Thursday, March 15, 2012

Thirty Minutes is Better Than Nothing

I've already mentioned my concern about gaining weight due to all this healing downtime.

There's another concern too: that I'm going to be a complete and total grump for six to eight weeks.

Like a lot of people, I rely on running to counter what I think is a genetic tendency to depression. Running has transformed me into an optimist. I don't know how I would have gotten through my teens without the short runs I did with my dad. And I've found that the more I run, the more optimistic, clear-headed and nice I become.

So it was no surprise that yesterday, a day in which I did NO exercise other than my prescribed leg lifts, found me tired, foggy--and grumpy. By the end of the day, when I finally got the kids down, I collapsed myself at 8:35 p.m. My daughter has a cough, and she woke me up at 12:30 a.m. My husband, who has a big project at work, was still there. As I got Ruthie back to bed, I wondered to myself, How am I going to get through this period of such minimal exercise?

Today was a gym day. I didn't make myself wake up early, but as soon as the kids were finished with breakfast, I rounded them up and went. When I got there, I warmed up with five walking minutes on the treadmill. Then I went through my upper-body weight circuit and my leg lifts. And then I got on the recumbent bike for my 30 precious minutes of what I consider "real" exercise.

My back is still sore, but it's much better than two days ago. And it felt nice and supported on that wide high-backed seat. So I hit the workout hard. I had found a pool-running routine by Pete Pfitzinger online. Most of the early workouts in that are about 30 minutes long (unlike the ones in my McMillan Spring of Speed plan, which I've had to set aside for now). The first workout, which I did today, is a five-minute warm-up, followed by two sets of 5 x 1.5 minutes hard with 30 second recoveries and then a five-minute cool-down. Since I can't pool run, my new plan is to do these workouts on the bike.

I kept my eye on my heart rate the whole time and was happy to see that as those fast intervals progressed, it was easy to keep it up in the 140s and 150s. And maybe even better, when I climbed off the bike and wiped it free of sweat, I felt like my usual self was back.

Tomorrow is another day of rest. I'm hoping that I can ride today's endorphins until Saturday morning and that at some point, if I'm diligent about taking care of my back, Cathy will let me do 30 minutes every day and maybe eventually ramp up to a "long" workout on weekends.

It's hard to be patient when you're grumpy. But patience is the key to all of this.

Weight Update: Before the workout this morning, I weighed myself and am happy to report the scale read 128.4. Satisfactory. In the small blessings department, it's good this all happened during Lent, when I'm not eating sugar anyway. I'm hoping that will help.

22 comments:

  1. Hang in there. I totally get to how hard it is. But it IS temporary. I did that Pete Pfz. plan when I was injured. It was better than nothing and really got my heart rate up. Glad the scale report was satisfactory!

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  2. Just remember..this too shall pass and you will be back out there before you know it, the important thing is to get healed up and make sure you aren't doing too much so your body can heal.  I know this is so much easier said than done though.  Hugs!

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  3. Beth is right.  Temporary.
    short term
    a bump in the road.
    will not last forever.
    you will get through this.  you will.
    and you will be that girl I see on the right side running with a big smile...

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  4. You'll get through it! I know you will. ...And you'll come back stronger. Hello, BQ! :)  Just think about all the amazing things that are going to happen once your spine straightens up.

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  5. Hooray for pool running and for 'satisfactory' weight! I was in the pool for 6 weeks pre-Boston 2010. No problemo, pool running works. Keep on keeping on girl, you can do this!

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  6. I was thinking about you and wondering how it was going.  Glad the chips/guac had  good impact on the weight. ;)   Ahhh...hang tough - the days are clicking by and you'll be running again (pain free) soon!

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  7. Also remember, you won't be quite as starving when you're not pushing miles - you will do just fine with the weight! You won't be a grump ... especially knowing that you have wonderful things to look forward to!

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  8. BostonboundbrunetteMarch 15, 2012 at 7:21 PM

    I am grumpy too!!  Jogging on the treadmill at a speed that produces no sweat really bothers me :(  I am scale watching too.  I think it went down a couple of pounds due to a high intensity elliptical workout.  I'm sending you positive vibes!

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  9. I completely understand the worry about the grumpy self returning!!!  I'm glad the bike ride went well and hope you get cleared to do it every day ASAP!

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  10. I have so much to learn about being patient and remembering things are temporary.  It's so hard when you are in the middle of something that sucks!

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  11. Endurance training taught me patience...... Plus I think you're too tall to be one of Snow White's dwarfs..........

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  12. Yes, we are in the same boat, it's hard to spend our time without the usual running workouts. I have your same feelings. However the cross training helps even if it is not the same. Best wishes.

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  13. I hope those endorphins are carrying you through today!  You're doing all the right things... let that back heal, and you'll be back at it!

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  14. Patience is tough when you feel stir crazy, but your good attitude comes through loud and clear in this post! Hopefully soon you can go back to everyday exercise. It's funny (and yet makes so much sense to me) to hear you lament not being able to exercise when so many people complain tirelessly about needing to. :-)

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  15. I really hope your daughter is not getting this horrible flu that is going around....it is the worst.  I hope she feels better soon. 

    I know how hard it is to not be able to run or workout the way you want, but like you said 30 minutes is better than nothing.  Hang in there and good job staying away from the sugar.  I am one to turn to the sugar when I can't run!

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  16. Sending you fast healing vibes!!!

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  17. It's really tough when are injured and are so used to all the endorphins. Cheer up, you will be back to 100% before you know it!

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  18. Hang in there, it will get easier. When I broke my foot last year, the mental anguish of being patient with myself and trying the quiet the chatter that previously only exercise could do was the hardest.

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  19. Hugs to you! You will get through this! 

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  20. It's really amazing how a workout can completely turn around your mood isn't it? I am always amazed at that. I have a question though...do you think it might be more detrimental to your confidence (and self image) to weigh yourself every day, rather than once a week? We all fluctuate so much with water weight, etc. on a day-to-day basis, that maybe a few pounds registering on the scale isn't actual weight gained. Plus, as I am sure you know, it is impossible to gain or lose even 2-3 pounds in such a short period of time. I know you have probably already thought about this, but I was just curious....

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  21. Hang in there!!!!  You'll be better in no time!  :-)

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  22. Check out my latest post! ;)

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