Hoping to Get Back to an Active Lifestyle

I finally seem to have gotten over that crazy fall cold that I started as we drove home from vacation. Unfortunately, my foot is still sore. As I did some reading, I think it might be plantar fasciitis. I actually think that my inactivity is the cause. It seems that tightness of the leg muscles can be a cause. Now, I wasn't exerting my muscles, but I also wasn't stretching them. I am doing my best to stretch my legs a couple of times a day and they are starting to feel better.

I don't think that I will rush back into running though. It is about 28 most mornings when I wake up, so it seems like a good time to revisit P90X. I have an early appointment tomorrow, so although I would like to start tomorrow, I will have to play it be ear.

Eating - it hasn't been bad, but I haven't been tracking either. That is something that I need to get back to.

I'm Still Here

I just haven't been active and so, I haven't felt the need to post.

It all started two weeks ago when we went on vacation. Really, it is very hard to believe that two short weeks ago I was on vacation. I acted ambitious and packed work out clothes and shoes, I had good intentions. Then, we were there and we were setting the alarm for 7 am every morning and not getting to bed until close to midnight most nights. I simply didn't have a window of opportunity to run. I would have had to get up at 6 and I'm just not sure that 6 hours of sleep would have worked for me - actually, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have. I didn't feel too bad about it though, because we were in constant motion. Unfortunately, we ate very well too! I came back from vacation up about 5# from where I had left.

So, I get home and I have a cold. So unfair! I want to be active and to work out, but sitting in a chair is enough activity to cause a coughing fit, so the thought of running or doing some sort of aerobic exercise just makes me cringe. Plus, my nose is congested, so that wouldn't help at all - I would be breathing through my mouth, making the need to cough increase.

The good news is that I have been trying to be more focused on my eating. I have lost about 3# since we got back, which considering that I have been inactive is a good thing. I am confident that when I feel better and can start to exercise that I will be able to get right back on track...I just having lost this time because of a cold.

And now, the bottom of my foot hurts. My right heel to be exact. I can't figure out when it started to hurt but by last night it was so sore that walking on it is killing me. I'm going to avoid the shoes that I wore this weekend, the shoes I wore yesterday and my slippers for a few days and see if I can get this to feel better. Once I do, I might have to cycle them back in one at at time to see if it is a shoe/slipper issue or just something. Of course, if it doesn't feel better soon, I might have to go to the doctor and make sure that it isn't something else.

So, if I am quiet for a few days at a time, don't worry, I am still here and I haven't lost motivation, I just haven't been active - I have no achievements to share.

Another Cold Beginning

As I was hanging out this morning, allowing myself to wake up and get ready for my run, I was reading my friend's running blog. She had shared about how she completed her first 10 mile run. I paused and thought about that - at a rate of 10 - 11 minutes per mile, that is 100 - 110 minutes or just under 2 hours. I am not sure when I would find the time to do that length of a run. I am glad that I can fit in a couple of miles of run/walk each day, but I am not sure how I would ever fit in much more. Sure, when the sun comes up earlier or when the indoor track reopens in the morning, I can get back to doing 4 to 5 miles round trip. But, where would I find 2 hours. Perhaps on a weekend, or on a day off. I guess I will have to be content in the time that I have and be glad that I am that much more active than I used to be and in that much better overall health.

The other thing that struck me was that she complained about how hot and humid it was on her ten mile run. I guess this caught my attention because as I walked out the door, it was 43F. I think I prefer the cool to the hot, thank you very much.

Either I am just getting faster with continued effort or the cold really makes me move. Today, I fit in 6 laps at the track. I started out running and after a couple of laps, the cold air was tough on my lungs. I switched back to walking, although, I only did 1/4 of a lap before returning to running. I wound up running a lap, walking 1/4, running 1 1/4, walking 1/4 and finishing with a lap of running. I knew that I could handle the cold air for short periods and figured it was better to keep on running. I know that with time, my lungs will adapt to the cooler air and I will be able to go further. The best part was that my average pace for the total outing was 11:15. When you consider that I walk up and walked some at the track and walk part way home, that is a pretty good pace.

Eating was pretty good yesterday. There were some caramels sitting around at work and well, I can't resist a soft, buttery caramel that melts in your mouth - unfortunately, I think I had like 4 or 5 of them. Hopefully, they are all gone and won't tempt me again today. Today should be good for eating - not much to stand in the way, plus I have fresh tomatoes that I am taking for a sandwich today. Yum!

Brisk Morning!

Well, suffice to say, it was cold outside. But, there must be some value in that, as my pace for my walk/run was at 11:30, a full 30s faster than my typical morning. I wound up pushing myself to do 3+ laps of running followed by sprint intervals for a total of 5 laps at the track. Again, I was time constrained. In theory, meeting the other ladies bright (or should I say dark) and early, sounds like a great plan, but I have yet to fully execute on it. Sure, it was dark up there this morning, but I could go earlier and do more distance. Although I did have to really push myself to complete three laps. I started with a plan of running 4 laps straight and then walking 1 lap. That turned into, maybe I run 1, walk 1 and then run 3. I decided I could keep going after 1 and then was good. I likely could have pushed for the full 4, but allowed myself a chance to catch my breath, besides I love sprint intervals.

Eating was a mess this weekend. We had more meals out then I care to remember. We even went for ice cream - but at least we walked there. Yesterday was a pretty good return to normal, so hopefully, today won't find me munchy mid-day simply because I ate bigger this weekend.

