In other news... BOOBS!

This might be TMI but since I'm not even sure anyone is reading this, who cares right?

I am in dire need of a new sports bra. Which makes me sad because the current one was really awesome. It was like, the Cadillac of sports bras. (in case anyone's reading/curious, it's the Cacique Ultimate Sports Bra from Lane Bryant) Padded straps, underwire, and all made from moisture-wicking microfiber. And even though it minimizes, it still looks pretty. Overall, pretty fabulous.

When you are a 44 C/D you can't be buying those little tank-toppy, uniboob things from Target. They are just not enough support. Especially for running.

Of course buying the Cadillac of sports bras means paying for the Cadillac of sports bras. Lane Bryant's site currently lists the bra for $38. (but hey if I buy 2 I get one free)

Geez. I just spent $90 on new running shoes and socks. Plus the new bike lock. And the bike will be needing tune up and probably a new seat. And now a new bra, too?

Fitness is NOT CHEAP.

Yikes, bikes!

Finally got out on the new bike today. I've been hitting the stationary bikes at the gym on a regular basis for months. Which is super BORING. I really thought riding outside would be nicer.

What I did not count on is that it would be so much tougher!

I have not been on a real bike since last fall. Last year I'd actually gotten pretty good at the whole bike thing. Maybe not super speedy, but I could get around OK and I had gotten into the groove of running errands and stuff on my bike.

I got my bike outside and the first thing I noticed was how shaky I was. I knew that would wear off, it did last spring too. But still it's a weird sensation.

I took off down my street and headed for the Greenway entrance. I only had an hour for lunch today so my plan was to ride as far as I could for 20 minutes then turn around and head home. Silly, silly ambitious me. After only 10 minutes I had to stop. My legs felt like spaghetti and my ass was killing me. (I am pretty sure that skinny people don't have this problem. But when you weigh over 250, bike seats hurt your butt.) But I was determined to get a decent workout in. So back on the bike and down the Greenway I went.

Extreme ass pain aside, it was a nice little ride. I discovered a better entrance to the Greenway, through a community garden path. No more lugging my bike on stairs! And it's hard to be grumpy on the Greenway. There are lots of flowers and plants. and everyone who passes you smiles and says hello. Or at least nods. I swear, in this city riding a bike is like joining some sort of club.

The return trip was much better. In part because once I got off the Greenway, the whole ride home was downhill so I can pretty much coast for 6 blocks. (though the 6 blocks uphill may have contributed to the spaghetti legs)

I have a feeling I am going to be sore tomorrow. I seem to recall last spring being a bit sore all over after my first bike ride. I'm already feeling it a little.

Today's lesson: Cardio machines at the gym are a poor replacement for the real thing!!!

Take THAT!

I feel better whining about all my physical ailments AFTER a workout. Because then I feel like they are obstacles I am overcoming, as opposed to excuses.

I had a good run today. A real god one. In spite of the fact that I am in pain and suffering from real bad allergies and was coughing and sneezing and wheezing the whole time.

So here's my obstacles (aside from the allergies). To all of these things, I say Take THAT!

First and foremost, I am clumsy. I trip over things. I fall. I bump into stuff. I am almost always recovering from some stupid klutz injury. This week it's a strained neck from slipping in the shower. It fucking HURTS! Last week I twisted my ankle because I was trying to walk and text at the same time. I'm lucky when it's just minor bumps and bruises.

Next up, chronic bursitis in my hips. I have had hip problems since I was a kid. They ache. They lock up. Sometimes it hurts so bad I walk with a limp. Regular exercise keeps it under control. Yoga can alleviate some of the pain. But it flares up and there ain't much I can do about it. I'm having a flare right now in fact and would kill for a couple of vicodin.

The worst ones, though. The injuries. Permanent damage due to that whole clumsy thing.

In 2006 I fucked up my back in a rollerblading accident. I fell down a hill, cracked my tailbone and damaged all my back muscles. (not to mention the extreme road burn!) I have chronic low back pain as a result. Standing for a long time hurts. Sitting for a long time hurts. My back generally just bothers me. Every day.

