1143.3 Miles

(5.1 outdoors since Monday)

We have reached the Northern edge of eastern South Undeep.

 I'll admit that I've not been listening to the book lately. As soon as I get a few things done enough for me to skim through it, I will certainly catch up on more details of the journey.

In the meantime, I'll catch up on the journey of the road. This week I didn't get as many miles as I was supposed to. Part of that was my own fault for not following the maps a little better. I'd planned to attend a 5 mile hike yesterday but didn't turn when I was supposed to which had me drive quite a bit out of my way. Sadly, by the time I realized this, the group was already beginning the hike and I was more than 20 minutes away.

Still, I have to say that I'm really happy with how the run on Friday went. April and I went to Carrier Park (lots of runners, walkers, bikers, and roller-skaters go there, too). I knew that I needed to reach at least 3 miles that day (I have a goal to run 5k in less than 37 minutes by the first weekend in November) and that's not far from now. Well, April kept encouraging me to keep running (slow pace). And, as much as I really wanted to walk, I actually ran most of it. April says 99%, but I think it was onlu 90%. But that "only: that you see there? Don't let it fool you, I worked really hard to keep going. And I feel so proud of myself for finishing.

1138.2 Miles

(5.2 road, total since Monday)

Gollum has been spotted by Sam and Frodo and we have been on the river many hours each day.

Exercise has a strange consequence for me and perhaps it is the same for many others. Before I start, I can think of every argument not to do anything. While I am exercising I can think of every reason to stop. But after the exercise, I can think of all the reasons I am glad I finished.

I'm a little tired tonight so the images aren't edited to remove the ads at the bottoms or anything like that. I'll work on that for the next entry.

1133 Miles

This is a catching up since the last post.

(9.6 bike)
(11.1 walking/running: total since September 2)

I'm so pleased to be running and walking on a regular basis! Not only am I getting more miles in, I'm also gaining more strength. I was sick for a little bit so there was more time spent coughing than moving, but that's behind me now. I've been using the Nike application for my phone to help me keep track of my miles and I know that there have been a couple times when I forgot to turn the darn thing on, so I won't be counting those.

On September 27th I was in my second Asheville 5k (third total) and my time was 41:48 (last year was 44:11). I am really looking forward to seeing what the next 5k will be. Here is one of the pictures that Brianna was able to get just before I crossed the finish line -

Today was a bike ride (at The Fire, mostly keeping about 17mph, but there were several HIIT minutes in there) and tomorrow morning will be another run. I'm hoping to update this a lot more frequently from here on.

1112.3 Miles

(10.3 bike)

The river has turned southward and we are still surrounded by high hills.

I wasn't going to do anything today since my calves are still very sore, but decided that if I didn't do anything my goals would be even further away. So, after getting Brianna settled (she has a fever and pretty heavy congestion right now), I got on the bike. Only 30 minutes today, but I am glad that I did it.

Oh, and I did get a little knitting in, too. That little bit of black might become the OWL project for HPKCHC (on Ravelry).

1102 Miles

(3.6 outdoors)

I headed out the door this morning pretty early. There were a few minutes when I had to talk myself into it but then... I don't know exactly, but something shifted and I just went. The morning was quiet and cool and the mist was thick in the distance (not thick enough to diminish visibility for the cars I'd be sharing the roads with). I knew the approximate route I wanted to take, even though there were parts I'd never been on. I sprinted on the downhill portions and felt like I was trudging on some of the uphill portions. Just before the second mile I really did struggle, but I knew that I couldn't go back. There was a twinge of a cramp in the back of my thigh so I did stretch some before continuing.

When I got back home I was drenched in sweat and a little shaky, but I was happy, too.

1098.4 Miles

(12.4 outdoors, spread over a few walks/runs)
(11.2 bike)

The river is curving eastward and there are wolds on both shores. The sky remains overcast and moods are unsettled.

