First of all, thank you so much for the encouraging comments on yesterday's post. I arrived home tonight to read them, and it was lovely to receive them. It made my day. :-)
Tonight I went to the gym to do my weights session. It was a great workout. I've been thinking about what makes one workout great and another so so and I've come to absolutely no conclusions. This one just felt good. I managed to work up quite a sweat and I felt a real sense of achievement at the end of it.
I started off with a 10 minute warmup on the treadmill. I was looking at all the various options and saw a fitness test, so I gave that a go. Well, I'm below average. My VO2 was 29. Now, I've no idea what that means or what average fitness is, but I'll be able to check it again next time I feel the need to be told by a machine that I'm not fit. (I'm not at all upset by that. It's just a measure at a point in time.)
The 5 minute test started off with a warm up, which basically meant a 0 inclination for 1 minute at the speed I'd nominated. I selected the top speed in the range, as it was only 7.3. My heart rate jumped straight up to over 140 and ended up at 160+ after the warm up, when the inclination went to 5. I managed another 2.5 mins before knocking the inclination down to 3. When the next minute clicked over it jumped back up to 5. I lasted another 20 seconds at 5 then finished it off at 3. I was expecting a cool down, but it jumped straight to the "you're below average" commentary. I then dialled up another 5 mins of walking to finish off the warm up. Of course, now I'm going to have to do some research to find out what my VO2 should be. There's so much to learn about running.
I had one of those charmed sessions where every time I wanted a piece of equipment it was available. People were getting off equipment just as I wanted to use it. I basically did the same session as last time, so I won't go into details, apart from saying I managed one more chest press in the third set, I survived for 10 pushups, and I increased the weight on the single leg extensions from 16kg to 18.3kg. Mind you, I seriously considered using the increased weight as a reason for only doing two sets but I managed the third set.
That was something else that had me thinking. My left leg was burning for the last 2 reps in the second set and the last 5 reps in the third set. I was interested to see how my right leg compared. The second set was easy but I felt it for the last 3 reps in the third set. I was pondering this, as I don't think my left leg is that close in strength to my right leg. While I was walking home I remembered that I had to keep turning my abs back on while I did the left leg. I didn't have to do that with the right leg. I think that my left leg was probably recruiting my back muscles to help. At least, that's what I suspect is going on. I'm going to have to remember to ask Krissi about it on Friday. I like to understand what's going on.
I was doing the triceps exercise where you lift a dumbbell up and lower it down behind your head, while you try to keep your elbows in and still. Those recalcitrant elbows keep moving out slightly, no matter how hard I glare at them, although I'm much better at keeping them still. I used to have spaghetti arms but at least I now have an element of control.
Oh, I was doing the stretch for my achilles - the calf stretch where you bend your knee to get the stretch lower down. I must have been doing something right as I actually felt it today.
I still haven't decided about running or Yoga tomorrow so I'm going to get my gear ready for both, just in case. I've a chaotic morning, where I have to be at the pool at 6 am and at home ready to be picked up at 7:15 am. Thank goodness for my deadly treadly, as I'd never be able to manage it without. I had a theory that I'd be able to leave my gear at the gym on the way to the run, but they have removed lockers to put the sauna in, so I think that's a non-starter.
One of the running girls pointed out that the sauna has glass doors and is facing into the change room. I can see that if I do try it out that I'll be aiming for a very quiet time of day. Some of the sights in the change room are disconcerting to say the least. Not that they are anything like what goes on in the pool changing room!
Monday, 12 November 2007
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Ben Donohoe Run and Body Balance
This morning I participated in the Ben Donohoe Run and Walk for Fun, which is an event that raises funds for paediatric brain tumour research. I ran with a few of the girls from the running group. Kelly brought her partner along too. We were quite early, as we had to pick up our numbers at least half an hour before the race, so we stood in the sunshine and chatted for ages. Fortunately, the run started pretty much on time. Oh, I went for a short warm up jog with one of the other girls. It was only short, but it reminded me that I CAN run.
They had over 1500 runners, which apparently makes it the second largest fun run in Canberra. That's a real credit to the organisers, as this was the third time the event has been run. There were two events, a 6 km and a 3.1 km. The guy who won the 6 km got over the line in under 19 mins. Kelly and I were at the 3 km mark in 22 mins so he was running more than twice as fast as us.
The run was around Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen. I've run around the lake once before, when I did the ABS fun run back in May. This was a slightly shorter course, however I found it really helped knowing what to expect at different stages. I ran it much faster back in May with my run / walk method (6:45 pace compared with 7:33 pace), but I ran the whole way without stopping this time, which was my goal for today. The splits were 6:55, 7:35, 7:45, 7:52, 7:53, 7:23, which is pretty even for me.
