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<p>There’s a huge office park near where I work and on a few runs last year, I ran around the parking lots going from parking lot to parking lot around the building complex. It’s actually moderately difficult because the parking lots are sloped away from the building for drainage - so there’s uphill and downhill - and there’s very little shade.</p>
<p>Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the business climate has or always been youth obsessed. I think exercise to maintain a youthful appearance/mind is job/business security. A newer client the other day told me that he likes our “younger” agency and that we weren’t a bunch of old people. It’s a good thing he didn’t know me three years ago.</p>
<p>One of my reasons for losing weight was also for job/business security.</p>
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<p>I started out doing Airdyne intervals three times a week, as a five or ten minute “finisher” at the end of my regular Mon/Wed/Fri workouts – because that’s what the mean man in the iPod told me to do. I walked a couple of times a week in addition to that – reaching my goal of “walking a mile without getting winded”.</p>
<p>The Cosgrove-style workouts (New Rules of Lifting for Abs, etc.) that I started doing at the start of year 2 still call for short interval finishers at the end of the Mon/Wed/Fri workouts. But, by then I had realized that:</p>
<p>a) those workouts were long enough and tough enough that I didn’t have much gas left for the finishers</p>
<p>b) My preference to do a little something on the in-between rest days was getting to be too much overall exercise, especially when my walks were getting hilly enough to be interval workouts and later morphed to walk/jog intervals. So now a typical week is my three main workouts (top priority as I believe that A. Cosgroves “Hierarchy of Fat Loss” is also the Hierarchy of Maintenance and General Fitness) and then something else on the alternate days. The “something” else could be a walk/jog. It could be a 20 minute Airdyne interval session. It could be a 20 minute interval circuit in the basement. It could be snow shoeing. It could be hiking. I try to take one day completely off from exercise each week.</p>
<p>I’ve consciously shortened up those alternate day intervals. Now, I’m looking for 20 minutes, get in, get out, done. And, I’ve also eased off on the intensity a bit (or more accurately, not completely matched the intensity increases to improvements in my fitness).</p>
<p>The schedule is flexible in terms of weather. This time of year, I’ll do more Airdyne, more basement interval circuits. In the summer, I’ll do more walk/jog intervals or easy walks at the Audubon center. Hiking in the mountains made me ease off on the workouts a little bit because some of the longer ones left me needing days off, so there were times when I only did two of main workouts in a week, plus a major hike.</p>
<p>None of the expert trainers think that it’s possible to do high intensity Airdyne (or other) intervals more than 2 or 3 times a week for very long. It’s too demanding. But, you could, for example, do 10 minutes at an easy steady pace to warm up for your hill walk, etc. It’s a pretty good way to warm up. You can also do traditional cardio at a slower pace for a longer time.</p>
<p>Second day of EC’s Show&Go. 50 minutes in and out… I like it!</p>
<p>3.5 mi outdoor run. Beautiful day. I went to a park I haven’t been to a while. Saw a few of the regulars, and ducks and dogs. 
Haven’t been there enough to recognize individual ducks or dogs yet. Maybe if it were an unusual dog breed or wearing some special doggie getup – especially if it was a duck that was an unusual dog breed.</p>
<p>Great topic, discussion, and motivators. Thanks for sharing everyone!</p>
<p>What motivates me to work out? So many things, but I’d have to say that at the top of the list was watching and helping my husband put his heart health back together post MI, and knowing that I had been given a warning or vision of future health for myself. I have a family history of heart disease (along with every other disease, it seems); although I’ve never technically been overweight, or diagnosed with a serious medical condition, my eating and reduced activity with age were likely setting me up to be unable to live the geezer life I’d like to have. So, H motivates me, along with being blessed myself with reasonably good heath so far and wanting to extend it as long as possible; wearing skinny jeans (yep, a vanity, but they do look better than the mom jeans I moved out of); knowing H and I will have an active life together–travelling, walking, biking, hiking-- once child 3 finally goes off to college; feeling good and being a good role model for kids and H (we all have days when we need to motivate each other). Then there’s the feeling that by getting outside and walk/running, I’m actually out doing something real–especially if I’m hiking for plant ID, socializing, whatever (vs. sitting in front of one of my electronic gadgets). </p>