With the cold and the dark, I'm thinking that in a couple of weeks (October?), I might have to change up my schedule and workout inside 2-3 days and run outside the other 2-3 days. I guess I will just wait and see, when it is too cold, I will likely have to move it all indoors for a few months.

I need to get back to walking at lunch as well. It is a great stress relief and makes me feel good too. Plus, bonus activity like that will help me reach my goal faster. This will make me feel better about working out inside in the mornings too.

Friday!!

Well, where did the week go? I actually made it to the track each morning this week, but I was trying to wait on light and eventually concluded that if I continue to wait for light, I will have no time to exercise. I talked to the two women that I see up there every day and they told me when they get there and I said that I would target that time and if I saw them, I would stay and if not, I would go. It sounded like a great plan, but still life gets in the way and I didn't get there quite that early. The good news though is that I did get there early enough today to actually fit in 5 laps. Of course, I felt completely out of shape and only ran 3 of the 5 laps. I could have probably done 6 if I had actually run them all.

Eating - oh no! I'm not really sure why, but it has been a really tough eating week for me. I think that our busy schedules are a contributor, stress is a contributor and being tired. I had a bowl of Cheez-Its the other night and they were so good, I had more - when I went to get them, they were almost out, so as any (in)sane person would do, I finished them. I'm not sure why I would allow 3 servings of Cheez-Its for a snack, except well they are addictive. Then, last night, we switched around meal plans and went to dinner at the local Mexican restaurant. That wasn't the problem, the problem was that it was after 8. So, I was hungry and ate more chips than I should. I had a reasonable dinner. But, it was so late, I still felt stuffed when I went to bed.

Needless to say, the scale was not moving the way that I wanted...but, I at least know why.

I am hopeful that today will be a better eating day. There are no specific evening plans, except perhaps a friend staying over.

S-T-I-C-K-Y!

When I woke up this morning, I checked outside and saw that the roads were dry. This was a good start, as it was supposed to be raining this morning. I got ready and came down to check out the weather. I was glad to see that it was not supposed to rain for the next couple of hours and the radar was reasonably clear. For whatever reason, as I got ready this morning, I failed to drink any water. I don't go for very long runs, so I don't carry water with me - it seems awkward to me to run with something in my hands - so, I always hydrate before I go. I headed out and it was dark. Now, like I said, it is supposed to rain so it is overcast. I got to the track and my walking friends were there. I was glad, I had decided on the way up that if they weren't there, I wasn't going to stay with the darkness. I started out with a one mile run. I probably could have run further, but since I hadn't had water, I thought it was probably best not to push. I walked a half mile and then ran the last quarter of a mile and after a walk out of the track, ran the .45 miles from light post to home. Unfortunately, even at 6:30 when I was leaving the track, my friends were but shadows on the track. I think that means that I will have to definitely stick with my approach of only staying if they are there. It is just too dark to stay alone.

What really surprised me was how humid it was. Even though it seemed cool out, it was very sticky. On the run home, I think that it was actually misting. Either that, or the air was so wet that you could almost feel droplets.

It was a pretty good run. I am noticing that when I run, my pace fluctuates from around 8:40 per mile to 10:00 per mile. I am actually very pleased with that pace range - I never would have guessed that I was running that 'fast'. I think that I could actually sustain the range pace over the course of a 5K and could do a 30 minute 5K. I don't have any planned right now.

It was good that I got out and ran, because I did not go for a walk or run all weekend. I had great plans to get up and go, but it was so cozy in my bed and our days started so early that I would have had to get up like I do during the week. I just couldn't see myself getting up at 6 am to run on the weekend. I am more of a 7 am runner on the weekends, especially now that it is darker in the morning.

Eating was reasonable over the weekend. We ate out and snacked, but I was able to balance my portion size with enjoying the treats and was able to sustain my weight for the weekend. I just need to get it down - I am just a few weeks from my goal of being half way through the weight loss and starting to think I won't get there. We will see, if I eat well and run everyday, maybe I can pull it out.

Just Two Laps

Now on the surface, I am a bit disappointed when I say I only ran two laps, but in reality, I am glad that I ran even though it was only two laps. You see, a while ago, when I got busy doing something and wasn't ready to start my workout on time, I might have been inclined to simply skip it. I would have wondered at the value of only having a few minutes or only going a lap or two. The fact that it was suddenly 20 minutes after 6 and I hadn't left for my run yet would have been a deterrent. But now, I recognize that all activity is good and even better than the activity itself is maintaining a habit. If I allowed myself to skip the workout, then I might be more inclined to do it again the next day and progressively, I would get away from doing it all together. So, today I only did 2 laps at the track, but a total of 1.55 miles. It was good to get out. I need to get moving earlier so that I can fit in more in the future.

Yesterday, I was more successful - I did sprint intervals. I started with a one lap warm up run, did sprint intervals for 4 laps (1 mile) and then wrapped up with one lap cool down run. It felt great. I haven't had a chance to see how fast my sprint was, but I know that I was much slower on the walk between sprints - suggesting to me that I was going faster on my sprint. I really think that it is helping me with my overall speed and breath control. There is something about pushing yourself routinely that changes you.

Eating was a challenge yesterday. I did really good until we came home from the soccer game. I was feeling munchy and found some Cheddar Jack Cheez-It. Yum! Normally, I control myself and have just one small bowl of crackers. Last night, it was three! Not only that, but I had a glass of wine (a tall one, the bottle was almost out and I couldn't leave that little bit behind) with them. It was yummy and it is okay to have a treat on occasion.

Hoping that the eating is better controlled today. I don't think I can stay away from the Cheez-Its, but hopefully I can have just one bowl.