I was running well within myself today and didn't find myself struggling at all. I'm in a bit of a quandary at the moment with that aspect of my running. Clearly I could go faster but I'm enjoying running with Kelly so much. Part of me would like to run faster each time I run and part of me just wants to enjoy the run. I think it's time for me to revisit my running goals.
My current running goals are: 1. Have fun 2. Run without injury 3. Run three times a week, including a long run 4. Run outside at least once a week 5. Run for longer.
I'm having fun, so I can tick that one off. I'm pretty much running without injury. My knee is tired now but I'm not feeling any pain when I run and it's barely sore now. I've not been getting out for three runs a week lately, but I've been doing the pool running which I think makes up for it. I'm running outside at least once a week. I haven't increased my time out there lately so I'm not meeting goal number 5. Overall, I figure I'm about 70% meeting my running goals, so there's room for improvement. Running faster isn't on the list, so I don't need to worry about the times as long as I'm out there. Phew. I feel much better about today's time now. I got over the line in 45:44 for 6.06 km according to my Garmin.
This afternoon I went and did Body Balance at the gym. It used to be open from 9 - 12 on Sunday mornings, but it's now open from 2 - 6 pm, which is much more Sunday friendly. There were lots of women there when I arrived so I'm clearly not the only person who appreciates the new hours. Mind you, I nearly didn't get there. I had a nana nap this afternoon. Fortunately, I set the alarm so that I'd have the option of making the class. I think I'll be in bed early tonight too.
The new group fitness room is much smaller and I didn't think of taking my yoga mat with me. Apart from that, it was a good class. The new gym manager, Debbie, took the session. I was way up the back. It hadn't occurred to me that I'd have to rush in to get a spot. I'll know that next time.
I'm trying to work out what exercise I want to do tomorrow. On Tuesday I have pool running and I have to choose between doing the cross country run at 6 pm and Yoga at 7 pm. I don't think I can make it back to Yoga if I do the run. Still, I might give it a go.
Oh, the gym now has a sauna / detox room. I really enjoy saunas so I'll have to give it a go. They are going to have spray tanning as well, but I'm not at all bothered about having a tan. That said, I didn't think about sunscreen today and it probably would have been a good idea. I think I got away with it today, but it's something I'm going to have to remember. The Aeroguard would have been useful too.
Edit
I mentioned a few weeks ago that one of the women from my running group had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She came out to the run today to cheer us on. It was lovely to see her. She's had surgery and the news is positive. There's still a way to go, but it was reassuring to see her looking so well today.
They had over 1500 runners, which apparently makes it the second largest fun run in Canberra. That's a real credit to the organisers, as this was the third time the event has been run. There were two events, a 6 km and a 3.1 km. The guy who won the 6 km got over the line in under 19 mins. Kelly and I were at the 3 km mark in 22 mins so he was running more than twice as fast as us.
The run was around Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen. I've run around the lake once before, when I did the ABS fun run back in May. This was a slightly shorter course, however I found it really helped knowing what to expect at different stages. I ran it much faster back in May with my run / walk method (6:45 pace compared with 7:33 pace), but I ran the whole way without stopping this time, which was my goal for today. The splits were 6:55, 7:35, 7:45, 7:52, 7:53, 7:23, which is pretty even for me.
I was running well within myself today and didn't find myself struggling at all. I'm in a bit of a quandary at the moment with that aspect of my running. Clearly I could go faster but I'm enjoying running with Kelly so much. Part of me would like to run faster each time I run and part of me just wants to enjoy the run. I think it's time for me to revisit my running goals.
My current running goals are: 1. Have fun 2. Run without injury 3. Run three times a week, including a long run 4. Run outside at least once a week 5. Run for longer.
I'm having fun, so I can tick that one off. I'm pretty much running without injury. My knee is tired now but I'm not feeling any pain when I run and it's barely sore now. I've not been getting out for three runs a week lately, but I've been doing the pool running which I think makes up for it. I'm running outside at least once a week. I haven't increased my time out there lately so I'm not meeting goal number 5. Overall, I figure I'm about 70% meeting my running goals, so there's room for improvement. Running faster isn't on the list, so I don't need to worry about the times as long as I'm out there. Phew. I feel much better about today's time now. I got over the line in 45:44 for 6.06 km according to my Garmin.
This afternoon I went and did Body Balance at the gym. It used to be open from 9 - 12 on Sunday mornings, but it's now open from 2 - 6 pm, which is much more Sunday friendly. There were lots of women there when I arrived so I'm clearly not the only person who appreciates the new hours. Mind you, I nearly didn't get there. I had a nana nap this afternoon. Fortunately, I set the alarm so that I'd have the option of making the class. I think I'll be in bed early tonight too.
