I did it!

So, I did the 5k a couple weeks ago… it was long, hard, and amazingly beautiful. I then slept for around 19 hours. Lessons learned, don’t do a 5k without really being prepared and fighting off a nasty cold. I had a couple goals – finish, and finish in under an hour – and I met both, yay! The course started at America the Beautiful Park here in the Springs, wound down along the Santa Fe Trail/Pikes Peak Greenway a while, and then doubled back on itself. Before the race started I was rather nervous and feeling shy. Most people there had others they were doing the even with or they had done it before and knew people, etc. I on the other hand, knew no one, and my parents were MIA. They had planned to be there around 8 as the race started at 8:30, but they wound up being there around 8:20 instead which didn’t leave much time. I got at the back of the group, which might not have been the best spot but it worked out fine after some people avoiding. The runners and walkers were all clustered together, starting at the same time, rather than starting the runners and then the walkers (the event was either a 5k run or a 3k walk). I jogged out with the runners and discovered that my legs were in no way ready for that, but it looked good until I was out of sight lol. I then spent most of the time walking, trying to jog now and then. I wasn’t last until a couple women walkers, and a couple women with jogging strollers, passed me. No bother, I was there to finish not to try and out pace anyone else, so I kept going… and going, and going, and, are we done yet? I had programmed my mp3 player the night before with an up beat, inspiring new playlist.. and yet it wasn’t playing any of those songs. But, at least I had tunes, so I kept going still. I was able to admire the lovely scenery as I went along, lush green trees, the running stream to one side, sun breaking through now and then. I can almost feel sorry for the guy who finished the race in 16 mins, almost. My boss was right about one thing though, treadmills are no where close to the real thing. I was really moved towards the halfway point when several women who were already heading back took a moment to encourage me as they passed, either giving me a thumbs up and a smile or saying something like ‘Almost halfway there!’ I think they could tell that I wasn’t in the best shape mentally, emotionally, physically, etc, at that point. It gave me the push I needed though to keep trudging along. Due to having such a quick start (mostly for show I might add), I was walking slower than I normally would. My calves/shins were screaming at me, I needed water, had to pee, and was pretty miserable. So, thank you to the mystery women, I hope I can do the same for someone in my place one day!

At the halfway point they had a table of kids handing out cups of water (they needed smaller cups and a trash bin) which was much appreciated as my water was back in the car. Around the little orange halfway cone I went and started back. There were a couple of women walking along behind me and that gave me a little boost, at least I wouldn’t be the very last one out of the woods. I know, I have said that I wasn’t in it to out pace anyone, but at that point, I needed the boost. The way back seemed to take less time than the way out had, I think because I had some water and knew it was almost done, I was able to walk faster. At one point, I got fed up with my mp3 player and checked things out. Turns out I had selected the wrong playlist. Once I fixed that I had even more oomph to keep going. Around this point I also had several teary moments with myself. Aside from karate back in high school, I’ve never been the most athletic person. Sure, I used to do yoga and water aerobics, but they are a far cry from the aerobic shape one needs to be in to do runs. Keeping that in mind, I was quite proud of myself for no only signing up, but for being nearly finished with my first 5k. I was doing it! When I got to the bridge to head back to the park I saw my mom standing there with a big smile on her face… though I think part of that was relief that I wasn’t lost on the trail somewhere, injured. She cheered me on, encouraging me to jog a bit. After I rounded the bend where the 3k folks headed to the picnic area, I broke out into a jog/run towards the finish. My dad was positioned about halfway across the field (he got a good shot of me jogging, will post that one and a few others in another entry later). Once I got to my dad he also cheered for me and even jogged a little bit with me but let me cross the line on my own. The pads beeped to let me know the chip had registered my time, the guy there cut the zip-tie holding it to my shoe, and that was it, I was done. And I felt great! I was tired, and thirsty, but felt great. I had done it, I had finished, and the time on the clock was 56:01, I’d done it in under an hour. First thing I said when my dad came to give me a hug was, “There’s less than an hour on the clock!” I downed a bottle of water, hung out while they did door prizes (I didn’t win one), and then headed home for lunch. As I finished lunch and my movie, a migraine set in and knocked me out for the rest of the day. I fell asleep around 3, woke up briefly when mom called, fed the cats, and then I was out again until 8am the next day. I was up long enough to feed the cats and myself, and then back to bed until around 10:30. My body had shut down. I was sweating but had a low temp, didn’t think I could keep anything down, couldn’t shake the headache, and was very tired. I have poor circulation and when I do long walks my hands and feet tend to swell as it gets things moving. They were very swollen after the 5k and I think that the activity while sick, combined with anything that was stuck in my lymph system moving around, just caused a shut down and reboot. The next day my computer went nuts too. One reason I haven’t updated since the race is the computer has been in the shop, aka, Dad was fixing it.

