Routines . . . Hard to make but hard to break

Once I’m into a routine . . . especially regarding exercise . . . I’m usually hooked.  Running just clicks with me and I love it, its just getting into the groove of it all.

So . . . as my knee is getting increasingly stronger and more tolerant to abuse, I’m feeling the push to be back out there as much as possible and setting new goals for myself.

A little set back, not a big one . . . and definitely not worth fretting over.  Much more trama in the world than my missing a run today . . . ok, and yesterday.

But the conviction is there, thats what I miss.  The conviction that will drive me out the door tomorrow morning! I’m gonna attempt to beat the kids to the waking up bit and get out and run stroller-less . . . just the open road, myself and Byron . . .

Should be utterly enjoyable . . .

Jog On!

ps . . . completed 16 miles for the week . . . walking mostly with about 4 or so miles of jogging.

I haven’t been in here . . . simple reasons: 1. my computer crashed and was gone from this world into the next. 2. my knee ended up being worse than I thought.  Now its 6 months later and I’m still tentatively walk/jogging.  More walking than jogging.  And for a span of time there, like 2 months, I barely did anything that resembled exercise.

I haven’t been that discouraged in the old workout arena of my life in quite some time.

But, with the prodding of my good friend, Jalaine, we are getting out there nearly everyday for our walking and, as of the last two weeks, jogging.  This is all on pavement, so I’ve taken it super easy.  Plus I’m kind of out of shape now . . . like I was ever in great shape.

Anyhoo . . . I thought I’d pop on here and kinda keep it updated . . . makes it easier for me to keep track . . . I can’t believe my last post was in April! Geez!

Anyway . . . last week we did nearly 20 miles of walking.  The week before was about 18 or so.  This week we are already up to 13 and we jogged nearly 2 miles of our 4.5 mile walk . . . so inching back up there.  I say we because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have gotten with it without Jalaine forcing me out the door.

I’ve gained all of 10 lbs.  Not bad but not good either, considering I had intentions of going 10 lbs the other way.

But, a lesson has been learned.  Guess what doesn’t make or break life? Exercising freakishly.  I have learned to relax about it a little . . . where is my focus? Where is my passion? What is my identity wrapped up in?

The answer better be Jesus  . . .  not other’s opinions, not jogging, not horses, not family life, nothing should take the importance of the One who created me. And keeps me goin’ for that matter.

So, thoughts for the day.  I’m going now.

Jog On!

Me and me sistas.  I was blessed to see so much of my family this summer!!! Happy!

Attitude Check

Actually an attitude check, along with just mixing things up to accomodate healing my stupid knee.

I am a creature of habit and I love running.  I love the results, the feel, the intensity.  I love it.  I said I LOVE IT!

Unfortunately, with the knee thing, I’ve decided running is probably not the best way to approach the healing . . .

Let the healing begin!

. . . Uh, sorry, had to get that out of my system.

SO . . . like I said in previous posts, its combination of the inability to jog and the crazy schedule we’ve got going that keeps me out of the gym . . . now its not part of the routine and therefore even harder to motivate myself at 5am to get there.

My cousin put together an upper body circuit thing for me . . . which is in the old notebook ready and willing to become my new gym friend . . . but I’m stuck at home most of the time.

Then it dawned on me . . . along with my 20 minute ab video, I should just start tacking stuff on as circuit type, body-only, weight strength circuit stuff of joy.  Whats to keep me from fine tuning a program that still avoids irritating that knee??

Nothin, thats what.

So today I put aside my pride . . . aside the excuses and did 15 minute circuit of drop squats (easy ones), pushups and crunches/ab stuff.  I went around and around for as many times I could in 15 minutes.  I was sweaty by the time the timer went off.  I then did about 20 minutes of strength stuff, glute kickbacks, shoulder stuff, tricep pushups . . . etc.  There were like 8 or so exercises.  I’m sore and I was sweaty from that.  I miss the winded exertion of running but I’ll get through.

I am learning to relax about it.  God is truly the most important thing in my life, followed by family.  When that gets out of whack, I’m grateful to a God that aligns it right back, no matter what it takes.

I’m kinda hard headed sometimes.

So, if and when I ever get to the gym again, the elliptical will be utilized, God willing, and the bike.  Gotta start with the cardio or I’m going to look like a blimp in about month.

I love to eat . . . so workout, I must!

Moderation is better than muscle, self-control better than political power. – Proverbs 16:32

But I will learn how to keep priorities. And self control in the eating department.

Jog On!  . . . run a mile for me.

Lagging

I haven’t been updating cuz there’s nothing to really share in the way of working out.

My tendon is still bad . . . so bad that extended walking-abouts hurt and it swells, requiring and ice and ibuprofin.

Sucks, is the word that comes to mind.  Suckarooni!! Suckolla!! Suckarama!!

SUCK!

Also, Justin’s schedule has picked up, in the way of extra work . . . which is great financially, but heck on the schedule . . . so the gym has been nixed for the past 3 weeks; combination of both above reasons.