<p>Like cooker, I found Younger Next Year for Women to be motivating! Exercise books are motivating! You all, with your efforts at varied fitness activities–no matter how great or small are motivating!</p>
<p>Deb T–I’m still contemplating the 10K training. I’m just not sure that I will be able to enjoy running that far nor if I have the time it takes to do the whole distances at the end of the program. At my current running rates, 10K will take me half marathon times :o But, in the effort to pick up the pace today, I made my first attempt at speed training with intervals of 800, 400, 200, 200, 400, and 800 meters. I didn’t realize how difficult this would be, but I can definitely state that just this once, even for short distances (shorter than stated for most because I didn’t know how to pace myself), I was a runner and not a jogger. I walked my very elevated HR down between intervals, and jogged a warm-up and cooldown for a total distance of 5K. It was not pretty, but evidently I need to do this once a week (?) if I have a hope of becoming faster. I’ll add 2 more miles of walking tonight. Yesterday I only had time to walk 2 miles with H, but lots of spring cleaning. </p>
<p>Highs in the mid to upper 80s now…AC required. The heat does NOT motivate me to do anything.</p>
<p>kmcmom:</p>
<p>It’s fantastic that regular walking has enabled you to overcome back problems and throw away the cane. That is exactly why exercise is so important as we hit “middle age”. </p>
<p>On your knee… I think it’s really common to experience tenderness in the knee walking uphill. I did at first. Steep uphill or doing box steps to a taller step (12 inches or more) gave me anterior knee discomfort. I think I had the classic case where the pain wasn’t actually caused by the knee, but by tight hips pulling on the knee – all those muscles attach to the hip at one end and the knee at the other. My pain went away of its own accord.</p>
<p>This [hip</a> extension warmup](<a href=“Quadruped Hip Extension on Elbows - YouTube”>Quadruped Hip Extension on Elbows - YouTube) might help as it gets directly at those tight hip muscles. i’ve been doing this one three times a week for most of the last year. This sort of stuff really helps over the long term…</p>
<p>On trying to go fast on rough trails, I haven’t had any luck with pushing the pace on hiking trails in the same way that I can intentionally walk fast on smooth roads. The terrain and my ‘agility’ has to dictate the pace. I figure that my pace will increase as I get more agile on uneven terrain. There’s definitely a knack to it.</p>
<p>Yoga class today-I love this instructor. She moves slowly and deliberately. Followed class with a 2 mile walk. </p>
<p>I like all the posts on motivation–not sure what keeps me motivated. Certainly health benefits are an important motive for me. I think I finally found a few activities that I really enjoy. I’m not coordinated and anything that involved dance or complicated moves (which is why I like slow-paced yoga) would not be for me. About the only thing I have going for me is that I’m really strong. I guess I gravitate to activities where I can use my strength (TRX, kettle bells, weights, etc.).</p>
<p>PlantMom, 800m is a long interval! Mine are still under 400. Sounds like you got quite an interval workout! How are you liking the feel of the slower paced running when you aim to keep the HR down? Does it make running for a longer time more comfortable? I have the feeling that if you decide to race one of these days you’re going to knock our socks off! :)</p>
<p>Bromfield, the reason I want to know how it goes for you with the ValSlides exercises is because if you find one of them difficult I’m pretty sure I’d find it impossible and should hold off on it until I got stronger.</p>
<p>Deb:</p>
<p>If you just want to try ValSlides, both walmart and kmart stock these:</p>
<p>[Super</a> Sliders Oval Sliders: Furniture : Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Sliders-Oval-Sliders/16782141]Super”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Sliders-Oval-Sliders/16782141)</p>
<p>Four for $12. They aren’t as nice as ValSlides, but they work. And, when you upgrade to official ValSlides, you’ve got four furniture movers that are perfect for sliding a sofa or bed or desk across the room to vacuum underneath. Very handy.</p>
<p>The plastic is not as heavy as official ValSlides, so it tends to bend up a bit underfoot. Plus, I didn’t mind throwing a few bucks to Valerie Waters for inventing ValSlides and posting cool YouTube workouts. Plus, you get the nice carry bag and, when I gave them to my daughter I could wrap up a matched set of green ValSlides and green ValBands.</p>
