Groggy, but walking.

I did it! I got up and walked before work! I know today is an XT day but since I have not walked in 2 days, I will XT another day, probably Friday. I found a food yesterday that has 3 of our superfoods in one...it is blueberry soy yogurt and it is pretty good. I found it at Rainbow Natural Grocery (Co-op) on Old Canton Rd. and I found some Tamari spiced pumpkin seeds that are awesome. Gotta head out to work. Hope everyone is "moving" today!

Not feelin' so good

I did not plan my time well yesterday and did not walk. I mainly was too lazy to get out of bed in time. I am such a non-morning person but that is because I don't go to bed early enough! I must change this night-owl habit! I did play tennis for 2 hours last night and was exhausted when I got home but that is not the same as the slow steady pace I have with walking. Tennis is a lot of stopping and starting. Again, I did not get out of bed this morning to walk before work and got home after dark so I ended up doing the elipticisor for 30 minutes. I think that is a good workout because I sweat and get somewhat winded. I am a marathoner so I will get up and walk before work tomorrow.

Feelin' good!

Although I haven't blogged in a few days, I have stayed on training. Saturday was fun! I finally met "catseye" and we walked together which was great. That last hill was a bummer, but we made it! I know I will be "dog-tired" in Chicago when that hill is in view, but knowing that I am .2 miles from the finish line will invigorate me...I HOPE. I just love our Saturdays when we get together with our fellow marathoners and our VERY SPECIAL mentors, Mark, Robin, and Matt. I keep telling my husband how much I wish he was a part of this but he had back surgery six months ago and felt it was a bit too early to participate in something like this. But come next year, we will both be training for 2008. I am so happy my "new" daughter-in-law, Kristy, is doing this with me. I get to see her at least once a week and it is a good bonding experience for us. She is much younger, of course, and has much longer legs than I, so she will probably stay in a faster group than me. I don't care how fast or how slow I am...I am a MARATHONER ! I just listened to Mark's podcasts and they are great. I look forward to the one he does about our stuffing our stuff or something like that. Today I spent 20 min. on the ellipticisor (spelling doesn't look right) and then played doubles tennis for 2 hrs. I can see an improvement in my quickness and stamina in tennis. It just seems too early to see that, but I don't think it is my imagination. My legs feel stronger...wahoo! I went to the online store and ordered the book Mark had yesterday, and it was less than $20. I ordered a stretching band also and have no idea if it is worthwhile or not, but it was cheap and I'll give it a try. I am so-o-o tight and always have been, so I know I need to do regular stretching to avoid injury. Well, I have made up for the days I missed blogging! Gotta get up early in the a.m.! I AM A MARATHONER!!

Back to the Blog

Well, after a week of not being able to enter a new post due to WHATEVER, I am back. Thanks to Mark for the assistance! I veered off the training program over the weekend due to traveling out of town and a multitude of reasons. So, yesterday and today I walked. I will also walk tomorrow and then take Friday off. I wonder how many hills are in the 2 mile trek that we will do on Saturday? I walk 2 miles in my neighborhood with one big hill and a couple of small ones so maybe I won't have too much difficulty. I have memorized the 14 superfoods and have been trying to incorporate them into my daily meals. Pumpkin is a problem to work in, so I will have to make some healthy pumpkin muffins for breakfast. My husband has also memorized the 14 superfoods and we are having fun quizzing each other as to whether we have had our "b" foods or "o" foods, etc. I have not finished reading the book but am eager to get it completed. I am all for anything that will increase longevity and QOL and I believe our bodies respond neg. or pos. to the fuel we ingest. Sounds like I know I should do a better job with my diet so, why don't I? Well, let's just say I am a work-in-progress. I am still excited about this MM and so far, no disabling pains or injuries...gee I hope I did not just jinx myself. Well, I am not superstitious so I will celebrate the fact that I have had no injuries. Yea!!

Happy Valentines Day!

I sure know how to have fun on this special evening...did 30 min. on the ellipticisor (sp?) I think it is easier than walking the hills, for sure. Ugh, I will have to crawl out early in the a.m. and walk before work. Good-night all.

Tuesday

Almost talked myself out of walking this morning telling myself that I could do it when I get home from work. However, it is DARK when I get home and it is supposed to turn colder during the day. SO, this non-morning person hoofed it for 34 min. The only reason I did not limit it to 30 min. is that I am still trying to figure out walking times in my neighborhood so I take my timer and plug in half of the walking time. When it beeps I reset and try to figure out where to go to finish up without having to go on the exact same route I just completed. My ankles and calves are very uncomfortable about halfway through the walk and I go from heel to toe walking to clop, clop, in a flat-footed fashion. However, my legs and ankles are fine once I have cooled down so I guess I don't have true shin splints...yet. One day at a time, one day at a time.

Walked for 30 min. this morning and felt like I could walk a lot more but I was on a time crunch for work. I played tennis tonight (doubles) for a couple of hours and felt so strong energy-wise. I can't believe exercising a few times in a week can make this much difference...it must be my imagination. This is weird, totally weird, but I am actually looking forward to getting up in the morning and walking!! Something is happening to my mind....I like it!

I found my shins!!!!

