Update :-)

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."-John Bingham

I've been swamped. Work is nuts. Life outside of work is nuts. I feel as though I'm never home, and when I am, posting is the last thing I'm thinking of. So...it's been a while since I've given you all an update.

It's all good news really. I'm running.

Not outside, and not on hills, and not for very far...but I'm running consistently and (mostly) without pain.

I want to be running longer, further......but I'll take what I can get and be happy! :-)

I've taken on a new project at work, and it's had me working some later hours.......but that's pretty much calmed down now. The rest of the family is riding across the state of Iowa on RAGBRAI without me, and I'm sad....but that's OK...hopefully I'll be able to go next year.

(I just need to get out on my bike a little more before then!!!)

So, with them gone, we're babysitting my sister's two dogs.

Our house is a mad house of fur, barking, growling, and squeaky toy madness!


A rare shot of them all sleeping at once. Isaac is at the top. He's our "old man" Scottish Terrier. Sam is the black lab. Emmy is a cocker spaniel and Houston is a Brittany I believe.

All of the dogs are getting along pretty well, for the most part. Isaac has shown each and every one of them that he has teeth, and he's not afraid to use them. It takes quite a bit of growling and posturing...but when he finally decides to show them he's had enough, his point comes across loud and clear.

Emmy, my sister's oldest, just wants to cuddle. Oh, and she's a squeaky toy addict. Sam is bad....but she's a hoot!! The two bigger dogs and their rough housing had her hiding under the kitchen table for safety this morning. When they are at it, nothing's safe! :-)

Sam, our 1 1/2 year old puppy, is loving having someone to play with all day. She wants a friend to play fetch with...but just having them run along behind or beside her will have to do. Her routine is messed up right now, and I can tell she'll be happy when the house has calmed down again, and she has her people to herself.

Houston, my sister's youngest, is a sweetheart. He and I avoided each other completely the first couple of days. He just stares at me. It's kinda creepy. His eyes are beautiful...but when they are fixed on me 24/7, it's unnerving. "Kill me in my sleep if I don't get the kennel door latched" creepy.

On day three, he cuddled up with me on the couch....and ever since, he follows me wherever I go. We're buddies.

So....to my workouts. I've been doing quite well. Here's a brief recap of what I've been up to since I last posted.

07/17/11 - Sunday
2+ miles on the treadmill
28:56 (including warm up and cool down)
321 calories burned (per my Polar watch)
Max HR 187
Avg HR 158
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07/18/11 - Monday
Yoga strength class
1:02:18
507 calories burned
Max HR 180
Avg HR 132
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07/20/11 - Wednesday
Spin class
49:12
631 calories burned
Max HR 184
Avg HR 170
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07/21/11 - Thursday
2.5 miles on the treadmill
30:46 (including warm up and cool down)
408 calories burned
Max HR 191
Avg HR 174
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07/22/11 - Friday
Elliptical then weights
14:44 (elliptical)
184 calories burned (elliptical)
Max HR 179
Avg HR 168

I also went in for my last (fingers crossed) Graston appointment that Friday. It's been a week, and I'm still running. I went from only 2 miles at a time, to 2.5. Going to start giving 3 miles at a time a whirl this weekend. I'm actually nervous about 3 miles at a time. It's kinda crazy! :-)
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07/23/11 - Saturday
Spent most of the day walking around the RAGBRAI starting town and expo. No clue how many miles, how many minutes, or how many GALLONS of sweat rolled off of me. Heat index in the 100's. Rain, sun, rain, sun, rain, sun. It was nuts!!!!
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07/24/11 - Sunday
2.5 miles on the treadmill
38:54 (including warm up and cool down)
443 calories burned
Max HR 187
Avg HR 158
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07/26/11 - Tuesday
2.5 miles on the treadmill
34:43 (including warm up and cool down)
369calories burned
Max HR 197
Avg HR 152
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07/28/11 - Thursday
2.5 miles on the treadmill
35:41 (including warm up and cool down)
396 calories burned
Max HR 187
Avg HR 156
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07/28/11 - Thursday night
Yoga for Runner Workshop - Week 1
90 minutes
- This class was great! I love doing yoga, and would love to "practice" yoga officially...but I've never found a class or instructor that I felt comfortable with. Not comfortable as in they scared me, or I didn't think they knew their stuff. Just comfortable as in "a fit". Mandy spoke at the long distance running group I belong to a few weeks ago....and when I found out she was doing a Y4R workshop, I signed up immediately.

Taking a class that is geared for and centered around runners was really nice. She's been a runner in the past, and could understand where we were coming from. Our habits, our way of thinking, our masochism, our stiff and tight leg muscles. :-)

The sessions are 90 minutes each, but those 90 minutes FLEW by!!! We learned a couple variations on the sun salutation (series A and B). The class is small (6 of us) and it was perfect! She was able to watch each of us as we went through the motions...correcting angles, foot placement, and such every step of the way.

And, just like a runner loves to have a training schedule to follow....she gave us homework. We're to do 5 (oh gosh, I think she said 5 - hehehehe) sun salutations, 3 days before we meet next week. 15 minutes, 3 days...I think I can handle that. Although....I tend to take a little bit longer during each series than some were. Maybe it's the 18 years of dance classes? I'm paying attention to every little detail (arm placement, breathing, etc) along the way. I'm sure it will get faster once it becomes more natural to me. For now, I'm taking my time.

Plus, besides yoga having the physical health benefits attached to it...I'm also loving the mental parts. With as hectic as things have been lately, having that time to "relax" felt great. I need to convert our den into a sort of yoga room. It's the perfect spot...I just need to find my mat, maybe get myself some kneepads (my knees bruise so friggin' easily!!!) and a CD with some uber relaxing music on it.

After the class was over, I talked to her one on one. She remembered me from the running group and was giving me the names of the others from the group that had signed up for other times the workshop is being held. Then we talked about my injury.

During the session, she addressed shin splints specifically....and was telling everyone some of the same information I'd found online, or been told by my PT. But, she was telling me the different ways yoga can help. If that's the case, I'm going as much as I can!!!!
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So...there you have it....my last two weeks in a nutshell. :-)