its almost torture having to wait till I finish work.

So... my point is...I'll be smiles4miles today too thanks to you

ldarter

Daily check-in:

“You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
-- Steve Prefontaine

Completed the first day of week 6 of my RW 8-week program; 16 minute run/1 minute walking interval and then 13 more minutes of running, another 470 calories torched. Today wasn’t a nirvana day like Tuesday but it wasn’t like yesterday either. When it comes to running I have always envisioned a straight horizontal line between two points. Running days above the line are perfect days like Tuesday when everything just clicks. The higher they fall above the line, the better they were. Running days that fall below the line are the tough days like yesterday when nothing seems to be working right. Legs feel wooden and stiff, you seem to be gasping for breath almost from the start and have to keep reminding yourself to straighten up and run tall instead of leaning forward like you're fighting a strong headwind. The line itself is the baseline, those average days when you might be feeling that running is more work than fun, but you are able to maintain the pace and go the distance you had planned. That in my experience is where most of my running days fall, right there on the baseline. But that’s okay because once the run is done I know I’m a better runner than I was before the workout and I’m motivated to hit the pavement again the next time and face whatever the day brings.

nadine2unfit2bqueen

My check-in:

just completed my run. I did a 5 minute walking warm-up followed by 20 minutes straight running. At first it was hard, my legs felt wooden and stiff and I thought my run was going to be below the baseline, Larry, but I kept pushing and pretty soon things limbered up and I ended feeling strong. Just got back to the office to pick up my stuff, and now I am going to walk "the long way" to the bus, which is a 45 minute walk along a nature trail. I plan on climbing and doing some yoga tonight so I will report later how that goes!