I walked for 40 min. this morning before Church and boy, did my shins hurt! I had Colby, my black lab granddog with me and he provided a little additional resistance training along the way! I decided to walk again today instead of XT since I walked yesterday for the first time since Tuesday. So glad I will be home all week this week. I played tennis for 3 hrs. this afternoon and though it is just doubles play, I did not get as winded...had more energy. I think my additional exercising has made a difference already. Anything is better than being a couch potato. I am feeling happier, more positive, and experiencing the overall mental benefits of exercise. I am SO GLAD I am doing this. Thanks to Mark and company for providing the leadership to get us all on that pavement and across that finish line! Tomorrow, I must get up early and walk because I have to be in a Drs.' office with breakfast at 7:30. That means I need to go to bed soon. Good-night!

Back on the road again!

Well, the road to h___ is paved with good intentions. I did not exercise on Friday...it was raining, it was cold, you name it, I thought of an excuse. On a positive note, I did attend the meeting in Clinton and it was great. I loved it when Mark asked us to line up according to age. Very interesting...did not realize there were as many folks near my age doing this. Baby boomers ROCK! I walked the 1.5 miles with a very interesting new friend, Debra. She kept me walking faster than I normally would and kept me entertained the whole way. I could talk to her on the downhills, but because I am so out-of-shape I could only grunt and nod my head in response when I was going uphill! What an inspiration to GET IN SHAPE. It is downright embarrassing. Debra has hiked all over the world and you could tell it. She was "chatty cathy" (I loved it) the whole way and had lots of energy so you could tell this was not her first rodeo. I want to be like Debra! I am sure I will be able to talk a lot easier on these brisk walks once I have put in a few more weeks on the road. Was surprised to see we still have a very large crowd...thought it would have dwindled down more. My biggest concern is getting to the "starting line" in Chicago...I hope I don't get some debilitating injury, which is why I am going to take it slow as Mark recommends. If I can get to that starting line, I WILL cross that finish line!

I had a flat tire...patch it up and keep going!

Well, I just got back from Nashville tonight and I have not exercised for the past 2 days...not good. Tomorrow I will get up and walk before work when everyone else is taking a Friday off. I will walk with the group on Saturday and then will get back on track with my training. I am still excited about doing this. In fact, I was telling a friend from work about my new adventure and she wants to do it too!! She is going to register before the deadline. She started training for a marathon that was taking place in France in 2001 and then when 9/11 occurred, her plans went awry and she did not get to participate in the marathon. It will be even more fun to have someone else I know in Chicago next October sweating it out with me!

Well, I know I am dedicated to this marathon...I left a karaoke party at 9:30, came back to my hotel room, changed into my workout clothes and walked on the treadmill for 30 min. The treadmill is definitely easier than walking those hills. It has been a long intense day and that bed looks awfully good over there.

Three straight days of exercise--yippee!

I have to make a flight to Nashville at 10 a.m. so I decided a 30 min. walk before I leave is not the 40 minutes I would do if I had more time, but better than not getting it in at all. It was an easy walk even with 2 hills but I am sure it is because I was so preoccupied with thoughts of what am I forgetting for this trip, etc. I am proud of me for getting up and walking. I am not a morning person, I have a lot to do this a.m., yet my commitment to this marathon got me out there. Yea! Go me!

Since yesterday was my first day of the program I decided to walk again today and XT on Wednesday to get on schedule. Yep, there are hills in my neighborhood and the walk was not easy. Of course it' s not easy...I have been a couch potato, what do I expect? When I am walking and think about 26.2 miles, well, let's just say that Mark has great advice...one day at a time. I got my new shoes yesterday at Fleet Feet and they felt great! Lots of toe room and the best arch support I have ever had. This week I am going to be in Nashville for a sales meeting. The hotel where I am staying has a gym so I will either walk outside if there is a good route, or inside on the treadmill. I am not accustomed to making room for work-out gear, but hey, my lifestyle is changing! Hope everyone is staying on program!

Made it to the meeting and did the one mile walk...I was thinking this would be a piece of cake but with the hills (i hate hills) it turned out to be a little more challenging than I thought. I was somewhat out of breath as I tried to carry on a conversation with Kristy, my daughter-in-law. What this means is...I am so-o-o NOT FIT. I was amazed at the size of the group this morning ... I think Mark told me there were 185 signed up! I think I am remembering that number correctly. It was exciting to see people of all ages, sizes, shapes, etc. that are determined to get outside their comfort zone (what an understatement) and reach their personal goals by training and finishing the Chicago Marathon in October. WE ROCK!

If it is to be, it's up to ME

Well, I did it. I registered and "paid my fee" today online. I did not go to the informational meeting and I have not spent much time on "thinking this through". It's sorta like, just do it! In my mind I have lined up the pros and cons and the pros definitely won out. I cut out the newspaper article a week ago for my 27 yr. old son who has recently started running...thought he may be interested in running a marathon. He was not. The article laid on my nightstand for a while and the headline "Couch to 26.2 miles in 9 months" kept staring at me. When I read about the 59-yr.old who finished the 2006 Chicago marathon, I felt something stirring inside of me. I am 59 and will turn 60 in April. I thought, "what a feat, to be able to finish a marathon at 60 years old! I have high hopes for this endeavor...lose 30 lbs., improve my tennis game, prevent diabetes, improve cholesterol numbers, and last but not least, BRAGGING RIGHTS.