So, despite how rough it was, and despite my body shutting down after that, when I’m asked if I’ll ever do another one, without pausing to think I answer, “Definitely!”

I plan to do lots of walking for a couple months, then start to increase the distance so I’m walking a 5k each time, and then work on jogging. Goal for next year’s is to do it in around 45 mins. Mom said she may sign up for the 3k walk too which would be fun. The race was for an awesome cause and the event coordinators are all awesome friendly people. So, there’s a recap of my first 5k. Was it what I expected? No. Did I train enough before it. No. Did I have a great time. Yes, despite being miserable! Will I do it again? Yes!!

Joy!

I decided to try something new at the gym since I had my brace, mp3 player, water bottle, etc… I did a 5:1 walk:jog workout. And it worked! The first jog minute was really tough, my body mostly saying ‘What are you trying to do to me??’ Each consecutive jog minute got easier and I found myself having to not push it and just keep going with ‘the plan’. Towards the end I found myself actually smiling as I was jogging. I didn’t want to look like an idiot but I smiled anyway because I was thrilled. Thrilled I tell ya! Aaaand then the weekend happened. I spent Saturday dealing with car dealerships, and Sunday feeling like crud so I felt it best to rest. This of course threw a kink in the works. The pattern continued, yesterday I spent the evening emptying out the old car in preparation for returning it to the dealer (lease vehicle) and tonight was spent signing paper work on the old car, still feeling mildly crummy. So, tomorrow’s plan, back to the gym! I’m hoping for a repeat of the ‘joy jog’. We’ll see, I’m pretty sore and allergies are being mean. If nothing else, I’ll at least bike it for 30 tomorrow just to keep active.

Couple more days of the 5:1 and I’m going to change to 4:2 and so on… Don’t have the weeks/days to get all the way to all jogging, but will come close before the 5k.

 

All Aspects

There’s been a lot going on in the World of Monica lately. As I’ve been changing, so have the relationships in my life. Ones that no longer serve where I’m going have begun to fade away, while those that support what’s happening, have been growing stronger. It’s interesting to see. Also noticed that while I’m still a little bothered by the fading, I’m more ok with it now than I have been in the past. Guess I’m growing stronger in more than just the physical.

 

So last we met, I was going to test a new knee brace… it works! Now I just need to train my lungs and continue to stretch often… which is what I’m doing as I type this.

I’ve been reading some pretty inspiring things lately. Just finished Born to Run and am now reading Goddess to the Core. Both books have shown me that, yes, I can do whatever because the ability and strength are there, they’ve just been ignored or pushed aside because of something I was told. I’m starting to see little improvements as just improvements rather than ‘not quite what I wanted’ improvements. Every little bit will eventually stack up to a healthy person.

 

When I started this, I expected to get healthier. I hoped to get healthier not just physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually, etc… I started to focus strictly on the physical however and hit road blocks all over the place. Things are slipping into alignment now that I’ve started to explore other aspects of my well being. I’m eating better, being active even if it means some yoga instead of a walk/jog, I’m bringing my spiritual side back into things, and I’m stepping back into my power. Now and then I just sit back, look at myself, and giggle at what I see.

 

This weekend is a Reiki Retreat that my spiritual sister and I have put together for some of the lovely women in our lives. I’m hoping to work some physical activity into our spiritual weekend for that balance. I know a couple of them will be all for it, and one may even have a few things she can share, she is a personal trainer after all!

