Made my Monday

A fellow blogger, That Pink Girl, used to write weekly posts called "Made my Monday" and she would focus on something positive that had happened that day. I admire folks who can look on the bright side, especially on Mondays. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people, so this isn't going to turn into a series.

But today was pretty good! Not only did I have the day off and get to sleep in, but I also had my first real workout in 3 months! A stress fracture was to blame for my not exercising for 6 weeks, but the rest of the time...I probably should have been doing something.

After my meltdown the other day, I realized that I'm not going to feel better until I get out and do something, no matter what that something has to be. I can't run, so I have to suck it up and deal with it and find an alternative. I cannot continue to sit on my couch in front of the TV eating pizza. That's how this whole thing started in the first place. So today, I took my bike and went outside to ride in the sunshine.

I didn't get very far. But riding on a trainer out on the deck is better than riding a bike at the gym and definitely better than doing nothing. I might try a real ride at some point, but I wanted to use the trainer first to make sure my hip didn't hurt. Also, I'm not supposed to use much resistance, and here in the Ozarks, it's going to be tough to find a place to bike without any hills.

It's been so long since I've put on workout clothes that it took me quite a while just to locate a sports bra and running top. It was so good to dust off my old Nike running visor! I even got to try out my new Texas socks from TPG.

Normally, I would consider this blasphemy, but I just finished Friday Night Lights. Texas Forever.

I spent 30 minutes spinning in the sun, listening to my old running playlist, which I haven't turned on since December. My hip didn't hurt, and it felt great to finally DO something. But I can tell I've been too lazy and I have a long way to go. I'm sore in places that shouldn't be sore after an easy bike ride. But it's good to hurt. It's good to have stupid tan lines. It's good to be starting over. It stinks that I have to, but it's good that I CAN.

It made my Monday!

Spinning

I haven't posted in a while because...I'm too hot. It's too hot to take out the kayak, too hot to ride my bike, too hot to walk from the parking lot to the office. Too. Hot. I can't remember the last time I arrived at work without my clothes stuck to me. We all know this summer has been miserable.

BUT! I've braved the elements before to stick with my training plan, and I'll do it again. Technically, I don't start training for my first marathon for another two weeks. But the plan is going to be tough, and I've been training harder and building up my mileage just so I'll be ready for week one. I'll be following the Run Less, Run Faster plan (I'll post my detailed plan soon), and it calls for three days of running at a specified pace and at least two days of cross training.

I don't cross train, and I don't think I've ever successfully exercised more than four days a week on a regular basis. Training is time consuming, and with both Trea and I working and taking care of our home and trying to have some semblance of a life, there just aren't enough hours in a day. But 26.2 is a big deal, and I know I have to push myself to work out on days that I don't feel like it. As That Pink Girl says, if you want to be successful on race day, you have to pay the man. Put in the miles. No shortcuts. So a few weeks ago, I started cross training.

Before I started doing longer mileage and pushing myself hard to follow the RLRF plan, I wanted to ease my body into a new schedule. I kept my mileage low (not necessarily on purpose) and started running three days a week and taking a spin class two days a week for cross training, just like the plan says. It has been SO HARD. Being active for that many days, working new muscles, trying to add in speed work...it's all been quite an adjustment. But I'm getting used to it, and I think I'll be ready to start my training plan and stick with it in two weeks.

And I learned that I LOVE spin class! I have a bike, but I'm too lazy to load it in the car and drive somewhere that I can actually ride it since my streets are too curvy and narrow and dangerous, so it mostly just sits in the garage. Unless I'm snowed in. Spin class seemed like the perfect cross training option since I'm a terrible swimmer and I need to build up my quads anyway. Plus, it's an excuse to workout in air conditioning instead of outside on the surface of the sun. Trea goes with me, and we push ourselves incredibly hard every single class, and I can tell it's making me stronger. And it's fun!

Yes, I'm a nerdy blogger and made Trea take my picture in the spinning room.

It was so terribly uncomfortable at first, um, in places where I'm not used to having pain. But a gel seat cover solved that problem (mostly), so now I look forward to class, and I'm always proud of myself for doing more than just running and working harder to get in shape.

Do you spin? Ride a real bike? What do you do to cross train?