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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Fitness and Cancer, by guest blogger Liz Davies


A diagnosis of cancer often results in a significant decline in physical activity, according to epidemiological studies. The stress of preparing for treatments and telling family and friends about the diagnosis is overwhelming enough to make many people put regular exercise on the back burner. The type of treatment can reduce exercise regularity even further, as patients experiencing the fatigue and nausea of chemotherapy and the pain of recovery from an operation are less likely to push themselves. Instead of leaving exercise as an afterthought, more and more doctors are urging their patients to engage in physical activity, and their reasons may come as a surprise.

The Role of Fitness in Reducing Symptoms

Whether the cancer is of a rare and terminal type or a treatable, hormone-based cancer, exercise offers some definite benefits.
Fatigue is one of the leading complaints. Beginning with the stress of a diagnosis, many patients experience fatigue that can last years after successful treatment. Exercise combats this, causing the body to balance hormones and promote healthy body composition. Toned muscle and strong circulation are important to keeping a steady metabolism, which is the body's energy management system.

Regular movement is also helpful for treating digestive problems that routinely appear as nausea, loss of appetite, constipation and diarrhea. Exercise stimulates the body's need for nutrition and promotes regularity in bowel movements. Additionally, the hormones produced during exercise can relieve pain caused by treatments and the cancer itself.

Fitness and Survival

Though researchers have been unable to separately verify whether exercise is beneficial to treatment regimens, it does promote quality of life. Exercise during treatment for certain types of cancer has been shown to increase survival rates. This may be due to the direct effect of the body better able to metabolize and distribute medicine, or it could simply be the indirect effect of having a better quality of life.

It is well known that exercise prevents many forms of cancer, and survivor programs are increasingly turning to physical therapists to reduce recurrence. One of the major benefits of maintaining a program during treatment is that it can be
continued after treatment.

The type of fitness program is less important than keeping to a regular schedule. Most experts agree that any form of aerobic exercise engaged in regularly will show benefits, but it is important to consult with a doctor and fitness expert during cancer treatment. Sometimes certain types of exercises will be recommended. For example,
mesothelioma and lung cancer causes doctors to often advocate cardio exercises while breast cancer patients will be urged to focus on flexibility.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.   You can find her at: www.curiousmindmusings.blogspot.com, or email questions/comments to: healthylizd@gmail.com

17 miles!

Today was the day that worked best for my husband and I to do a long run together, and since our 16 miler last week was kind of a bust, we decided to go for 17 today.  We started out around 9:30, hoping that the sun coming up would warm the air a bit.  It was a chilly 20 degrees this morning, but I'm pretty sure it's up to the 30's now.  So the only thing we had to contend with was a little bit of wind, which didn't actually hit until around mile 6, so it wasn't too bad.  This was the furthest distance my husband has run, so we took it slow and used a 4:1 min. run/walk ratio.  He did great, and only started to complain about the pain starting around mile 15 or so.  I felt pretty good, though I did start having some serious hunger pangs during the second half of the run.  I had eaten when I woke up this morning around 6, a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and honey, and a mini-Clif energy bar.  I also took a package of energy beans (100 calories) and another mini-Clif (100 calories), and then had an electrolyte drink in my water bottles.  That's more than I typically eat, even for long runs, but for some reason I'm having a "hungry day"!  When we got home, I scarfed down my usual oatmeal with berries and almonds, and also made a chocolate-peanut butter protein smoothie that I split with Chris.  Now I feel much better.  It always feels good to get a long run done.
(I have no idea what was going on with my phone-camera.  I've never had it take such a weird picture.  Maybe it had something to do with the sun?  Anyway, you can see the long stretch of road heading towards those beautiful mountains.  I just love running here!)

Monday, January 30, 2012

5.5 miles.

A couple of weeks ago, I read the book "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an all night runner" by Dean Karnazes.  I would definitely recommend this book to any runner (or anybody, for that matter) looking for a little inspiration.  This guy is crazy.  His stamina for long distance running is unmatched.  And while you read his words and think to yourself, "I could never do that!", it's still motivating to think that it's possible.  Really, anything is possible with hard work and dedication.  He went from just a regular, average 30 year old guy, to the guy who has run innumerable ultramarathons, most of which were 100+ miles.  I also found a documentary on DVD and ordered it through Netflix called "Ultramarathon Man: 50 days, 50 states, 50 marathons."  Seriously.  Phew.  Anyway, we watched that on Saturday evening and I think I'll watch it again.  Another motivational story.  What an amazing person he is, and one that through reading his book and watching him on film, you feel like is just a regular, down to earth type of guy, who just doesn't stop until he's completed his goals.  Even then, he just keeps running...

