<p>My bike shoes are really comfortable and have served me well. It could be that the length of the ride, coupled with the small cleat (H prefers the larger cleat system which spreads the force out more) might have done it. I have had this before without the cycling, but it only lasted for a couple of (running) miles. Tomorrow I’m going to try some of my more cushioned shoes and see how it goes. I’ll have the PT check it out tonight and my orthopedist (check up on the hamstring) look at it in the morning. I am just a medical wreck right now. :)</p>
<p>Saw a sports doctor today, apparently I have pes anserine bursitis, yay me. The good news is that he thinks I can eventually go back to running, and if all goes well I might even be able to do my 5k race at the end of Sept. So it’s off to physical therapy for me, because as idad said, I need to get in shape in order to run.</p>
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<p>I’ve been told if you love fruit, and must have some in your diet, to avoid tropical fruits (oranges, grapefruit, bananas, etc.) and stick with the cool weather fruits, such as berries, plums, etc. But I’d certainly consider cherries and grapes a cool weather fruit, so go figure.</p>
<p>MOWC - you do know (as does probably everyone reading this) that when your hamstring (or wherever it originated from) was giving you all the problems, you had to somehow be compensating somewhere. I guess it doesn’t surprise me that once your hamstring starts to recover and feel better, you’re going to find out what part of your body was compensating. That was probably the unfortunate part of your injury lasting so long… as you kept running, you likely compensated. But I have faith you will figure it all out, just perhaps not as quickly as you’d planned to.</p>
<p>After six days in a row of working out, I figured it was time for a rest. So I only did my old-faithful 2 mile hilly river walk. Three big quarter mile 5% grade hills to get the heart pumpin’, but otherwise a nice stroll in the park, so to speak. I never broke stride on the hills and knocked 1 minute 39 seconds off the fastest I’ve ever walked it. 35 minutes door to door. It’s now like the perfect little jaunt. Average heart rate 74%; peak heart rate 86%. Back to iPod nazi tomorrow. I’m still feeling yesterday all through my shoulders, but in a good way.</p>
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<p>If any of the guys (or their wives) are still huntin’ workout shirts, TJ MAXX currently has this Reebok Pace short sleeve tech shirt for $9.99 in black/gray, white/black, navy/gray, or burgundy/black. Really nice shirt, as nice as anything I’ve seen. I like it because it’s a simple solid color with just a bit of contrast under the sleeves, but no big stripes or swooshes that make it look like you just missed the team bus. It fits pretty much like a regular t-shirt, maybe a little more fitted, but not a compression shirt, so it’s good for us older guys whose rock hard abs are disguised by a little bit of belly:</p>
<p>[PlayDry</a> Pace Short Sleeve Crew - Reebok](<a href=“http://www.reebok.com/CA/product?modelId=ARMZ9020&articleId=K18576]PlayDry”>http://www.reebok.com/CA/product?modelId=ARMZ9020&articleId=K18576)</p>
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<p>That may be the knee pain that occasionally makes me stop and say, “Well, hello there…” </p>
<p>I feel it on lunge walks in my workouts and walking up stairs when I’m stiff and every once in a while on the first hill about five minutes into my walking route, which starts with a little burst of 20% uphill grade. Not real painful, but enough of a twinge to get my attention.</p>
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<p>But your cycling shoes are completely stiff on the bottom, right? So no matter how small the cleat is, the pressure on the bottom of your foot will be spread out over the entire sole of the shoe, or, at least, the entire part of the shoe that your foot is touching, but that should be all of the sole of the shoe.</p>
<p>In theory, yes, but this is a common complaint with this particular cleat. I don’t notice it while I cycle, though.</p>
<p>Two anniversaries tonight.</p>
<p>**Six months **since I began to eat less and move more. I’ve exercised at least five days a week every week but one (I had the flu). 46 pounds and 6 inches off my waist size. I’m fitter than I have been in decades, with the best yet to come.</p>
<p>**Two years and six months **since my cigarette. I can’t even remember the last time I thought about smoking.</p>
<p>I see the two anniversaries as two parts of the same endeavor.</p>
<p>I-dad, congratulations!!!</p>
<p>idad, that is awesome! You should feel very very proud of yourself.</p>
<p>Congratulations idad!!! Both wonderful achievements! You have really improved your health and you should be proud! Yay for you!!! You are truly an inspiration!</p>
<p>Weighed in this morning and am so thrilled! My plateau has shifted to a downward trend. I have lost 5 pounds this past week! Most ever in that period of time. I have been faithfully recording what I eat on MyPlate and trying to balance carbs/proteins/fat. I had also upped my weight training. That has to be the difference! I did throw my back out last night and am having muscle spasms. Will still try to work out today. I hate getting old!</p>
<p>Super-duper long term work, idad.</p>
<p>Wow idad, that’s really great!</p>
<p>I’ve been using an old PowerAde bottle for water and sometimes the taste is off and I’m wondering if it’s the bottle. I started looking into other water bottle solutions and the best that I found was a glass bottle from LifeFactory. Well, I’ve seen them at Whole Foods and I was thinking of buying one or two.</p>
<p>At the supermarket, I noticed that there was a sale on lemonade in a large glass bottle for a buck so I bought two of them. I was hoping that someone else would drink them because the bottle is almost 300 calories. I had half the bottle and my son had the other half. So I’m going to try these bottles for a while.</p>
<p>On another topic, I washed the tech stuff last night. I did a gentle load. I had to get stuff from my daughter and some of my favorite t-shirts to make a load big enough so that it would be worthwhile to run the washer. I did a hang-dry on all of the items. The shirt took about an hour to dry off - very fast considering that there was some humidity last night. The pair of shorts took about 8 hours to dry. I guess that the outer layer dries quickly but the waistband and pockets take longer. I wonder if I’d be better off hand-washing this stuff if I don’t have many items. What do you guys do as far as washing the tech stuff goes?</p>
<p>bdeagle…I wouldn’t use old plastic bottles for your drinks. Those plastics can leech (sp?) a lot of nasty stuff into your drink. I sometimes drink water from plastic bottles…although it’s rare these days. I got a metal container and fill it with filtered water and ice. I also have two big glass bottles in my fridge and keep them filled with filtered water and home-made herbal iced tea. Got the bottles at Walmart.
