Sunday Morning Ramblings

This morning I've just been sitting here at my computer reading email and blogs, just feeling kind of blah. This past week, for some reason, I haven't felt very motivated to do much. I've actually felt pretty exhausted and I'm not sure why. It could be from a medication (not for asthma) that I'm on. I have to monitor it because too much makes me extremely tired, but too little and I get a bit agitated and toss and turn all night. It can also be due to work. Things have been a bit stressful at work for several reasons. One being the economy affects the industry I work in, another is that we're in the middle of implementing a new information system and this is a crucial time of year for us. We're currently working in two systems, the old and new. I'm a programmer, which means I'm programming in both systems and we're flying by the seat of our pants learning the new one. Plus, the demands from the top administrators for statistic reports from both systems have been relentless this past week. There were a few nights that I either stayed up late working and getting up early and days where I could barely stay awake at work, even had difficulty driving home because I was so tired, and crawled into bed by 8:00. Hopefully, this week will be better.

Last Saturday, the day before Easter, I ran W2D1 of my running program at the lake again. I think it was my third time running outside and it was a bit easier this time. I kept focused on the music and on my breathing. Because I have asthma (exercised and allergy induced), I've been reading about breathing techniques. A good book I found is Reversing Asthma by Richard N. Firshein, D.O. After reading that book and several articles online, I discovered that I don't breathe from the abdomen, I breathe from the chest, which is not an effective way of breathing. Anyway, to make a long story short, I've learned some breathing techniques that have helped me breathe and feel better. I've been using some of the techniques while running and they have helped. I make sure I breathe deep from the abdomen and fully exhale. And, since I'm concentrating on breathing, the runs are easier and go faster.

I didn't run again until Thursday. I did W2D2 on the treadmill. It was drizzly outside and I was feeling blah and tired. I didn't feel motivated to run, but somehow, I managed to talk myself into putting my shoes on and just do it. I did feel much better afterward, so I started up my work laptop and worked until 11:30. So far this weekend I haven't done any kind of exercising, unless you count going to my granddaughters fifth birthday party yesterday at the bowling alley and helping six four and five year olds bowl. Today my legs sure feel like I've done a lot of squats.

I think one reason I have a difficult time staying motivated is because I'm doing this all by myself. I know that it's really up to us to push ourselves to do things, but it sure helps if you have supportive people in your life. As I read other blogs, I notice that everyone has at least one person to talk to and share their goals with. I don't really have that. Sure, I have two grown daughters that you would think I could share with and get support from, but they're both so wrapped up in their own lives (husband, kids) and working hard on establishing their careers (one is a photographer and co-owner of a car repair shop and the other is a personal trainer at the YMCA and has her own personal training business) that they don't have time to fit in anything else. In fact, I help them out if they need it. As far as friends go, I don't have any close friendships and presently no significant other. I guess all I do is work. Hmmm, I really need to get a social life. But, at this age, it's more difficult than you think.

Anyway, those are my thoughts so far today. I think I’ll make myself a Sunday To Do list and put W2D3 at the top.

Running Outside For the First Time

Monday’s weather was absolutely gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to leave work so I could go running outside for the first time. I had been reading on different blogs and running forums that the transition from running on a treadmill to running outside was, for quite a few new runners, unexpectedly difficult. One person said something about the treadmill doing most of the work by moving under our feet, making it easier to run, and running outside we have to do the work of trying to move the earth under our feet. Well, I found out just what he meant!

I ran W1D3 outside in my neighborhood, on the flat concrete sidewalk, and was very surprised at how difficult it was for me. Running on the treadmill felt pretty good and fairly easy. I definitely had a false sense of how well I was doing. I thought I should probably run that particular day of training again on Wednesday.

While running, I listen to a training podcast that a young woman (Suz) created using hip hop music. I couldn’t wait for her cue telling me it was time to walk, and I actually groaned when I was cued to begin running again. I’m sure I went at quite a slower pace than I had been doing on the treadmill (which is pretty slow). This workout definitely made me huff and puff.

After I had completed all eight of the walk/run intervals and the five minute cool down, I walked an extra 10 minutes just to enjoy being outside in the sun and the slightly cool breeze. I did feel it was a good work out, and my lungs felt pretty good after (not immediately after!).

Wednesday, surprisingly, I wasn’t feeling very sore from Monday’s tough run and decided to run W2D1 around the lake by my house. I did the five minute warm-up walking to the lake from home. The trail (concrete walk) I chose to run on had some slightly hilly parts that I had forgotten about and were possibly the equivalent of an incline of three on the treadmill.

I tried not to think about the hills by focusing on the music I was listening to. Half way through the intervals, when a particular song came on, I realized I was running to the training session for W1D3 again! I guess my sub-conscious decided I needed to repeat it after all.

Friday (or possibly Saturday) I’ll really start Week Two of my training.

Testing My Resolve … Pass The Tissues, Please

It feels like someone or something has it in for me, health wise. No sooner than I feel like I’m well enough to begin running and exercising, I come down with another (fill in the blank) cold! I feel like my resolve to become physically active and healthy is being tested.

Last Tuesday, I began having the sniffles but didn’t think much of it and decided to start the running program that evening so I did Week One Day One (W1D1). It actually felt good to do some physical activity and sweat a little! It was pretty easy doing the walk/run intervals for thirty minutes. Of course, I did this on my treadmill. I’m sure if I had run outside it would have been much more difficult.

Anyway, Wednesday morning I work up to a stuffy but very runny nose, feeling very tired, almost exhausted. I just couldn’t believe it. I had just finished the last round of antibiotics a few days ago. But, after thinking about it, I really shouldn’t be surprised. I hadn’t gotten much sleep or eaten very well over the weekend.

I had a family reunion to attend (I wouldn’t have gone but my brother-in-law has cancer and isn’t doing well) that was five hours away. Friday I drove the entire way, stayed in a hotel with my family during the weekend, didn’t sleep very well, was around a million people and their little kids (well, maybe just 60 or 70) and drove the five hours back home Sunday night. Plus, I then had to drive two hours each day for work meetings this week. It’s no wonder I got this cold, my immune system is still trying to recover from the pneumonia and my stamina is pretty low right now.

Well, my resolve hasn’t been that great since Tuesday night, but I didn’t cave in altogether. This morning, in spite of not feeling all that great, I made myself get on that treadmill and did W1D2 a few hours ago and I’m feeling pretty good right now! As long as the bronchitis doesn’t come back, I think I’ll keep on track with this program.

Exercise and good nutrition really are the best medicine.