<p>Week 7, day 2 of C25K: one 25 minute running segment. I was worried that yesterday’s mileage might make today’s run difficult, but I actually felt pretty good. I ran very slowly so as not to get too winded, and the temperatures were in the low 50’s, so it was nice and cool. Definitely a good day. I added enough walking on the end to get to 3 miles, and followed up with some light leg stretches. I did some thinking about goals while I was out doing the exercise, and decided that I’m happy being able to run for this length of time. Never mind about the mileage. Obviously I’m never going to win any races, but, that’s okay; I don’t think I’m going to enter any! </p>
<p>Bromfield, I hope your D gets what she needs for proper and speedy healing.</p>
<p>LOL about the midnight KB swings of mathmom; and very loud chuckle over Mrsparent’s description of the Brazilian stripper anatomy. It’ll be hard not to think about that while swinging the bell.</p>
<p>aqua–I walk a lot of miles in my shoes as well. I find that after about a year, they start to wear on the soles, and the gel innards just don’t feel as good as they used to. I’m due soon for a new pair.</p>
<p>I had a blister on the ball of one foot within the last year when starting up for tennis. I get blisters on my hand with tennis if I haven’t played for a while either. Sometimes I just peal them off when they crack or take a pair of small scissors and cut off the dead skin. Eventually you get a really tough piece of skin underneath that’s like iron. The process, though can be painful.</p>
<p>No danger of anyone mistaking me for a Brazilian stripper or Czech actress any time soon! </p>
<p>NMinn, I added berries to my protein shake this morning. 4 oz of fresh raspberries, 3 oz fresh blackberries, a little less water, ice and the powder. It was far more palatable. Missed going to the gym yesterday, which made me grumpy and sluggish today. </p>
<p>I definitely need new shoes. Asics are too narrow, I don’t like New Balance enough to buy them again, I can’t find Adidas I like that aren’t black or some outrageous neon color.</p>
<p>5 miles on dreadmilll. Knee is so swollen I am sitting here with ice and a nice cab trying to raise my HDL. Good meals for the day. Over 13,000 steps for the day so far. Passed my goal! :)</p>
<p>sabaray…I need to send you some of my whey protein powder. It is actually very tasty. Berries are always good!</p>
<p>Started taking Aleve this week in the mornings. Makes my back feel better but not the knee. I wonder if I could have re-torn my meniscus. Is that possible? Although it really hasn’t felt that much better since my last surgery.</p>
<p>4 miles. Was going to go do a few more at the Y but it’s snowing, wet and cold and I decided to bag it. We’ll call it a still recovering from tennis day. I did go out and clear off an inch from the car and pushed the snow off the driveway. It’s heavy and wet but an inch is nothing. If you do a little at a time, it’s not that much work each time.</p>
<p>1,190 calories
58 g fat, 74 g carbs, 90 g protein (25% carbs)
8 g fiber, 13 g sugar</p>
<p>Aqua- another thought on your shoes. Upgrading the insoles could greatly extend the life and maybe prevent some of the sliding or friction that is causing the hotspots. There are some great insoles out there, including SuperFeet.</p>
<p>My disgustingly super-fit dermatologist has torn and re-torn his meniscus like three times on both knees. Which was disappointing news for my husband who had hoped his meniscus surgery would cure him of his knee problems. Yes, the surgery cured his one knee instantly (he was literally pain-free hours after surgery), but now his other knee is showing similar symptoms.</p>
<p>Well you guys are going to think I’ve flipped my lid. Mr. Dumbells and Free Weights just ordered an exercise machine for the basement gym! I’ve been eyeing this one for a while. Dirt cheap (as these things go) because it uses your own weight plates for resistance instead of a stack of weights and a pin. I’ve already got weight plates from the barbell and dumbbell sets and this will actually give me a place to store them! Same company that makes my weight bench that I have found to be a quality product. </p>
<p>The funny thing is that I’m not going to use it for any of the intended exercises. I’m not even going to put the seat on it. All I care about are the tall, middle, and floor-level pulley attachments. I got totally spoiled doing these core exercises on a cable pulley at the gym last year. You can do them with resistance bands, but it’s not the same because the resistance goes up at the end of each exercise when it’s already harder.</p>
<p>That little group of core exercises will do some serious work on your abs and obliques. I used to stand in the middle of Planet Fitness, holding a Pallof Press, not even moving, sweat just dripping.</p>
<p>“I am sitting here with ice and a nice cab trying to raise my HDL”</p>
<p>Sorry about the swollen knee, NorthMinnesota. You know, I think that nice cab really helps. I just had a cholesterol test, and my HDL flagged as high, at 89. I am most certain it was the cab, because it certainly couldn’t be anything else!</p>
<p>I wish I wasn’t allergic to red wine, because I’m pretty good at drinking the white, but suspect it does not raise the good hDL!