So, this morning I began my day with 20 minutes of Pilates before I even took the kids to school.  After I dropped them off, I headed outside for a run.  I did an out and back totaling 5.5 miles.  It was really windy, and I had a serious headwind the entire way back to the house, so I was surprised to see from my Garmin that I had an average pace of 10:37 min./mile.  When I got home I fixed a nice bowl of hot oatmeal with blueberries and almonds and after eating, I got on the bike for an hour.  It's kind of nice that I can scootch the bike right up to the computer desk and do my online things while I pedal away. :)

Friday, January 27, 2012

9.21 miles ~ 2nd attempt, success!

Last night my friend called me and wanted to know if I would be interested in running with her this morning before we both had to get to our various kid-activity obligations for the day.  She was doing her long run of the week.  I explained about our failed attempt at 16 that morning and as I was talking to her I felt excited at the prospect of going out for another long-ish run, even if it would mean running long two days in a row.  We met up at 7 this morning and headed out to do our 9+ mile loop.  Today the temperatures were a bit colder, but there were no clouds in sight!  It was dark as we started out, but as the sun came up over the mountains, it turned into a beautiful morning.  I had set my Garmin to time out 4 minute to 1 minute intervals and so for every 4 minutes that we ran, we took a walking break.  For some reason when I run with my friend, Holly, I run faster than I do when I'm by myself or even when I'm with Chris.  I think part of it is that she naturally runs faster than me, and since we're both engrossed in conversation the whole time we're running, we go closer to her normal speed and don't focus so much on the fact that we're winded and/or fatiguing.  Today that resulted in a faster overall time for me.  Even with the walking breaks, we did our 9.21 miles in about 1 hour and 35 minutes, which equates to an average pace around 10:30 min./mile.  As an added bonus, I feel great!  My legs aren't even sore and I've been just feeling really good in general the past few days.  It's kind of nice to have that extra spark.  It motivates me to run more! :)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

13-ish miles on this lovely day.

My husband and I had grand plans to enjoy a nice, long run together this morning.  I checked the weather forecast last night, it looked like it was going to be decent enough.  When I took the kids to school, it was cloudy, but not too cold and not too windy.  So, while my night-shift working hubby got a few extra zzz's, I did 15 minutes of Pilates, and rode the stationary bike for about 20 minutes to warm my body up.  We had mapped an out and back run totaling 16 miles.  At around 9am, we were both up and rarin' to go, so we headed out.  The first 3 miles or so were fine, but then the wind picked up and it started to snow.  Just a few, light flakes at first, but soon the pretty little crystals turned evil and started pelting our cold faces as we ran.  Then it turned into full-on, pouring rain.  At around 4.8 miles, we made a "pit" stop (my husband has no qualms about that sort of thing, unlike me).  At that point we were completely soaked and started to discuss the idea of turning back and cutting our run short.  We decided to be fearless and venture on, but just as we did, my cell phone rang.  One of my kids was sick at school and wanted to come home.  So, then we finally decided the running gods were actually working against us today.  We turned back for home, running straight to the elementary school to get our son, then we walked the last two or so blocks back to the house, clocking 8.55 miles in a little over an hour and half at that point.

After changing into dry, warm shoes and clothes, I got on the treadmill.  I was still feeling so good physically, and today was supposed to be a long run day after all.  I ended up doing another 4 miles of running on the treadmill, then I got back on the bike and cycled for another hour while I got caught up on internet stuff.

I've been searching for a race to do between now and the marathon in May.  I would like to do either a half or full marathon, but it's difficult to find races that are within a reasonable driving distance during the late winter/early spring months.  I was thinking it would be cool to combine a little family vacation with a road race.  Anyone have any ideas?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

4 miles, miscellaneous.

This morning I decided to just hop on the treadmill for a short(ish) run of about 4 miles.  When I finished with that, I did an hour on the bike, going harder than I typically do.  Tomorrow is the day my husband and I are going to attempt our weekly long run.  The weekend is going to be too busy, with cub scouts and basketball games, etc.  I just hope the weather cooperates...