I'm still here! I bet you thought I'd given this up. After a very long time of going through lots of stuff, we are now settled in Asheville! And I feel even more determined to continue this journey. April (her studio's Facebook page is here) has already shown me some amazing places and I have discovered already that I like to run outdoors. Of course, since it's been so long since I've actually run (or much of anything else), I feel almost as if I'm starting over again. My "running" consists mostly of a fast-paced walk with bursts of sprinting. I don't know the time of those sprints, but I know that they will get longer and longer.

I've been keeping my phone with me and using the Nike+ application to help me with my miles. Here is what I've done so far this month. Keep in mind that we didn't even get to North Carolina until the 11th and that was very late at night. Since then I've been on several walks and a few running walks. I've even had a kettlebell workout!

I was extremely sore last week and I know that the pain will subside once I get more into the routine of being active again. I need to get my yoga back into the routine, too. I know that will help with the soreness.

I didn't get a picture of the bike miles since I misplaced my charger for the camera. I'm happy to report that I have unpacked a couple more boxes and found it.

1074.8 miles

(3.78 walking)

Nope, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Honest. Things have been... less than stellar lately. This weekend was a combination of watching movies, soul searching, bitter tears, angst, and lots more. Today, Kevin and I went for a walk. This was really needed for me. More than I thought (probably more than Kevin thought). And, even though I have a huge blister on my heel, I'm so glad I went. I got to try out the Nike app for the phone and really like it. See that little blip on the lower line? That's where we went into an old cemetery. I'll write about that later.

I'm still a little dehydrated (and sunburned) and will be getting another glass of water before laying down. But I feel very good about this day. Event he heart-wrenching parts.

1071.1 Miles

(2.4 treadmill)

Today I ran in my new shoes. I'd been saving up for them since my birthday and they are now happily on my feet. I wanted a second pair so that they could air out for longer in between wearing. Now I can wash them once a week and things will be great.

Today's run was a little slower since my calves are still a little sore. I feel almost as if I'm starting over, even though that's not the case. Still, I know that I'll get right back into the swing of things very quickly.

1068.7 Miles

Well, it's time for my journey to continue. After a nail in the foot, a sunburn that prevented me from wearing a sport bra, and a cold that caused me to sleep an entire day and still have the sniffles for a few days more, I am traveling again.

Today was slow, but I was able to jog for most of my time on the treadmill. I didn't keep track of the running vs. walking parts, but I focused on the music and the power in my own muscles. They didn't like being woken up this way and complained a bit, but I ignored the whining. Don't get me wrong, there have been a lot of days of strength-training this past few weeks, but that uses my muscles in a very different manner.

1066.2 Miles

(10.1 bike)

We have reached North Updeep where there are stony beaches on the eastern shore. Many shoals are keeping us cautious as we go.

Last week pretty much bombed in terms of cardio. At the beginning of the week it was simply because the schools were out on spring break and I had the daycare kids here. Their mother let me know that they would be spending the night at their cousin's house and wouldn't be here on Thursday. I was pretty happy that I'd be able to get on the treadmill that day.

Instead I stepped on a roofing nail in the back yard and punctured my foot deeply enough to soak a quarter-sized section of my sock with blood before I got it off of my foot. Luckily, my last tetanus shot was in 2010. But it meant that I'd not be running that day.

Even though the skin has sealed up and there is no sign of anything major, today there is still pain when I step down. So I got on the bike and realized I pedal more with the ball of my foot than I thought. Still, it felt good to get a little sweaty. And I got a little cardio-knitting done, too.

1056.1 Miles

(2.4 treadmill)

I sometimes wonder how long it will take for it to sink into my head that working out makes me feel better. I've had a stressful week and didn't work out as many times as I'd have liked. I'm happy that today's workload was light enough that I had no excuse whatsoever.

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1053.7 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

Today seemed like a normal day and when I got on the treadmill I was hopeful. I didn't run 10 minutes, but I did run for 7 before I had to walk a minute. I'm okay with that. Especially when I think about how far I've grown. I know that I still have a long way to go before I will feel happy with my level of health, but I know it will happen. Why? Because I'm not giving up.

