To Sign or Not to Sign

How do I know if I'm ready to sign up for a 5K? Like, how far ahead should I do it? And how well should I be running? Like what percentage of the 5K should I be at? I've been incredibly inspired by all of my blogger running friends, but truthfully all of you are 15-20+ years younger than me, and that does make a difference. And it seems to me that it has taken me a whole lot longer for my heart rate, and body in general, to get up to speed, compared to all of you. Luckily Michelle gave me the example of doing each week for as long as I needed to, and I have.

Okay, so I'm sometime this weekend going to attempt, and hopefully succeed at, jogging 8 minutes/walking 5/jogging 8. Then, within a week, I'm going to try 20 minutes. I'm not at all confident that my heart will feel good about that, so I'm not going to kill myself doing it..literally, folks.

So, I guess what I'm wondering is, should I work myself up to closer to the 5K goal before committing myself to a 5K, or should I just sign up, and keep working towards it? I'm asking this because I saw one that I think would be fun. It's part of a larger series of races sponsored by xterra, and it's at a place I'm familiar with. Actually a place I love. So I thought that might be a good place to start. Opinions, please?

Update: This morning I did the 8 jog/5walk/8 jog with no problem whatsoever. Heart rate didn't go any higher than it was at 5 min jog time. If I can do the 20 minute Jog within the next week, I'll sign up for the race. It's Dec 7, so that'll give me a little over a month to work my way up to 30-40 minute jogs. Yikes! That sounds long. Thanks for your encouragment everyone.

Going Down Again

Well, that sure was a long month of barely any weight loss. One of my mini goals was to be at 160 by the time I went to AZ last month, but didn't quite make it. So, I was so happy to weigh in today and see I'd lost 3 pounds, for a total of 40 pounds. I love round numbers like that. I'm hoping to be in the 150s by next week. Only 15 pounds till I'm in the normal weight category. Very exciting!

Did I mention how much I love my new Mizunos? Running in them feels so good. My jammed toe doesn't hurt, my knee doesn't hurt. I can't say that I've yet to experience that "runner's high", or any kind of exhiliration yet, but I have recently remembered how joyful running used to feel when I was a kid. I loved going off on my own, running through the woods. I hope that once I can comfortably run for longer amounts of time that that feeling will come back. I started week 5 of my C25K plan, running 5/walking 3 times 3, and it was easy. My heart rate went a little higher than I like, but it settled back down again within a minute. Next time I'm going to try the day 2: Jog 8/walk 5/jog 8.

I'm hoping to go on an outdoor adventure in the next couple of days, and will probably go bodyboarding tomorrow. I've asked Ann to choose an adventure. She's been walking up the outside of Diamond Head for the past few weeks, so it sounds like she's ready for some hills. I hope she doesn't pick something TOO steep, since I haven't been back to walking for too long.

Back To My Program

I am so over my leg injury..so so so over it. I rested all last weekend. This weekend I devoted to some medical procedures I don't want to gross you out with. Suffice it to say the prep was way worse than the actual procedures.

Okay, back to Back To My Program. Despite not being able to exercise much for the past three or four weeks, other than dancing to Santana, I didn't gain any weight. That's good. And, here are the much better good things. I'm back to Dallas' Happy Hour, lifting more weight than I was before.

AND! Here's the really really cool Good! I'm back on the tread...at the same level I was at before I hurt myself. No problem. Whatsoever. I was able to jog 5 and 3 - TWICE, with half that much walking in between. With no trouble heart rate or breathing. I love it! And I did it two days so far. Once more and I'll move to the next week, which is jog 5, walk 3, jog 5, walk 3, jog 5 (first day), and I don't think that will be much of a problem, then jog 8, walk 5, jog 8 (day 2), then jog 20 (day 3) ??????!!!!! I'm sure everyone will understand if this week takes me 2-4 weeks to get through. But, I will get through it.

So, to celebrate the reality that I just might be able to make it to a 5K in the not too distant future, I went out and bought myself some REAL running shoes today. Mizuno Wave Inspires. Here's a pic I tried out a bunch of shoes, jogging around the store, and decided on these. It was tied between them and a pair of Saucony's. These were $20 bucks cheaper and felt as good. I am so so happy! I was so happy that I also bought a new (first ever) running shirt too. I was trying to find a pic of my shirt and look what I found! A link to all kinds of 5K races here in Hawaii!

So, maybe I AM turning into a runner. Who would have thought that was even a remote possibility????? Thank you to all my blogger buddies who actually have turned into runners..and more...for your amazing inspirational examples. I'm running as fast as I can in your footsteps. Especially to Shosh who today completed her second half marathon in a week, Bekkles who is about ready for her tri, despite having just moved cross country, is working incredibly long demanding hours, and being an awesome wife and mother to the cutest little Lucy girl ever, Cyndi, whose dust I'm eating, and is not only ready to run her first 5K, but is thinking of a half marathon herself while she works full time, is also an awesome wife and mom to three amazing kids, and of course, to my dear dear friend Michelle, who got me started on this path by sharing her journey with me and others, turning me onto the blogosphere, and who just sent me two books; The Slow Fat Triathlete, and Your First Triathlon. You think maybe she wants to live vicariously through me during her babe's first year?

