Stupid High Schoolers...using their track

I've done pretty good the last few weeks with getting out regularly, even if it's just a short something in the morning. This morning I came up with a great plan for increasing my distance that involved using the track and increasing my distance by one lap (.25 miles) once per week. Today I was forced to wait until later in the day due to academic obligations, but at around 12:30, with this genius plan in my brain, I headed over to the Cleveland H.S. track only to encounter a mess of high schoolers in baggy t-shirts and gym shorts stretching and stumbling on the track surface -- foiled!!! So, I ended up winging it in the neighborhood and ended up at a distance shorter than my goal.

Dan and I went for a really nice bike ride on Sunday, which was the first time I've been on my bike since pre-mini-Arctic blast in early December. It felt good, and I think I'm going to hop on the bike tomorrow to head over to school.

I have weird ways of motivating myself...like in the shower after my run today I decided to wash my hair with shampoo AND conditioner, because then I would need to wash it again tomorrow, and why not go for a run/swim beforehand? Weird, I know. Speaking of swimming...

I haven't yet worked out at the new gym on campus. The prospect of having to pack in and out any type of workout stuff is less than ideal, but I'm going to try my best to start swimming on the days I'm on campus for class. Tomorrow may be the first attempt at this - we'll see.

In general, getting myself moving is going well. I'm working my way up and incorporating it into my daily schedule. Come February things are going to be super difficult...but I'm not worrying about that quite yet. Food has still been difficult. This is the first winter that we've tried to continue to eat locally/seasonally...and I can tell that I'm eating a lot less veggies than I was during the summer. We discovered the Hillsdale Farmer's Market two weeks ago, which is going to be a godsend, but they're only there every other week. Needless to say...we're still figuring it out (though the rack of canned goods looks beautiful).

Pushing on...perhaps in the water tomorrow?

Day One?

Yesterday's initial attempt at a run yielded a 1.7 mile treck. The run itself felt really good, though I feel that it had been awhile since the last one, AND I still have some crud left in my chest. But it felt good. I was surprisingly sore today (like places on my legs that I wouldn't think would hurt from a brief, hill-less run).

Already I can feel reality trying to creep in. I set my alarm for 6:30am on Monday (the same time Dan got up) with the hope and expectation of getting up and heading out early, but ended up in bed until about 7:30. I did still get up and run first thing - it was just later than I hoped it would be.

My plan was to go running tomorrow as well...but after getting up at 5:30 this morning (and even though I don't have to be in Salem until 9:30 tomorrow), the prospect of getting up early at all to run sounds horrific. If I wait until after class, however, the chances diminish further.

This is one of those pivotal moments that don't seem like a big deal individually, but over time they turn into dozens of missed runs. These are the moments that I need to kick myself in the butt, and rather than give up on what I'm hoping to do, I need to figure out what is necessary in order to make it happen (ie, go to bed earlier, set an alarm across the bedroom...whatever). More brainstorm ideas on this to come...

Getting off the couch

It's been several weeks (nearing months) since I've gone for a serious run. I think I went for one quickie after the 5k Thanksgiving weekend, but that was primarily because I had purchased new running shoes and felt the need to use them before going on vacation. So, this is start number 25,429 of being active again. I somehow manage to end up at square one if I don't exercise for more than about a week, so I'm not looking forward to yet another go 'round.

However...I have been itching to go out for a run for the last week, but illness has interfered. Watching other folks hit the pavement has made me wiggle a little in my car seat, and tomorrow will be the beginning of my first full season as a triathlete and my attempts at some longer distances as well. Part of my difficulty staying on the wagon in the past has been accountability to myself or anyone else. I avoid signing up for races until the last moment, so I can have the option to duck out...I have always given myself that option up to this point. My goal for this season is to decide early (once I know what my class situation is going to be) what races I'm going to do, and sign up for them as soon as I can. I'm also going to write out workout plans for myself that are realistic and get me where I need to be, hoping to incorporate others when possible.

Food will also be part of this journey. I've already started making many changes in the last year, but I'm continuing to learn more and figure out how to eat well, eat good and be happy with these decisions that I'm making. It's easy for me to fall off of that wagon as well, but it's something that has moral implications as well and thus carries a different kind of weight.

Tomorrow begins yet another one of these journeys - this will be my attempt to keep at it.