The strength-training is beginning to show again. There has been a period of time when it seemed as if there was no outward change at all, but I am noticing differences when I look in the mirror. That makes me pretty happy.

1051.6 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

It continues to be overcast. Everyone is on edge.

Today was a bit of a challenge to get myself onto the treadmill. My calves were still sore from the run on Wednesday which I expected. What I wasn't expecting was how much time it took for them to feel looser (walking) and how little time it took for them to hurt (running). So today was a much shorter run time. Even so, I feel good that I'm getting stronger.

There are days when I do want to quit. I've never considered myself an athlete, never thought of myself as super-fit, or anything like that. I also refuse to give up homemade cheesecake, Brianna's Brownies, or old-fashioned roast. In my mind, none of these fit into the "healthy lifestyle" that seems typical. Please understand, I'm not bashing anyone who has given up all of that, I just don't see myself that way. I enjoy sensual things and the taste, aroma, texture and visual appeal of food pleases me. Granted, I have let go of a lot of foods such as Oreos, white sugar, and myriad others, but it hasn't been arduous. Especially since I've learned about the attractiveness of so many other foods... or relearned in some cases (like fresh blackberries).

So, if you are reading this and you think you feel like giving up. Just push yourself for one more day. And do it again tomorrow. And the next. You can do this, too.

1049.5 Miles

(2.6 treadmill)

I'm not sure what happened with my other pictures, but I did spend some time on the treadmill and the bike last week. Oh well, that just means I have to go a few more miles on this journey.

Today I did something awesome. Seriously awesome. I ran for 10 minutes before I had to walk! Then I walked for 2 minutes and ran another 5 before walking again. I walked another 2 minutes and was able to run another 3 minutes before getting a stitch in my side. My warm up and cool down times were about 5 minutes each so I went over the 30 minute mark just a little, but I didn't care. I felt pretty euphoric that I was able to go for 10 whole minutes before walking.

1046.9 Miles

(2.5 treadmill)

My shin seems to be much better now which truly makes me a happy person. Yesterday's walk left me only slightly stiff today and I got on the treadmill with a smile. Since it had been a while, I chose to do a 1-minute-run/1-minute-walk session so that I knew I would finish with that same smile. At the end (around the 25 minute point) I decided to just run until I couldn't. It was my calves that finally prompted me to slow down since they were on fire. And that was after I'd run a solid 5 minutes. I wasn't smiling anymore, I was grinning! What will tomorrow bring? I'm predicting another smile.

1044.4 Miles

(1.8 - Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve)

This has been a truly beautiful day. After having a shrimp & spinach omelet (which was quite tasty) for breakfast I was taken to Sheldon Marsh (check out the link above) for a brisk morning walk. It was pretty cold, but the sun was shining and there wasn't that much wind. The air was filled with various bird calls that made me smile with the sheer joy of it all. Early in the walk we spotted a Bald Eagle in flight and could even see (very far away) that it was eating something while it was perched on a branch.

The road through the Marsh is about one mile, but we didn't walk the whole thing, instead turning straight to the beach when we got to one of the side paths. This is why I only am counting 1.8 miles.

I got only one picture and I love how the snow and moss look together -

Movements

It's been over a week since I've written, but it feels like only a couple days. Over the past week I've had sore muscles, bruises, a minor cough, and one pulled muscle. All in all, not a bad week considering how many people are dealing with the flu and other issues.

I added a new set of exercises to my routine and I think I'm starting to see a difference. These exercises focus on the lower abdominal region and I'm a little surprised at the soreness they created. It only adds a couple minutes to the strength-training portion of my workout, but added a significant amount of ache. That's a good thing, right?

I've also been hooping since that doesn't have any impact on my legs (but it does make my hips and stomach a bit sore). I figure any movement is good movement.

