EmH posted recently about how she doesn't really enjoy running, but whilst injured and not able to do it - she misses it. I'm exactly the same.
With my recent calf injury I've had to had a very slow and careful return to running. Just 20 secs at time, then 60 secs, then 60 sec repeats, then two minutes - you get the picture - a very slow return. I did running intervals on the weekend with cardio coach and by the end of it was feeling fairly confident and even did a little bit of speed work. Ran 12kms/hr for 1 minute - which I was really pleased about. Just before my injury I was really pleased with my speed work - feeling like I had entered a new phase - I seem to have learnt how to stride differently when running faster- I even hit 14km/hr at one stage. So getting back to running 12km/hr - even for a little bit felt good.
And then last night I decided to try slow but long. By long I mean longer than 2 mins at a time!
I ran 5 mins, then 10, 10 and then 15 and it felt FANTASTIC. I loved it . I felt like I could have run forever - but as soon as I felt my right leg working harder than my left to protect it, I stopped and walked for a while. I was only running at 8km/hr because I am terrified of re-injuring - but it felt very easy. I wish I had worn my heart rate monitor. Breathing was so easy I could almost do it with my mouth closed, (a sign I wasn't working hard enough!) and whilst the legs felt it - it was quite manageable. It was lovely to run on the treadmill again and feel the body pumping - and I'm really pleased with how I've maintained my fitness. If nothing else my aim for the City to Bay (post injury target) is just to do a slow jog and complete it. And it looks like I might manage it if I stay sensible.
Oh and by the way - i now have a chance at beating hubby - he has injured HIS calf on a run whilst in Sydney - so I'm hoping i will be better recovered than him - and finish ahead of him. What - a bit rich I hear you say? Hey - I'm never going to beat him any other way - gotta take the opportunities as they come up!!!!
PS - why so many posts lately? - I'm home looking after my sick daughter - so extra time on my hands...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tour Down Under - Stage 4
151 days to go....
Andrew and I decided a few weeks back (ok I decided and he eventually agreed) that we would do Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under this year.
Now I'm not much of a cyclist, but we did buy the nice road racing bikes for triathlons - so why not. The choices of distance were really either 32kms or 97kms. We have been contemplating riding from home into Port Pirie (where we work) for some time now on the weekends, and this is 32kms, so the shorter distance didnt seem like enough of a challenge. So 97kms it is.
I started training for it this week - particularly as with the calf injury its another form of exercise that's low impact.
Given the weather I'm doing this at the gym. Did 5 mins on the bike and could start to feel it already - yikes - thats not good. But 5 mins on this and then 5 on the recumbent - which is much more comfortable - and then every day adding by 5 mins. The last few days I've been doing half an hour at 90 - 100 rpms - and covering 12 kms quite comfortably. I know the recumbent isn't the same as riding my bike - but at the moment I just want to get my legs used to spinning at speed over time. (An interesting side note - I'm not putting on any resistance - but I didn't think it would have such a low impact on my heart rate - it rarely goes over 100 - generally sitting at about 95). Then on Sunday - I hopped on the real thing and went for a ride.
I did 14 kms in 37mins, which is about an average of 23kms/hr. I was much faster in the first half - seeing 28/30kms/hr quite often - but in the second half I had a head wind and I was much slower. I don't know how much this had to do with the head wind - or just me tiring. At the 10 km mark I thought - gee only need to do this 10 times over on the day..... At the moment that seems quite impossible - but as you know I love a challenge
I know nothing about cycling training - but I'm just going to treat it as an endurance event, and use the same principles. I think I will train in the gym during the week at the moment due to the short days/bad weather, and then do one long ride each weekend, increasing by 3 - 5 kms each time. If I increase by 5, I can probably afford to have a maintenance week once/month to give my body some time to recuperate. I might try and put up a weekly log/table of my training distances, but I've forgotten how to do this - so if any knows - can you drop me a line?
And on the gadget front - I've decided to buy the foot pod for my Garmin -so I can measure my running indoors. I then plan to buy the cadence sensor for my bike and eventually the quick release wrist strap for quickly changing it from my bike to my wrist - but I don't really need this yet until I set another date for a triathlon. Oooh I loooove gadgets!
