Sunday-5k with the paramour. He was testing out his knee, hoping it would hold up so he could play a match on Tuesday. Playing matches is very important to the paramour, something about 22 men running after a ball and calling each other names appeals to his inner something or other.
Monday I ran a split. 5k with CG, and a further 6 on my own. It was during this I managed to tweak the tendon on my right foot, same place I was sore after the marathon.
So I took it handy for the rest of the week. On Thursday I spent half an hour doing bad push-ups and even worse yoga. I have neglected my upper body of late and it's starting to show. My weedy efforts at push ups are proof positive of my basic patheticness. Something will have to be done. Something.
Also I have purchased Deluxe skipping rope, complete with digital counter. Now I've been talking about buying a rope for quite some time, really from Memnoch's time to be honest, as Memnoch swore by them. Skipping was an integral part of his warm-ups and fitness regime and I have let THAT slide too.
My gym membership is nearly up and I am considering letting it go. Since I've taken up running I have less time to go to the gym and less inclination too. I am considering putting up a pull up bar outside and also investing in a set of kettle bells. Actually I can build a pretty decent home gym, based more on body weight and stamina than the rather regimented weight lifting I partake of in the gym. I haven't decided yet. I am mulling it over.
And also for Babs, how to start running.
Babs, if you're serious about the running buy yourself a decent pair of trainers. The rest of the clothing can wait, shit you can run in any old tracksuit, but the trainers are vital. I made the mistake of running in unsuitable shoes at the start and it hurt my knees, so don't make the same mistake I did. If you have time, contact these guys http://www.amphibianking.ie/ make an appointment and go get yourself properly checked and fitted.
Second, head out on your chosen day, have a route in mind, even if it's only a swing around the block, warm up, lots of gentle stretching and no bouncing and then take off at a brisk walking pace. wear a watch. Say to yourself you're going to jog for a minute then walk for a minute, see how that feels, if you don't feel at all bad, increase the jog part, say two minutes jog/ one minutes walk. Do this for your first time out. This is how I went from getting winded over 3k to being able to run a marathon. Slow and easy, increase your jogging time over the weeks and pretty soon you'll be running a continuous 5k. Once you can do that it's just a matter of adding on a kilometre here and there-depending on how far you want to run. Take it slow, listen to your body, expect the odd ache and pain as you introduce your body to a new sport, but not sharp or prolonged pain. Keep it up, run two or three times a week at least and hey pretso chango you'll soon be a runner.
Third, good luck and well done for embracing change. Ballsy, I am impressed.
Right, I've to have a shower and then to Tescos.
Since last Sunday I've been working on the kitchen and downstairs bathroom--priming, painting, and laying new floor tile. I took a day off to do the work I'm paid for, so count five days of manual labor.
ReplyDeleteAlso ran a quick 2 miles ("quick" being relative, although I did it at about a 9:30 pace) one day, a slow (but continuous) 3 miles another day, and 20-30 minutes of biking another day. Plus one pilates workout. And I'm getting ready to layer on the cold-weather duds and head out for an attempt at 3.5 miles of continuous running.
I'd feel awesome about all of the above if the kitchen and bathroom were actually done, but alas.
Bah! Another weak week for workouts. I have a cold with a terrible cough, you see. So aside from walking from my truck to the office and back (it's a little over a half mile each way) I've been a self-pitying, snorting, wheezing, whining puddle of woe.
ReplyDeleteIf I can get on the exercise bike this weekend at all, I might. I just might. The cough seems to have abated overnight, thanks to a hot toddy and nyquil. We shall see.
The home gym sounds ideal for you, FMC, because you prefer the free weights anyway, so why not buy your own and save on the expense and hassle of going to the gym?
ReplyDeleteWe went Wed&Fri to the gym. I'm not too pleased with the results thus far.
Thank you kindly FMC. I have the runners/trainers, I purchased them last summer, the last time I decided I was giving up the fags, but then I went on holidays and smoked lots of fags and then said "ah I am not in the hunmour" a lot. But now, I am ready to embrace the change, still no filthy fags for me, yahoooo! Even though I had a rather stressful and scary night last night so I am impressed with myself. I have some clothes I can wear too, stuff I wear to yoga, and I even have a high vis vest thingy so no one runs me over, or at least, so people can see me before they run me over. I start on Monday when I get home from work, I even have all of the clothes laid out and ready to go so I really have no excuse.
