<p>The big thing with the “youngsters” around here is Lululemon, exercise and yoga gear. Mucho $$$. My D has had such great wear out of her pants I finally splurged on my own pair - WOW. I didn’t want to take them off and was wearing them for everything BUT exercising. I got used to that stretchy, not cotton feel really quick! For summer though I fall back to my oversized cast off shorts from children. D refers to this as her “baller” look. Of course I’m not allowed to apply that term to myself.</p>
<p>Today is a lost day - crumby weather and too many hither and yonder things I gotta do. Plus a thing to go to tonight. But I knew this and planned accordingly so did a good work out yesterday and should be good for tomorrow as well. Back on physical therapy for the shoulder so I will do those stretches, plus a few, though. </p>
<p>I finally checked my route - just over 3 miles which I’ve done in 45 minutes the past couple of times. This includes 2 substantial hills. I am in awe of those of you running low 8 miles. I hestitated to even post my time and distance, but I’m going for honesty. Part of my push to accept what I can realistically do.</p>
<p>V3 - I would like to think of this as a Cyber Health Club. No fees, no contracts, NO COMPARISONS!! </p>
<p>I, too, am impressed with our athletic buddies, but we will not be discouraged by them. We can check in each day report our progress and our transgressions and give each other tips and support. I am still hoping someone will join me in racewalking (By the way, MOWC, we don’t like to be referred to as power walkers )</p>
<p>H hasn’t done a triathalon, but he did something called a “vinyl man” once. It was 10% of the triathalon and great fun. He is a pretty good swimmer (did master swim workouts for awhile until other interests got in the way), but has never spent much time biking. </p>
<p>I had a good workout today, but now my mother is here from out of town and my sister comes tomorrow. We will also be housing two out of town college tennis players from South Carolina for a clay court tournament that starts Sunday so they are coming on Saturday and will stay the week–or until they lose. So, I have a houseful. Getting my work outs in over the next few days will probably be a welcome avenue of escape–I hope. </p>
<p>H is using the company to suggest I cook foods he hasn’t had recently, like lasagna. He brought home pizza tonight to “help me out” in honor of having my mother here. I didn’t have any but the next few days will certainly be a challenge.</p>
<p>Good luck to all w/the holidays (& the attendant bbqs, icecream, etc.).</p>
<p>Ran a 5k (3.1 miles) race this am w/a friend. Despite a sprint at the end, missed breaking 30 mins by 5 seconds. Races are a fun way to get in a hard work-out (I never run that fast on my own) plus they can serve as a training motivator (although I hadn’t run more than 15 mins at a time in the 3 weeks prior to the race, lol). It’s something to consider if you’re trying to bump up your workout. :-)</p>
<p>PS I’ve seen those running skirts on some people–they do look cute.</p>
<p>Finished my 5K. It was VERY hard- lots of rolling hills. I won 2nd in the age group and the prize was a CHAIR!!! It is one of those folding umbrella chairs. I like it! My daughter had her best time in many years, even with the hills after her 5 years in flat Houston! I went out too fast- I am still adjusting to my weight loss and improved fitness level and I haven’t sorted things out yet. That made the second two miles of the race very miserable. This was a pretty big race. I am really glad I run these races AFTER they are over. I am, unfortunately, so competitive that I have a lot of pre-race anxiety and spend some time during the race debating why I shouldn’t quit and just walk. I always was better at the longer distances because it doesn’t HURT so much! :)</p>
<p>Nice job, Jolynne! I am sure as you saw the clock you were just willing it to stay at 29:55! </p>
<p><a href=“although%20I%20hadn’t%20run%20more%20than%2015%20mins%20at%20a%20time%20in%20the%203%20weeks%20prior%20to%20the%20race,%20lol”>quote</a>. It’s something to consider if you’re trying to bump up your workout.