The new group fitness room is much smaller and I didn't think of taking my yoga mat with me. Apart from that, it was a good class. The new gym manager, Debbie, took the session. I was way up the back. It hadn't occurred to me that I'd have to rush in to get a spot. I'll know that next time.
I'm trying to work out what exercise I want to do tomorrow. On Tuesday I have pool running and I have to choose between doing the cross country run at 6 pm and Yoga at 7 pm. I don't think I can make it back to Yoga if I do the run. Still, I might give it a go.
Oh, the gym now has a sauna / detox room. I really enjoy saunas so I'll have to give it a go. They are going to have spray tanning as well, but I'm not at all bothered about having a tan. That said, I didn't think about sunscreen today and it probably would have been a good idea. I think I got away with it today, but it's something I'm going to have to remember. The Aeroguard would have been useful too.
Edit
I mentioned a few weeks ago that one of the women from my running group had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She came out to the run today to cheer us on. It was lovely to see her. She's had surgery and the news is positive. There's still a way to go, but it was reassuring to see her looking so well today.
Friday, 9 November 2007
Cardio equipment and rain
I went to the gym tonight to try out some of the new cardio equipment. I'm not at all keen on cardio machines so I tend to stick to the treadmill as my torture of choice. The gym is always quiet on a Friday night, which I like. I got there a little late, as I went home via JB Hi-Fi and Borders.
I remembered to take headphones with me to try out the tv's. I found that the music in the room drowned out the tv. I think my headphones are pretty worn out, so that might have been the problem. I did buy some new ones on eBay, but I haven't started using them because I packed them up in one of my 'sweep everything out of sight and pretend you're always tidy' houseworking frenzies. I'll have to see if I can excavate them over the weekend.
I tried out one of the new stationary bikes. It had a nice comfortable seat and it was easy to change the seat height but I couldn't work out how to set the program. It didn't pick up my HRM even though it said it was Polar compatible, but it didn't beep at me so I didn't mind. I used to really struggle to last any length of time on the bike. I aimed for 10 minutes today, and I worked hard for the whole 10 minutes. I managed to get my heart rate up over 150 which was pretty good for me. Obviously my outdoor cycling has made a difference.
After the cool down on the bike I went over to one of the cross trainers. I find these really boring. The tv didn't help much because I wasn't able to concentrate on the sound but again I found it easy to keep my heart rate up. The console looked much the same as the bike's but I was able to choose a workout and it picked up my HR. I managed to work hard for the 10 mins and then did the cool down. By then it was time to go as the gym was closing.
When I got outside it was pouring rain. I wanted to go to the supermarket on the way home. Instead of waiting the rain out under the awnings I decided to run through the downpour. I was drenched by the time I got there, but at least I wasn't stuck under cover. When I was at Uni we did a maths problem about whether it was better to run or walk in the rain. The solution was that it didn't matter, but I really enjoyed running instead of walking.
It was still raining when I'd finished my shopping. It's a few blocks to my apartment and there isn't much cover. I decided to venture out into the rain again. I remember telling someone last week how much I'd enjoyed being out in the rain as it's been so long since it realy rained here in Canberra and they accused me of enjoying jumping in puddles. Well, there were puddles galore. The streets were streaming with water. I had a huge smile on my face as I walked along. People probably thought I was crazy. The rain was so heavy that I was able to drink the water running down my face. It was fantastic. Mind you, I knew I'd be home soon and be able to dry off.
As I was walking along I realised that I'd have been one of the people stuck under cover if I hadn't started running outdoors in all sorts of weather. Thank goodness I finally got myself off the treadmill.
I remembered to take headphones with me to try out the tv's. I found that the music in the room drowned out the tv. I think my headphones are pretty worn out, so that might have been the problem. I did buy some new ones on eBay, but I haven't started using them because I packed them up in one of my 'sweep everything out of sight and pretend you're always tidy' houseworking frenzies. I'll have to see if I can excavate them over the weekend.
I tried out one of the new stationary bikes. It had a nice comfortable seat and it was easy to change the seat height but I couldn't work out how to set the program. It didn't pick up my HRM even though it said it was Polar compatible, but it didn't beep at me so I didn't mind. I used to really struggle to last any length of time on the bike. I aimed for 10 minutes today, and I worked hard for the whole 10 minutes. I managed to get my heart rate up over 150 which was pretty good for me. Obviously my outdoor cycling has made a difference.
After the cool down on the bike I went over to one of the cross trainers. I find these really boring. The tv didn't help much because I wasn't able to concentrate on the sound but again I found it easy to keep my heart rate up. The console looked much the same as the bike's but I was able to choose a workout and it picked up my HR. I managed to work hard for the 10 mins and then did the cool down. By then it was time to go as the gym was closing.