Family, braces, and barefeet

A member of my family (GE) has a habit of picking on my health whenever said family member is around another member of the family (GW). That situation came to pass this past weekend. It was a holiday so the family got together and at some point it turned to talk about my health and weight. Over the years I’ve developed ways to fend off the attacks. GW didn’t have much to say this time thankfully. I really didn’t want to fend off a dual attack, not on what was to that point, a good day. GE started in on my weight and how I needed to loose weight if I wanted to reach old age. With a statement like that, one would think I was a big beach ball. I don’t deny that I’ve got excess baggage, but I’m healthy overall. My numbers at the doc, other than the scale, are good. This was after I got a lecture for adding salt to my food. I don’t eat many premade products, so I don’t get much salt in my diet if I don’t add it. Normally, this wouldn’t be much of an issue on any front. Once my blood pressure is taken into consideration however, this begins to be an issue. If I don’t add salt to my food my BP can get so low that I tend to just be a lump on the sofa. Having low BP and somewhat poor circulation isn’t a spiffy place to be. So, I salt. That hurdle overcome, it was time to take on the next issue, weight. GE picked on my arms and face, saying they were indicators I was overweight. I pointed out that I got their lack of chin, and mom piped in saying she had as well. My chin is starting to be more prominent but it won’t get a whole lot more visible as I get thinner because it’s small, and this is after I had dental appliances to lengthen my jaw as a kid. Yes, it used to be worse. I then mentioned that I’m going to run a 5k in August. I expected that statement to make GE happy. I’m working towards a goal, towards something that will be an achievement and improved health. Instead, it was met with sort of a scoff and ‘How long can you run now?’ … innocent enough question, until you add tonality to it. I could tell GE wasn’t impressed with my statement. Almost like they didn’t believe it would happen. Another family member stepped in and actually sounded interested in it.

 

I’m not sure what brought the whole thing on, aside from another family member gaining a considerable amount of weight recently and GE being upset at that. I had to keep telling myself that I’m doing this for myself, not for them, not for those who doubt. I won’t deny it though, I am looking forward to hearing them shut up about things at some point.

 

Bought a new brace for my knee today. I tested it out a little bit earlier today, feels like it’ll do the job nicely. I’ve also been reading Born to Run, it’s both inspiring and rather interesting. I’m not sure how much of it I can apply to things, though I may start doing some barefoot walks now and then. Being barefoot is something I’ve always enjoyed and was often running around without shoes as a kid.

 

So the plan for tomorrow after work, hit the park or the gym, depending on the temp, and test out the new brace.

Motivation

First, a reminder… drink plenty of water! Yes, it’s a little goofy, but I took the picture to prove to Woobie that I was drinking my water today.

 

 

Things I didn’t want to do today:

• Wake up on time
• Go to work
• Go to the gym

Things I did today:

• Got out of bed mostly on time
• Went to work (was actually a pretty good day)
• Went to the gym

After dealing with mild stomach cramps, a long day at work, and allergies, I really didn’t want to go to the gym after work today… especially since I was there until 5pm. I considered going for a walk down by the creek but it was just too hot out there. I was going to claim ‘Gotta clean, can’t hit gym’ but just before leaving work I found my sansa cases and armbands had come. That was all I needed to get my butt to the gym. New toy time! So, was the trip to the gym worth it? Sure was. Did some elliptical, then weights and stretching. I may have overdone a little on the stomach twisty thing I did, back popped quite a bit, which felt good but the stress might not have been that great for my already taxed lower back.

 

Motivation can sometimes be something that is just outside out grasp, taunting us with its nearness. So, where does one find it? As I mentioned earlier, it was a new toy for me today. Sometimes it can be a buddy to go work out with. The problem with that, gotta find a buddy that is really into it and will motivate you. If you both blow it off, no one gets motivated, and that sort of defeats the purpose. So, what about a reward system? Have to be careful with this one. Most of us have the mindset of ‘I did good.. gimmie cookie!’ thanks to childhood. Sure, we also got gold stars, cute pencils, time with a special toy, but more often than not, it was an edible treat. New clothes are always a nice option, but when you’re working out, you sort of have to wait on needing smaller clothing. Pair of shoes? That can get dangerous and expensive. You could give yourself gold stars, to add up to something, but that kind of works better when someone else keeps track of it unless you have some killer determination. Then again, when you have killer determination, you tend to not really need a motivator. For some people, a combo of motivational tools is necessary. This blog post sets things out in a nice easy to follow pattern that is far better than my mind dump ramble.

 

As I’ve been writing this, I’ve been chuckling to myself. See, the whole reason I’m going through all of this, and pushing myself, etc, is because I’ve signed up for a 5k in August. If you read Leo’s post, number 22 is to sign up for a race. Even that knowledge wasn’t really enough to make me feel good about going to the gym today. I kept saying in my head, I’ve got plenty of time to train, no worries. I know better than that with the shape I’m in aerobically. I’ve never been all that great in that department. Weights, sure, aerobics, not so much.

Time to change that :D

 

In other news, my knees seem to be behaving after working out today. Yay!

 

This is a two picture post btw… here’s a post-workout picture.

