Slow & Steady Wins the Race :-)

Great start to my fit resolution!  :-)  Met Lisa at the gym this morning (I joined!), we were too late for the first class we planned on so did the elliptical for 40 minutes then some weights.  Then did the hour Zumba class (uhhh, I'm NOT coordinated, so I mostly focused on getting a workout instead of learning the moves and so I just jumped around and thrashed my arms about.  It was probably VERY VERY hilarious to watch!  My calves were really tired by the end).  In the evening went back with Justin and swam for 15 minutes (until the pool closed) which was 12 laps (600 yards).  My arms were tired, I need to swim!  Did the elliptical for 5 more minutes and some weights until the gym closed.  Then made some hamburgers in preparation for the ultimate hamburger challenge! :-)  Finally walked 1.5 miles on the TM in the FF. 

Back to the grindstone tomorrow... winter quarter starts.  

Gym day #2.  Ellipticalled for 35 minutes doing intervals of 5-11, going up every minute, repeat about 5 times.  Tried to really get my heart rate up.  Then swam 14 laps (700 yards) - sucked even worse today at swimming because my arms were tired/sore from swimming yesterday!  The lifeguard must have been worried he was going to have to save me with all the gasping and stopping after every lap!  Then shot some hoops with J. :-)  This feels good, like this has been missing all along, and I'll be a better runner (eventually!) because of it.  

Day 3 working out in a row!  Tuesdays are my really long days, and I sure felt tired.  Went straight to the gym after night class so I wouldn't skip.  Ellipticalled for 45 minutes just on moderate, nothing too hard.  Then some leg strength work.

Day #4.  Steep learning curve - I got so much better at swimming since Monday!  14 laps (700 yards) WITHOUT STOPPING! That's quite an improvement from, uh, 3.  Then did a few more up to 22 laps (1,100 yards), focusing on trying to do 4 strides before breathing instead of just 2.  Did one flip turn!  Then did 20 minutes on the elliptical and some arm strength work.  Then sat in the lovely sauna and imagined I was in Hawaii. 

I feel great!  I miss running a lot less, and love the gym!  This quarter is also looking like it is going to be great as well, only have to commute 2 days a week, etc.  Hope it keeps looking up!

Day #5!  Met Jordanne at the pool, swam 20 laps (1,100 yards), probably a 500 or 600 without stopping.  Focused on 4 strides before a breath again.  Then did an hour of Group Power, and my arms want to fall off.  It was about a billion reps of chest presses, bicep curls, etc and I am going to be so sore tomorrow.  

60 minutes on the elliptical, some leg weights, then jumped in the pool for a quick swim but immediately realized my arms were way too sore from the class yesterday to swim.  Did 7 laps (350 yards) before I almost drowned!  Then undid all my hard work at the Casino Seafood Buffet (it was free!).  The shrimp was delish :-)

WEEKEND!

Day 7 in a row.  Felt sooo sluggish today, I don't know why.  Stayed up late but slept in too, so should have been fine.  Dragged myself to the gym and did 35 minutes on the elliptical (no intervals, kind of slow and blah).  Then some (barely any, I suck) weights.  Later did 2 miles on the TM in the FF.  

GO SEAHAWKS!  Pretty impressive!  Also I made my own teriyaki sauce for dinner and was quite proud of myself. :-)  If you knew me you would be surprised! 

Day #8. :-)  Felt much more energetic today!  30 minutes on the elliptical, then Lisa met me and we went to the Centergy class (yoga & pilates) - I loved it.  A really good workout the first half and needed stretching.  I will definitely try to go every Sunday (too bad the other day is Tuesday nights when I have class).  Then swam 16 laps (800 yards) without stopping!  Rounded it out with a few more to 20 laps (1,000 yards).  Was supposed to play tennis but I am an IDIOT and went to the wrong tennis club and missed it and they were short one person!  Felt horrible.  Finally later I walked on the treadmill in the FF and ran a .2, .2, .3, .3 (total of a mile) with 30sec-1min walking breaks in between.  Knee felt okay. 

7 minutes on the bike while I waited for an elliptical to free up, 40 minutes on the elliptical, some leg stuff.  Later 3 miles walking on the TM in the FF.

So I had an MRI and a dr. appt. today.  Did I probably waste my time and money?  Yes.  But at least I know its not something worse and I did everything I could.  He said I should take 4-6 weeks off (already done 2!  The worst part is if I had just done that right away that would be done by now!), PT like crazy, glute/core work like crazy, and go crazy on advil.  I asked about medrol/predisone and he thought I was crazy.  He said he wouldn't even give me a cortisone shot at this point either (not that I wanted one of those).