When I got outside it was pouring rain. I wanted to go to the supermarket on the way home. Instead of waiting the rain out under the awnings I decided to run through the downpour. I was drenched by the time I got there, but at least I wasn't stuck under cover. When I was at Uni we did a maths problem about whether it was better to run or walk in the rain. The solution was that it didn't matter, but I really enjoyed running instead of walking.
It was still raining when I'd finished my shopping. It's a few blocks to my apartment and there isn't much cover. I decided to venture out into the rain again. I remember telling someone last week how much I'd enjoyed being out in the rain as it's been so long since it realy rained here in Canberra and they accused me of enjoying jumping in puddles. Well, there were puddles galore. The streets were streaming with water. I had a huge smile on my face as I walked along. People probably thought I was crazy. The rain was so heavy that I was able to drink the water running down my face. It was fantastic. Mind you, I knew I'd be home soon and be able to dry off.
As I was walking along I realised that I'd have been one of the people stuck under cover if I hadn't started running outdoors in all sorts of weather. Thank goodness I finally got myself off the treadmill.
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Pool running and Weights session
This morning I went pool running. It was the first time I'd done any proper exercise since Sunday. Because of the rest everything felt really good, as though all my little niggles were no longer there. I felt absolutely great in the water.
We are covering the half lap a lot faster now and I feel as though I'm working a lot harder. My arms weren't as tired today. I must be getting used to the water resistance. Today's session was 5 min warm up, 8 x 2:30 hard with 0:30 easy breaks in between, followed by a 5 min cool down and stretching.
I hadn't done any exercise since Sunday, partly because of travelling to Melbourne and partly because my left knee was sore. I had planned to do a 10.5 km run around Kororoit Creek on Tuesday morning, but I decided to skip it when my knee was hurting when I woke up. I think that wearing heels at work hasn't helped, so I've cut that right back (sorry, Style Consultant). I'll have to go shopping on the weekend for some less daggy comfortable shoes. I'll keep the heels there for the meetings where I want to create an impression.
This evening I was at the gym, which has reopened after being refurbished. It was interesting to see what they have done, but I was disappointed to learn that belly dancing was only available during lunchtime. As I work out of town I can't get to lunchtime classes. I'm glad I didn't rush out to buy the tinkling scarf. I do have a couple of belly dancing dvd's though, so I'll have to give them a go again. Hmm, maybe I can buy the bling anyway.
I reorganised my PT, as Krissi is leaving the gym. I've booked in with Julia, who I met this evening. She looks so young! I've seen her with her clients but I haven't really formed a strong impression of her. I guess I'll know what she's like soon enough. It was hard getting a session at a time that suited me. I've ended up with a Thursday evening for now. I'll see if I can get it changed to Monday.
The grapevine is working overtime at the moment, and I'm not at all sure what to expect from the gym now. I'm not going to discuss all the details here in my blog as it's in the public arena. It's certainly a hot topic of conversation. I was glad to see that they didn't have dozens of people in the classes that replaced Body Attack and Belly Dancing. In fact there were only three people in Body Combat and two in Body Pump. If there'd been a huge turnout then I would have felt that I had to be more understanding of the fact that they keep taking away classes that I enjoy because there's only half a dozen of us going, like Body Jam.
On the positive side, the new cardio equipment is rather impressive. I tried out a treadmill tonight, with a 10 minute warm up run. (Individual tv's for the treadmills haven't arrived as yet, so this is a limited review.) It felt really good underfoot. Because the belt is so new there was a scraping sound like sandpaper when I was running. I expect that will disappear with time. Once I have the earphones in to listen to the tv I won't notice it. I wasn't wearing my heart rate monitor and so the machine kept beeping at me to have my heart rate measured, which was a little annoying. It adjusted the speed down because my HR was too high, so I switched the program to cardio instead of fat-burning. That was a smooth transition, which is an improvement on having to start again when you decide to change programs. Once my HR was in the right range it was then going to adjust the elevation to keep it there, but as I kept taking my hands off the sensors it didn't actually do that. It will be interesting to see what it does when I'm wearing my HRM. At the end of the 10 mins the machine took me through a 3 minute cool down, adjusting the speed each minute.
I wasn't going very fast as it was just a warmup for my weights session and I didn't want to put too much strain on my knee. Afterwards, my knee felt fine. (It's tired now, but still fine.) I headed off to do lunges on the Smith machine, but there was no mirror on the wall. (Mirrors are coming.) I didn't like to do the lunges without being able to watch how my knee was tracking, so I went to the leg press machine instead. I had to unload a 20 kg weight as I'm only pressing 60 kg. (Lots of asides tonight. I'm constantly amazed by the weights some people press!) People never seem to unload this machine. I made sure I bent my knees and it was easy enough to do. I did three sets of reps. On the second and third I did the set with the halfway presses. It's much easier when Krissi has her hand there as a guide for me to know how far to press.