Knees at it again

So it was mildly crazy at work yesterday and I happened to wear pretty tall heels. Now this would normally not be much of an issue, but with the heat my feet were a wee bit swollen which caused issues to begin with. Add to that my rapid pace of movement. What did this oh so lovely combo cause? Gold star to those who said ‘knee pain’! Feels like the knee cap isn’t quite in place, like it needs to pop or something or like something’s pulling funny. Add to that the head pain I’m dealing with either from allergies, being dehydrated, or who knows what and I want to curl up and wait things out. Instead I’m trying to stretch things out and relax a bit in the hopes that things get back to livable.

 

Through all this I have come to a few conclusions, one of them being, I miss ritual. I used to do quite a bit of meditation, etc. Somewhere along the way that all fell aside. I belong to a local liberal church but that isn’t doing it lately. Theory I’m playing with is that if I add that sort of activity back in, I’ll be able to .. I don’t know. It’s something to play with.

Working Out Sick

It’s often tricky to make the call… work out while fighting something off, or curl up in bed. Ok, so some times it isn’t really that tricky. If you can’t move, you can’t work out. But, what happens when you’re right on the cusp of being almost that sick? That was me yesterday. I woke up feeling crummy, wanted to just stay in bed, but had things I needed to get done like dishes, buying cat food, etc… so I got out of bed. I think I had overdone it the night before when I had attacked the vines growing on the back patio. That had to be done however… was a pretty good work out too. Sun was out, slight breeze, cats playing. Anyway, I woke up quite sore after that. I had been sore since Friday though so it likely just didn’t help any. After a shower, and brushing my teeth, I felt almost human again and decided to go for a walk with some jogging thrown in to see how my knees took it. Huzzah! The knees are ok. The rest of me, not so happy. My lungs have apparently decided that they were allowed to relax during my long rest. If it’s not one thing, it’s another eh? Feeling much better today.. was a little sore earlier but that seems to have worked itself out for the most part. Hopefully the trend continues.

Kick in the Butt

Every now and then, a person needs a kick in the butt to get moving… I was at that point this week. The fair kicked my butt and I have been just floating along this past week. I did go for a hike with a dear friend on Saturday, but past that, not much has been done in the way of exercise. I had planned to just deal with the laundry and be done for the night, but then watched the recent episode of Loosing It with Jillian Michaels… it gave me the kick in the butt I needed.  The woman on the show had lost her husband and it sent her into a world of topsy turvey, screw it. By the end of the show, after working out for a month and training, she hobbled through a 5K.

 

I’ve got a 5K coming up in a couple months… so, I got off my butt and on the Wii. Got some good sweat therapy in and think I may try and get up early tomorrow to go walk… The good news is, my knees didn’t hurt after the hike on Saturday, but my legs were jelly lol. I suppose that’s what I get for hiking in flip flops after being on my feet all day.

 

It’s been tough lately to eat well… I’ve been doing a pretty good job of it but now and then, not so hot. I try and play mind games with myself, saying I’m having gum or fruit ‘for dessert’ rather than ‘instead of dessert’ but it gets old. It’s tough after years of eating things that I now know, aren’t all that great for me. We’re conditioned to seek out sweets, fats, etc… it’s in our genetic makeup. At one point, those things were scarce, and so we had to find them,. Now, they are everywhere and easier to get than the things that our bodies need. The tables have turned, and yet, we haven’t evolved to a point where our minds and bodies understand that. The complex, the colorful, the fresh, these are the things that our bodies are now crying out for in various forms of health issues. Some people have caught up with this new concept, they snub their noses at a slice of cake in favor of a fresh pear. Perhaps, one day, I’ll discover their trick. Until then, I shall keep kicking myself in the butt!

Whoops

So, I missed a day of posting.. it happens. I did work out yesterday, did some wii time. Today I was pretty sore but went to the Y with my mom after work. It was a very long day and I needed to let it go. I also won’t have much time this weekend to work out since the Fair is going on. So aside from hauling my massage table around and standing all day there won’t be much energy for much else. I’m looking forward to the weekend, despite the exhaustion of it all. I don’t really have much else to say for tonight… Sorry for the brief blog but not every day can be very thought provoking.

Surprise Morning Quote

Had this in my inbox today…

Anything is possible, but you have to believe and you have to fight.
Lance Armstrong

Sweat Therapy

Plan was to hit the pool for aerobics but I wasn’t feeling it after work. My body hurt, I was tired, and just wanted to curl up on the couch. So I did… after chopping onions and getting the beef stuff I made going. Did I feel guilty? No. Now and then we need to listen to our bodies. I don’t mean the mind games we play with ourselves when we’re just being lazy. I also didn’t just sit on the sofa the whole evening, but long enough to recover from whatever was going on. After dinner had settled enough, I fired up the wii. It had been a while since I’d done anything on there but weigh myself. After some boxing, I decided to try and jog in place for a while… I managed to keep it up for ten minutes, which got me close to 1.5 miles of wii running, then some arm extension things.

