Ok here we go...

Well...I think, after having helped friends move filing cabinets up 3 flights of stairs I am reasonably healthy enough to get back to it. A bit of an odd test, but I only realised afterwards that I felt fine after, so I have no excuse anymore - back to the workouts.
So...tomorrow I will do my workout DVD, and friday speedwalk. The Boogie fun run is next weekend...I think I'll try and do 5K. It's dissapointing to not be able to do the 10K, but I miss the feeling of being healthy and fit and the more I put it off, the harder it'll be to get back to where I was.
I look forward to it. :)

Couch potatoes anonymous

I have to get back at doing something active. I have been working like a nut at work getting caught up on things, but when I get home, I've been all slackey...and I've been eating a lot, as I do, to "help" myself feel better. And as much as I like beer...it's really not helping :) I'm not feeling slim and trim...and it's so tempting to just sit and relax, as lab work and house work are keeping me busy...I can't help but think that if I'm not careful I'll help myself into a new size of pants! 3+ weeks is a long time to not workout...
This weekend is a lot of yardwork, so hopefully I'll work off some excess calories and get the itch to be more active. Or something...
HAve a nice weekend all...

normalish

Well...I've been off antibiotics for a few days and am starting to feel like a human being again. I had to run to catch the bus yesterday and my lungs ached, like I'd tried to grate some cheese through them...perhaps I'll have to start with some walking and work my way back up to the running. I think i pushed myself too fast before and wound up exasperating my lungs, so I'll have to take it easy.
I am woefully out of shape and rather jiggly. It's discouraging, but I am glad to finally be feeling normal-ish again. Perhaps I'll start with my ball workout and some walking in the mornings for a week or so and see how that goes...then get back to running. I won't be able to run the 10K like I'd dreamed on the 8th of June, but I think I can still do the 5K...we'll see.
I can't even imagine what it would be like to recover from a major major illness that wipes a person out for months...2 and a half weeks is enough to try and recover from. I'll just focus on being back in shape for now and see how it goes from there...

Foul cereals I have known...

I am the cereal queen. I lived largely on cheerios and mini wheats while I was in university and so I'm always on the look out for new cereals. I likes my cereals.
In my quest for healthy alternative breakfasts I bought a box of weetabix when we last got groceries. After opening them on the weekend I was amused by their hashbrown like shape, and figured since I liked mini wheats and shredded wheat was OK they should be pretty good. Since I can't exercise while I'm slowly regaining my breathing ability from this foul plague I've really been trying to eat healthy. I brought out the Weetabix and...well, after trying some out last night all I have to say is this:

Wheatabix is the foulest cereal ever invented. With milk added it instantly transforms into a bland, mushy slop of grainy-yet-squidgy wheat particles...I haven't actually gagged when eating a breakfast cereal before Weetabix. Sugar does nothing. Fruit? Nada. I realise my sense of taste is diminished at the moment, but I simply feel I must warn unsuspecting healthy eaters...beware the Weetabix!

You may now return to your regularly scheduled breakfasts...

Please stand by

I'm really sick...lung infection and the works.
Please talk amongst yourselves...I won't be running for a while till I'm better.
Back soon.

oooh...I think I want one of these

It's odd. I *was* saving up for a GPS running watch, but now I think I've changed my focus. I've been looking for a way to get a full muscle workout at home. I have a great exercise ball DVD workout...but it gets dull doing the same thing all the time. It would be nice to alternate between it and something else...and I think I've found that something else.
The TRX system. It has resistance bands and can be mounted to the door or wall. If you buy the "package" it comes with a door mount and a DVD with 2 25 minute body workouts on it. I've been lookin at resistance bands as an idea, but this looks like a much better, higher quality version.
I think my sheckels are going to be tucked away for this...as my reward for training diligently until the 10K run.
Has anyone used this before? What do you think of it??

Week 5 day 2

Well day 2 is the easy day of the week's training...and conveniently was what I did 2 days ago...so I did it again, but pushed myself a bit for a faster pace and really watched my breathing. 2 minutes walk + 7 minutes run 5 times was no problem at all, although I did have to do some extra stretching, as my legs were reaching "jelly" stage by the end, from being off running for a week or so.

It was a beautiful morning..a bit chilled and only just above zero, but the sun was rising over the river, which was covered with mist. Beautiful. And the pelicans are back! I counted 22 as I ran, and took the river path down by the geese to have a closer look...it's the little things like that that reward me for crawling out of bed at 5:15. Next week I have to start getting up at 5...hoo boy.

I've been looking to find stretches for the muscles that I have that keep getting stiff and I checked out a weblog I have linked to on my site for stretching ideas...and found a few. The website is quite inspiring...the guy has been running over 35 years...he's over 70 and still runs 10K regularly. He really stresses running for fun and proper stretching so you learn to listen to your body...I've learned a great deal from him, using his illustrated stretching guide to enhance my stretching to about 10-15 minutes at a time, with good results...I'm rarely stiff now. Besides adding a second type of ITB band stretches, I've also added a few yoga poses to better stretch out my butt and upper/inner legs. The running weblog has a few excellent isotonic exercises and stretches for working the muscles on the front and sides of your lower legs...I've been trying them out for a few days and hope they will help. Apparently a lot of knee issues arise because the calf muscles are stronger than the muscles on the front of the shins...so I'm trying to keep them limber and strong too. I figure if I do back exercises to go with situps it's the same idea. I'm also quite excited, as my left shoulder has been pain free for nearly a week, so next week I will go back to doing my exercise ball DVD every other day...I've lost some tummy and upper body muscle tone from stopping, but I don't want to turn a bit of a strain in to a full out rotor cuff injury, so I've given my body the time it takes to get better. I figure I have my whole life...a few more days won't hurt.

I'm excited...only 4 and a half weeks until the 10K. I hope I can muddle through it.
I'm getting excited about exercising again...

Game on!


This was me last summer.

I have a lot of work to do...I've lost muscle tone over the winter and aquired 5 lbs of jiggle.
After seeing Scrumpy's Baker's chiselled abs I am inspired.

There is much to be done :)

I don't know if I have the nerve to take a before shot, but by my vacation in July I want to be toned like this again...Game on!

Reunited and it feels so good...

It's been a long time coming, but this morning I crawled out of bed at 5:15 and went out for a run. I gave myself plenty of time in case I crashed out on the trail, so I could walk back if I had to. Yesterday while running across campus to deliver something by a time deadline I was woefully out of breath and felt horrid - I was really scared being sick would be setting me back a long ways in the running training. I waited until I had a full day of feeling back to normal before I gave it a try.

As it turns out...things are not so bad. I didn't push myself too much and did 2 minutes walk + 7 minutes run 5 times. I'll admit I wasn't running at maximum speed, but to me it was the time on my feet that mattered today. I didn't want to over do it. I had it in my head that it was all over and I'd have to start again from scratch...but I was pleasantly surprised at how well I survived, and although I had a bit of a stitch in my side at the end, I finished the run completely and stretched out very well...about 6 km distance in about 45 minutes. Not too shabby. I guess it takes more than a week off to mess things up too much. I may be a bit behind in training, but my goal is to finish the 10K not set a new speed record, so I'm sure whatever I can manage will be good enough.

Just feeling healthy and happy is a treat at the moment.
Have a good day all!

Well Well

I think I'm better.
Hooray!
Tomorrow it's back to the run train. I only missed a week...hopefully I can play catch up...just being out in sunlight in fitted clothes and eating food that has a flavour is exciting enough...