After this I went over to the leg extension machine. I started with my weaker leg at 16 kg, expecting to struggle, but I handled the first set of reps really well. I thought about putting the weight up but I decided to add a third set instead. The second set was easy too, but I was starting to feel it by the end of the third set. Chest presses were next and I did the warm up set of 15 presses at 10 kg. I added in the toss, which made the last few reps hard. I then did five pushups. At least I didn't collapse at the start, but I didn't push myself to do any more than five. I managed to get through the second set of 10 presses at 15 kg. The last few were a struggle. I only got through 5 in the third set. It's very different without Krissi there to push me.
The biceps and the triceps exercises went well. I skipped the dura disc as I figured my leg had done enough and there wasn't a rail to use for the band. I conveniently ignored the fact that I could have put the band around the Smith machine. I also skipped abs exercises. I thought about doing them, but I just didn't feel like it. I wandered off to the supermarket after the gym, bought healthy food, and then made a chicken salad for dinner. That's got to be good for me.
I don't think I'll be doing much more pool running. There's a good reason for that. Sally doesn't have stress fractures. She has something she can't pronounce. It's an inflammation of the sheath around the bone. She's got orthotics, is getting remedial massage, etc etc and, best of all, she's going to be able to do the Group Outdoor Fitness Challenge with us. That starts on 20th November, so we've only got one more week of pool running. I've really enjoyed it. Now all I have to do is translate it into swimming!
We are covering the half lap a lot faster now and I feel as though I'm working a lot harder. My arms weren't as tired today. I must be getting used to the water resistance. Today's session was 5 min warm up, 8 x 2:30 hard with 0:30 easy breaks in between, followed by a 5 min cool down and stretching.
I hadn't done any exercise since Sunday, partly because of travelling to Melbourne and partly because my left knee was sore. I had planned to do a 10.5 km run around Kororoit Creek on Tuesday morning, but I decided to skip it when my knee was hurting when I woke up. I think that wearing heels at work hasn't helped, so I've cut that right back (sorry, Style Consultant). I'll have to go shopping on the weekend for some less daggy comfortable shoes. I'll keep the heels there for the meetings where I want to create an impression.
This evening I was at the gym, which has reopened after being refurbished. It was interesting to see what they have done, but I was disappointed to learn that belly dancing was only available during lunchtime. As I work out of town I can't get to lunchtime classes. I'm glad I didn't rush out to buy the tinkling scarf. I do have a couple of belly dancing dvd's though, so I'll have to give them a go again. Hmm, maybe I can buy the bling anyway.
I reorganised my PT, as Krissi is leaving the gym. I've booked in with Julia, who I met this evening. She looks so young! I've seen her with her clients but I haven't really formed a strong impression of her. I guess I'll know what she's like soon enough. It was hard getting a session at a time that suited me. I've ended up with a Thursday evening for now. I'll see if I can get it changed to Monday.
The grapevine is working overtime at the moment, and I'm not at all sure what to expect from the gym now. I'm not going to discuss all the details here in my blog as it's in the public arena. It's certainly a hot topic of conversation. I was glad to see that they didn't have dozens of people in the classes that replaced Body Attack and Belly Dancing. In fact there were only three people in Body Combat and two in Body Pump. If there'd been a huge turnout then I would have felt that I had to be more understanding of the fact that they keep taking away classes that I enjoy because there's only half a dozen of us going, like Body Jam.
On the positive side, the new cardio equipment is rather impressive. I tried out a treadmill tonight, with a 10 minute warm up run. (Individual tv's for the treadmills haven't arrived as yet, so this is a limited review.) It felt really good underfoot. Because the belt is so new there was a scraping sound like sandpaper when I was running. I expect that will disappear with time. Once I have the earphones in to listen to the tv I won't notice it. I wasn't wearing my heart rate monitor and so the machine kept beeping at me to have my heart rate measured, which was a little annoying. It adjusted the speed down because my HR was too high, so I switched the program to cardio instead of fat-burning. That was a smooth transition, which is an improvement on having to start again when you decide to change programs. Once my HR was in the right range it was then going to adjust the elevation to keep it there, but as I kept taking my hands off the sensors it didn't actually do that. It will be interesting to see what it does when I'm wearing my HRM. At the end of the 10 mins the machine took me through a 3 minute cool down, adjusting the speed each minute.