In 2005 I slipped in an icy parking lot and broke my ankle. Like real bad. Like until I had surgery to repair it there was no bone connecting my foot to my leg. That kinda bad. I have lots of metal pieces still in there and it still causes me discomfort. Part of why I took up running was to prevent the arthritis that was setting in due to this injury.

So yeah. I have this whole cheesy mantra that every workout is a victory. But in a way, it is. I have always been clumsy and unathletic. I'm genetically predisposed to be chubby. And I have all these pain-causing things wrong with me. And maybe some days the pain wins. But today I was like, fuck you pain I am going running. So today I win. w00t!

Genius

What I really want to do on my lunch today is sack out on the couch and watch Ally McBeal. (just got season one on DVD and I am nerding out over the 90s-ness)

But I kinda feel like if I don't go running on my lunch break, I won't get one in today.

And then I remembered- oh yeah. I make my own schedule. I will take a long lunch, go running, then come home and watch some Ally while I cool down.

I am a genius!

New Shoes

New running shoes have been procured. I bought the same kind as before. Asics. The last pair served me well, and for $85 are not too badly priced.

I bought my shoes at the Running Room on Hennepin. I tried to go to Foot Locker yesterday but the sales guy was such a douche. Not only did he know ZIP about running shoes, he was very insistently trying to sell me the most expensive shoes even though they were completely wrong for me. When I asked to buy a new pair of my same old shoes he claimed they were "out" of my size. Sure they were. *eye roll*

My ankles have this tendency to roll on me. (I think it's called pronating or something) I broke my right ankle 6 years ago because of that very tendency. My Asics have this wicked wide base that prevents the rolling. I tried to explain that to the Foot Locker guy. But he seemed to think that the only think that mattered in a running shoe was the comfort and color. Um.... no.

So lesson learned. I will only be buying my running shoes from the pros. And for the record my shoes cost the same at Running Room as they would have at Foot Locker.

Oh, and also I can't believe *I* actually WORE OUT a pair of running shoes. OMG, yay me! It's weird because they don't look terribly worn but they feel it. I can feel the concrete when I run outside, and it HURTS.

Blah...

Tuesday, running
Wednesday, swimming
Thursday, well you could call it a rest day but I cleaned and did laundry all evening and managed to pull something (in my back, from hauling laundry up to my 3rd floor apartment). Way to go!
Friday, being today, more running

My friend Amy gave me a bike this week. It was gathering dust in her garage. I need to buy a bike lock and pump up the tires so I can start riding it. I am getting bored to running and swimming laps so maybe some nice long bike rides will help.

Time to go shopping.

Today's workout: swimming, weights

I need to get some new running shoes. I had a lot of suspicious knee and ankle pain after running last week and it occurred to me that I've had my current pair for a year. I think they are worn out.

Oh yeah, and excellent news on the bike front. A friend is giving me her bike that she never rides. So hopefully Wednesday or Thursday I will have me a new bike. EEE! This time I am buying a damn U lock.

Mutiny!

Today's workout: 2 mile walk, yoga

Headed out to do C25K (week 3 day 3) but my body was having none of that. Running was just NOT going to happen. Joints, muscles, lungs... nobody was cooperating. I thought maybe I was just feeling sluggish because I was tired and tried to push myself through a couple of intervals. To no avail. I could not get into a rhythm. And I was stiff and sore. I decided to walk instead.

I need to see a chiropractor. My back is in bad shape. I have some back exercises and stretches my old chiro gave me. Been doing those, taking hot showers and taking ibuprofen hoping it would just work itself out. Not happening. Ow.

Also I think it's time for new running shoes.

Swimming.

Today's workout: swimming, weights

I have not been concentrating on swim practice. I know how to swim and I'm OK at it so I have been concentrating on biking and running which are not really my strong suits.

The swim portion of the tri is 500 yards. Not a whole lot. Competitive swimmers do that in less than 10 minutes. I was not even trying to go fast today (really was not) and I did it in about 20 minutes.

I plan on taking a swim class at some point before the tri. I wonder if I can get my time down to like, 12 mintues. That'd be neat.

Buckling down.

