Mondays Just Are Not My Thing

I have officially given up on Monday mornings. Every Monday morning I kid myself into believing that I will actually get up with my alarm (which is set for before 6:00am) for a training walk. Every Monday morning the same thing happens… I hit snooze at least 4 times before finally resetting my alarm (decide to walk after work), hit snooze a few more times and then shockingly end up late for work. Not this Monday. Nope, no early alarm, no snooze (okay maybe once) and well I was still late to work… but come on it is Monday!

On a side note, according to the Komen training guide, Monday is supposed to be a “rest” day. While I’m sure those who actually walked their 21 total miles this past weekend appreciated it, I felt the need to play a little catch up this Monday (like most Mondays, okay fine every Monday so far).

So this Monday I decide an evening walk is a great idea. I love the evening walks because it gives me an opportunity to make some personal calls and catch up with people who I haven’t spoken with in a while. Better yet, this Monday my husband Chad throws out the idea of walking with me! While I love my phone walking buddies, a buddy in person is even better. Like Shana this past Saturday (thank you)! It’s a great way to catch up and talk about life/your day while also getting a good walk done in what feels like half the time. Unfortunately the downside of walking after work is that we live in Washington, DC. While it’s not technically in “the south” is was built on a swamp. Aka- a humid, hot mess in the summer.

This past Monday evening was no exception to the DC summer. It was a normal hot commute home from work and a mental prep to walk. What I didn’t expect was Chad’s reaction when I got home… “You know that it IS a code RED ozone day, right?”

Okay, back story:

Chad and I lived in Houston, TX during the summer of 2003. At one point a good friend once compared the Houston Summer to the Michigan Winter. “You know how people rarely venture out during the middle of the worst of winter in Michigan? They do that here, only at the worst of summer.” They have level Purple days in Houston. Something I knew nothing about until I didn’t have a job and didn’t have cable, so all I did was read the local paper. We had two in a row when I first moved to Houston. I remember calling Chad (from the darkest corner of our apartment, shades drawn) to warn him of the side effects (BAD). So for Chad to bring up a code Red day… yikes. AKA a good excuse not walk. Only problem, I actually WANTED to walk.

So I took Monday off and made sure I walked a good walk Tuesday (6 miles). Not bad, haze and all (See photo above- only a 2 mile view away).

Every Training Walk is an Adventure

Not only are we using this blog to keep track of our training and as a source of motivation, but we are also using this to share our training adventures (which have already been interesting to say the least)!

A bit about my training style...

When I first started training I had a hard time walking instead of running. It took everything I had to stop, walk and smell the roses. It wasn’t the “working out” that I found difficult; it was the amount of time that goes into these walks. I do enjoy exercising, but I also enjoy sleeping, eating, television, pool time and pretty much everything else in life that doesn’t require a ton of work and planning (thank you DVR, you were life changing). So for me, my 4(ish) days per week of 45min-1hour workouts of running, lifting and general toning has now gone to a planned mix of time consuming walks and cross training.

There is also a lot of pressure involved in my new workout routine… basically if I don’t do it I risk the chance of losing a lot of toe nails, obnoxiously annoying blisters and pretty much massive pain everywhere. But it’s no longer about losing a few pounds; it’s about honoring those who we have lost, celebrating my sister’s victory and helping save our next generation from this battle.

So, as I learned from my first official walk on July 4^th, this training will not be easy but it will be well worth the time and shoes that will go into this! It will also be worth the sights and experiences along the way!

I hope you follow us through our adventures along the way (more to come on those) and oh… if you haven’t donated to Chicks for a Cure… get on it… Please and thank you!

Light Headed and Lead Footed

So, first - yay me - went to yoga on top of the 3 miles at lunch yesterday.  LOVE my yoga classes, even though I'm not very good at it.  The awkwardness I feel is so worth the posture and the stillness.

Today I got a late start on my lunch, so I did not have the full hour.  I almost bailed but decided 2 miles is better than 0 miles, so I went.

Leg aching and limping my way over, I had to keep convincing myself this was a good idea instead of sitting in my office with my foot up.  The first quarter to half mile I had to really focus on walking normally so as not to overcompensate and injur something else.  After a half mile though, it felt pretty good - this is the weirdest injury EVER!

Also, I don't know how I missed this yesterday, but they obviously re-waxed the basketball courts while I was away.  Usually, I love that smell.  It reminds me of the first day of school.  However, when I've had a relatively crazy day and haven't had breakfast or lunch, it's not nearly as charming.  Suffice it to say, my "high" was not from adrenaline today!

The Reality is....

...that I am lazy.  Deep down, to the core, borderline slovenly.  That may be hard to imagine for those of you who have an idea of my color coded calendars and breakneck afterschool/work pace.  But truly, if I had the luxury (foolishness?) of completely following my heart, my days would look far more lesiurely!

Thankfully, it's not possible for me to give in fully to my nature, but it certainly creeps in here and there.  Hence, the need for this blog.  Unlike my sister, my workout routine to date has been (generously put) sporadic.  She is far better about a daily (or at least mostly daily) routine.  This is patently clear if you see us side by side.

Since I committed to walking 60 miles over 3 days in October and dragged her into this, I also pledged to train.  Regularly.  Consistently.

Good theory.

We started with a shared log on Google docs.  Great idea and it's going pretty well.  But between me not being very competitive and my sister not being mean enough to yell at me when I slack off, I need something far more PUBLIC to shame me into consistency.

Also, we've had some pretty funny anecdotes on the journey so far.  It seems stingy to keep them just amongst the two of us.  So enjoy!  Be forewarned that some days may be fairly mundane - just logging miles.  Read at your own risk.

P.S.  Three miles at the WSU RFC track on my lunch today - yay!