Anyway, better for you and cheaper too!</p>
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Just throw it in with regular wash, sorted by color. Then put it in the dryer until it’s almost-but-not-quite dry; then hang on a laundry rack until dry. Am I supposed to be handling it any differently? I figure clothes made to sweat in don’t need to be handled gently.</p>
<p>Changing topics (again) – for those of you who have done/are doing the C25K running program, did you find it to be a tremendous jump during Week 5? Session 1 = running for .5 mile, 3 times, alternating with walking; session 2 = running .75 mile two times, alternating with walking; session 3 = run 2 miles! I just did session 2 today and finishing the second .75 mile was tough. I’m in disbelief that I’m supposed to run 2 miles non-stop on Friday! Yikes!!!</p>
<p>High 5 to idad and NMinn. Way (weigh) to go!!!</p>
<p>BC: </p>
<p>Not withstanding the unobtanium marketing claims, it’s just cheap polyester. Wrinkle-free wash 'n wear. It won’t shrink. I’ve just washed the shirts in a regular cool/warm wash (same as t-shirts or polo shirts) and then in the dryer on low setting. Shirts came out like brand new. No problem. If that’s all you were were washing, you could just dry them on fluff air (no heat) in the dryer, but low heat was perfectly fine.</p>
<p>The only issue I can think of is that the stuff is relatively delicate. I have read that it’s a good idea to wash them in a mesh bag (apparently sold for washing ladies delicates) because the fabrics tend to snag on zippers and stuff. I have, so far, not been able to get my wife to produce one of such bags and I wouldn’t have the faintest idea where to go buy one. Sounds like something WalMart would sell, but it’s probably not in Hardware or Automotive, so I wouldn’t have a clue. In the meantime, I just wont wash the stuff with jeans.</p>
<p>They would tell you that you have to wash it like it is precious lace to preserve the “anti-microbial” and other gee-whiz coatings on the fabric that makes their cheap polyester shirts worth $40. That’s all marketing gibberish. It’s like the “deluxe wax” at the automatic car wash. A squirt of additive in rinse water that lasts about a day.</p>
<p>Back from the gym. Was there for 2 hours. A little slower today as I took time to stretch out my aching lower back! Yikes! Did manage my 70 minutes on the bike but with less mileage. 15 minutes to stretch and then 35 minutes slow walk on the dreadmill. I am tired but not exhausted. Planning on a breakfast of egg whites and left over broccoli and cauliflower. I may sneak in a few cherries since I worked a little longer today. 
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<p>I just throw the dri-weave clothes in the regular wash but do air dry everything just because that’s what we do around here with all the tiny girl tops and jeans.</p>
<p>CBBBlinker…you are doing great! Not a runner so I have nothing but admiration for you! Look at what you just did…you DID finish the second .75 miles! Every day must get better. You can do it!</p>
<p>eddieo…how are you doing??? Miss hearing from you!</p>
<p>CBBblinker:</p>
<p>From my perspective as an aerobically challenged couch potato trying to gain a little fitness, the C25K program looks pretty aggressive from start to finish. But, what do I know? I’m just now getting strong on the second month of the iPod nazi program at the end of six months. Fine with me. I’m not in any hurry and if $99 worth of workouts last me for nine months instead of three months, so much the better! </p>
<p>My attitude is to use any of these “programs” as a guide, a motivator, road map, and a learning tool. Just because the fifth week of a program says I should do this specific thing doesn’t mean that I have or could have reached exactly that point on the fitness curve. You’ve gotta build the base. I can tell when I start a new level of iPod nazi whether I’m ready for it or not. If I’m not, I start breaking it down. I’ll do two sets instead of three. Or longer rest intervals between work intervals while my body catches up to the exercises. Once I can do each exercise for 45 seconds, I start putting it together in terms of sets and pace. As long as I’m drenched in sweat and panting like a dog, I know that I’m getting a good workout, even if I am taking longer rests between exercises. At some point, I know it’s time to put it together complete the phase and move on. You can tell when it startst to be challenging, but do-able.</p>
<p>All of us start at a different point and progress at a different rate. As long as the exercise is consistent and progressing to match our upwards fitness curve, who cares if it’s couch to 5K in three months or four months or six months? Personally, I need the occasional shot of “you know, I feel pretty good on this workout now…” rather than constantly feelling like I’m just hanging on for dear life. I would not do well with a Jillian Michaels drill seargent approach. I’m in it for the long haul and that will only work to the extent that I can grow to really enjoy exercise.</p>