Sunday, August 25, 2013

Jogging the neighborhood

   I'm enjoying my walk-run program, and I'm learning a lot about my neighborhood.  Some of my neighbors actually have cars that match the color of their houses.  Some like to hang decorative flags, and change them for different holidays, and seasons.  Many have beautiful flowers around their property,  and most keep their lawns neatly manicured.
   As usual, I'm finding some benefits that I was not expecting.  This week I spotted a bumper sticker that I loved.  It had the outline of a dog, with the words "more wag and less bark" printed inside.  I smiled when I saw it, and thought about it for my entire walk.  I'm a sayings person, and I think this one gives great advice.  I decide to try and implement those words this week, and see what happens.  I'll have to dial back the sarcasm,  and be conscious of my reactions.  I'll also share the saying with people I see this week.  I think it will immediately give a boost of positive energy, which is always a good thing.
   I can describe my jogging progress with another saying  "slow and steady, wins the race".  I confident that I will be able to complete my 5-K this fall.  I notice that I have a much easier time jogging on less humid days.  I'll be sad saying good-bye to summer, but I'll focus on the upside.  Fall is really my favorite season, even though it means that winter is around the next corner.  I plan to take each day as it comes, and find the positives.  It feels a lot like less bark and more wag......and the beat goes on......the beat goes on.......

Monday, August 19, 2013

My Couch to 5-K Journey Continues

    Whew!  Preparing for a 5-K run is a lot harder than I thought it would be.  It all sounded reasonable, and do-able.  I would walk for five minutes, then jog for one minute, and walk for ninety seconds.  I would then repeat this format for fifteen to twenty minutes.  Of course, I can easily walk with my dog for twenty minutes, so I thought this would be a "piece of cake".  The truth is, I jog for sixty seconds, then walk until I can breathe normally again, before I jog again!   By the time we get home, the pup and I need a few big gulps of water, and I hurry to take a cool shower.  I'm telling myself that my face gets beet red because it's been extremely hot and humid this summer, and so I'm anxious to see how I do on a cool day.
     I've also been eating a lot more junk food.  I guess I thought that I could get away with it, but I weigh more now that before I started my summer program.  Someone said that muscle weighs more, so I'll cling to that idea for a few more days.  The saying that comes to mind is "reality bites", and I am surprised at the number of food references that help me describe my progress.
      Today begins week three of my twelve week program.  I decide to do a food journal, and go back to more healthy choices.  I notice that when I do not have protein for breakfast, I snack too much at night.  I'm determined to do better, and expect to have a much better week...I have a lot of tools in my toolbox,  I just have to dust them off and use them.......and the beat goes on.....the beat goes on.......
     

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Family Time

     This will be short and sweet....Matt is visiting for a couple of days, before he heads to a conference on Monday.  It is always hectic, as we try and cram as much into a four day weekend as possible.  Friday wash a wash out due to torrential rains in New England, so golf was cancelled, and replaced with lunch out, and a movie.  We had a family cookout on Saturday, with twelve of our closest relatives. 
    We were able to have a little more quiet time today.  I always call our last family meal together the "last supper, and it means that the visit will end soon.  I'm gonna run and enjoy every minute...and the beat goes on......the beat goes on......

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Couch to 5-K Program

   The couch to 5-K program is a nine week training schedule for beginners who want to run their first race.  I set a goal that I would participate in a five kilometer or 3.1 mile, walk-run  before I turn 60 in December.  I start my official training tomorrow, and I hope to sign up and run by Thanksgiving weekend.  The literature suggests a slow and steady pace, and even recommends repeating a week several times before advancing to another step.
   I'm going to allow twelve weeks to train, and I will concentrate on walking and jogging.  Each session should take 20 or 30 minutes, and I will do three each week, with a break in between to rest and recover.  It all seems manageable, as I am begin by walking  for five minutes, then jog for sixty seconds, then walk for ninety seconds. I repeat this scenario for twenty minutes, and then I'm done.  I've decided on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with a make-up day over the weekend in case of bad weather.  
    I've actually been trying to walk my dog three days a week since May.  We jogged and ran quite a bit in June, because of the torrential downpours that we were caught in that month.  In July, I jogged in the pool, and did laps when it was too hot to walk.  We had record heat waves this summer, and the dog refused to walk on the hot pavement.  I also walked while watching TV with the air conditioning blasting.  No one has ever called my timing impeccable, but life is definitely what happens when we are making other plans.  I plan to keep my eye on the prize and continue to work.  There is a saying that slow and steady wins the race, and I know that this is something that I can accomplish.
    I'll update my progress each week, and report when I've signed up for my 5-K walk run event....and the beat goes on.....the beat goes on.....
P.S. Sorry about last week.  My computer froze, and we had to send it out for repair.  I got it back today....