 

While I was jogging I started to think back on things as well as forward on things. I decided to picture myself actually jogging the 5K while doing it. This helped me continue on rather than pause for a moment. Thinking back I started to think back on what I used to do when I had a long/busy day and needed to unwind. I would sit on my tush and play some kind of shooting game, or just watch TV for the evening. Doesn’t really let anything out. A friend and I are always talking about ‘Sweat Therapy’. This is just the act of being physically active in some form of exercise, and sweating out the blech of the day. It’s quite effective at that, as well as energizing when you’re just feeling kind of tired and down. It’s sometimes tough to remember that wearing yourself out, can energize and revitalize you.

 

If my knee is doing ok, maybe I’ll go walk after work tomorrow, we shall see!

Wrinkly Face

So today the family had a bbq today, grandma included… our family gatherings tend to be different. This one went pretty well up until the point where I said I was going to run a 5K. Gramma hadn’t heard that yet and when she did she gave me the wrinkly face. That face tends to go along with disapproval, which was confusing.  Still not so sure why I got that face but oh well. I’m not doing this for her, or anyone else, just me. If that means I have to put up with a couple wrinkly faces, so be it. I have several people who are saying they’ll be there to cheer me on, even co-workers.

 

I heated my knee last night rather than icing it, that seemed to help more. They still aren’t up to par yet but are getting there. Yay! Bad news, my back has joined the cranky fest. My body is great at cranky it seems. Time to break the pattern I think. I did get a lock though so I can go use the pool at the Y, maybe I’ll start back up with Thursday night water aerobics. It’s actually Tuesday/Thursday but can only go on Tuesdays when there isn’t choir. Not that I’ve been awesome about going to choir lately. It almost seems that when I start one thing, something else kind of falls behind. My energy levels are getting better but aren’t steller yet. Several years back, I got mono.. I’m not sure how but that’s not important really. It drained me more than anything has. At some point I went from just a bout with mono to having a chronic case. Since then, I’ve had to be pretty picky about where I spend my energies. Sometimes, I over extend and get drained rather easily. That’s starting to change though, I’ve been able to do more for longer periods of time. I’m hoping that by continuing to eat organically and gluten free, as well as the added exercise, that time will lengthen and the energy will improve. Not too much to ask is it? I don’t think so.

 

That being said… bring on the wrinkly faces!

Rest

Was knocked on my butt today thanks to a headache that’s still lingering. It’s part sinus part who knows what. The hope is that it’ll go away with sleep and some coffee in the morning. Having some green tea right now while I heat my knee rather than ice it. We’ll see what happens.

It’s late

It’s late and I’m tired, yet here I am, posting. I’ve put it off tonight because I didn’t feel I really had much to say. Went to drum circle tonight but didn’t really dance, the energy was off and my knees are aching. Granted, the ache is better than the stabbing pain but still annoying. I did walk a bit around the property for a while, was nice out.

 

I’m having a mildly tough time with all of this. I’ve told people about the race, told them what I’m doing, gotten encouragement, etc. A part of me continually asks ‘Why?’ and that part has noisy days and quiet days. In the past, that voice has won out and I gave in. I want this time to be different, it will be different… I hope it’s different.

 

I’ve been in a funk lately, and I think I was hoping that this whole project would bring me out of that. Right now though, it mostly feels like it’s making it worse. I can hardly walk for more than a little while, let alone jog.  I know I need to let my knees rest, sort themselves out, etc, but man that’s tough. Feels sort of like I’d be letting.. whoever down. I mean, what would I post? ‘Well, rested the knees again today, man I hope they’re better soon… later!’

 

It’s late, I should sleep.

Night Off

After much debate, I’m taking it easy tonight due to my knee. I’ll likely do some mild stretching or something but nothing too taxing on the joint. This is frustrating and annoying. I don’t do well starting and stopping things like this. Each time it’s harder to start back up again. A night off now and then is good though.

