Should have stayed with 100 mile goal...

 And now I am going back to that goal. Next month I will shoot for 150, then maybe 200 the following month. This is silly! I had a bad week, and then did too much in one day when I did go back to the gym, that I may have set myself back some more on the road to healing. I did get on the bike twice instead of 4 times. Got 12 miles each time. I am now at a grand total of 67.2 miles for June. I guess that is better than nothing.

I have been up on the elliptical! That is fabulous! I mean it just feel wonderful to be STANDING! My first time up was on Friday. I did 30 minutes plus 2 for cool-down and went 2.94 miles! That is a pace of 10:53 per mile. Some people run that! I feel amazing having accomplished that! I felt so good that day that I went to the bike for 30 minutes as well. (OOPS!) I felt ok afterwards. Most of the day. I even went swimming and did 50 "laps" in the backyard pool. I had a very productive and active day. It wasn't until that night that I started feeling not so great in the foot. We went to the Blues in the District for a bit, and walking there wasn't great. the sidewalks are canted and uneven. That is never a good combo for me and my boot.

I took Saturday off, sort of. This was finally the Big Day for my boys. They were both on their first race! Zachary had been training for a 5k and he went out and did it! 29:10 was his official time. 8th in his division, although he was the 2nd 14 year old to cross the finish. That made him feel MUCH better about it. I think he plans to keep running and sounds excited at the prospect of Cross Country as well as Track & Field next year in school. I just hope he keeps running to maintain an active lifestyle.

Ian also ran Saturday! I am so proud of that kid! He never before ran that long or that far. He went an entire mile in 9 minutes 41 seconds! Super time for a 5 year old with little to no prior training. (That's totally my fault!) This injury has made it hard to even WANT to get him outside. That is horrible of me, I know. I am going to be better about that, too.

There has been a LOT of soul-searching throughout this adventure with the fracture...

I have been having a lot of fun swimming also. I know it isn't much really, but I do "laps" in a 24ft backyard pool. I do at least 50 and usually try for more. I have done 100, 50 , then 60 on the days I have gone swimming. That amounts to 2400 feet, 1200 feet, then 1440 feet. I'm not sure how swimming is usually measured, but I can swim 480 feet in roughly 5 minutes. I really want to get to a standard pool and see if I can even swim one real lap. Excited to try something new. I have been sticking outdoors because the kids love it. I may take them to the Y to swim indoors, but would feel better with another adult to keep an eye on them (to go along with the lifeguards).

A friend of mine just bought a bike. I can't wait to be released to ride outside!

All in all, things are looking better again, but I don't want to jinx it...


~Happy Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Lifting!~

3 more weeks *sigh*

I was hoping to be out of the boot and moving forward by now. Well, I guess I am still moving forward, as I have been released to get out of the boot at home from time to time. I have also been given exercises to do to start getting the Achilles moving again. I also got exercises for my right foot as well, since I seem to have acquired plantar fasciitis. YAY! ?!?!?

I have to admit the right foot exercises are kinda fum. I get to pick up marbles with my toes and put them in a cup. Then I get to scrunch a towel under my foot. Yeah, I get to play! The other stuff isn't as much fun, but I will do it. I have to get better.

I have 19 days left until the Hannibal Cannibal. It was supposed to be a 10k run for me, but with the injury, I bumped it to a 5k walk. I have what SHOULD BE 18 more days in the boot. I told the doc I would walk the Cannibal in the boot if I needed to!

For the next week, I am to get out of the boot and try a shoe at HOME 3-4 times a day, still using the boot in public and for daily activities. During this time, it is still ok to get on the spinner and get my exercise done. Next week I am cleared to try using the elliptical. Boot to the machine, work out, then back in the boot. same as with the bike, just finally trying a different exercise. On the 29th, I am to call the Doc and give him a status report. I am really hoping and praying that everything works as it should. If it does, I will be able to begin tapering out of the boot the next week, just in time for the Cannibal!

I know I need to be thankful for all that I have and can still do, but I am fighting depression. I want to run again. I miss it. I want to get out on the road. I want to get on the bike I had repaired, with the helmet and computer that just arrived. I am just plain ready for the outdoors.

The things I NEED to dwell on are as follows:

1. I swam 2400 feet in my in-laws pool. That is really good cardio. I need to get in a lap pool. That will really get me in shape.
2. I am still able to ride the bikes at the Y, as long as they work. I have been having BAD luck with that. The spinner style bikes are the ones that do not hurt me, and they are habitually broke! I report it constantly. 
3. I am not gaining as much weight as I feared, and think some of THAT is related to the addition of weight-lifting. I feel stronger already, and DON'T plan to give that up any time soon.
4. My kids are interested in getting fit as well. They both like to do different parts of my workouts with me.

I am fairly derailed on my fitness goal of 200 miles in June. I have 2 weeks left and 150+ miles to go. I guess I should have kept with 100... If I go 8 more times in the next 2 weeks I will need 18.75 miles each ride to make it. We shall see... Most of my problem is the Y with the non-functioning bikes.

I am cracking down on myself again, after the pity-party I threw all weekend. I didn't do ANYTHING after I saw Dr Biggs on Friday. That did not do any good, and really just made things worse, to be honest. I am once again filled with determination. I will get myself where I want to be. I will get back on my feet. I will conquer this.

I will.

~Happy Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Lifting!~

Best Laid Plans...

