Slight Change in Workout Plans

My stair machine broke four days ago. I was using it and I heard a popping sound, and then a few more popping sounds, and my feet both dropped to the bar. the cord that held the pully had snapped. I think I have a warranty that I bought somewhere in a box or file around here. I need to find it so Wal-Mart can replace this thing. Unless, of course, they consider using the stair machine as voiding the warranty. I am sure it has never been dropped or kicked or used for any reason other than its purpose.

Either way, my workouts have been moved out doors in the past few days. I'm now doing strength training entirely independently of cardio, because I don't have the stamina to run every day and not get too sore to move after a few days. I've been running every other day, which is miserable and reminds me why I got the stair machine in the first place, but effective none-the-less.

I've been doing running in intervals. The first work out was 10 two-minute runs with 1 minute of rest in between. It was a cool day and I was booking it; an 11 minute mile when three of those minutes were walking. The next time I ran I was eager to see if I could run at that speed without the rests. I can't. Even at 10 in the morning it had already gotten into the 80s and was shockingly muggy. In addition I was still dealing with soreness from the previous run and the allergies are ridiculous. I ran 1.2 miles (1 lap at the park) in 13.5 minutes with a significant slow down in the last 0.2 miles where the heat got to me and I was feeling my toast and egg breakfast start to come back up. It was all I could do to finish the lap. I'm disappointed, but I don't suppose I should be since I haven't run at all in 8 months and it was very hot and humid and I'm sure that the constant stream of snot running down my throat and out of my nose to blend with the sweat dripping off me didn't help in the slightest. I finished out the workout with intervals or running again.

I think I could make a 10 minute mile if the morning was nice and all I had to run was a mile and I'd had a light breakfast (eg. an apple and a piece of toast and tea with no milk).

Breathing has been fine both times, no gasping, no short quick breaths. I wonder if I could loosen the control on my breathing, if that would speed me up or slow me down.

That being said; neither workout was fun. I don't like running. It's not relaxing or soothing. It does not make me feel happy or refreshed or successful. It's only meditative in the sense of forcing yourself to focus on a single thing.

I suppose I should be happy that I can run a mile, or even 1.2 miles, since most people can't.

It occurs to me that when I returned from my first stint in Korea I could run three laps at this park without much trouble. And compared to that my present running ability and run time isn't great. But...when I look back at myself during that time...I had few friends, no confidence, I was often distressed, I felt like I had to workout had to run had to be beautiful through health. I just...wouldn't go back to that place for the life of me. Maybe I can't run 3.6 miles anymore, but I'll be damned if I'm not far happier with myself now and in a much better place than I ever was then.

. . .

I need to find that warranty.

Take a Fall

Went and worked out again today.
It was pretty good for the most part. I made an endeavor to cut out the extended rests between my first and second sets of five (or cycles, as I do the things in cycles of five; two sets of side hopping-one on the left side and one on the right, one set of knee highs-like in soccer, and butt kicks-also like in soccer, and one of running). The final the cycle is mostly running.

It was pretty hot this morning, but I was at the track by, gosh, 8:30? It was pretty clear, because clearly only crazy people work out in this heat. I was feeling energized, and then about half way through my workout...

I tripped.

I splatted.

I think I bounced.

I laid there for a second assessing myself internally, making sure I hadn't broken or torn anything, then I got back up with a few bruises and a slightly bruised ego (lucky, that thing about there not being many people on the track this morning really worked in my favor) and finished my workout, albeit at a slightly gentler pace.

I also made sure to stretch extra well at the end.

And then, made a chiropractic appointment.

I'm still a bit sore but the chiropractor helped, I'm sure, and he also taught me an exercise to do to decrease shin splints. I told him about mine and since they're not getting worse he said that it's probably all just taking time healing from that first time I hurt them by wearing worn out shoes.

I have also begun to eat coconut oil. I'm trying to do that 1-2 tbsp a day thing (I hope it's not teaspoons...)

I also put it in my hair and am trying it on my skin. I'm convinced it made the skin on my face nicer. I hope to work out again tomorrow morning because I expect my cycle to start sometime between Friday and Sunday and I don't want to be surprised on the track by it because I didn't workout when I should have.

I'm thinking I'll have to take some pain killers though. Bodies do not like splatting on pavement, even if you're a tough-as-nails chick like me, haha.