Thank you, all you wonderful inspiring women. I'll try to live up to your examples. Really. And no standing on chairs again. I promise.

TAGGED!

Shosh, that fabulous athlete and person, tagged me. So, here goes, 6 facts about me.

1. I was born in Yonkers, N.Y. and my first home was in the Bronx. I grew up mostly in Minnesota, though. I left Minnesota 5 days after graduating high school. Then I was a hippie in the Haight in the late 60’s. Inside I’m still a hippie, but sometimes I can hide it pretty well.

2. I never went to college until I was 40. Then I powered through to a doctorate by the time I hit 50. Typed my whole dissertation and all those other papers with 2 fingers. Still 2 finger typing to this day.

3. My favorite food is raw fish.

4. I was spelling bee champ two years running.

5. I’ve been to 47 states. All except Alaska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. I’m hoping to visit my non-smoking buddy, Pollye in Oklahoma one of these days. Maybe that will get me to Arkansas too.

6. I smoked for 36 years until I quit in March, 2007. Haven’t had one puff since.

I'm tagging Pollye, Cyndi, Bekkles, and Superdave

Anybody Have Any Injury-be-gone Spray?

It’s been a long few weeks with this hurt leg. I’ve been doing what I’m supposed to for it. I can really feel the lack of exercise – I’m antsy, a little cranky. So, yesterday I went to Dallas's Happy Hour. It helped my frame of mind a lot yesterday. I could do most of the exercises, all except some of the lunges and squats. It felt great! Here are a few pics of Dallas. One is of her “flashing” as she calls it. She pushes us in ways that make me laugh. Or makes me want to laugh if I only could while doing things like the gluteal pulses she loves so much.

A friend from D.C. was in town visiting over the weekend, and since he is vegan I ate mostly that way with him. We have our first ever Whole Foods market here, so one night we ate there. When I told him about the nearby Umeke market, and how the opening of Whole Foods will likely force them out of business, we ate there for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday I began making a vegan pasta dinner with roasted peppers and 2 kinds of squash, but he was more interested in talking than my cooking, so I finished it off Monday and shared it with my student tenants. As a result of all this vegan eating I lost 1.4 pounds this week despite only one hour of real exercise.

My leg still hurts, but is slowly getting better, so I’m hoping that by next week I can get back to some cardio. In the meantime I think I’ll go to as many strengthtraining classes as I can. Or, I’m still tossing around the idea of going to the Bay Area to see Carlos again. But, I really wanted to go on a Michelle and Miguel adventure when I went to the Bay Area, and I obviously can’t do that, so I probably won’t go. Injuries suck. Not at all sure what I’m supposed to learn from this, other than to never use a chair instead of a ladder or step stool. See? I told you I was cranky.

Stupid Human Trick

I knew better, but I did it anyways. I was unloading my truck of some boxes that I was storing for my daughter, and was putting a box of very fine shoes on a top shelf, when Kaboom! The 20 year old plastic chair I was standing on collapsed! Who couldn’t have predicted that??!! Anyway, it was the night before I was leaving to go to AZ to see my sons and Santana, and my right leg was hurting big time. I iced it, compressed it, elevated it, and rested it as best I could. ICRE, you know? No dice.

I was so happy to see my sons, and to cook for them as moms do. I kept up with my ICRE routine, and was very happy on the night of the concert to wear my red patent heels. They actually felt better than the flat shoes I bought. I guess it had something to do with the stretch of the affected muscles. And I did look pretty hot, if I do say so myself. Thank you again, Bonnie!

The concert was so awesome. More than I had hoped for, and so wonderful to share it with my son. Such a better thing than last March when we spent over a week together in the hospital when he had lung surgery. And we both danced our you know whats off. As long as I stood in place I was okay. It’s the walking that’s killing me. He sang this new song with the refrain, "Love peace and joy is what I want for everyone in my life" I loved that. It's exactly how I feel.

So, here’s the bad news. Eating, even in moderation, some of the old family faves I cooked for the boys, and not being able to exercise like usual, has taken its toll. I gained this week. Just .4 pounds, but wrong direction. I am bummed about it, but there’s nothing to do about it now. Not sure when my leg will be better. I went to the doctor this morning and she said a week or two more. In the meantime I’m back home and eating according to plan again, and I did do some upper body lifting at the boys’ house and will do that here at home too. I just know it’s not enough to keep my progress up to the level it’s been at. And no new outdoor adventures. I think I’ll miss them most of all.