I wasn't going very fast as it was just a warmup for my weights session and I didn't want to put too much strain on my knee. Afterwards, my knee felt fine. (It's tired now, but still fine.) I headed off to do lunges on the Smith machine, but there was no mirror on the wall. (Mirrors are coming.) I didn't like to do the lunges without being able to watch how my knee was tracking, so I went to the leg press machine instead. I had to unload a 20 kg weight as I'm only pressing 60 kg. (Lots of asides tonight. I'm constantly amazed by the weights some people press!) People never seem to unload this machine. I made sure I bent my knees and it was easy enough to do. I did three sets of reps. On the second and third I did the set with the halfway presses. It's much easier when Krissi has her hand there as a guide for me to know how far to press.
After this I went over to the leg extension machine. I started with my weaker leg at 16 kg, expecting to struggle, but I handled the first set of reps really well. I thought about putting the weight up but I decided to add a third set instead. The second set was easy too, but I was starting to feel it by the end of the third set. Chest presses were next and I did the warm up set of 15 presses at 10 kg. I added in the toss, which made the last few reps hard. I then did five pushups. At least I didn't collapse at the start, but I didn't push myself to do any more than five. I managed to get through the second set of 10 presses at 15 kg. The last few were a struggle. I only got through 5 in the third set. It's very different without Krissi there to push me.
The biceps and the triceps exercises went well. I skipped the dura disc as I figured my leg had done enough and there wasn't a rail to use for the band. I conveniently ignored the fact that I could have put the band around the Smith machine. I also skipped abs exercises. I thought about doing them, but I just didn't feel like it. I wandered off to the supermarket after the gym, bought healthy food, and then made a chicken salad for dinner. That's got to be good for me.
I don't think I'll be doing much more pool running. There's a good reason for that. Sally doesn't have stress fractures. She has something she can't pronounce. It's an inflammation of the sheath around the bone. She's got orthotics, is getting remedial massage, etc etc and, best of all, she's going to be able to do the Group Outdoor Fitness Challenge with us. That starts on 20th November, so we've only got one more week of pool running. I've really enjoyed it. Now all I have to do is translate it into swimming!
Sunday, 4 November 2007
Women's Jogalong
This morning Kelly picked me up for the Women's Jogalong. We hadn't been sure what the weather was going to do, as rain had been forecast and it bucketed down last night, but all looked good at 7 am so we decided to risk it. The weather held up for us, which was great. I'd had visions of us running halfway around the course before getting drenched or, and I think this one was wishful thinking, of having to go out for breakfast instead.
Being seasoned jogalong women, we didn't arrive as early as last time. We also knew more about how it worked so we were both a lot more relaxed. Before the start we headed off for a warm up jog. I was feeling really good so I expected to enjoy the run. I love it when you know it's all going to go well before you even start.
We had a couple of goals for the run. Mine was to run the whole way, rather than run / walk. Kelly's was to manage the run better than last time as she took off too quickly and paid the price later in the run. The plan was for her to stay back with me at the start and then try to keep up with me at the end. I like the idea that anyone would be trying to keep up with me. I had a quiet chuckle.
Even though we had planned to run together I didn't realise that I would enjoy it so much. I usually run by myself, even when there's a group of us in an event, so it was a new experience for me. We didn't natter the whole way around but I will admit to a bit of chatting. Running a little more slowly also meant that I wasn't going through my normal "run too fast, struggle with my breathing then fall back to a walk before doing it all over again" experience of running.
Last time I ran the course in 43:39 and Kelly did it in 46:25. I would have liked to get around in under 42 but we ended up with a time of 45:02. That was great for Kelly and I realised we weren't going to make the time about half way through so I didn't sweat it. I was trying to take us out more slowly than I usually go and we did the first km in 6:55. The splits were still a bit all over the place - 6:55, 7:13, 7:32, 8:06, 7:25 and 7:49. I'm not sure what happened in the 4th km, although I do remember Kelly asking me to slow down because we were approaching a hill. I obviously overdid it!
I found myself having to slow down quite a few times, particularly when we were passing other runners. Clearly I speed up to pass and then forget to slow down again. Kelly has a much more steady approach when passing people. Towards the end I was feeling really strong and started having mad thoughts of tearing off into the distance for the last 1.5 km. I managed to resist these thoughts. Fortunately they didn't last long.
We ran a little bit faster for the last hundred metres, just to show that we could, and we were done. Of course, I forgot to turn off my Garmin straight away. I'll get the hang of it eventually.
All in all it was a great run - lovely surroundings, good company, comfortable pace and that wonderful sense of achievement you get from completing a run. No wonder I love running!
Being seasoned jogalong women, we didn't arrive as early as last time. We also knew more about how it worked so we were both a lot more relaxed. Before the start we headed off for a warm up jog. I was feeling really good so I expected to enjoy the run. I love it when you know it's all going to go well before you even start.
