Exercise Update

It’s been awhile since I talked about exercising, but I wanted to give an update! So far, so good.

I admit that I had to change up my regimen. While I was determined to do the Couch to 5k program, it just wasn’t going to happen – at least, not yet. The jogging portions killed my ankles and shins. This frustrated me enough that I knew I’d quit if I didn’t take a step back and build up my strength and stamina. The adage “you have to walk before you run” is totally true.

Also, I’m not sure if that’s really an adage, but let’s just go with it.

But! I’m still walking. I try to get up and out every day before work, if I can. I leave it up to my body – if I got enough sleep the night before, I usually wake up on time to go (about 45 minutes before my alarm goes off) and get out the door. If not, I sleep through to my alarm, and plan to do some other exercise that day. I’m still amazed at how often I can wake up on my own and get out the door.

Last week, I had a few days off for the holiday, and did my walks with Mr. Martini. I also doubled my distance on those walks (up to 3 miles), although we did go a bit slower since the temps/humidity were in the upper 80s-90s, even during the morning hours last week. On Sunday, I was sure I’d never make it on the longer walk – SO HOT, SO HUMID – but Mr. M is a good walking partner who nudged me along and convinced me to keep going.

Afterwards, I looked like this:

Sweaty, blurry, and red-faced. OK, maybe not blurry in person, but definitely red-faced and sweaty.

So that’s my current regimen: on weekday mornings when I don’t have as much time, I walk a shorter distance but focus on my keeping my pace up. On weekends when I have more time, I try to walk further at a steady pace.

I’m also doing crunches and pushups, because it’s almost time for my annual birthday cartwheel, and I want to make sure my arms are strong enough to do one this year.

Phew! That’s a lot of words to describe me walking. Anyone else out there in the same place I am – walking for now, until you’re strong enough to run? How long did it take?

Filed in: Health