Andrew and I decided a few weeks back (ok I decided and he eventually agreed) that we would do Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under this year.
Now I'm not much of a cyclist, but we did buy the nice road racing bikes for triathlons - so why not. The choices of distance were really either 32kms or 97kms. We have been contemplating riding from home into Port Pirie (where we work) for some time now on the weekends, and this is 32kms, so the shorter distance didnt seem like enough of a challenge. So 97kms it is.
I started training for it this week - particularly as with the calf injury its another form of exercise that's low impact.
Given the weather I'm doing this at the gym. Did 5 mins on the bike and could start to feel it already - yikes - thats not good. But 5 mins on this and then 5 on the recumbent - which is much more comfortable - and then every day adding by 5 mins. The last few days I've been doing half an hour at 90 - 100 rpms - and covering 12 kms quite comfortably. I know the recumbent isn't the same as riding my bike - but at the moment I just want to get my legs used to spinning at speed over time. (An interesting side note - I'm not putting on any resistance - but I didn't think it would have such a low impact on my heart rate - it rarely goes over 100 - generally sitting at about 95). Then on Sunday - I hopped on the real thing and went for a ride.
I did 14 kms in 37mins, which is about an average of 23kms/hr. I was much faster in the first half - seeing 28/30kms/hr quite often - but in the second half I had a head wind and I was much slower. I don't know how much this had to do with the head wind - or just me tiring. At the 10 km mark I thought - gee only need to do this 10 times over on the day..... At the moment that seems quite impossible - but as you know I love a challenge
I know nothing about cycling training - but I'm just going to treat it as an endurance event, and use the same principles. I think I will train in the gym during the week at the moment due to the short days/bad weather, and then do one long ride each weekend, increasing by 3 - 5 kms each time. If I increase by 5, I can probably afford to have a maintenance week once/month to give my body some time to recuperate. I might try and put up a weekly log/table of my training distances, but I've forgotten how to do this - so if any knows - can you drop me a line?
And on the gadget front - I've decided to buy the foot pod for my Garmin -so I can measure my running indoors. I then plan to buy the cadence sensor for my bike and eventually the quick release wrist strap for quickly changing it from my bike to my wrist - but I don't really need this yet until I set another date for a triathlon. Oooh I loooove gadgets!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thin People Are Naturally Thin – or Maybe Not
I’ve always thought there were two categories of people. Those who struggled with their weight – and those who don’t. You know the ones I mean – the ones who are naturally thin and don’t seem to worry about what they eat or drink. Most of them don’t exercise either. I’ve always envied them and wondered what life would be like to be like that.
But since losing weight, I sometimes think I’ve gained entry into a new club. A club where secrets are shared. A club of thin people who I’ve discovered actually secretly pride themselves on maintaining their weight and actually monitor it very carefully.
Here are a few stories
Friend One on a sporting weekend shared late one night, how she loves to be thin, and loves the way clothes look, and is terrified of gaining weight. She weighs herself every day, sometimes more than once, and carefully makes sure she never eats too much. She only has fruit for breakfast, then nothing till lunch, a healthy salad role, and a what ever the family are having for tea – but only a very small serve. Nothing after tea, no treats during the day. Oh - and of course she doesn’t eat things like pizza or other takeaway if that’s what the family are having– she cooks herself up some veggies instead. And she exercises (on a moderate level) daily. She says if she eats any more she gains weight. She is worried about passing on her eating obsessiveness to her daughter. She is my age, and has always been a size 8. I’ve never really noticed what she ate, apart from knowing that she liked to make healthy choices. And I’ve always assumed she was naturally this way.
Friend Two – always been a size 8, and very petite. We were at a BBQ one night and I noticed she was eating soup that she had brought with her. Why I asked? It turned out that whilst on an overseas holiday she had gained 4 kgs, and on her return, she set about losing it as quickly as possible. Of course, those around scoffed – because you couldn’t see it, but she whispered to me that she knew she had, because her jeans felt tight. And as soon as this happens – she cuts back on her eating until they fit well again. She doesn’t weigh herself all the time – but she always wears fitted clothes and uses the fit as a guide to modify her eating. I always knew she went to the gym regularly – but I thought it was for her bad hip. I’m not so sure now.