ReplyDeleteMonday's a fine day to start. I'm a great fan of starting things on a Monday myself.
ReplyDeleteGrims, that's a hell of a week. I've just spent half an hour hoovering the bloody house and I'm bitching. However I'm going to attempt some speedier Kilometres myself this week. A big gap in my running is speed work. I'm not fast at all and I've got to try shake myself up a bit, so next week I plan on going to Sundrive park to use their outdoor track. See if I can't galvanize my legs and lungs into switching up another gear.
Andraste, no point in killing yourself if you're suffering under a cold. Get well first. More toddies, STAT.
Medbh, I find with the gym having a goal helps a great deal. What is it you want? Is it to be fitter, to lose weight, to run faster, to tone up, to get stronger? What are you aiming for? What do you want out of your workouts? What are you not happy about?
Here's a great link for those going from nothing to running called "couch to 5k". They have handy tips for the problems than can beset the best of us and even though I haven't managed to do a full week yet (breathing problems, yikes), it has been a great inspiration, as have you, FMC! Also, for those of us who are too well endowed, look into "Enell" a sports bra that literally binds you down and NOTHING moves, yahoo!
ReplyDeleteoops, neglected to include said link, here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
made it out running three times - 25 minutes continuous running, followed by 15 minutes walking. i was surprised i could do it, what with taking 2 weeks off.
ReplyDeletealso made it to the gym twice this week. all i did was lifting and rowing - but i keep vowing to myself that i'm going to start taking classes (they're included with the gym membership, which is ungodly cheap as J gets a discount through work).
What I want isn't possible or practical, FMC. I want to build muscle so that my bones are strong and so I don't grow a hump as my saintly grandmother did in her senior years. But I hate that going makes me eat more and building the muscle has make my clothes too tight. My ass looks like J Lo's right now in my estimation. I don't want to go up a dress size. Ack.
ReplyDeleteBack running and gym-ing (had a cold, that's my excuse). Even did a race today (Business Houses 2 miles cross country). Didn't race too badly so maybe the break was needed. Long run (15 miles) tomorrow with friends in the Phoenix Park.
ReplyDeleteThat's great advice to Babs! Good luck Babs!
I's sick. I's grumpy. I was meant to go on a hike with the family today to see the seal beach up the coast a wee bit - one of our annual pilgrimages - but they had to go without me. So at home I stew and bubble and grumph with the cat.
ReplyDeleteNothing remotely resembling a workout this week.
Bah.
But wait, isn't a J Lo ass a good, even an excellent thing?
But wait, isn't a J Lo ass a good, even an excellent thing?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that depends on one's neurosis of choice.
I was a good exerciser this week, actually lifted some proper weights in Bodypump and spiced up my yoga class with new moves and poses.
My dodgy knee held up well to squats to the point that I'm considering drifting out for a little jaunt about the block. Haven't run in more than six months.
I'm horribly jealous, Aquassho, I really miss the racing.
Home gym is a great idea, Fmc, once you have a pull up bar and a ball, all your bases are covered.
But wouldn't you miss being one of the grunting weights room lads?
Hey, leave my neurotic preoccupations alone, Gimme. I know, I have issues.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are many ass men out there who think bubble butts are the bee's knees, Sam, but it ain't for me. Mr. M says I need to do more aerobic work to balance the weight lifting. Oh, and then I'll just be hungrier.
January 1st. 40 lengths of pool. And then, um, like, ummmmmm, there was a day of biking - does that count? A three hour walk down beside a river? Ummmmmmmm, how about laps of a plane? She says clutching pathetically at straws.
ReplyDeleteHome now, pool tomorrow, promise.
I probably will miss them a bit Gimmie, but it's coming into running season and there are races and runs coming up and I want to concentrate more on improving my speed and times. By the by, did you go for a spin yesterday and did the knee hold up?
ReplyDeleteMedbh, I am mildly jealous of you right at this second. I like a slightly muscled look on a lady, not bulky, but ripped and strong. I said it before here, but I thought Linda Hamilton in T2 was in awesome shape, now I know she had very little body fat, but still, I covet those arms.
Orfy, thanks for the link, looks good. A good bra even if you're not that busty is essential. I sometimes see women running and bouncing all over the place and it makes me wince. How on Earth did Katie Holmes/Cruise run the New York Marathon braless? How was she not in agony?