I have been walking anyway . . . who can resist this gorgeous weather!! Amazing how much longer my normal routes now take at 3.5 -3.9 mph, rather than 5.8 – 6.2 mph.  Ugh and slow!  My 4.5 mile loop took me an hour and 20 minutes . . . of course I was pushing the stroller, but still!! I got sunburned pretty bad that day too. 

So I’m frustrated . . . though, by the grace of God and limiting my cookie consumption . . . I haven’t gained weight. 

I do a lot of abs and pushups and stuff.  I do a lot of stretching too.  But, honestly I feel like I’m not working out at all, really.  Going from an average of 4 – 8 hours of intense exercise a week, down to approximately 2 hours a week of easy going exercise . . . hard to swallow sometimes. 

BUT, its just a tendon.  It’ll heal.  I’m gonna make a doc appt here pretty soon if it doesn’t start behaving.  Tiff, my sis, said its completely conceivable that I have a stress fracture or worse, if its taking this long to start to heal.  Its actually gotten worse.

Bummer.

But, all things happen for a reason. 

I have a brand new appreciation for the body and what it handles daily.  When I’m healed there is no way I’ll be pushing it that hard again . . . gradual, healthy progression is way way WAY better than fast progression that ends up like this or worse.  No result known to man is worth this.  I miss running so bad I dream about it.  How pathetic is that??

God’s also really started pressing me to realize that my self-worth is not tied up in the way I look but in HIM alone.  I have to be reminded of these things quite often.  Not wound up in my looks (good thing!), my intellect (thank goodness), or my abilities/talents.  He is my identity and my all in all!! So, if learning to lean on Him even more, comes out of this junk, its worth it!!

If you think about it, send up a prayer that my knee gets better. I realize its not that big of a deal compared to horendous situations in the world . . . but it’ll mean something to me.  And, without insurance, it would be an expensive doc appointment.  Gotta love this full-time school stuff.

Jog On!

-Stacy

Throwing Out the Excuses

I tend to easily make excuses, justify, my bad decisions.  I’m sure everyone can.

One big excuse, lately, has been “the kids are here, the car is not, the hubby is not and I don’t have a sitter to go to the gym . . . oh me, oh my . . . guess I can’t go”.

Um, I’m blowing that one out of the water tonight.

Its 10$.  Yeah, you read right . . . ten-dollars . . . a month for daycare at the gym facility.  That is a fantastic rate.  I bring them with, let them hang out, make a mess that someone else has to clean up, an hour later, pack’em back up and take them home to resume the mess-making in my cleaning quarters.

Now, we only have one car . . . so this will require me to load them in the jogging stroller, putt-putt my sorry bum down the whoooole .50 miles . . . yep, half a mile, and park my stroller, hopefully, right inside the door.  Maybe I should invest in a bike lock for it.  Hmmm.

I’ve slacked the last two weeks . . . for an actual reason . . . and that reason being a tendon in my knee.  But that is feeling stronger by the day and I need to get back with it.  I have gained a couple of pounds.  I eat like poop when I’m not working out.  Bummer. Anyway, should come back off pretty fast.  I just wish I didn’t lose that 2 weeks!

Sooooo . . . that is the plan tomorrow, directly after breakfast.  I’m nervous . . . I’m nervous about my knee . . . I’m nervous about hauling two rowdy kids in the door mid-morning gym time and wrangling the giant double stroller through the door . . . I’m just nervous about new stuff.

I think I’m getting old.  Ikes.

If I were watching me coming in the door, with a giant double jogger and two kids (which really aren’t that rowdy at all) I would glance up, probably smile and go back to what I was doing. Funny how we assume people are more easily annoyed than we are.  This is proven everytime I fly and I’m stuck next to someone and I’m holding one of my boys . . . I haven’t gotten a rude person sitting next to me yet! And I’ve flown half a dozen times since Tob was born.

Random thought for the day.

I believe tomorrow is leg and lower back day.  I will be taking it easy on the old legs but I will be doing some half-squats in place of deep squats . . . not sure I will ever do deep squats again. And I will have to feel out how the lunges will go . . . I’m not pushing anything, at all!

Cardio is what I’m looking forward to.

Thats all

Jog On!

-Stacy

Learning Something New

I talk about being open and learning new stuff, in regards to exercise, on this site.

Yep, I’m learning something new alright. . .

. . . just not really something I was desiring to learn, really. Or even wanted to deal with.

If you need explanation . . . that is a bag of peas . . . like frozen peas, strapped to my knee with a bandana hair-thingy.  I had to use something to tie it on cuz apparently I’m unable to sit still for more than 20 minutes.

It has also been a blessing to have personal trainers built right into the family unit.  My sister, Tiffany is a certified personal trainer and my cousin, Christian, works as a personal trainer in the Bay area in California.   I’ve been emailing really annoying and generic questions for two days.  Sorry Christian!   But Christian has been more than helpful and is currently putting together upper-body circuit training stuff for me, so I can keep going at it . . . and not hurt my knee any more than I have.   I call Tiff twice a day to ask if stuff is normal . . . she actually helped me figure out what was going on to begin with . . . since my motto tended to lean toward “work through it, it’ll heal itself”.  NOT a good idea with a tendon injury.