Friend Three – always been a size 8 (I seem to have a lot of these don’t I?) In talking about how much weight I had lost and how fabulous I looked (in her opinion). We got to talking about what she eats. “Oh I never eat much more than a vegemite roll during the day – and then I can afford quite a bit of wine at night”. Interesting that at the same height, she didn’t think that I needed to lose any more weight – despite being about 10 kgs heavier than her!
Friend Four – yes, another size 8 (well in my head anyway) Turned to me in a meeting the other day when we stopped for the catered lunch and said – “oh I really can’t have any of the sweets today – I’ve put on weight this week” “This week?” I puzzled to her. “yes” she whispered, “I normally gain weight on the weekend, and then lose it again during the work week” but last week I didn’t lose it like I normally do.” So she obviously weighs herself regularly to stay within some sort of limit, and then changes her eating accordingly.
These friends are all over 40 and I have known them for many years. They have ‘successfully” maintained their weight all their lives, and I have never noticed any gain. But I always assumed it was easy for them. I never realized that they were secretly – well at least not openly – checking their weight regularly and restricting their eating when necessary. And I didn’t realize that they actively worked at eating small quantities. Not all their behaviors are healthy, are some are bordering on obsessive, but I never realized that perhaps thin people (or at least some) enact some sort of control over their behaviour, that those who gain large amounts of weight perhaps don’t. I know for me there were probably years when I refused to step on the scales, and I always wore elasticized trousers so I didn’t have the same bench marks to monitor my gains. All I noticed over the years was that my clothing sizes kept creeping up and up.
Maybe there are still two groups of people, but rather than the naturally thin and not so naturally – maybe its about those who monitor and react to the checks and balances, and those who don’t. And maybe our disillusioned view of how much easier we thought maintenance would be, is based on not realizing this.
But since losing weight, I sometimes think I’ve gained entry into a new club. A club where secrets are shared. A club of thin people who I’ve discovered actually secretly pride themselves on maintaining their weight and actually monitor it very carefully.
Here are a few stories
Friend One on a sporting weekend shared late one night, how she loves to be thin, and loves the way clothes look, and is terrified of gaining weight. She weighs herself every day, sometimes more than once, and carefully makes sure she never eats too much. She only has fruit for breakfast, then nothing till lunch, a healthy salad role, and a what ever the family are having for tea – but only a very small serve. Nothing after tea, no treats during the day. Oh - and of course she doesn’t eat things like pizza or other takeaway if that’s what the family are having– she cooks herself up some veggies instead. And she exercises (on a moderate level) daily. She says if she eats any more she gains weight. She is worried about passing on her eating obsessiveness to her daughter. She is my age, and has always been a size 8. I’ve never really noticed what she ate, apart from knowing that she liked to make healthy choices. And I’ve always assumed she was naturally this way.
Friend Two – always been a size 8, and very petite. We were at a BBQ one night and I noticed she was eating soup that she had brought with her. Why I asked? It turned out that whilst on an overseas holiday she had gained 4 kgs, and on her return, she set about losing it as quickly as possible. Of course, those around scoffed – because you couldn’t see it, but she whispered to me that she knew she had, because her jeans felt tight. And as soon as this happens – she cuts back on her eating until they fit well again. She doesn’t weigh herself all the time – but she always wears fitted clothes and uses the fit as a guide to modify her eating. I always knew she went to the gym regularly – but I thought it was for her bad hip. I’m not so sure now.
Friend Three – always been a size 8 (I seem to have a lot of these don’t I?) In talking about how much weight I had lost and how fabulous I looked (in her opinion). We got to talking about what she eats. “Oh I never eat much more than a vegemite roll during the day – and then I can afford quite a bit of wine at night”. Interesting that at the same height, she didn’t think that I needed to lose any more weight – despite being about 10 kgs heavier than her!
Friend Four – yes, another size 8 (well in my head anyway) Turned to me in a meeting the other day when we stopped for the catered lunch and said – “oh I really can’t have any of the sweets today – I’ve put on weight this week” “This week?” I puzzled to her. “yes” she whispered, “I normally gain weight on the weekend, and then lose it again during the work week” but last week I didn’t lose it like I normally do.” So she obviously weighs herself regularly to stay within some sort of limit, and then changes her eating accordingly.