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Cross-training Tuesday!


I love how our property looks with a fresh layer of snow!  This morning I did a cross-training workout.  I had been fasting since dinner yesterday because I needed a blood-draw this morning, so by the time I was about 1/2 way through my workout, the hunger was really starting to take it's toll.  I started out with 30 minutes on the stationary bike while also using the hand weights.  Then I got on the elliptical for 30 minutes, and did sets of sit-ups in between every 10 minutes.  Finally, I got on the treadmill and did a fast-paced walk for 20 minutes.  At that point, I had to eat, so I had my daily bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with blueberries and almonds.  Now I feel better, so I just might do a little more on the treadmill while I enjoy the view out the window.

Monday, January 23, 2012

5.23 miles.

Despite the stormy weekend, the weather looked good for a run this morning, so I hit the road.  After being cooped up in the house all day yesterday with sick kids, it felt really good to get outside.  Before I went on my run, I did 40 minutes on the elliptical.  I wanted to give the sun a chance to come up.  I had originally planned on doing only 4 miles, but once I got out there I was feeling so good, I decided to go a little longer and finished at 5.23 miles.  Now it's time to hit the showers so I can get to work on the grocery list and weekly menu.

I'm excited to report that after 2 weeks of buckling down on my diet and nutrition, I have lost 5.4 pounds!  Motivation. :)

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Busy day.

Today was the first day of the season that all three of our oldest kids had basketball games, starting at 9am and spread throughout the day.  So, I only had time to squeeze in a 30 minute session on the elliptical first thing this morning.  But, this evening after dinner I had time to do some more, so I got on the treadmill and walked for 30 minutes, then did another 30 minutes on the elliptical and finally 25 minutes on the stationary bike.  I did my long run yesterday due to the basketball games I knew would have me scrambling around all day today, and it's a good thing it worked out like that because a storm also blew in today and it's a rainy/slushy/windy/slippery mess out there.

Friday, January 20, 2012

9 miles.

Last night I got a call from a good friend of mine, one of the few other women I truly enjoy running with.  I have mentioned her on this blog before, she has a little boy who has been going through cancer treatments since the beginning of 2011.  The little guy had his final treatment several weeks ago and has now been declared officially cancer-free!  He had his central line removed a few days ago and now doesn't need to make a trip to the doctor or hospital for at least 3 months - wonderful news for this sweet family that has been through so much all year.  So, she wanted to go running together and asked what my plans were for a long run this weekend.  This is actually a "scale-back" week for me and if I went by my schedule, I would have only done 6 miles.  She wanted to do 13, so we compromised at 9.  My husband even joined us as we did a 9 mile loop.  It was raining all night and I was worried we might be running in the rain, but it let up just in time for us to head out this morning, and it wasn't even all that cold, windy - yes, but not too cold.  We had a great run and it felt so good to be able to catch up with her.  We talked so much that I wasn't really paying too much attention to how fast we were going - remember, she is a sub-3:45 marathoner - and although we were taking one minute walk breaks every 4 minutes, we finished the run with a very decent average pace of 10:50 min./mile.  That's much faster than I've been used to doing my longer runs, so hopefully I won't feel too sore tomorrow.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Speed work.

This morning I started out with 45 minutes on the exercise bike.  After that, I did 45 minutes on the elliptical.  Finally, I did some speed work on the treadmill for 45 minutes, running 1 minute sprints with easy jogging/walking in between.  So, 2 1/4 hours worth of working out, but it seemed to go by quickly since I was going from one thing to the next.

VS

After my workout, I entered my information into www.MyFitnessPal.com.  According to the website, I burned over 900 calories with my workout today.  I then entered the exact recipe I used to make the cupcakes my little boy requested for his birthday celebration this evening.  It said that each cupcake is about 260 calories and 10 grams of fat, and now I'm debating whether or not the indulgence is worth it.  That's a lot.  I even attempted to make the cupcakes "healthier" by substituting ground flax for the eggs, and applesauce and squash puree for the oil, although I did put a mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in the center of each one - my son's favorite!  Well, now I'm off to wrap a couple of presents...☺

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Yesterday and today.

Apparently I neglected to do a blog post yesterday, shame on me! ;)  Of course that doesn't mean I didn't get my workout in for the day.  I did a treadmill run of a little over 7 and a half miles.

