<p>Good job on the 5K! It’s making me feel sorry for myself since I’ve missed the entire spring racing season. I hope Brooks doesn’t fire me.<br>
I hate my PT exercises, but I’m doing them. I’m back running a little- slow. Trying to stay flat, which isn’t easy where I live or where I am right now which is Charlottesville, VA.</p>
<p>On the treadmill vs the elliptical and target heart rate:</p>
<p>I was exclusively using the treadmill until recently when I decided to give the elliptical a whirl to see if it would make a difference to my mysterious hip/leg pain. (I am a real klutz, so I stuck to the treadmill for months because at least I know I can WALK! And I really don’t like exercise bicycles. 
I even trip on the newer variety of stair climber.) At my gym, the ellipticals have working heart rate monitors, and the treadmills do not. I first set the elliptical for my weight and age on a “weight loss” program. It declared that my “target” heart rate was a mere 109! I don’t think I’d even break a sweat at that rate. So I set it to 135, and found that I exceeded it constantly in the course of my 45 minutes without ever feeling as if I were pushing myself hard. Today I went back to the weight loss program on the treadmill, which includes intervals where the incline or speed increases. I have no idea what my heart rate was, but there is no doubt that I was working a lot harder than on the elliptical. Maybe I need to figure out how to get the elliptical to give me intervals–so far it hasn’t using their “weight loss” setting.</p>
<p>I also did a full upper and lower body circuit today, and paid attention to my heart rate. There is no doubt that it was getting up into the perceived work zone. I’ve gradually increased the weights to the point where I can barely make it through 2 sets of 15 reps with a 35 second break between sets. It seems that the conventional wisdom of low weight+ high reps for women is now being questioned. I’m wondering what those with personal trainers have been told.</p>
<p>Regarding weight loss as a goal: my primary goal is to reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass so as to reduce insulin resistance. I also want to improve my lipid profile and ensure my cardiovascular health. I don’t really care about the specific weight I end up at: I’ll know what it an acceptable figure for me when I get to fit proportions.</p>
<p>MoWC - I was thinking about you today on my walk. I was wondering how close you were to resuming your normal (uh, wrong word) training. Ever since I had that darn high hamstring pull I am ever so conscious when I even get a twinge. It took a long time to get better. The funny thing is, at some point it just didn’t bother me at all and I was able to go back to walking as usual. I am sure you are not getting enough of a workout to satisfy yourself.</p>
<p>Hang in there - and better that you walked away from the TYR suit - I think it is the one DD uses for giving swimming lessons and I don’t care how fit you are, too much skin for our age group.</p>
Nrdsb4, GREAT job!!!
Fellow exercisers, awesome job everyone - this thead was started in January, and it is already JUNE and the thread is still going strong!!
<p>Thanks, worknprogress- If tomorrow’s mileage goes as planned, I will have a 24 mile week- all of it running. That’s pretty good compared to what it’s been with this hamstring thing. It’s getting better- but it is a slow process. I don’t want to overdo it, but so far it doesn’t get worse as I’m running and is not worse afterwards. The 9 hour car trip to Charlottesville was worse for it than running. Don’t tell Brooks, but I got some Nike Free Run shoes and they seem to be doing well for me. I’ve only had 2 runs in them, but I like them and I’m able to work on the posture the PT wants me in.</p>
<p>consolation:</p>
<p>It depends where you are in terms of fitness, but – in general – my iPod nazi wants you to use whatever weight you can manage for 45 seconds, with 30 - 45 seconds rest between exercises. Maintaining form, core stability, and control of the weights are paramount. So if the weights are controlling you, they are too heavy.</p>
<p>For the most part, he recommends two sets of dumbells. Heavier for big muscle lifts, like curl and press overhead. Lighter for smaller muscle lifting, like flies, reverse flies, arm extensions and so forth. Right now, I’m using a pair of 5 pounders for the light and a pair of 8 pounders for heavy. Keep in mind that all of the exercises I do involve lifting those while also moving the full bodyweight – curl and press while lunge walking or stepping up and down, arm extensions while doing squats, etc. If I were just “doing arms”, I’d need to go heavier on the weights, but 45 seconds is gracious plenty for most of these exercises!</p>
<p>NRDB:</p>
<p>Congratulations on your 5K. Very impressive. I’ve been kind of slacking this week. Doing yard work for exercise. Cutting tree branches and dragging them to the woods, and so forth. As sore as I am afterwards, it must be an OK workout, but it’s kind of hard to write in my log.</p>