Here it goes again. I make a plan, and have a goal, and EVERYTHING goes wrong! I am trying to keep my spirits up, but it gets really frustrating to make a goal, have a schedule, then get off-track in the first week! In my defense, I had trouble with the equipment at the Y. Only one machine worked properly and one day someone was on it for an hour (well past the recommended time of 30 minutes) and I only got 24 minutes, then the one that worked wouldn't respond (it is a touch screen) and I didn't get any time in. Then I finally got some time on Saturday, however, I missed my scheduled Sunday time due to a party. Ok, that was well worth it!

So my mini goal of hitting 50 miles a week is already in need of adjustment. I managed to get 18, 10, and 15 in the first week. 7 miles short. I could add the time spent on the UBE. I got 5 miles in on Saturday. That puts me just 2 miles off for the week.

This week has NOT been productive. I am way behind. I will have to get my miles in on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. This is not the combo I prefer, but it will have to do. My goal will be to get 17 miles in each day. I got 18 in 45 minutes once, I can do it again. I just need machines to cooperate and the time to do it. I was supposed to go tonight (Tuesday), but I have to bake my hubby a cake, so I will do some stuff in my living room and call it good.

I Finally go back to the Doc on Friday. I am hoping for good news. I'd like to lose the boot. Wish me luck.

~Happy Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Lifting!~

June Cycling - 200 miles

I realized after getting 18 miles in on my first ride of the month, that I need to up my goal. It is now 200 miles. I plan to ride a total of 12 times this month. That's 3 times a week for 4 weeks. If I keep at the pace of the first ride, I will have 216 miles. I am sure there will be rides with fewer miles, but this goal is NOT supposed to be easy! If a goal is too easy, then you really don't accomplish much.

Along with the 18 miles on the bike I spent time on the mat doing various crunches and supermans to work my core. Before I even got to the gym, I spent time with my dumbbells and a bar. Those two sessions total 26 minutes. I do each move at max reps for 1 minute then take a 1 minute breather before the next one. I am thinking about doubling up on them soon.

I already made changes to my plan I posted last time. I will post the new one!!!

I moved around the bike days, so I have 3 a week now. I may move the UBE from Wednesday to Tuesday and give myself another rest day, or do something at home that mimics the UBE. I added "Swim" to Friday, but that's just because I plan to take my kids to my In-laws pool, and hope to get some actual swimming done. I'm going to kick the kids out for some "Adult Swim" time every once in a while.

I am trying to figure out more things to do to work my upper body and core. I am still a bit limited on legs, but I am trying to do more there too.I have a few ides, but can always use pointers.

I am 10 days away from my next doctor visit. I go back to see Dr Biggs on the 15th. I am hoping for good news! I would LOVE to hear that I can begin walking again. I got in touch with the people who organize the Hannibal Cannibal, and they allowed me to switch from the 10k run to the 5k walk. This makes me so very happy! It is 32 days away. 10 more in the boot, then hopefully I am out of it and able to get back in the groove! I know Dr Biggs mentioned getting me on the elliptical, and that will be a great step in the right direction. I told myself that I am going to walk the Cannibal, even if I have to do it in the boot!

Things seem to be working in the right direction now. (even the scale)

OH! I almost forgot!!! My 14-year-old son ran a 5k in 26:47!!! I am so very proud of him! This shows some great dedication, that I hope stays with him! His first race is the Raider Classic! My 5-year-old is wanting to do the fun run, too! I am so happy to have a couple of young runners joining me! I can't wait to be able to get out and run WITH them!

~Stay Fit and Happy!

June Goal/Challenge, and an update

First a bit of an update:

I went in for an MRI on the 21st of May. Got a call the next evening! The MRI clearly showed the stress fracture. That is all is showed! YAY! Ok, not all exactly, but it showed that there was NOT the other problems the doc was worried about. I do have a touch of bursitis in that area, but that doesn't surprise me at all. I have that problem in other areas as well. I am totally clear for cycling and swimming

Since the phone call I have been doing a lot of spinning and I love it. I also used the UBE twice. I really plan to use it more, I just haven't got into a good schedule yet. That's one Goal for June: Make a Schedule to KEEP!

OK! Got that done. Here it is!:

Other particulars:
Minimum mileage on the bike: 10 each ride; shooting for 20 miles in an hour.
UBE at least 15 minutes at a time. ISO static is wonderful! (I did 15 minutes of that at 45 RPM with 110 pounds on the 23rd. Really enjoyed it!)
Also: LEARN TO SWIM! I have swimming down on Fridays as I have that day off and can hopefully get "something" accomplished at my in-laws place.
Weights: keep at max reps and increase weights as I go.
Core: Add to the routine. I need to find something else to work my back.

I have been on the bike 4 times in the past 2 weeks. That's not really enough, and I changed my schedule to reflect that. I have spun away 50.8 miles in that time though. I think I will set a target of 100 miles for the month of June. Should be easy enough, right??? I think so!

I go back to the Doc on June 15th. I hope by then I am released to try more things. He talked about the elliptical, since it is a smooth low-impact motion. Walking is in there at the beginning too, then I can finally be let loose to run again! I may be back at it by August, if all goes well. There are things I'd like to do! ;)

I'm sure there was more I planned to say, but it eludes me at the moment. To wrap up: I am still trying to get my sweat on, in one shape or another. I am still fighting weight, but am trying to retrain myself to look at other things like fitness level and clothing feel, as opposed to straight scale numbers. I mean, I AM lifting some now, and there will be some muscle built that will affect the scale.

~Happy Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Lifting!~