These friends are all over 40 and I have known them for many years. They have ‘successfully” maintained their weight all their lives, and I have never noticed any gain. But I always assumed it was easy for them. I never realized that they were secretly – well at least not openly – checking their weight regularly and restricting their eating when necessary. And I didn’t realize that they actively worked at eating small quantities. Not all their behaviors are healthy, are some are bordering on obsessive, but I never realized that perhaps thin people (or at least some) enact some sort of control over their behaviour, that those who gain large amounts of weight perhaps don’t. I know for me there were probably years when I refused to step on the scales, and I always wore elasticized trousers so I didn’t have the same bench marks to monitor my gains. All I noticed over the years was that my clothing sizes kept creeping up and up.
Maybe there are still two groups of people, but rather than the naturally thin and not so naturally – maybe its about those who monitor and react to the checks and balances, and those who don’t. And maybe our disillusioned view of how much easier we thought maintenance would be, is based on not realizing this.
Pushups equal Pain
I never thought pushups could cause so much pain.
I’ve just finished Week 3 of the 6 week program but it is taking me longer than its meant to as I’m having to have 3 days between each session as I haven’t recovered sufficiently.
Today I did a total of 113 pushups over 5 sets (30, 22, 22, 20, 25) oh – yes – that should add up to 114 shouldn’t it.
But I didn’t quite make it.
Each session I look at the figures ahead of me and shake my head. I don’t think I can do it. And then I remember that I think that every time and somehow just manage to make it.
So today was no different. Except I had to increase my rest time between sets from 2 mins to 3 mins, and on the last set, I collapsed at number 24. Wooss – I told myself, get back up there and do the last one. So I got back up to the full plank, lowered myself to the ground and could not for the life of me push myself more than half way back up again. Collapsed again.
You know the test kids do – where you stand in a doorway and push your arms outwards on the door frame and hold for one minute – and when you let go your arms feel like they are floating upwards? Well that’s how my arms feel – for hours afterwards. They ached and throbbed so much that I had to take nurofen at lunch time just to get over myself! And I’ve noticed at work that my hand shakes if I try and write something rather than type – because the fatigue is so intense. Who would have thought that a little old pushup could reek such havoc!
But I wont give up.
I will be a 100 pushup girl!
I’ve just finished Week 3 of the 6 week program but it is taking me longer than its meant to as I’m having to have 3 days between each session as I haven’t recovered sufficiently.
Today I did a total of 113 pushups over 5 sets (30, 22, 22, 20, 25) oh – yes – that should add up to 114 shouldn’t it.
But I didn’t quite make it.
Each session I look at the figures ahead of me and shake my head. I don’t think I can do it. And then I remember that I think that every time and somehow just manage to make it.
So today was no different. Except I had to increase my rest time between sets from 2 mins to 3 mins, and on the last set, I collapsed at number 24. Wooss – I told myself, get back up there and do the last one. So I got back up to the full plank, lowered myself to the ground and could not for the life of me push myself more than half way back up again. Collapsed again.
You know the test kids do – where you stand in a doorway and push your arms outwards on the door frame and hold for one minute – and when you let go your arms feel like they are floating upwards? Well that’s how my arms feel – for hours afterwards. They ached and throbbed so much that I had to take nurofen at lunch time just to get over myself! And I’ve noticed at work that my hand shakes if I try and write something rather than type – because the fatigue is so intense. Who would have thought that a little old pushup could reek such havoc!
But I wont give up.
I will be a 100 pushup girl!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
August Fitness Update
Nutrition
As I mentioned on my previous post- I've had a weeks leave of absence from clean eating - and its been lovely. I'm a bit scared to step on the scales tomorrow - but I don't really care. Its only one week out of normal routine -and whatever the damage I know I can turn it around - and it was worth it. Interestingly I noted that I seemed to want to eat more and more as time went on, and it wasn't until the long drive home that I finally realised that I wasn't eating because I was hungry- in fact my body seemed to have stopped responding to hunger - I was eating out of interest (hey that looks good) and boredom/fatigue (i'm tired - lets stop and eat/I'm bored with all this driving - what can I eat next). I wasn't experiencing any hunger and and I hadn't realised it. I guess thats how I used to feel all the time and thats why its so easy to overeat when you don't eat well. I'm looking forward to returning to good eating, and really enjoying all types of food, rather than just the indulgent ones that become blander and blander over time.
