<p>I’m being very diligent with my 90-minute run/walk six mornings per week with neighbors. With holiday stuff it’s hard to do much else but I do enjoy that start to the day. We only stay in if there’s ice. </p>
<p>One neighbor is just a wonderful, wonderful motivator. She makes it happen!</p>
<p>Good week–finished a long walk (6 miles–went with my fast walking friend and we clocked 16 minute miles. I know you runners are laughing at how slow that is!!) Did a TRX and KB workout on Tuesday, followed by 30 minutes on the elliptical. Doing a spinning class tomorrow morning. Down a few pounds. Been staying on the under 100 grams of carbs per day and it seems to be working for me. Scheduled to do the Crossfit beginners class a week from Saturday.</p>
Bromfield- You will find that runners do NOT laugh at walking paces because many of us are really bad at walking fast! I think a 6 mile walk at that pace is terrific!
<p>Mowc, I envy you getting to run with your D, but at least mine lets me go to a few of her races.
Skipping yoga today( last week tweaked something bad), but I have a massage this afternoon & Im crossing my fingers it will get me back on track.
Ive lost about ten lbs, but also 1 &1/2 inches in my right thigh, which isnt a good thing.</p>
<p>Im also ordering a Tai Chi DVD because the classes I had been attending ran a little too long, and it would be nice to go at my own pace. Any good recommendations? The ones the local dojo sells are in Chinese. It’s nice thats its authentic, but my Mandarin is limited to Twinkle, Twinkle, little star.
Keep me in mind when you think about pushing yourself too much - you do not want to get hurt.</p>
<p>16 minutes is great! I rarely do more than 17 and generally only around 2.5 miles. I like walking but I’m not really willing to devote more than about 40 minutes to it. I’m happy because I lost a pound. It took me two months! I’d love to lose another ten pounds, and know I need to step up exercise as I like my diet for the most part.</p>
<p>Emerald- It isn’t always that pleasant running the back half of a marathon with someone. Runners can get pretty nasty at that point and it’s easy to take it out on your running companion! :)</p>
<p>2.5 miles on the treadmill. It didn’t feel very good but at least I got something in today.</p>
<p>Super hike today. Got off to a late start because I pulled the ol’ set the alarm clock for PM instead of AM trick… arghhh.</p>
<p>Did a fabulous loop on Mt. Monadock. Parker Trail to Cliff Walk Trail to Bald Rock, back down Cliff Walk, to Lost Farm Trail, and back on Parker. These are historic old trails. There used to be a turn of the century hotel halfway up the mountain and hikers like Thoreau and Emerson on this trail. Cliff Walk was especially nice. As the name suggests, it climbs 1.5 miles along the top of a cliff, popping in and out of the woods to offer views from rock outcroppings and overlooks. Plenty of steep rock scrambles, some qualifying as ol’ geezer rock climbing – hands and feet, turn around to face the rock to get down, so it was a good workout, but nothing scary.</p>
<p>Here’s a [video</a> clip](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube) of Cliff Walk trail, including the first steep bit with rocks and a ladder.</p>
<p>It was a blue sky day, not a cloud in sight. 32 degrees when I started, 29 degrees when I finished. Probably colder than that up the mountain as it didn’t look like the patches of ice were melting. 5 miles total, took me 4 hours and 45 minutes and I got back to the car right at sunset. I was the last car in the parking lot. Good workout, but not killer hard. I only saw one person on the trail the entire day, which is one reason I don’t want to push it too hard on these winter hikes.</p>
<p>I tried to “glide” as much as possible, but these rocky trails make it pretty tough to be smoth and light on your feet. I did go down once. Coming down a leaf covered rocky trail, I was bopping along listening to Marc Cohn on the iPod. One minute, I was [Walking</a> in Memphis](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube) and the next thing I knew I was sliding on my bupkis after my foot slipped out of from under me on a patch of leaves. No harm, no foul…</p>
<p>I believe deer season ends this weekend, so I have successfully survived hiking in the middle of hunting season without getting shot. I did hear some gunshots in the distance as I was finishing up my hike just before dusk today. I was wearing so much orange, even Elmer Fudd couldn’t have missed seeing me! Wore just the light long sleeve base layer and my neon orange Marmot windbreaker hoodie with a blaze orange fleece beanie. For the downhill leg, I added a third layer – a 1/4 zip pullover. It’s amazing how lightly you can dress and stay warm for nearly 5 hours in freezing temps when you are exercising. On the flip side, it’s nice not to be dripping sweat…</p>
<p>Tried to use treadmill tonight. Kept tripping breaker. No running tonight! Total of 6 minutes. Will watch Peyton Manning instead.</p>
<p>My goal is to work out 3-4x/week. I keep setting the alarm at 6 am to get up and go to the gym, but honestly, I usually turn it off and get some sleep. So I decided to try to work out at night. So far, it’s been great! I go after work, after making dinner – just 45 minutes to an hour – but at least I’m not just sitting, watching TV. I don’t have a weight loss goal as much as a fitness goal. I feel better moving around.</p>
<p>When I was going to the gym 4x a week- I would go at about 6:30, and stay till right before they closed at 10pm, then go to the grocery store on the way home. I was always still so warm from exercising and my sauna & shower that I didn’t need to wear a jacket.