 

Joint problems in mind, I’ve had some people ask me why I’ve decided to run. According to an article in Time the amount of force on a person’s knees is 8 times their weight. The same article goes on to talk about a study done on runners and non-runners over a period of time. The study showed that the runners’ knees were no more or less inclined to develop arthritis. I know that new studies come out all the time, and they often contradict one another, but that’s ok.  I happen to have joints that need a little extra TLC thanks to genetics and various activities/injuries. That should not prevent me from doing something that I’ve really wanted to do over the past few years, especially something that can make me a healthier person. I just have to do things a little slower than most and incorporate a few different things. I plan to head to the store over the weekend to pick up a new lock so I can go walk in the pool. That will keep the weight/pressure off of the joint while allowing me to keep moving.

 

First ‘yay’ moment by the way… put on a pair of pants this morning and I was a little concerned at how they would fit as the last time they were a little funky fitting. Today they fit quite nicely. Yay!

Oh those knees!

Went to the Y again tonight, this time with my mom. Started out doing another 4 miles on the stationary bike, and then different weight machines than yesterday. I am a sore mess! I thought that doing the bike might take some stress off my knees since I’m sitting down, etc… Man was I wrong. It almost feels like I’ve got scar tissue across the lower front of my right knee. The left knee is just joining in on the fun I think. The only damage I can think of was from a car accident back in high school. My knees hit the dash, it kind of hurt at the time but not enough to really do anything about it. Since then they’ve been cranky off and on, mostly off until now. Of course, yet again, I set a goal and my body decides that just isn’t acceptable. Oh well, too bad body, it’s gunna happen!

 

Went to the store after spending some time with the ‘rents and picked up some joint supplement in fluid form, as well as an ice pack I can wrap around my knee, ankle, wrist, elbow, whatever needs it. Hopefully between those two things, my knee, and other joints will start to feel better. I’ll be doing the race in August either way. Even if that means finding a knee brace that works for me.

 

I was thinking back last night, to when I was in karate back in high school. Twice a week, about an hour of moving around, and I dropped down to 135#s or so. Even back then I couldn’t really run though. I was in shape, and I was strong, but had no lung power or endurance. I joked with co-workers that I never really progressed beyond Kindergarten track day where I  sort of trotted along waving at everyone with a giant smile on my face. I was cute, but rather un-athletic. At one point my gym teacher even told my parents at a parent-teacher meeting, “I don’t think she’ll ever have much hand-eye coordination.” What kind of thing is that to say about someone in Elementary School? I think Karate sort of kicked that theory in the fanny. Sticks were my favorite activity, requires pretty good coordination. Then again, I tend to do well at things that people say I won’t likely do. Perhaps that’s why my body is being so ornery, it’s trying to make me overcome the challenge. I figure I’ve got enough challenge without the added aches and pains. We’ll see how things progress I suppose.

 

I think tomorrow will be something easy for my knees like yoga or something. Especially with drum circle being Saturday night… can’t dance if the knees won’t let ya!

Rejoice in your body!

For those of you who are more familiar with my other blog, you may notice a few differences between the two. While the other one is more spiritual in nature, this one will focus on my new … mission to improve my health while improving my mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. First, a quick introduction, I’m an almost 30 year old, mildly overweight woman, who has just signed up for her very first 5k race. The race is to happen mid August, and since I am far from a runner, training has started. I’ve been toying with the idea of signing up for a 5k for, oh, over a year now. Got the shoes, downloaded the training program, and hit a wall called ‘Protesting Body’. Either I would get sick or I would injure myself, or something would happen to prevent training. What’s different this time? Me. I recently switched to a gluten free diet, and am doing my best to eat organic when I can. This has prompted a change in how I want to live my life. Merely getting by just doesn’t cut it any more. Now that I’m feeling better, I want to do all I can to feel even better. It’s going to be a process, but I’m ok with that. Longer it takes to do something like this, the more likely it will be to stick.

 

Today’s training was in the gym. I injured my knee on Sunday and it was raining so the stationary bike called. After doing 4 miles on the bike I switched to weights. The Y has recently (I think) added some new machines so it was a little tough to find what I wanted. I left with jelly legs, and spazzy arms, but it was worth it. Work has been somewhat stressful lately and exercise is a better outlet than comfort food. My ipod gave out after about 20 minutes on the bike, and that wasn’t nearly long enough. Either I need to get a better ipod, or..something. Since today was day 1, getting to the gym was no problem, I have a feeling that things may change as time goes on. Some days will be harder than others of course, but, such is life.

So here is me, after a long few weeks, a long day, and an hour at the gym. No, I won’t post a picture every day, more like once a week, just to keep track of things. I’m tired, mildly sinusy, and ready to try again tomorrow. Not bad all around.