Hello Winter

It has been fairly fall like lately here but then the new year came, bringing with it strong winds and dropping temperatures.  Yesterday was my first trip to the gym of the new year.  Believe me, it took everything to go from the car to the front door.  The gusting, cold, winds cut through my jacket and workout clothes like they were tissue paper.  By the time I get in the door my eyes and nose are running.  I'm thinking to myself what the heck am I doing this to myself for?

But I made it through my half-hour and amazingly I went back again today, despite the frigid temperatures and a dusting of snow on the ground.

This year I'm approaching walking differently.  First, one of my new mantra's, FOLLOW MY PATH.  I know I pushed myself to go to fast to soon many times last year.  The last time, the Reindeer Ramble, left me injured and in pain for a couple weeks.  I need to accept that I've not been active for years, and just can't expect to walk a 20 minute mile at the drop of a hat without sever physical consequences.

The other thing I have to accept is that I need to train to walk.  Even though we walk everyday, walking a 5k is much different.  This means more treadmill and trail/track time.  In reality, last year I was walking outside of events one to three times a week (most times closer to the one).  Also when I was treadmill walking I was holding onto the bar the whole time and at a flat incline, two things that definitely don't prepare you for a 5k event.

This week I'm working on getting used to walking on the treadmill without holding on.  I can only get up to 2.6mph before my heart rate gets to high.  I hope consistency will allow me to eventually get faster and be able to raise the incline.  I need to consistently remind myself that any exercise is better than none.  That I can't let myself be intimidated by other's progress at the gym. That I need to FOLLOW MY PATH.

Below is a great video on the great benefits of just 30 minutes of walking a day.

Tshirt#6 - Baby it's cold outside

Below freezing and I'm out walking a 5k, have I lost my mind??? Apparently so, since today I did the YMCA  of Central Kentucky's Reindeer Ramble.  I got there about an hour before the run/walk started, in my four layers of clothing and festive hat.  Even with gloves my fingers were so cold I could barely pin my number to my jacket. 

When we started the race they divided us by groups so as not to create log jams through the starting chute since it was a chip-timed race.  Fast runners in the front, walkers, like me, at the end.  And that's where I stayed.  I was the VERY LAST participant to cross the finish line.  I'm still processing how I feel about that.

I mean I could look at the fact that 1) I got up, even with little sleep and freezing temperatures and walked a 5k; 2) I completed a 5k even though within the first 5 minutes of walking everything from the waist down was numb and by mile 1 my calves where cramping. 3) I continued even when it became very apparent that, indeed I would be last and 4)I didn't walk back to the start area, which was closer, when I got to the very steep hill, right after I realized I would be last, was in lots of pain and was having trouble getting a deep breath in.

I mean being last wasn't all bad.  One of the volunteers, Trevor, walked with me the last 1/8 - 1/4 mile.  He was the first person to encourage me on the way up and congratulated me I passed him again going to the finish.  He totally called me out and announced to the effect of "Best participant now finishing" as I walked across the finish line. I'm not exactly sure what he said, I was too busy dying of embarrassment.

My unofficial time is between 1:03 (my watch) and 1:05:56 on the timer (but that started with the first runner).  Official chip times won't be up until Monday.

This is now my third 5k.  I'm still working on not feeling bad for being a walker and not a runner.  But I still am a participant and that's got to count for something.

I was too cold to take off my jackets to put on the shirt. 

Update: My official time was 1:01.40.  My next goal is to do a 5k in under an hour.

If it's dark it must be morning

Today I did my second hour-long elliptical, once again at 5:00am.  I hope that the eliptical workout will increase my stamina therefore make my time on 5k walks faster.  Why not use the treadmill?  Because frankly I'm bored with it right now and don't feel I'm getting nearly an intense workout than with the elliptical.  Maybe if I could find a decent program on it.  I don't know. 

The Reindeer Ramble is in three days.  Still debating wheter I'm going to dress up for it or not.  I'm not used to letting my inner goofball out but feel I should at least wear reindeer ears.

Today's rock-out song on the elliptical was Hiphopper. Lyrics are not work safe.

Early to rise, Early to Exercise

You know it's early when you are taking a quick nap in the car before the gym opens.  Since J had to be into work at 4:30 instead of his usual 5:30, D and I decided to take advantage of our LAC memberships we won and go there to exercise instead of the Y because they open a half-hour earlier.

This morning was only 30 minutes on the eliptical instead of the awesome 60 minutes of two days ago.  Today's exercise theme music (also know as the song I most rocked out to while exercising) was SexyBack by Justin Timberlake


On a side note, I'm all registered and ready for the Reindeer Ramble (T-shirt #6) coming up this Saturday. 

Next potential walk - Reindeer Ramble 5k Run/Walk

My housemate D and I are hoping to get a team together and do this.  We would need at least one to 8 more participants.

The YMCA of Central Kentucky’s sixth annual Reindeer Ramble 5K Run/Walk will be held at Keeneland on Saturday, December 10 beginning at 9 a.m. The 5K run/walk is open to serious runners and casual walkers alike, ages 8 and up. The Reindeer Ramble also offers participants the opportunity to register as individuals or as members of a “Santapede” team. Santapede teams consist of 3-10 participants who are actually tied together like a team of reindeer with rope, ribbon, garland, etc. Costumes and holiday spirit are encouraged for this family-friendly event. Last year’s Reindeer Ramble drew approximately 1,500 participants.

Nov 13th, 2011 - Tshirt #5 - Free to Breathe

I found out my father had lung cancer when his doctors went to perform hernia surgery.  At this point it had metastasized and was headed toward his brain.  He wasn't supposed to make it to Thanksgiving. I had moved away in June but traveled to see him in ICU with it's sterile and eerily quiet environment.  Our usual stilted conversation was even more so.  Neither of us knew what to say and we definitely didn't want to address the killer elephant in the room.
He survived Thanksgiving, went home, but then was moved to hospice.  I went to see him any weekend I could get the money together for a greyhound ticket.  I would watch tv with him, get him something to drink, rub his feet and head.  We really didn't talk.  It wasn't our way.
I met my half-brother's son for the first time there.  I was there when the preacher came to minister to him.  I was there when his co-workers and longtime friends came and sung him a deeply moving gospel hymn.  I wasn't there when he died.
I had arrived in town that day but for some reason didn't want to go to the hospital.  I thought I would go the next morning.  My grandmother called me a couple hours later, there would be no next morning.
On my bookshelf are two pine cones that my housemate retrieved from the gravesite, after the funeral.  I still have the bunny rag doll he gave me for my 30th birthday; the only time I ever remember him giving me a birthday gift.
Today, on a cold and windy November day, I walked in his memory.

Oct 16th, 2011 - Tshirt #5 - Race for the Cure

Walk #4 - Yesterday I completed my first 5k walk!  The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  I walked in the non-competitive 5k.  I wasn't going to walk the 5k at first.  I haven't exercised in like two weeks and plus my fall allergies were kicking my butt.  However, everyone else on our team (my housemate's place of work) was walking it we decided to at least try.  And since both were the same route we could always peel off at 1 mile if needed.  I think starting toward the middle of the pack helped as well.  Had I been at the end I would've felt overwhelmed, if I had been at the beginning I would've felt defeated by all the people passing me.  I finished with a respectable time of 1:02.29.