So those things probably made the following exchange funnier:

Doc: "I want you to take 3 advil 3 times a day for 2 weeks."

Me: "What?  THREE advil THREE times a day for TWO weeks?"

Doc: "Yes."

Me: "But THREE advil, THREE times a day, that NINE advil a day!"

Doc: "Yes."

Me: "But NINE advil a day for TWO WEEKS? That's... over 100 advil!"

Doc: "Yes."

Me: "But won't that hurt me? Won't that kill my kidney?"

And he proceeded to tell me that no, it wouldn't, but in his head I'm sure he was thinking ("Look you crazy lady, you're begging me to give you steroids but are too worried to take a little advil?!)

10 in a row!  Dare I go for 20?  Long busy day today so just 3 miles on the TM in the FF this morning - 3 sets of .5's running with .1 walking in between.  Who cares what doctors say? :-)

Tonight is the HOOD TO COAST MOVIE!  You should all go!  Happy 1-11-11!

Those five fingers are serious business.  My calves are really really really ridiculously sore today.  Which is kind of weird since I ran a mile on them before and felt nothing, but apparentely 1.5 really did it.  

60 minutes on the elliptical, some leg weights.  

Day #12.  Met Jordanne at the gym for 20 laps (1,000 yards) of swimming (without stopping!) and then we did an hour of Group Power, which again, made me feel worthless and like a weak little baby.  My next swimming feat needs to be to master the flip turn. 

Soooo not motivated to work out today, but I forced myself.  Ended up doing 60 minutes on the elliptical, first 30 were slow but I started to feel more energetic the second half.  

The PT says he is "very pleased with my progress" so far, at least in terms of the flexibility of my IT Band, so that made me happy.  

Day #14 - 2 weeks straight working out every day!  Ran in the FF on the TM, .3 warmup, 3 cooldown, and 4 .5 running with .1 walk breaks in between, for 2 miles running and 1 mile walking! Then did a few minutes on the elliptical before I decided my legs were too tired for that, and joined J on the indoor tracks where I did 3 speedy laps (about a .2 or .25). Felt GREAT!!!! I hope I hope I hope I am getting better??

now off to a day of fun - driving range, Peso's, and Harry Potter Exhibition!

Day #15.  Swam 30 laps (1,500 yards) this morning (20 laps or 1,000 yards in a row) - a new record!  Worked on flip turns but I suck - its more like a side turn.  Then Jordanne and I did one hour of Centergy.  Book club fun, then went back to the gym just for 20 minutes with Justin and did leg weights (we had good intentions but went to Costco on the way and ended up getting there just 20 minutes before it closed).  LOVE 3 DAY WEEKENDS!

Day #16 :-)  First run outside in the FF - did 3 miles with .1 walk breaks between each mile (3.58 miles total).  Hope I didn't overdo it FF-wise or ITB-wise.  ITB felt pretty good, but I could sense it couldn't go much further.  Think I will try to do 3 the next few runs before upping it again.  Then went to the gym with J, 30 minutes on the elliptical and arm weights.  I'm tired!  Back to homework now...

Day #17.  60 minutes on the elliptical, first 30 mins intervals 6-10, second half I practiced my big presentation (in my head!).  Feb 4th, 10am, finally got scheduled today.  I better do well enough they agree I can continue towards getting my PhD!

Tired today, long day. 

Day #18 in a row!  26 swimming laps (1,300 yards), 14 (I think; 700 yards) in a row, before Justin got there and swam too!  That was fun.  Sat in the lovely hot tub afterwards, then ran 29 laps on the indoor track (hahaha, that sounds like a lot, but since its 12.65 laps to a mile, it was only 2 miles running with some walk breaks).  It was really hard to keep track of the running laps, it may have been a few more laps than that.

Day #19 - almost there!  Got to the gym at exactly 5:20 so decided to sample the Group Kick class that was just starting.  Again, I just jumped around the whole time so I got a really good workout especially on my calves.  At the end we had to do all of these hip adductor strength stuff which killed and I'm sure was perfect for my ITB.

Then I came home and made coconut chicken which was the BOMB, I'm very proud of myself!  