We had a couple of goals for the run. Mine was to run the whole way, rather than run / walk. Kelly's was to manage the run better than last time as she took off too quickly and paid the price later in the run. The plan was for her to stay back with me at the start and then try to keep up with me at the end. I like the idea that anyone would be trying to keep up with me. I had a quiet chuckle.
Even though we had planned to run together I didn't realise that I would enjoy it so much. I usually run by myself, even when there's a group of us in an event, so it was a new experience for me. We didn't natter the whole way around but I will admit to a bit of chatting. Running a little more slowly also meant that I wasn't going through my normal "run too fast, struggle with my breathing then fall back to a walk before doing it all over again" experience of running.
Last time I ran the course in 43:39 and Kelly did it in 46:25. I would have liked to get around in under 42 but we ended up with a time of 45:02. That was great for Kelly and I realised we weren't going to make the time about half way through so I didn't sweat it. I was trying to take us out more slowly than I usually go and we did the first km in 6:55. The splits were still a bit all over the place - 6:55, 7:13, 7:32, 8:06, 7:25 and 7:49. I'm not sure what happened in the 4th km, although I do remember Kelly asking me to slow down because we were approaching a hill. I obviously overdid it!
I found myself having to slow down quite a few times, particularly when we were passing other runners. Clearly I speed up to pass and then forget to slow down again. Kelly has a much more steady approach when passing people. Towards the end I was feeling really strong and started having mad thoughts of tearing off into the distance for the last 1.5 km. I managed to resist these thoughts. Fortunately they didn't last long.
We ran a little bit faster for the last hundred metres, just to show that we could, and we were done. Of course, I forgot to turn off my Garmin straight away. I'll get the hang of it eventually.
All in all it was a great run - lovely surroundings, good company, comfortable pace and that wonderful sense of achievement you get from completing a run. No wonder I love running!
Friday, 2 November 2007
Personal Training
This morning I had my usual personal training session at Fernwood. I say 'usual' but there are changes at the gym again and I'll be going through the whole new trainer experience. Fortunately it won't seem so hard this time, as I won't be losing touch with Krissi after she leaves the gym. Apart from our running sessions, I've booked in to do the next Outdoor Group Fitness Challenge, which starts in a few weeks. I've also made up my mind to do an extra PT session with her once a week, on top of what I'm doing at the gym.
What's likely to be different is the gym itself. I've heard all sorts of stories about what's happening. The group fitness area is moving, there are going to be more cycles, the place is getting a general face lift and there will be more classes. It will be interesting to see how having a franchisor in charge affects the way that the gym is run. The impression I have already is that there are going to be a lot more rules and regulations for the staff. Of course, not working there myself, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. The gym has seemed to suffer from inexperienced management for a while, so I think it's probably going to be a good thing. Time will tell.
On a personal level I have to establish a new relationship with one of the Fernwood PT's. The main problem is that they aren't as experienced as my previous trainers. I guess we all have to gain experience by doing, but I'd prefer it if they'd practised on someone else instead of me. I wonder if this impatience with novice trainers is a sign that I'm getting old. "The youth of today .. " blah blah blah.
This morning I started with the usual warm up on the treadmill, then moved over to the leg press. I loaded one of the weights for the first time. Phew - those 20kg weights are hard to move. I did a warm up set of straight leg presses, then Krissi had me do two sets with five full presses, five bottom halves, five top halves and then five full presses again. It's amazing how much effort is required to get through a set. I really feel the top halves in my backside too.
I moved on to hamstring curls. I was really pleased with my form on these. I'm getting the hang of lifting my butt while I'm bringing my legs back in rather than afterwards. It's much easier on my lower back as well. I like these fitball exercises as the need to balance during the movement certainly engages a lot more muscles. Krissi rewarded my form improvement by adding a couple of extra reps to the last set. I'd expected her to do that on the first set, so I felt like I'd gotten away with something.
We then moved over to the Smith machine, where I did chest presses. I did the usual 10 kg warm up set of 15, only I was tossing the bar today. I can always feel the effect of that later. After the set I was supposed to do five pushups. I wasn't able to do the first one, which had Krissi laughing. After resetting I managed to squeeze out five very sorry pushups. As a superset I think I'd definitely left my super hero costume at home this morning.
Krissi added 5 kg to the bar and I managed to get through another 12 presses. I had a rest break without pushups and then tried another set. I managed to get through 10 presses, struggled through the 11th and then completely fizzled on the 12th. It was great!
I then did some shoulder presses with 4kg free weights, a set of upright rows with the bent bar and then a set of jack knifes. I watched Krissi demonstrate, thinking that I'd not manage them at all, but they weren't too bad. My core is definitely continuing to improve. A bit of stretching and then I was done.