The bruise on my lower leg is finally starting to dissipate. This one has kept me off the treadmill and bike. Each time I'd run there was a jarring pain along the front of my shin. Each forward pedal there was a pulling pain in the same place. I took that to mean that using the machines wasn't a good idea for now. There isn't any extra pain while doing squats or lunges (makes no sense to me), so that is what I've focused on. Next week I will try the treadmill for walking for a day or two and see what happens.

For now, I'm doing what I can to make sure I heal quickly and without further injury. And I'm looking forward to spring.

1042.6 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

What a wonderful weekend! I was able to spend some time out in the country and relax. There were a couple of stressed moments (like when I got a call from Anthony about something Brianna had done), but over all it was lovely. And it gave me the time away from work and everything else that I needed to come back even more determined to stay healthy. Part of it was simply the way my body reacted to the foods I ate (and the dessert-drinks) because I didn't get that rapid heartbeat that I sometimes would get. Instead, with the combination of a healthier body and the right foods, I was able to enjoy without fear.

Now if only I can get that perfected in the rest of the areas of my life! Determination...

Today I actually was in pain during the run. It wasn't serious and it wasn't enough to keep me from getting on the treadmill, but I did need arnica salve before and after. You see, the wind was a bit strong this morning when I was getting out of the Jeep and it caught me by surprise. There is a colorful bruise on my shin and it's going to be gone soon (my arnica salve really is awesome).

The weights... I still am struggling to do the back fly movement with the 8-pound weights. I am determined to use the 10s soon. As soon as I can do more than 15 with the 8s. I've thought about a barbell, too, but only for the squats since I don't have a bench or a spotter (the last thing I need is to drop the thing on my own face or something like that.) Perhaps one of these days, but I'm not sure yet. Right now I feel like I really need to focus first on the steps I'm taking and not jump a few miles down the road.

Tomorrow will be the bike!

1040.5 Miles

(10.4 bike)

I wanted to get done early today since I wanted to take some time for myself this morning. I've still not gotten the meditation to be a habit, but I will. Of that I am certain.

My calves are still pretty sore and I'm not sure if it's from yesterday's or Tuesday's run. No matter, it will pass before long and I will be stronger for it. My arms don't feel quite as sore from yesterday's weights, just a pleasant ache that reminds me that I'm getting stronger there, too.

There is still a part of me that hesitates losing more weight. I have been thinking about that this week. I've been trying to figure this out, trying to learn more about myself to gain a better understanding of my own thoughts & emotions. For now, I am ready to break past the 165 level that I have been on for a while.

Knitting! I've gotten better at keeping a steady gauge no matter how fast I pedal. I'm practicing on a simple scarf and I am happy to say that there is very little variance in the panels I did while sitting in waiting rooms and the ones I did on the bike.

1030.1 Miles

(2.2 treadmill)

Even though I feel pretty shaky right now, I feel pretty good with the workouts I did today. This morning I was on the treadmill for my 30 minutes. I didn't get as far as I did on Tuesday, but I think it's simply because I've been working out each day. I know that it's good for me and I'll see results a lot faster. Today I walked a little less than half the distance due to the soreness in my calves. I'll be glad when that subsides a bit. I also had to go down to the 8-pound weights for the second round of strength exercises.

I don't see either of these as failure, though. I see them as a triumph because I still did them.

1027.9 Miles

(11.9 bike)

We have left the trees behind and can see mountains and hills to the west. Last night we camped north of the Field of Celebrant and this morning we left early. There is a sense of urgency that seems to be affecting us all.

My calves were a little sore this morning so I decided to get on the bike early. I knew that my muscles would feel stiff if I waited too long. I was done by 10 this morning and got busy with the day's dyeing. My legs are still a bit sore, but I'm okay with that.I was able to get a little knitting in while I pedaled and just might finish another scarf by the end of this month.