Exercise
Well - although I've been eating a lot - and I've had no normal exercise routine - we've had a very active week, walking or hiking all day every day. I'm hoping this will help me with the scales, as apart from sitting down watching 3 movies, and meal times, I've spent every other waking minute walking in hilly areas - which is much more active than my normal days at work, although minus the high intensity exercise routine.
Injury update: I went back to Combat last week to try out my calf muscle. Told myself I'd stick to low impact - but some things you just cant do...... By the end of track 2, I had pulled the calf again (but not nearly as badly) but of course I couldn't just chuck it in - could I? Good thing I am pretty fit and strong as I realised I could do just about everything - as long as I did it on one leg - and I have a good strong right one to fit the bill. So I finished the class - still doing a lot of the high impact stuff, although rather frustrated. And the next day I was back to limping around.....
It was only a minor set back though - and I had discovered in the class that I could do practically anything as long as I only placed the ball of my left foot on the ground. So when climbing stairs in the blue mountains I "toe stepped" them, and when I went up steep inclines, as long as I only took weight through the toes of my left foot - no worries. And of course for the bridge climb where you have to declare injuries - what injury???? Needn't have worried - I could have done that one legged too if needed(LOL). Running is still an issue though. I tried Thursday morning - and last 20 secs before feeling the strain - so I'm not sure if I will be able to run the City 2 Bay - I think its only about 6 weeks away....If nothing else - I will at least be able to walk it, or maybe run/walk - but I won't be able to focus on a PB like I had hoped. Ahh well.
100 pushups - had great intentions of keeping up with this whilst away - but left the caravan the minute we awoke each day (ok we did get dressed first) and only returned in time to climb into bed late at night. And sizing up the caravan - I couldn't really see how I was going to do it without pushing Andrew out the door - so I did NONE. Will start again tomorrow - am up to week 3 I think - maybe my week off has given me time for great muscle growth! (wishful thinking I know)
Oh - and I'm going to try Combat again tomorrow night - trust me the calf feels much much better, even better than it did last time I tried!
As I mentioned on my previous post- I've had a weeks leave of absence from clean eating - and its been lovely. I'm a bit scared to step on the scales tomorrow - but I don't really care. Its only one week out of normal routine -and whatever the damage I know I can turn it around - and it was worth it. Interestingly I noted that I seemed to want to eat more and more as time went on, and it wasn't until the long drive home that I finally realised that I wasn't eating because I was hungry- in fact my body seemed to have stopped responding to hunger - I was eating out of interest (hey that looks good) and boredom/fatigue (i'm tired - lets stop and eat/I'm bored with all this driving - what can I eat next). I wasn't experiencing any hunger and and I hadn't realised it. I guess thats how I used to feel all the time and thats why its so easy to overeat when you don't eat well. I'm looking forward to returning to good eating, and really enjoying all types of food, rather than just the indulgent ones that become blander and blander over time.
Exercise
Well - although I've been eating a lot - and I've had no normal exercise routine - we've had a very active week, walking or hiking all day every day. I'm hoping this will help me with the scales, as apart from sitting down watching 3 movies, and meal times, I've spent every other waking minute walking in hilly areas - which is much more active than my normal days at work, although minus the high intensity exercise routine.
Injury update: I went back to Combat last week to try out my calf muscle. Told myself I'd stick to low impact - but some things you just cant do...... By the end of track 2, I had pulled the calf again (but not nearly as badly) but of course I couldn't just chuck it in - could I? Good thing I am pretty fit and strong as I realised I could do just about everything - as long as I did it on one leg - and I have a good strong right one to fit the bill. So I finished the class - still doing a lot of the high impact stuff, although rather frustrated. And the next day I was back to limping around.....