The gym was closed for renovations this evening, so I gave myself the evening off. I had thought I'd be doing belly dancing, but I'd managed to mix up my days. Belly dancing was on last night. The gym reopens next Thursday so hopefully I'll remember to get myself to the class next week.
On Sunday I'm planning to do the women's jogalong with some of the girls. it will be interesting to see if there's any improvement in my time. I'm going to try to do the whole run without dropping back to a walk.
What's likely to be different is the gym itself. I've heard all sorts of stories about what's happening. The group fitness area is moving, there are going to be more cycles, the place is getting a general face lift and there will be more classes. It will be interesting to see how having a franchisor in charge affects the way that the gym is run. The impression I have already is that there are going to be a lot more rules and regulations for the staff. Of course, not working there myself, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. The gym has seemed to suffer from inexperienced management for a while, so I think it's probably going to be a good thing. Time will tell.
On a personal level I have to establish a new relationship with one of the Fernwood PT's. The main problem is that they aren't as experienced as my previous trainers. I guess we all have to gain experience by doing, but I'd prefer it if they'd practised on someone else instead of me. I wonder if this impatience with novice trainers is a sign that I'm getting old. "The youth of today .. " blah blah blah.
This morning I started with the usual warm up on the treadmill, then moved over to the leg press. I loaded one of the weights for the first time. Phew - those 20kg weights are hard to move. I did a warm up set of straight leg presses, then Krissi had me do two sets with five full presses, five bottom halves, five top halves and then five full presses again. It's amazing how much effort is required to get through a set. I really feel the top halves in my backside too.
I moved on to hamstring curls. I was really pleased with my form on these. I'm getting the hang of lifting my butt while I'm bringing my legs back in rather than afterwards. It's much easier on my lower back as well. I like these fitball exercises as the need to balance during the movement certainly engages a lot more muscles. Krissi rewarded my form improvement by adding a couple of extra reps to the last set. I'd expected her to do that on the first set, so I felt like I'd gotten away with something.
We then moved over to the Smith machine, where I did chest presses. I did the usual 10 kg warm up set of 15, only I was tossing the bar today. I can always feel the effect of that later. After the set I was supposed to do five pushups. I wasn't able to do the first one, which had Krissi laughing. After resetting I managed to squeeze out five very sorry pushups. As a superset I think I'd definitely left my super hero costume at home this morning.
Krissi added 5 kg to the bar and I managed to get through another 12 presses. I had a rest break without pushups and then tried another set. I managed to get through 10 presses, struggled through the 11th and then completely fizzled on the 12th. It was great!
I then did some shoulder presses with 4kg free weights, a set of upright rows with the bent bar and then a set of jack knifes. I watched Krissi demonstrate, thinking that I'd not manage them at all, but they weren't too bad. My core is definitely continuing to improve. A bit of stretching and then I was done.
The gym was closed for renovations this evening, so I gave myself the evening off. I had thought I'd be doing belly dancing, but I'd managed to mix up my days. Belly dancing was on last night. The gym reopens next Thursday so hopefully I'll remember to get myself to the class next week.
On Sunday I'm planning to do the women's jogalong with some of the girls. it will be interesting to see if there's any improvement in my time. I'm going to try to do the whole run without dropping back to a walk.
Thursday, 1 November 2007
Pool running
A quiet day today on the exercise front. I met Sally at the pool this morning. It was an effort to get up and I doubt that I'd have made it on my own. It didn't seem as cold this morning when I rode off on my bike. The extra jacket I wore may have had something to do with that.
We did a session that involved two sets of 2:30 hard, 0:30 easy. We were working pretty hard, and I've been feeling a little sore all day. I guess it's the water resistance that makes the difference. It's good knowing I've worked hard, but it's not showing on my HRM. I read somewhere that my heart rate was likely to be around 10 lower than usual when I'm in the pool. I'll have to pay attention to what it is when I'm not in the pool.
This evening a group of my running buddies came over for a drink. We were going to play with my EyeToy but there wasn't enough light unfortunately. Anyway, we quickly adapted, settling around to eat, drink and chat. A good time was had by all.
We did a session that involved two sets of 2:30 hard, 0:30 easy. We were working pretty hard, and I've been feeling a little sore all day. I guess it's the water resistance that makes the difference. It's good knowing I've worked hard, but it's not showing on my HRM. I read somewhere that my heart rate was likely to be around 10 lower than usual when I'm in the pool. I'll have to pay attention to what it is when I'm not in the pool.
This evening a group of my running buddies came over for a drink. We were going to play with my EyeToy but there wasn't enough light unfortunately. Anyway, we quickly adapted, settling around to eat, drink and chat. A good time was had by all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)