This morning I decided to throw in a little cross training.  I started out by doing 30 minutes on the bike while also using my 5 pound hand weights.  After that I did my usual elliptical/circuit training for a total of 45 minutes, and finally I got on the treadmill for an "easy" 20 minute run.  And now, if I can rouse my husband from bed, we'll be heading to the park with Nicolas in his jogger to do a few laps around the track...that is, if the snow can hold off just a little bit longer.

Monday, January 16, 2012

5 miles and some other things.

This morning I began my day with 30 minutes of Pilates.  After that I did the elliptical trainer for 30 minutes, followed by a 5 mile run on the treadmill.

I finally came up with a formalized training schedule to get me through the next 18 weeks until the Ogden Marathon.  It's a modified version of a schedule from my book: "Marathon: You Can Do It!" by Jeff Galloway. It has me running up to 5 days a week, with a full rest day and cross-training days.  I've decided to allow myself to be less strict with a training schedule this time around.  I've been feeling good, and when I consider the fact that I ran 19 miles a little over a week ago, felt great afterwards and had a very short recovery period, I think things are going along well.  So, I'll use the schedule to keep me in line with the lengths of my runs, but also continue to do a lot of the things I've already been doing.

Also, it's been one week since I re-committed to maintaining a healthier diet.  I was going to "weigh-in" this morning, and even though I had an excellent week in terms of sticking to everything, I was feeling a little bloated and didn't want to get on the scale.  I was afraid I might be disappointed and just get frustrated and down on myself.  I know I've been doing well, and it might take a bit longer to actually start feeling a difference, so I'm going to wait to weigh myself.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

12 miles on a cold, sunny day.


For this morning's long run adventure, I ran along the old highway from Inkom to McCammon, from our house to the Subway, which is just about 12 miles (11.8, to be exact).  I waited to leave until around 9:30 so that I would get there around lunch time, then called my husband when I had finished my run and had arrived at Subway and he came and joined me for lunch, then he drove me home.  It was a beautiful and peaceful run, with the sun shining and the temperature hovering around 35 degrees.  The only thing that would have made it more enjoyable would have been if the wind wasn't blowing about 20 miles an hour.  Facing a head wind the whole way was really starting to agitate me by the end.  I could barely hear my music because of the non-stop howling in my ears.  I really guess I shouldn't complain too much though.  It's mid-January in Southeastern Idaho and I've still been able to do some of my runs outside without too much pain and suffering - I should be grateful for that.  This winter has been much more mild than last year.  I remember how hard it was training for a spring marathon through the winter.  I just love getting my vitamin D!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

XT day.

This morning I began my workout by doing 30 minutes on the stationary bike, also using the hand weights to do reps while cycling.  Then I got on the elliptical and did some circuit training, doing 5 minute intervals of elliptical alternating with other cv and strength training exercises, such as sit-ups, step-ups with weights and punches with weights.  I did that for a total of 45 minutes, then got back on the bike for an additional 15 minutes.  This week has been going pretty well, in terms of my diet and exercise.  I look forward to keeping that momentum going and hopefully seeing some noticeable results within the next few weeks.

How's everyone else doing with their "New Year's Resolutions", or just self-improvement in general?

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

My Fitness Pal

I meant to mention this earlier, but forgot...

Some of you may use or have heard of the website www.MyFitnessPal.com.  It's a food and exercise logging site where you can set up a profile, with weight loss/maintenance goals, then you enter your daily food intake and exercise and it automatically calculates your caloric needs vs. calories burned, etc.  There are many other similar websites out there, but this is the one I have been using for several months and have found it to be very helpful in tracking my progress or seeing where I need to improve.  Anyway, if any of you are interested, you can create a profile for yourself then add me as a connection, or if you're just curious, you can even just go on there and "troll" around on my diet and exercise journal.  My profile is not private, you can find me under the profile name: PriscillaBake.

Back to the 'mill for 7 miles.

Looks like the winter weather has decided to make a reappearance, with fresh snow on the ground this morning.  While the snow may not have stopped me from running outside, the wind chill of negative degree temperatures did, so this morning I got right to it on the treadmill.  I did a nice, "easy" 7 mile run, and now I'm going to read for a bit while enjoy a ride on the stationary bike.  Multitasking at it's best. ;)

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

3 miles of speedwork, and other things.