1016.2 Miles

(2.5 treadmill)

This week starts a new phase of my journey. I will now be doing the cardio portion (treadmill and bike) five days a week and the weights three days a week. Yes, that means that there will be three days that I will have a double workout. I already know that there will be a bit more pain while my body adjusts, but it will be well worth it. You see, no matter what challenges I find along my road, no matter what pain I need to endure, and no matter what fears I find within, I know that I need to keep going. I need to reach my goals in such a way that I can look back, briefly, and celebrate the triumphs.

I want to thank those who are traveling with me and cheering me on. April with her patience and guidance, Brianna with her suggestions for more challenging exercises, Kevin with his reminders of my successes: I love you! To my Fiberly with the virtual cheering and encouragement, you are fabulous friends!

There are days when I am not so sure I would make it without you all.

1013.7 Miles

(1.8 treadmill)

Okay, doing the weights in the early part of the day, then getting onto the treadmill was quite and experience. What was I thinking? Well, I had some dental work done yesterday and didn't feel up to lifting weights, so i told myself that I'd do it today. I nearly didn't. My muscles are currently wishing that I hadn't. But my heart and pride are pretty darn happy that I did.

1011.9 Miles

(11.3 bike)

My legs are still a little sore from Thursday's run so I decided on a bike ride. Even so, the soreness is still pretty strong. I'm glad for it, though, it only means my legs are getting stronger. I was even able to knit for a bit, but I have to focus on keeping my tension loose so I don't mess up the gauge. Granted, it's just garter stitch but it can look wonky after a little while.

1000.6 Miles

(3.4 treadmill)

YEAH!!!

I passed one thousand miles! And today was a personal record, too. I think the last pr was 3.3 miles. I feel fantastic! Wobbly still, but fantastic nonetheless. I can do this.

My dearest friend is such an inspiration to me. She has only been running for a year & a half and is already spending some of her weekends running 15-18 miles. How amazing is that? She really makes me want to push myself even more than I do.

My next goal is to run even more of this distance. I'm still walking about half of it (run some, walk some). When I get to the point of running the whole thing... well, I'll be pretty darn thrilled about it.

Update...

I've already shared this on Ravelry and Facebook and now am sitting down to share it here, too.

As some of you might remember, just over a year ago I had my blood drawn to check all the levels for sugars, cholesterol levels, and lots of other stuff. Last week I had it drawn again for an update. There has been an amazing improvement in this year. There is still some work to do, and I know I will continue to achieve all my goals.

Test name: Old results/New results

Overall Cholesterol: 176/165
HDL: 56/58 (we want more of those)
LDL: 102/95
Triglycerides: 89/58

Hemoglobin A1C:5.9/5.8 (going to work on this one a little more)
Glucose: 102/95
TSH (thyroid): 3.27/2.12
T4: 1.0/.83

Today was a weights day so I don't have that much to show for it. I'm okay with that, especially since I can feel the differences.

Tomorrow I'm going to reach 1,000 miles. Because I know I can.

997.2 Miles

(11.5 bike)

Still drifting along. The trees are starting to this and there are no enemies... yet.

I have new batteries for the bike! The old ones were barely strong enough to show shadows on the display. Now it's nice & clear.

Tomorrow I get the results from the blood-work done last week. I'm looking forward to that since I know there will be clear evidence of great changes.

Still traveling...

More than a year ago I started this journey. A lot has changed since then including the fact that I'm not just using the bike anymore. That has slowed my progress on miles, but I believe it has sped up my progress for physical health. The treadmill is a different kind of focus and one that makes me push a lot harder than the bike does.

I'm fasting tonight. Lots of water, of course, but no foods until I get home tomorrow. Just another round of blood-work to see where my numbers fall. Only, it's not just another round. It's very different. This time I'm going in with a sense of expectancy. There are still some things that aren't quite balanced, but I know that, overall, the numbers will be better. And whatever the numbers may be I know that I'm going to keep going. Why? Because, as I stated in my goals, I deserve this.

Today's workout was all about muscles and soreness. Tomorrow, after getting to eat, I will be back on the bike (I have new batteries!) and getting my heart going.

This is a great journey. Thank you to all who have been with me so far. One thousand miles is pretty close. Are you ready for the next thousand?