Aisling- good luck today, I bet you'll fly it after that little break.
LK- welcome home. Laps of the plane you say, hummmm, not really sure if that counts.
Daisy Mae, that's a good week, well done. What classes are you considering?
Sam, poor old darling, you've just got to let this thing run its course. Like I said to Andraste, no point toiling under a cold, you'll only make yourself worse.
Another night of almost 12 hours sleep, God Damn that rocks.
Made it to the gym (elliptical trainer, weights, core exercises, stretching) both Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for helping motivate me! I wrote a post about it on my blog, with a tip of the hat to you for your encouragement.
ReplyDeleteI did go out, Fatmammycat.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the problem of being too well endowed, since I stopped drinking and lost a pile of weight unintentionally (13 kilos!!) my boobs have gone from a 36D to a 34B, which depressingly enough is the same size I was when I got my first ever bra ages 11 and a half, I almost had a heart attack when the lady who measured me in M & S told me. Lucky my other half is a fan of 34Bs he said my old boobs were too big, yay! I am really looking forward to starting tomorrow, I will be heading out at 7pm if I get out of work on time, eeek! Hopefully I won't die.
ReplyDeleteAll bloody right. I'm telling you, the folk that appear on this blog are ballsy go getters. Congrats Gimmie and long may she hold. I read your post and it actually sounds like you're smiling through the beard.
ReplyDeleteBabs, 13kilos is a an astronomical amount of weight to lose, well done and don't worry, you won't die, just take it nice and steady and you'll do great.
I notice my hoochlessness is causing some poundage loss too, perhaps J lo from somebody's block was right when she called hooch 'fat in a glass'. Have you found your energy levels are up? Are you sleeping better since you cut back? I'm sleeping like an non teething infant at the moment. Terrific stuff all together.
CA, I was over at yours, but I'll say it again, well done on going out in the cold and hitting the gym with gusto. More power to your elbow.
Went to the gym twice last week, legs and ass very sore after three weeks of not going. Which is good cos it means I was getting somewhere when I was going continuously before xmas.
ReplyDeleteAs of this week I'm going three times a week, no arseing around.
I don't weigh myself often but I did about a year ago and I was 74kilos which was a bit pudge for my liking, then after I had been off the booze for a while I weighed myself expecting a small difference and it was 61 kilos, I almost fell off the scales. I find my energy levels are way up in that I don't have hangovers anymore, and therefore I don't crave shitty food anymore that much, I sleep much better since as well and now even more so as I am off the fags, I don't move when I sleep anymore whereas when I was a boozy floozy I would be leaping about in the bed loads. I just feel better in myself. Booze is fat in a glass, not a nice description but it's true!! T minus 9.5 hours to the run, ooh er!
ReplyDeleteIf you are doing a run and want to get the distance/route right, try www.mapmyrun.com, I've been using it for ages and it's brilliant. Just double click on all the junctions and it'll say how far you're running...
ReplyDeleteI did my first spinning class yesterday (I'm doing marathon training but need to get some cross training in), am in bits after it!!
Do you have to be a member of a gym to do a Spinning class? I want to do it but all the ones I have found or been recommended are in gyms which you have to be a member of and seeing as I am moving counties soon I don't want to join and then pay for a service that I am not using.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure, I live in London and I do my classes through my gym. I don't know about back home. If you are going to do it though get a trial first, I can't even put into words how much my ass hurts today!
ReplyDeletePain is good! It means we're working things that need working. Well, some pain is good, you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you are, Babs, but generally you do have to be a member of the gym to spin.
ReplyDeletePlaces like the YMCA and community gyms tend to be the exceptions, in that you can pay per class. Quality varies wildly though, and poorly instructed spin can be both ineffective and dangerous.
So I guess I'm saying hold off until you can join a gym and work out who the experienced instructors are.
That's so annoying but thank you gimme. I will hold off until I am in my new apartment and join the gym, dunno how long I will have to wait though, the feckers!
ReplyDeleteThe glory days were when one of the old bangers I had, used to conk out frequently and I was shown how I could tweak something under the bonnet and hey presto it started. I used to love doing it at traffic lights with disbelieving men looking on.
ReplyDeleteMy advice is drop the gym. You are great improviser and fresh air is better.
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