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<p>Are you suggesting to NOT run to help your workout?? We are all ready to sign up for that idea :)</p>
<p>I have a qualifying race coming up the 24th of this month. I am also in the middle of moving my parents out of their home into an apartment. I am trying really hard to stay faithful in my walking so I qualify for nationals.</p>
<p>I haven’t read the whole thread yet, so I apologize for the repetition if someone has already mentioned this. I joined weight watchers online 3 weeks ago, and I love it! I have several friends who have done this and lost a great deal of weight. Online what’s great is that it’s private, but also is easy to enter what you eat and how much you exercise (to gain more points). I am doing this now to lose 15 lbs with a friend. The buddy system really helps! There are many tricks friends have taught me who are WW veterans. Anyway, aplug for them–for what it’s worth. </p>
<p>Also, take advantage of any free personal training you can get at a gym, if you are planning to do free weights or other weight bearing exercise. It is ALL about form: the correct form gives great, pain-free (not ache free, but pain free) results; done incorrectly, you can really hurt yourself.</p>
<p>Oh, and one more thing–I second that Lucy active wear (lucy.com) is the best stuff ever! Not only is it cute (imagine that) it is comfortable and great for exercise. You don’t feel stupid going out to the market or wherever after you exercise. If you get on their mailing list, they have a lot of coupons they offer as well.</p>
<p>Jolynne- Nice job. Were you chip timed? You might have lost more than 5 seconds at the start, so maybe you DID break 30! </p>
<p>I agree- entering 5Ks (and for those of you who might be intimidated, they really are for ALL levels of runners and walkers) is a good way to jump start your fitness. As a runner, you can count on about a minute a mile or more faster pace in a race than in training. Plus, it’s fun and motivating- except for those of us who act like we are in the Olympic Trials!! (points finger at self…)</p>
<p>binx-
Wanna join us for a small low key gathering in Roswell? A friend, who happens to also be on a diet, is having a few of us over for deli type food and as she said, “healthy stuff”. We can watch the Roswell fireworks from her backyard.</p>
<p>MOWC–wow, congrats on coming in 2nd in your age group! Awesome. What was your time if you don’t mind my asking? I actually think competition is good. In my last race about 4 weeks ago, friend & I chatted the whole time. This time I told her (she’s been consistently running more than me) to just go for it, & run her best. She beat me by about 45 seconds, but it served to push us both (I kept trying to catch her, or one of the other women ahead of me).</p>
<p>I’m also always just glad if I can finish w/out being passed by an old man in a leg brace or a small child.</p>
<p>PS What is chip timed? We did start out at back of pack (another runner told me that’s good psychology–you feel good passing a ton of people).</p>
<p>Chip timing is electronic timing. You are given a little round disc to fasten onto your shoe which contains an electronic timing chip. It records your start when you cross the starting line and your finish when you cross the finish line. Most major races are chip timed. The chip is taken back and cut off your shoe after you finish. That way it doesn’t matter where you start in the pack. Awards are given based on chip time, which does allow you to sneak up on someone in your age group if you are so inclined. You might be racing neck to neck into the finish, but lose anyway because the other person started later than you did!</p>
<p>I ran 27:27 today, which I’ll take given the difficulty of the course and the humidity. (note: runners ALWAYS have excuses, and you start offering them up BEFORE the race starts so everyone will know why you didn’t do better. i.e. “I am just training through this race.” “I didn’t taper.” “I’ve been sick.” “I have an injury.” “This is just a warm up. I’m running another race tonight.”)</p>
<p>My lifetime best is 19:19 at Corporate Nationals on the Stanford campus in 1982 or so. My better distances were marathon and longer.</p>
<p>DH ran our local, big (60K or so runners) 10K today. He too has the chip in his sneaker. He ran it a minute faster than one of his good friends, who usually beats the pants off my h. So H is happy. Feed him lots of watermelon, and maybe he’ll be happier :)</p>
<p>LOL zipyourlips! I wondered if anyone would comment on Roswell!! Sadly, it isn’t <em>that</em> Roswell. My s and his friends traveled through, Roswell NM this summer. Sadly disappointing.</p>
<p>I am getting bored with the music on my IPOD. What are people’s favorite workout CD’s? I am ready to buy a couple of new ones and download them.</p>
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