985.7 Miles

(2.2 treadmill)

Still drifting.

Today was a little easier, but still too sore to get to the third mile. Still, I am proud of myself for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that I've been working out through some pretty rough spots instead of giving up. In the past I've simply stopped working out because I feel crappy about something going on in my life and I didn't start back up for a few years. It has happened more than a few times. But this time... well, I did slack off in December. Part of that was because Anthony was in town, but most of it was emotional. But, that was only for a couple weeks.

Now, even though there are some stresses I feel stronger about continuing to push myself with this.

AND!!! I'm nearly at a thousand miles. I can't stop now.

983.5 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

The last two days have been interesting. Yesterday I couldn't do my strength-training with the 10-pound weights. My arms just wouldn't get past a few lifts. So, I dropped down to the 8s and finished the workout. I do NOT feel bad about that at all. In fact, considering that I really wanted to just give up, I feel pretty damn good.

Today I am still sore (calves mostly) from my running on Tuesday, but I got on the treadmill anyway. I know I could have gone on the bike and there would have been less pain, but I also knew that I needed to get my leg muscles loosened up more than the bike would do.

Now it's time for lunch and some more water.

981.4 Miles

(3.3 treadmill)

Yes, that says 3.3 for today. I really wanted to push myself today and feel pretty good about it. It's a personal record in distance, but not in time... I don't think.

...

The last official run I did my time was 3.1 in 44:11. According to my calculator (divided 45 minutes by 3.3 miles to get 13.64 minutes/mile. That would have made the 3.1 mile mark at just over 42 minutes) I beat my time from my run in Asheville! How cool. It might have been even better if I didn't have to adjust the treadmill speed, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.

It won't be long until I hit the 1000 mile mark. That's a little strange to think about. It's not quite half the length of the Appalachian Trail, but it's not that far from it, either.

Now, it's time to eat something and finish up this day.

Strength-training

Today I started the workout that April posted in our thread on Ravelry. Each month she's going to change it up a bit. Today I set the interval timer (free app on the iPad) and get moving. I didn't follow her routine exactly, instead I did each exercise for 30 seconds before moving to the next one. The whole session lasted just over 13 minutes but I was more than ready for a break! Instead, I got some water, walked up & down the hallway a little, then did it one more time. For the second time, though, I had to use the 8-pound weights instead of the 10. Yes, my arms were that shaky.

978.1 Miles

(10.3 bike)

The land is silent and it is dreary and cold. We are drifting. So far there are no enemies.

My legs are still sore from the other day, but I need to push myself further. The bicycle gives me a good chance to raise my heart rate significantly without making my legs hurt even more. Even so, it was a bit of a struggle to keep the pace at 20mph for the entire 30 minutes. I'm glad I did it since that feeling of accomplishment means a lot to me.

New Weights

Today's workout was brought to you by the number 10! Yes, you read that right, I used 10-pound weights today. I was very happy to have gotten a special surprise on Saturday and was able to use them today. I can tell you that I just barely made it to the end of the session. My muscles will most likely be rather sore tomorrow, but I will just remind myself that I am going to reach my goals.

967.8 Miles

(1.9 treadmill)

Well, I didn't do too bad considering I have been slacking for a while. I did lose some of the momentum from early December, but I know it will only take a little time to regain that. There were moments today that I really felt some pain, but there were other moments when I had to smile because I'd pushed myself. I know I'll be sore tomorrow, but it's worth every twinge.

Looking back...

Looking back over these last posts... it looks like I haven't been doing that much. I'll admit that I slacked off with the miles (only a couple times on the treadmill, a couple times on the bike, and 3 outdoor walks), and only a little slacking on the weights (twice a week instead of four times). I probably reached the thousand-mile mark last month, but I didn't take pictures, or even really track the miles, so I am not going to guess at them.

I am looking forward to getting back into a set routine over the next few days. I think it helps a lot with various areas of my life.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderfully healthy year ahead.