I am pleased to report that I had a very controlled day yesterday with regards to my diet.  I stuck with my menu, with a few minor alterations to accommodate my workout in the morning (meaning I ate a little extra fruit for the carbs), and entered everything on MyFitnessPal.com to make sure I was well within my calorie allowance vs. my calorie burn.  As great as I felt going to bed last night knowing I had taken charge of things and was conscientious about the choices I was making, those hunger pangs I felt throughout the day reminded me of how hard it was when I first started working on losing weight.  I just had to keep telling myself that it takes two weeks to break a bad habit and form a new one, and my bad habits include snacking on food whenever I feel the slightest bit hungry.

As far as today's workout goes, I started my morning out on the stationary bike for 65 minutes, and I even grabbed the 5 pound hand weights and used them for about 15-20 minutes of that time.  After that, I got on the treadmill for a some speedwork.  I did a little over 3 miles in 30 minutes, pushing the speed up as high as I could handle for 30-45 second bursts throughout, then back down to a manageable pace in between.  My heart was pumping, the sweat was dripping and my legs were wobbling by the time I finished, so I guess that means I'm doing something right.

Monday, January 9, 2012

It's Monday, time to refocus.

Last night, as I was making a menu and grocery list for this week, I realized that I have got to seriously buckle down and get back to eating properly.  There is definite room to "trim the fat", so to speak.  So I got out my handy-dandy "Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide" (by Dr. Phil) and revised my menu plan.  I'm going to begin with the next two weeks as a jump start, using the Rapid Start Plan.  Then I will continue on with the maintenance menus.  Hopefully that will help cleanse my system and give my metabolism a boost.  In addition to cutting out sugar, I'm (once again) going to drastically reduce my Diet Coke intake.  I'm not going to say I'm cutting it out completely, because I believe I can do this in moderation.  There is a time and a place for the occasional Diet Coke, just not everyday.  Now that I have my menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the entire week taped to the refrigerator, I feel even more motivated.

When I first lost all the extra weight I'd been carrying from my 4 pregnancies, this was the diet/menu plan that I used.  I lost 60 pounds in nine months, bringing me down to a weight of 115 pounds.  At 5'3", I felt like that was a good weight for me.  I was able to maintain that for a couple of years...then I started running.  Within the first 6-8 weeks of starting training for my first marathon, I had gained 10 pounds.  I'm sure that most of that can be attributed to muscle gain, but it was still unsettling to me after all the work I'd done to lose weight.  Now, a little over a year and 3 marathons later, I'm still sitting pretty at 125 pounds.  Some of you out there may be thinking that I should be happy with that weight.  The problem is that I know how my eating has gradually become less managed, I've sort of adopted the mentality that because I exercise so much, I can eat pretty much anything I want and not gain weight - a dangerous mode of thinking.  I can tell that I've let it get out of control to an extent because I don't feel good, physically.  In theory, I should be in the best shape of my life, but most days I feel sluggish and flabby.  I know that with a little jolt of reality and some sacrifice, I can whip myself back into shape without too much pain and suffering, so here goes...

This morning's workout consisted of a 10 minute Pilates warm up, followed by 30 minutes on the bike.  Then I did 5 minutes worth of sit-ups and plank position, followed by 30 minutes on the elliptical.  After that I got on the treadmill and did 15 minutes at 6mph.  Now it's time to go grocery shopping.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

19 miles!

Last night I mapped out an 18 mile run, basically an out and back run from our town to the next town over on an old highway.  Apparently I went a little past my turn around point, because by the time I arrived back at the house I had logged 19.02 miles.  My goal was to do a long, slow run.  I used a run/walk ratio of 2:1 hoping to save my legs a little bit of agony later on.  During the first 9 or so miles, I felt relaxed and happy, and found myself focusing on how beautiful this area is and how blessed I am to live here.  The mountains are snow capped right now, and the route was a little bit of rolling hills with mostly farms along the way.  At some points the road would peak and I could see mountains and valleys all around me.  Little snowflakes started falling and it was very serene.  I was enjoying myself so much, that I guess I didn't notice that I had a tailwind the whole time, and when I turned around to head back, I received a cold slap in the face.  I spent the second half of my run with my jacket pulled up over my cheeks and nose just to be able to breathe.  I was still able to maintain a consistent pace, and definitely accomplished my goal of going long and slow.  It took me exactly 4 hours, which works out to an average pace of 12:38 min/mile.  That's slower than I hope to go on marathon day, but I was happy that I was able to stay strong the whole time.  When I looked at my Garmin download, I saw that my average running pace was right around 10 min./mile the whole time, while my pace during the walking breaks was around 16 min./mile.  I can't tell you all how glad I am to have been able to get out on the road for a successful long run today.  Training during the winter can be so tough, that it's good to have a few high points.