Id get ready for bed and sleep great all night.
I think the sauna helped with the transition of aerobic exercise to sleep.</p>
<p>EK: You’d be at the gym for three and a half hours!!!</p>
<p>*I believe deer season ends this weekend, so I have successfully survived hiking in the middle of hunting season without getting shot. *</p>
<p>Bear season here. It worries me a bit on our morning walk/run because we weave in and out of a forest and we are in a zone with a fair number of black bear. But the hunters have my blessing! I don’t want to run into a bear.</p>
<p>The hike sounds great, iDad. Glad you stayed warm enough!</p>
<p>H is running the big downtown Rudolph Run 5K tonight which is before the big Christmas parade and I’m working the finish line. It’s pretty warm (unseasonably) here right now, but there might be a shower.</p>
<p>At the risk of sounding like MiamiDAP, I had a donut craving this morning and found myself at Dunkin. I told my daughter I was carbo-loading for her marathon! I wish I could say that they weren’t all that good and I regret it, but they were actually delicious and I have no regrets! I hope I can still fit into my clothes by January 1!</p>
<p>MOWC…thought of you when I was buying Christmas gifts for D2. Bought her a headlamp and Lululemon running shorts and leggings. You have been a great inspiration! :)</p>
<p>Don’t worry, MOWC, just go for a swim and those donut calories will be history!</p>
<p>Does anyone here snowshoe? H was talking about how he might like to do it this winter. Any suggestions of what to look for in snowshoes/equipment?</p>
<p>What do you exercise enthusiasts use for iPod/iPhone storage when you run/walk. I have been just holding mine while doing my C25K, but have been looking at this as it seems it will accommodate my iPhone case, and have a bit of room for a car key, drivers license - that kind of thing.</p>
<p>[Phone</a> Armband | Sahalie](<a href=“http://www.sahalie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=23024&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C7%2C1584&iProductID=23024]Phone”>http://www.sahalie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=23024&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C7%2C1584&iProductID=23024)</p>
<p>I just walk in boots if snow is a bit too thick for normal sneakers. But we do not go out when it is slippery, I am very prone to falling, it is not fun to walk slow anyway.<br>
However, I heard of special soles that you can put over to prevent slippage. They will not add to the height of the shoe though.</p>
<p>blankmind- LOL. I don’t have 1 1/2 hours to float in the pool…</p>
<p>I don’t carry my iPhone with me when I run, although a lot of my friends do. I am afraid I would fall (hell, I DO fall) and break it. My iPod is a small Nano (too small, to be honest) and clips to my waistband or resides in a pocket. What a lot of female runners like is the bandiwear [BANDI</a> Sleek Pocketed Accessory - fitness fun simple convenience](<a href=“http://bandiwear.com/]BANDI”>http://bandiwear.com/) Really stays put and is light and cute.</p>
<p>Snowshoes- I love snowshoeing and have had several sets of snowshoes. (used in Colorado- not Tennessee). There are SO many different kinds and it depends on what you are going to do. There are running snowshoes and ones that are for deeper snow. A big key is ease of getting the things on and off, because you are doing it outside with cold hands. I would go to a good ski or sports shop and ask about the options.</p>