So I’m suppose to be icing it approximately 20 minutes every 2 hours or so.  This is the first time I’ve iced it today and its 3pm . . . not really behaving myself. Ibuprofin is my friend for the time being.

I did try to work out at the gym this morning, around 6am.  The stationary bike hurt.  The EFX machine hurt . . . so I did some upper body weight stuff but I was pretty discouraged.  I did do about 80% of my bicep and back routine.  Not bad, considering my disposition.

I act like a limb was chopped off . . . hee hee.  Nope, still got all my parts . . . just want to go jogging, thats all.

Stupid knee!

Jog On! . . . I’m jealous. :/

-Stacy

Frustrated . . . Must Have a Cookie!

Alright, probably not the best thing to do . . . eat a cookie when I’m frustrated . . .

BUT . . .

My knee hurts!!!!

I talked to my sister, Tiff, who is a personal trainer and she thinks it is ‘Jumpers Knee’.

It hurts pretty bad.  But the elliptical . . . as much as I loathe using that machine . . . does not bother it in any way, so I do have an alternative.  I’m also doing minimal leg weight exercises.  I wrote my cousin, who is also a personal trainer and asked her questions regarding.

So rest from the offending activity is about the only thing I can really do. Though anti-inflamatories and icing it helps too.

Buggard. I was telling Justin this is the first time I’ve really injured myself and I’m surprised at how discouraged I feel, that I can’t continue running and doing what I set out to do. I believe overuse is the cause . . . too many squats, too much change up in my running style . . . etc.  Changed too fast, adding weight too fast and did not listen to my body.

Lessons, very hard ones, learned.

That is all. My goal is to get to the gym tonight and get some upper body stuff and elliptical time in. I feel like an old lady.

Jog On! . . . jog a mile for me, please.

-Stacy

Finally!

Yep . . . I finally got me new ones!  Pretty excited about that . . . 2 whole miles on these babies so far. Over 400 miles on my Mizuno shoes that I just retired.  Not bad mileage in a 7 month span.

Anyhoo . . . felt like getting something cutesie this time, instead of industrial looking, like Mizuno.  Mizuno really needs to liven it up a bit . . . even if its just different color choices.  And they’re kind of masculine.

Just sayin’.

I’m off to cuddle with my tired hubby and relax . . . I have Mexican pastries in there calling my name.  I might not be so good on the diet tonight.

Jog On!

-Stacy

Getting Physical

I just thought I’d pop in here. I haven’t been much into blogging lately, hence the reason I’m not blogging daily. Or twice a day, whatever.

I did do workout videos for an hour on Saturday, including Ab Jams of 20 minutes and Taebo of 40 minutes. I also used my light home weights to complete my shoulder routine.  Not as efficient as using the heavier weights at the gym but I felt it the next day.

Yesterday I went to the gym, even though it was 70 degrees and sunny out.  I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 20 of that being HIIT.  I also did my chest and tricep routine.  I’m really feeling that! Holy macrel.

So, getting my butt back into it this week.

My sister is headed up from Eugene right now to join me in running shoe buying extravaganza.  We’re both replacing our aged running shoes . . . as well as her husband’s . . . so much buying to be done. I’m SO SO SO excited!!

We are going to try to go running this afternoon before she has to head back out . . . break in the new ones. And its GORgeous outside! Yay!

I’ll post pics later.  Going with Nike this time, a Nike Shock running shoe . . . we’ll see if I stick to the choice. hee hee.

Jog On!

-Stacy

Reality

I did good.  I stayed on track for 6 weeks with my new found passion for gym extravaganza.  

This week, not so much.  

Today has been the first day that I’ve made it to the gym.  The first day that I’ve actually worked out at all, really.   I ran Sunday and hurt my knee . . . but not bad enough to quit doing anything . . . at all.

You have to be pretty crippled up not to use the elliptical for cardio.

I did my planned weight stuff for today, which was pretty easy going.  biceps and back.  

Then I attempted to run on the treadmill but instantly knew it wasn’t gonna happen.  Ikes, I’ve never hurt my knee this bad . . . sharp pains, not dull as usual, if I overuse the biggest joints in my body.  I’m sure it’ll heal though.  I’ll just use the elliptical and add on running, after I get new shoes, when the pain starts to subside.  I might have to back off the squats but they didn’t hurt the other day, so who knows. 

It definitely felt good to pump some iron and get the old blood flowing.  A tad too much time between bouts of exercise. 

My husband, is obsessed with checking my pulse and my blood pressure . . . ah, new skills, its so cute.  120 over 60 last night, was the blood pressure. My resting pulse sits right around 50 bpm.  Thats good too.  Maybe I’m in better shape than I thought.  

But I’m still 178 pounds . . . which is not good. Keep on keepin’.  

Jog On!  

-Stacy