NM, take care of that knee!
My knee was bad for more than a year for some reason that I never fully investigated. That was also part of what had me stop walking. But by using the Nordic walking sticks, it has totally behaved, even with the tough hills!</p>
<p>So I may try an experiment and use the sticks with the rubber stopper on the treadmill to see if I can get some speed walking in here and there.</p>
<p>Kudos on the 25 min run, plant mom! We’ll have to have a little cyber party for you next week (c25k is 8 weeks, right.) </p>
<p>Got a date with a hill, so happy trails to all. (Still have crunchy snow but 4-day warmup is on its way and I hope my new macro spikes are here early next week!)</p>
<p>Friday is here, hooray! D comes home today for break; mini trip planned which I’m sure will be a challenge to the diet. Oh well. </p>
<p>Big walk with sabadog this am; he loves the snow even though it’s now hard and crunchy. Playing in the snow with your dog can really give you a workout. </p>
<p>Thanks for much for the SuperFeet recommendation. I just visited their web site and watched a video. It’s very possible that I’m not getting enough arch support when I’m walking. This causes my foot to flatten out when I’m walking which increases movement inside the shoe which could lead to hot spots. There are a couple of different local stores that sell their products. I have a medium arch, so I think either the blue or gray insoles will work.</p>
<p>Well, it wasn’t an official 5K race but had my first success last night in a 3 mile group run! Woohoo!</p>
<p>There is a local running shop that hosts a 3 mile group run every Thursday at 6:30. It’s located in a newer outdoor upscale shopping mall. This is actually part of what inspired me to start running - I always have “wanted” to be a runner and last year I was sitting at one of the restaurants in the mall one Thursday night when the group ran by and I thought, “I AM going to do that!!” </p>
<p>So I showed up for last night’s group run. About 100 people, varying levels but it appeared to me to a good amount of veterans. Some people did walk, or walk/run (or have their dogs with them!) It was very upbeat, very friendly. I did not know the path of the run but just followed - sort of behind. Let me tell you, that 3 miles took FOREVER when you have no idea where you are going!!! It wasn’t that I was wore out , but gosh it seemed we ran for MILES!!! Anyway, I kept my usual turtle pace, but finished and was breathing very normally quickly. About 35 minute-ish. Yeah me!!!</p>
<p>I would definitely do this again. Actually was/am planning for an official 5k this Sunday, but the weather is calling for heavy rain/wind and so that doesn’t seem to be a good setting for my first “real” experience. There will be plenty more coming up. </p>
<p>Have to admit that part of the fun of being there was looking at everyone’s sweet running apparel! So many bright fun colors and combinations! I can see my fitness closet growing a little bit this weekend. :)</p>
<p>Plantmom, congrats on completing the 25 min run! I’m with you. At this point 3 miles/30ish minutes satisfies me. </p>
<p>Aqua, you might want to take a trip back to the running/walking shoe store and at least TRY ON some different shoes - once you have your feet in something else you might realize that your feet could use more support/cushion/whatever. Also, if you trust the staff there they may be able to look at your current shoe and evaluate the wear on it.</p>
Good meals for the day. Over 13,000 steps for the day so far. Passed my goal! :)</p>
Let me tell you, that 3 miles took FOREVER when you have no idea where you are going!!! It wasn’t that I was wore out , but gosh it seemed we ran for MILES!!! Anyway, I kept my usual turtle pace, but finished and was breathing very normally quickly. About 35 minute-ish. Yeah me!!!</p>