Friday, January 6, 2012

30 mile "bike" ride.

After cub scouts this morning, I had some stress to burn off, so I got on our new exercise bike and just started pedaling.  A few hours later, and I had gone 30 miles!  I barely worked up a sweat because I was taking it so easy, but hopefully I will still be good to go for my long run tomorrow.  I'm thinking of trying a completely new route.  I'm heading over to MapMyRun.com right now to work on that...

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A little XT...

This morning I was feeling really sore in my legs, especially my hamstrings, so I started out my workout with 10 minutes of Pilates to warm up, then 30 minutes on the elliptical, followed by 30 minutes on the new bike.  Then when my husband woke up, he wanted to go for a walk to loosen up his legs, so we went together to the park and walked for a couple of miles.  I'm going to use tomorrow as a "rest" day, though I may do a little walking.  Assuming the weather cooperates, I hope to do a good 16-18 mile long run on Saturday morning....we'll see.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

9 miles and a new recumbent bike!

I was so determined to get outside for a run today.  I waited until 9, because when I took the kids to school it was about 20 degrees - still a little cold for me.  I felt fine for the first few miles, but I did a 9 mile loop that, when you reach the far side, is up against a mountain which means little to no sunshine for several miles.  So, with no sun and the wind picking up, I was FREEZING!  Oh, well.  At least I got out there on the road again.  It really is so different from the treadmill.  But yesterday we got the latest issue of Runner's World, and in it is an article about treadmill running which was helpful and motivating.

I'm also excited that we got the exercise bike that we ordered.  My husband put it together.  We decided on a recumbent bike, even though I initially thought I would get a spin bike.  Since both my husband and I will be using it, he wanted one with a comfortable seat that he could use for cardiovascular cross-training without too much stress on his joints.  I think it will be a good addition to our humble home-gym. :)

 (If you're wondering why I'm wearing a jacket, it's because I couldn't warm up after my run.  My body was shivering, but I wanted to sit on the bike for a photo.)

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

On the road again!

I am so excited to report that I actually went outside for a run today.  The weather has been so mild the past few days that the roads are clear, the winds are calm(ish) and the temperatures are hovering in the 40's, all of which equal perfect running conditions.  My husband wanted to run with me, since the kids are all back in school today.  Right now he is on night shift schedule, so even though he doesn't have to work tonight, he still needed to sleep in this morning to stay on the same sleeping schedule.  That meant we didn't head out for our run until around 10am, so after I took the kids to school, I did a pre-run workout.  I started out with 10 minutes of Pilates to warm up, then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical followed by 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill.  Then we did a 4.5 mile run, with the sun on our sweaty faces ~ it felt great.  In fact, I was so inspired that I think I will plan to do another run on the road tomorrow.  Might as well get it in before Idaho realizes it's January... ;)

Monday, January 2, 2012

It's a new year...

First workout of the new year.  Nothing super exciting.  I started out with a 10 minute Pilates warm up, that is after sleeping in until almost 9 this morning.  That is (almost) unheard of for me, but I guess my body was catching up on the hours of sleep I've been missing lately.  I've had three days in a row of going on 3-4 hours of sleep, so yeah, I guess I probably needed it.  No more of that, though.  The kids head back to school tomorrow and hopefully that will mean getting back to the schedule I'm used to going by.  Anyway, after my warm up, I got on the elliptical and did a circuit workout alternating 5 minutes at a time on the elliptical with miscellaneous other exercises: sit-ups, step-ups, punches using weights, etc.  I did that for a total of 1 hour, then I got on the treadmill and did a slow jog for 20 minutes.  I really just wanted to get my legs moving in the running motion because my quads and muscles around my knees have been feeling pretty sore since my run on Saturday.  Not a new story there.  One of my resolutions for the new year is to figure out a training schedule...it's been a long time coming, I suppose.  :)