1161.7 Miles

We camped during the day and left at dusk. So far things are quiet, but we are cautious. Sam noticed the rind moon and I was struck with the thought of how many nights I've watched the moon.

Well, June started out with the flu so I have not been walking a mile each day. I'll admit that I was a little pissed about getting sick when things are starting to improve, but I am choosing to let it go. I still have plenty of time to work on my health.

Brianna & I joined up with a group called the Hogwarts Running Club which hosts virtual runs. Yes, they trust that you will complete the miles needed. Not a problem for us.Our first 5k was on Saturday evening. The group prompted for us to walk/run at night (it was inspired by Lupin, so the moonlight was important), but Brianna & I walked in the late evening. I had a bit of a hard time with the distance and the hills, but I still completed it and that was what counted.

Of course, I felt extremely stiff and sore the following day and Monday, but I didn't feel as if I was exhausted, just tired. And so, after most of the soreness wore off, we decided to take another walk. This time my calves & shins were screaming at me during the first mile, so it was slow going -

We will be walking this distance every few days so that my muscles have time to recover and I still get to get my miles in. The next Hogwarts run is the Hedwig Memorial 5k on July 27 and I'm really looking forward to completing that one. Since I still have over a month, I know that I'll be ready to walk that one without any issues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

965.9 Miles

(1.9 treadmill)

I learned an important lesson today. I decided to put both of my workouts together and went directly from the weights to the treadmill. Not such a great idea. The treadmill felt like torture. I didn't realize how much refreshment that hour or two in between really was. Now I know. Tomorrow? Treadmill first, then weights after lunch.

Also, I'm going to amp up the miles starting tomorrow. Even if that means more walking. I will reach 1,000 before the end of the year.

962 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

Today was a pushing kind of day. I was on the treadmill before lunch, did weights before Brianna got home, then another short session with Brianna in the early evening. I might hurt tomorrow, but it will be worth it all. I also now have a write-on/wipe-off calender on the fridge (found at the thrift store and in great shape) so I can start keeping track of my water. I think that it's even more important during the winter to make sure I stay hydrated.

959.9 Miles

(10.2 bike)

I'll admit that I've not been listening to the book lately. I know that the traveling on the river doesn't take up a lot in the story, and I don't like to only listen for a couple minutes at a time. Soon, though, I will have to make a decision about which path to take. Will I stay with Frodo or will I go on with Strider?

Wednesday was a weights day again. I should be more specific since it's not just weight-training, but that's what I call the day. What it involves is various exercises that work the muscles of my body and I use 8-pound weights. Cardio isn't really a factor even though I do tend to get winded sometimes.

On these days I set my timer (an app on the iPad, but I can't remember what it's called right now) to intervals of 1 minute with a 10 second "break", repeated 12 times. During the 1 minute I will do an exercise for 30 seconds, then switch sides for the remaining 30 seconds. For example, if I am doing lunges, I'm doing the right leg for the full 30 seconds, then the left. The 10-second break gives me enough time to get into position for the next exercise. When an exercise works both sides at the same time (squats, for example) I will do them for the full minute. There are 12 different exercises that I do during these intervals so the session lasts 14 minutes. At this point I will take a short water break then start all over again. After that, I will do stretches and a few Sun Salutations.

So, when I say it's a "weights day" you now know what I mean.

Today's ride involved reading on my iPad. I've tried to knit while I'm pedaling, but when you're trying to maintain a speed of 20mph, your gauge just gets wonky.

935.9 Miles

(2.1 treadmill)

I read too far in the book and now need to get my miles back to where I am in the story. It won't take long.

Today I ran for 6.5 minutes before needing to walk and then it was because my calves were really burning, not because I was out of breath. So I walked for a little more than a minute then began running again. My total running time today was 18 minutes (out of 30). I know that might not seem like a lot to some, but it's a great accomplishment for me. And I feel really good about it. I look forward to tomorrow's activities.

923.4 Miles

(1.8 treadmill)

Today wasn't a "pushing" kind of day. I decided that I needed a longer run time and I knew that meant going a little slower. After my warm up I kept the treadmill at only 4mph since I can walk that fast and jog that slow without too much trouble. So, I jogged for as long as I could, then walked for no more than 1 minute at a time. I am going to stick with this routine for just a bit until the jogging time is significantly longer than the walking. Then I'm going to ramp up the speed.

916.4 Miles

(2.0 treadmill)

We have reached the north side of Caras Galadan. So very close!

It's been far too long since I've posted on here. Part of that was a dumb rebellion on my own part. I was letting my dislike for another person bring me down. It was pointed out to me that by doing that I was letting them win. I deserve to treat myself better than that. And so, today I was back at it, in full force.

Today I did two workouts. This morning was 30 minutes on the treadmill. This evening was 30 minutes with the weights. I think I'm going to sleep quite deeply tonight. I will write more of some of my goals tomorrow.

911.1 Miles

(3.1 - Hills of Asheville)

This post is quite late. I ran/walked in my second 5k before my 41st birthday (and still keep forgetting that I actually had a birthday). I have a lot on the agenda for the remainder of this calender year and I'm looking forward to the progress I know I will have. In the meantime, here is a cool picture of April and me after she finished her part of the race (she ran the half marathon!!!)

904.1 Miles

 (1.9 treadmill)

Still walking with our blindfolds on.

I wasn't sure about yesterday. My legs were pretty sore from Monday's run and from the chains I did with Brianna on Tuesday. Still, I have a goal to reach and it won't happen if I keep putting things off. So, I got on the treadmill. My shins were already screaming at me in 10 minutes of running/walking, but it felt more like the "go ahead and stop 'cause this isn't comfortable" kind of screaming, not the "there is an injury here" screaming. So I kept going. When I reached the 30 minute mark I was a bit surprised to see how far I'd gone since I fully expected less than 1.5 miles.

Today my legs are barely able to move in certain positions so I'm focusing on stretching, hydration, and gentle movements. I'm not going to be on the treadmill more than 3 times this week, but I'm okay with that since I know that the strength training is also building the healthy body I want to have for the rest of my life.

900.4 Miles

I have 20 more miles before I reach Lothlorien.

Oh my goodness!!! I can't believe I did what I did today. Really. I thought I was going to pass out before I was finished, but I'm so glad I kept going. It was a bit odd keeping track of everything, but Brianna helped me out.

Now, up front I should say that I did not run the whole distance. However, I ran accumulatively longer today than I have before. Even during the 5k in June I didn't run as long (faster, but shorter times).

I discovered that the treadmill speed will jump by .5 if I hold the buttons down. Yeehaw, that means a lot less time for speed adjustment. That makes a big difference when you're going from 4 mph to 5.5 mph (holding the button for about 3 seconds instead of pressing it 15 times). After this awesome discovery, I had Brianna use the stopwatch on my old phone. Every time I was running she would press start, then press stop when I was walking. During my "oh my Gods, I need water or I'm going to die" break, I hit stop on the treadmill, too (it saves the time & stuff). That break was less than 5 minutes, then I was back at it.

So the breakdown is this:

20 minutes at 5.5 mph/1.83 miles
19.7 minutes at 4.0 mph/1.31 miles

I know the picture shows 3.3 miles, but with the few seconds of adjusting the speed here and there, I went with what the time calculations came to instead of what the treadmill said. I've already been drinking a ton of water and will be doing a lot of stretching for the rest of the afternoon. I'm looking forward to trying this again soon!