<p>Followed the workout on the Utube videos with Rachael Cosgrove on Saturday. Rest day today.</p>
<p>Decided to register for a local 3-day walk that benefits two groups–an organization in my town that offers support services (support groups, art therapy, restorative yoga, etc) to women who have breast cancer and a Mass General program that does research on women’s cancers. It’s a 3-day (60 mi. total) walk. I’ve done it in the past, but haven’t participated in 3 years (it’s in May and I’ve had college graduations and a wedding on the walk weekend). This year, there’s a change and you can have a team so that you don’t have to do the entire 60 miles. I’m part of a team with two friends so I’m doing two sections of the walk (11 miles on one day and 17 miles the next). Gotta start getting the walking miles in, which will cut into some of my other exercise activities, but I plan to keep at least 2 days of weight training.</p>
<p>IDad: Hiking in the Mt. Washington area is really dicey. I hiked up Tuckerman’s Ravine with a group of women almost 20 years ago (I’m probably in better physical shape now, but back them I figured it would be easy–it wasn’t.) Made it up to Mt. Washington, but realized I’d be in sad shape if I did the trip back down. Ended up taking the cog railway down. We went in August and it was cold and windy and miserable then. Can’t imagine it in the winter, especially when trail is icy. So sad that someone died.</p>
<p>That’s what I would have to do. The round trip is just too long and too strenuous for me as a day hike. There’s a trail that goes up from the Cog Railway parking lot, so I can see maybe someday going up that trail and taking the cog down. I’m hoping to do that trail part way up to the AMC hut, maybe next fall. I don’t have any feel for how quickly my strength and conditioning might improve with more hiking.</p>
<p>But, I’m not comfortable tackling Mt. Washington yet, even in the summer. There’s a lot climbs in between where I’m at now and trying Mt. Washington. I am thinking about a snow hike to the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine to see the crazy spring skiers. That’s a pretty easy day hike, although it probably means spending the night up there for an early start. Those ravine walls, however, are too steep for me. </p>
<p>I’m trying to pick winter hiking that doesn’t involve icy rock and I stick to hikes I’ve already done, so there are no surprises.</p>
<p>That’s interesting, that sounds like a very easy calorie counter. I fear…I may hit my limit by breakfast. But that sounds like it takes only a minute.</p>
<p>5 miles, 8:20 pace on the dreadmill. I think I’m done for the day. :)</p>
<p>I don’t track calories religiously, but I do run quick mental estimates before I touch any food (“hmmm… it is going to cost me about 370 calories if I eat the whole thing”). So far, so good.</p>
<p>Thanks, iDad. It is not easy to keep under 1500 calories, but it is even harder to see weight creep back on. I have to track. Knowing I need to input the data keeps me on track with relatively healthy eating. </p>
<p>Icy morning here which resulting in falling on my hip and elbow. To his credit, sabadog did not run off when I dropped his lead but rather stood by me until I could get up. Good dog. Today is going to be weight day. Hold me to it.</p>
<p>Do you ever click on one of those youtube exercise videos, and after minutes of listening to the explanation, think (to the ripped young person on the screen), would you please just do the damn thing already?</p>
<p>Snow covered ice this morning. H took my truck this morning so I am stuck with his fancy new car. Don’t think I will chance it so another home workout for me. Think I will climb stairs to start and do some light arm weights.</p>
<p>So my neighbor told me today that our walk/run in the mornings is 4.2 miles. I was really surprised. It passes quickly with all the conversation. Have switched to Merrill goretex laceup boots because they are more secure on ice.</p>
<p>30 min run followed by two 1/10 mile intervals on the treadmill and 1 mile on the stationary bike. I was there pretty early and I thought the gym might be packed, but it was actually a nice volume of people, not too busy, and I had a pleasant, brief conversation with another woman who was there working out using a thing I’ve never seen before. I’m going to have to look up what it is.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, that’s a hunk of miles! How do you guys break it up for the walk/run? More walking than running? Walking for 5 mins, running for 5 mins? (just curious)</p>
<p>What dedication your group has to that distance each day!</p>
<p>Sometimes when I’m on the treadmill and I’m tempted to call it quits early I think of Tom1944’s 5K a day program. It helps spur me on. For lurkers :), this one isn’t just for runners and is easy to remember. </p>
<p>And for lurkers who may be starting out with weights, I made a big mistake initially trying to do them everyday. They’re a two to three times a week thing. Fortunately my error caused me to post here and learn more. :)</p>
<p>Ouch. I hate falling down. There’s something that feels humiliating about it, even though we all do it. Of more concern, however, is that falls can actually break bones. Not good.</p>
<p>I don’t know why it took me so long to discover these slip on “chains” for boots. They take about 30 seconds to put on.</p>
<p>You pick the right one for your terrain. Walking on pavement with patchy ice and snow, you’d want one of the lighter versions like the Stabilicer Lites or Yak Trax. For walking on snow and ice trails, something a little more aggressive like the MicroSpikes. I walked nearly four miles on hard packed trails, much of it with shiny ice yesterday and never so much as had a slip. But, the MicroSpikes are horrible on pavement. </p>
<p>For winter walking of Sabadog, these would be a great piece of kit. Many of them come with a little carry pouch so you could even have them at the ready depending on what you find. I didn’t think I was going to need mine yesterday. I took one look at the glare ice on the trail and on they went.</p>
<p>Week 2, day 1 of C25K plus an added mile or so for fun. Total distance of 3.3 miles of jog/walk, average pace about 3.7 mph and peaks of 5.1 in the jogging intervals. Calories, 226.5. My legs felt heavy today–probably because of the weight training and squats yesterday.</p>
<p>The end of January nears, and already we have a glimpse of the tropical air. It’s breezy, mostly cloudy, and already a somewhat muggy 77 degrees. Looking to see 86 by Wednesday. Ospreys out starting the nesting season, piney woods fragrance notable. </p>
<p>Hope you’re not too bruised Saba, and good dog, Sabadog. SewHappy, having a walking buddy definitely makes the time fly–a workout with social benefits! </p>
<p>Idad, I’ll try to think of getting “ripped”. Were my kids to read this, they’d be amused. I get enough grief (in a teasing way) from fit S whenever I try to flex the biceps.</p>
<p>I’m just marveling at my good luck in moving into this neighborhood about 2 years ago. It’s a smallish neighborhood with homes scattered along the slope of a hillside. There’s sort of a “captain” who texts us in the morning for a heads up on when we’ll start. I’m flexible because I work off and on from my home office. A couple of us are stay-at-home moms or dads. Then a couple work partly from their home offices. So there’s always a critical mass of at least 3 or 4 of us. Somehow it works.</p>
<p>We just walk the various streets which encompass several hills. After the first lap we will run the next, then walk, then run. If it’s really cold, we tend not to run.</p>
<p>I am beyond grateful to be able to take part in this. Such a pleasant way to start the day.</p>
<p>When I got my flu shot my resting pulse was 58 and my bp was 112/72. Not sure what it was before starting this but I’m pretty sure it’s improved.</p>
<p>A pair of those will soon be mine, iDad. H used to do most of the winter walking with sabadog’s predecessor, so I never saw the need before. Let’s just say I see the need now!</p>
<p>While I really do relish my exercise time alone, I would love to see some more neighbors being active and having the option to do a group exercise just for variety - you ARE lucky Sewhappy!</p>