Day #20 - I made it!  3.8 miles running outside!  I am feeling very very very VERY encouraged.  :-)  I wanted that 4 so bad but I'd already told myself I wasn't going to do more than 3 so I forced myself to stop.  Justin had his wisdom teeth out this morning so I ran in the neighborhoods around the clinic while he was getting the surgery - cute little loop around a lake and golf course.  So wonderful to run outside in the light (just a little rain!) on a weekday!  

Hopefully I'll go to the gym later, need to catch up on work for now.

50 minutes on the recumbent bike, leg strength stuff halfway through.  

Day #22.  4 miles running outside in the FF, .1 walk breaks after each mile, for a total of 4.52.  ITB felt like it was waiting in the wings the entire 4th mile, which kind of dimmed my excitement of running 4.  Still very pleased.

Splits:  9:56, 9:42, 9:41, 9:23

Then went to the gym, 22 laps swimming nonstop (1,100 yards) then one hour Centergy class. Came home, ate, showered, a little work, and off to 1.5 hours of tennis, the first time I've played in probably 6 months.  I was not good and my legs felt SO tired after an hour I wanted to stop so bad, they did not want to run down the balls anymore!  I'm exhausted now, and need to finish my homework.  Who wants to do it for me?

PS - after about 8 months of peer pressure, Leandrea has finally returned to the blog!  So let's all go give her lots of words of encouragement so she never leaves again.  Plus she has a big half marathon coming up in March!

Day #23.  32 swimming laps (1,600 yards) focusing on 4 strides to a breath (so very controlled, aka slow).  Justin joined me again!  So that made it a lot more fun.  Then did 20 minutes on the elliptical and tried to do some leg weights but I was soo tired I didn't do much.  My left shoulder is so sore today.

 I'm worried my streak might be coming to an end.  I'm going to a conference/meeting in LA this week and have a feeling its going to be near impossible to keep it going.  Oh well, its supposed to be 77 degrees!  :-)

4.5 miles running outside in the FF, 5.19 miles total.  Tight calves, weird muscles sore from tennis, but good!  Stepped it up for the 4th mile.  Still felt a little bit like the ITB was waiting to snipe me at the end.

Splits: 10:08, 9:54, 9:46, 9:19, 9:40

Off to LA!

Woke up so early even though we worked so much and went to bed late.  Went outside as soon as it started to barely get light - so beautiful out there and warm and the air smells like summer!  LOVE IT.  2 miles without stopping, then 4 .25 speed-ups (kept them just barely under 2 minutes).  Came back and went on a walk with the others, probably another 2 miles.  

Wore my free's because I didn't want to answer questions about the FF!  2 days of running in a row made me nervous but seemed to be okay...

Day #26 (barely - not really much sweating going on!).  Got up super early again even though I went to bed super late and am exhausted.  Wanted to run SO bad but knew 3 days in a row was a huge no-no, so speed-walked 3.5 miles, then some more with the others, then more to and from dinner, it was probably a total of 6 all day but I'll call it 5.  Ate way too much delicious udon for dinner.  And its way too late again and we're going again by 7:20, this week has just been nonstop and my poor husband hasn't really heard from me in 3 days!

My choices of free time for running today were 5am pitch black and 12pm blazing sun.  You can guess what I picked!  Slathered on some extra make-up powder before I headed out since it has 15 spf and I didn't have any sunscreen (that's a first!)!  I sweated enough today to make up for yesterday.  Ran on a bike trail from the hotel down to UC Irvine and back, lovely sun, probably 80 degrees.  1 minute walk breaks after each mile, total of 5 miles running, 5.5 miles total.  I know one of the miles had an 8 (I'm too lazy to get the Garmin)!  That made me happy. 

The sniper was there and waiting, but didn't shoot (today anyway).  

35 minutes on the hotel elliptical.  Woke up super early again and couldn't go back to sleep, I'm so sleep-deprived by now.  Was really into the Australian Open Women's Final until I realized it was delayed and already over!

Day #29.  I'm sick, sore throat, its the worst.  Haven't gotten a decent night's sleep since Monday either.  13 minutes on the elliptical, then 1 hour Centergy with Lisa (she dominates!).  Later 45 minutes of tennis with Justin - it was majorly half-hearted and crappy since I felt so terrible and only went because my captain made me.  Was supposed to run today, hope I can make it up tomorrow.  I'm so behind in work/school after that trip.  

Day #30 - I made it!  I certainly wouldn't have worked out today if I didn't want that 30.  Walked 3.7 miles on the TM, ran .5 miles (running hurts my throat).  Felt awful all day today, but maybe I'm on the mend, I hope so.