C25K week 2 day2 today, and some yoga after

I've been socializing a lot. Too many dinners out. So many parties. Probably too much drinking, even if I rarely get drunk. (at my size and tolerance level it takes a LOT to get me drunk) And of course a new boyfriend who loooooves pizza. And my carmelized bacon knots. And lucky him can eat whatever he wants. (he is so skinny)

I have got to cut back on the rich food and liquid calories!

No rest on the rest day, LOL.

No formal workout yesterday but I walked all over town. In flip-flops. And while it does not sound like a strenuous workout, I guarantee it was. It's only April, you see. Sandal season has barely begun, which means all the foot muscles that I use to wear flip-flops are a little out of shape.

Pretty much everything below my knees hurts today. Ow.

I wish I could soak my feet in hot water while I worked. But somehow I think a bucket of water under the desk (next to all the power strips) is a recipe for disaster.

To 5k or not to 5k.

My friend Jess is a marathoner. She's doing the Minneapolis Marathon in June. They also have a 5k that day. I am contemplating running the 5k. I could totally be 5k ready by June. And maybe a little race mojo will help keep me motivated.

Something to think about.

Kind of a slacker workout today. Walked to the gym, rode 5 miles on the stationary bikes, lifted some weights, and walked home. I guess it's a slacker workout in that it was not super strenuous. But it took almost 2 hours to do all that. I mean, I did stop at Walgreen's ont he way home but that was maybe 15 minutes.

Tomorrow I am going to go to some bike shops. Riding stationary bikes at the gym is so sad when I know there are miles and miles of bike trails just waiting for me!

How it all went.

The Podrunner podcast:

It was awesome. I was very pleased with it. I liked the little chimes that tell you when to speed up and slow down. I liked the music. I'm giving it a 2 thumbs up!

As for the workout:

Since I am making the switch from treadmill to outdoors and have been out of commission for over 3 weeks, I decided to back up a bit and do C25K week 2. I think it was the right choice.

I coughed nonstop the first half of my workout. A couple of times I nearly vomited I was coughing so damn hard. But the running was not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. My legs seemed happy to be running again. I added a little to the cool down, so all told I did about a 40 minute workout.

My back and abs hurt from coughing. My legs feel like jelly. I am completely exhausted and I am sweating from head to toe. It's AWESOME.

Podrunner Intervals

Today I am trying out this podcast:
http://www.djsteveboy.com/1day25k.html

It's not terribly easy to find mp3 versions of podcasts for C25K. I have not joined the apple army and I really do NOT want to have to install iTunes on my computer.

I previewed the music and it's all nice techno goodness.

Review to follow. But even if I don't like it, props to them for putting out free podcasts in mp3 form.

Today's the day!

Right after I wrote my last post I started coughing so hard I threw up. So yeah, no running that night. But I did make it to the gym for Bodyflow. It felt soooo good to move. Even if I coughed all thru class. Yesterday I went out for a walk to get some fresh air. But I was still feeling pretty run down.

Today, though? I think today might be the day. I haven't been coughing so much this morning. And I can actually breathe today. And I'm not feeling all tired and stuff. (though I am kinda sore from Bodyflow) My plan is to get out on my lunch break and do a C25K run. I think I am going to back up to week 2 since I have been out of commission for a few weeks and also since I am going to be running outside now.

My bike was stolen last week, so this weekend I need to get out and shop for a new one. And definitely buy a better bike lock this time! I should be more mad but that bike had a flat tire, was super rusty, and needed a new seat. Plus it was a one-speed. I was already thinking I needed to upgrade to a bike with gears. So the thieves are totally welcome to my junker. Jerks.

I am excited to get outside today. Even if the running goes badly, I need the sun. I am pale from being indoors so much. And I have huge dark circles under my eyes. Last year when I was going running outside 3 times a week, I had a nice glow from getting lots of sun.

Lost momentum.

I have not been out running, or really done much of anything, since I got sick a couple of weeks ago. I am 99.9% better now and I was thinking today I might try going for a C25K run.

Hm.

Yeah.

That's all good in theory. But damn, I've gotten spoiled the last few weeks sitting around watching TV and drinking orange juice. I know that once I get out there and move a little I am going to feel SO AWESOME.

But damn it's hard to get off my butt.

Must. Go. MOVE.