<p>PS: I think ValSlides are suitable for complete beginners or very advanced athletes. A beginner would start with reverse lunges, not going very far back, holding onto a chair for balance. An advance athlete could do a ValSlide reverse lunge loaded up with dumbbells or ValSlide alligator walks or the insane stuff Ben Bruno does (note: dreadful rap playing in the gym in the background on some of these. I recommend ear plugs. This is why I workout at home!):</p>
<p><a href=“Plank Sled Drags - YouTube”>Plank Sled Drags - YouTube;
<p><a href=“Valslide Spiderman Slide Pushups - YouTube”>Valslide Spiderman Slide Pushups - YouTube;
<p><a href=“Goblet Valslide Reverse Lunges - YouTube”>Goblet Valslide Reverse Lunges - YouTube;
<p>Not bad for an Ivy League kid from New Hampshire…</p>
<p>Thanks, iDad. They look like fun, and I must be insane for thinking that!</p>
<p>I see more and more 50 plussers committing to a fitness regimen at my club (and on this forum!) I like when us older folks can compete with the 20/30 somethings.</p>
<p>3 mile tempo run today. 7:30/5:56/7:30. feel like a quick nap before the Indians game. Love the opening week of baseball season. Fresh start and always the chance of…you gotta hope!</p>
<p>Well, made it through week 2, day 2 of C25k. It was very windy so I definitely had to work harder. Two workouts in one day since I went to the gym this am. Sabadog and I also had a 2 mile walk this afternoon, and he had a play session with H while I ran. I am tired, but in a good way. </p>
<p>Did I mention stress relief as a motivation to exercise? That too.</p>
<p>Ohio, I’d need a jet pack to do that…</p>
<p>Go Sabaray!</p>
<p>Deborah, I love run/walk because it’s so much easier! And keeping the HR down makes every part of the workout feel better. Since I’m still walking a good bit to keep the HR down, though, I just feel like it will be forever before I can run the whole thing. Maybe I will have to start C2*K all over by then just to get back to any distance running. Trying to work in all of these variables definitely gives my brain a workout!</p>
<p>2 more miles of walking tonight with H. And I just walked upstairs. I can definitely feel the intervals in my legs. I suspect tomorrow will have to be a gym day for upper body and core work only.</p>
<p>Amazon just recommended ValSlides for my workout equipment. How does it know what I need ? Are they really $29.99 for a pair?</p>
<p>ohio, H just informed me of the Tribe’s stellar season. When I asked him how many games they’d played, he told me “one”. But it’s the best start in a long time. Hope springs eternal for the Indians Very nice runs, by the way. I can’t even imagine…</p>
<p>Go Sabaray! You are already 1/4 of the way done, and you’ll be up to 5K in no time. It really is an accomplishment, IMO. How many of us run at all, at this age, unless we’re running for fitness? Another motivation, especially for the running, is that it’s so good for our bones.</p>
<p>idad, I knew there was a spiderman component to the slide exercises. And that sled drag plank–wow, tough on the upper body.</p>
<p>PlantMom- iDad hacked your Amazon account and put Valslides on your wish list! :)</p>
<p>Ohio- that’s moving along! I meant to answer you before on my high mileage. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) if you want to race long distances (i.e. run slower for longer…) you have to train at higher mileage. I also use the runs as stress relief. I’ve gotten to where I feel better if I even do a mile after work- it’s sort of my Prozac, I guess. A lot of my running friends won’t even bother changing clothes for less than 4 miles. To me, it all counts!</p>
<p>ValSlides: $29.95
ValSlide glutes: priceless :)</p>
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<p>Back to the basement for me. Round two of the same workout I started Monday. I tried to pick up the pace a little bit and finished in 1 hour 10 minutes.</p>
<p>Kettlebell cleans were still laughable, but I didn’t hurt myself. I’ll just keep plugging away at it. Swings were good.</p>
<p>Core was really good, even the ValSlide alligator walks.</p>
<p>Strength stuff was all good. I did the single leg squats from an Airex pad on the weight bench, trying to get a little higher off the floor. I want to be able do them with nothing to touch down to. Single leg deadlifts with the kettlebell were good on some sets, ugly on others. All in all, a good solid, punch-the-clock workout with some interesting, fun exercises.</p>
<p>6.5 miles on the treadmill. It really felt great today (haven’t been able to say that in a while - it’s been mostly a grind for the last couple of weeks). I started the morning with stretching and I can see progress (my fingers are getting closer to the ground). Did upper abs, obliques and glutes and was happy with my progress in these three areas. I was going to do weights too but I got home around 9:00 PM and just wanted dinner.</p>
<p>I am -19 on the year now. I was stuck at -16/-17 and rarely -18 for the past five weeks. Bumping up the running and going back to a normal diet may mean back to progress on the weight front. My weight might have been stuck for a while but I was getting thinner.</p>