It was only a minor set back though - and I had discovered in the class that I could do practically anything as long as I only placed the ball of my left foot on the ground. So when climbing stairs in the blue mountains I "toe stepped" them, and when I went up steep inclines, as long as I only took weight through the toes of my left foot - no worries. And of course for the bridge climb where you have to declare injuries - what injury???? Needn't have worried - I could have done that one legged too if needed(LOL). Running is still an issue though. I tried Thursday morning - and last 20 secs before feeling the strain - so I'm not sure if I will be able to run the City 2 Bay - I think its only about 6 weeks away....If nothing else - I will at least be able to walk it, or maybe run/walk - but I won't be able to focus on a PB like I had hoped. Ahh well.
100 pushups - had great intentions of keeping up with this whilst away - but left the caravan the minute we awoke each day (ok we did get dressed first) and only returned in time to climb into bed late at night. And sizing up the caravan - I couldn't really see how I was going to do it without pushing Andrew out the door - so I did NONE. Will start again tomorrow - am up to week 3 I think - maybe my week off has given me time for great muscle growth! (wishful thinking I know)
Oh - and I'm going to try Combat again tomorrow night - trust me the calf feels much much better, even better than it did last time I tried!
All Things NSW
This must be the year of NSW for me. I've just returned from my third trip there in about 5 months, but this time it was all pleasure, no work. Andrew and I were invited to a wedding in Katoomba so we decided to take a week off work, leave the kids behind and have our first holiday on our own after 23 yrs of marriage! We decided to drive and take the van, as it would work out a lot cheaper - and allow us to put the money saved to much better use -which we certainly did - I hate to think how much money we spent!
The wedding in Katoomba was lovely although very cold, as it was outdoors in about 5 deg! but with a beautiful backdrop of the misty Blue Mountains. The next day we went to Scenic World and did the whole tourist thing seeing the 3 sisters etc. Wednesday we had planned on a couple of big hikes, however it was pouring with rain, about 0 degrees (well at least thats how it felt) and blowing a gale. Not really good or safe hiking whether, so we decided to give it a miss and head to Sydney a day earlier. We had a lovely time in Sydney, doing lots of shopping, going to the movies (saw The Bank Job, The Square, and Mamma Mia), eating anything I felt like (had a holiday from clean eating too) We enjoyed Darling Harbour, walked around the Opera House and surrounding areas at night - and did the big Bridge climb - twice. well almost.
We booked in to do it on Thursday - and after an hour of "gearing up", and brief walk and climb, and then 30 mins of sheltering at the mezzanine level of the bridge whilst 3 electrical storms made their way overhead, our climb was eventually aborted and we returned to base to "de-gear" and rebook. Well that wasted 3 hrs- and we still had to return the next day to do it all again. This time we went up no probs. Whilst I am thrilled to have done it - to be honest it was a bit frustrating. There is all the hype about it being challenging - but it really wasn't - I would describe it more as a walk in the park. Apart from one section of ladder climbs which takes you up past the road level to the arch - and wouldn't take more than 5 mins to climb - the rest is gentle stairs. and the really frustrating part was that the group stopped about every 5 mins for tourist info about the bridge and Sydney. As Andrew reminded me - most people were probably very interested - but for me it was all about the climb - and I think I could have done it in half an hour, rather than the one and a half hours that they dragged it into. In fact - I reckon I could have run most of it - now that would have been fun! Of interest to us fitness fanatics - the first guide said you burn approx 900 cals on the climb - and the second said 600-800. My take on it - I would have been lucky to burn 300! Not once did I breathe hard, and I spent more time standing resting, than climbing. If I compare it to a combat class - I would be lucky to burn 500 cals in an hour of this high impact aerobics - can't see how the effort required for the "climb" came anywhere close to this! Anyway - it was great to do it, and I have a Tshirt to prove it!
Here we are - looking particularly glamorous! It was so cold that all I cared about was dressing warmly!
Two other lovely things whilst we were away - Friday night we went on a Salsa - dinner cruise which was a lovely night with lots of dancing - and Andrew decided it was time to buy me an eternity ring - since we were practically on a second honeymoon. He bought me a lovely white gold ring with a pink saphire and diamonds. Luckily we found a shop that was closing down and was selling everything half price. Even at half price it was a little above our price range any way!
HEREs where the photo of my ring should be - but someone's taken the batteries from the camera - so I can't put one in GRRRH! Maybe next post.
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