<p>The 4Hs- Hills, Heat, Humidity, Hamstring. 6 miles done for a 24 mile week. Hamstring tight but no worse during the run. This felt like the 18 mile runs of old- had to keep stopping to rest a little in the last couple of miles. It was extremely tough. My conditioning is NOT back. My goal was 6 miles, and, unfortunately, I was back at the hotel with a mile left to go. A sensible person would have called it quits, but I wound around the KMart parking lot etc to get that last stupid mile. Now I sit enjoying the forbidden Diet Pepsi (forbidden due to my stupid bone density issues) and wondering if I’ll ever feel strong running again. BUT- I did it!!!</p>
<p>^^^^Idad, thank you.</p>
<p>As to “slacking,” let’s not forget that in “the old days,” people had no need to work out to be healthy and relatively trim. That’s because they spent a good deal of time doing things just like you described. The manual labor required to find and procure food, shelter, warmth, water, clean house, etc. would probably lay many of today’s fit people out. I saw a photo the other day of a woman hacking away at a rug on a line to get the dust out. I was reading a book about a frontier woman and it described her bringing bucket after bucket of water to the house from a nearby creek to use for bathing. Those kinds of chores are just as hard as any strength exercises I could think of to do in a gym!</p>
<p>MOWC,</p>
<p>Wow, that is just amazing. During the 5K, I felt okay until the section 2.0 miles to 2.5 miles, which got really tough in the heat. I just cannot imagine running 5 or 6 miles healthy, much less injured. Long distance runners like you (18 miles!!!) really amaze me.</p>
<p>I was reading about a guy who is training for some kind of ultra marathon. He runs a standard marathon a couple of times a week. I just shake my head in awe…</p>
<p>I was going to take today off, but D1 wants to walk around Town Lake here in Austin before we head back to Dallas. I guess a walk can’t tax me too much, but knowing my daughter, I doubt we’re talking about a promenade…</p>
<p>Walking is a great idea. Getting back out the next day and just moving around - you will feel much better.</p>
<p>Heat and humidity was pretty bad here yesterday - it really makes such a difference in how you feel. Same course, different weather - YUK</p>
<p>The 2nd mile of a 5K is ALWAYS the hardest. One of my friends (very top level runner) ran a 5K on the track in a meet last night and he posted on a forum that from 1.5-2 he was looking for a water stop and just didn’t have it. He picked it up at the end. So-you are in good company.
A walk around the lake would be great for you. Good people watching, too.</p>
<p>Back when I was running, DH once was stationed at the 2 mile mark with water for me. We knew the water stations were poorly manned at this run, so we decided I would rely on him. Problem was, he got so excited waiting for me he drank it before I arrived. </p>
<p>Grounds for divorce?</p>
<p>Yep-definitely grounds for divorce.</p>
<p>So no morning workout for me at the gym today…trying to take 1 day of rest. Knee is stiffer and painful. Planning on a walk with H this afternoon. Really being careful with what I eat as my stomach is churning even though I had cereal and a banana. Will take some more zantac. I only have this when I eat small amounts and is not tied to what I am eating. No wonder I had gained weight!</p>
<p>NM, please be careful with that knee. My running buddy was pushing himself too much, and it looks like he needs a knee surgery! Ouch!!!</p>
<p>MOfWC, great job. I’m very impressed, and no way Brooks will fire you.</p>
<p>I have to say that it is hard to stick to my regular exercise routine while on vacation (and it is hard to type on this dang phone!). So far the only exercise we’ve done is swimming in the ocean. However, last night we went out to dinner and decided to walk instead of driving. I walked 2.5 miles at a 3 mph pace in my fancy 4 inch heels, and I feel great - no blisters, no sore muscles! The secret is the right shoe! I even climbed some rocks to watch the sunset! Lol!</p>
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<p>My jaw is hanging open. I could no more do that than climb Mount Everest.</p>
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<p>Oh my God, that is hilarious. Ranks up there with the Miss USA contestants getting thirsty and drinking Sandra Bullock’s water glass routine setup in Miss Congeniality.</p>
<p>In my case, this being my first race, I eagerly grabbed the cup and for the first time in my life tried to drink water while jogging. Half of it ended going up my nose and most of the other half ended up on my chest. I just ran right on by the second water station, lol.</p>
<p>Have not exercised in a week. Weighed myself today. Down two pounds.</p>
<p>Not saying exercise is bad. I love how it makes me feel. But if anything I gain weight when I do it.</p>
<p>^^^I don’t. If I don’t exercise for 2 days, I don’t expect to see any significant weight gain that is not related to a fluid shift. If I don’t exercise for months, I gain. I exercise for months, over time I lose.</p>
<p>^Nrdsb4, Your post makes a lot of sense.</p>