It's been a long time. Almost two months. What happened to me? Let's look back (insert Wayne's World flashback sound here...)
Last I left you was shortly before Thanksgiving. But I'm going to back it up a little more. At the beginning of November I was out for my weekly long run. Part of my route involved having to run on some even ground. By uneven, I mean a few inches of level grass before sloping sharply. While I didn't have any acute pain when having to run there, it began to hurt later on. And it would hurt while walking. If I avoiding running, it would get better. If I ran, it wouldn't hurt much while running, but would hurt again afterwards. I ran a 5K on Thanksgiving morning. Again, it didn't hurt while running, but hurt like crazy through the weekend.
Then I had a week break from running by going to Disney World. While I did a lot of walking, I wasn't in any pain.
I went ahead and made an appointment with a sports medicine doctor. I figured they would be better equipped to handle my problem than my regular family practice doctor. I'm really glad I went to the sports medicine doctor. If anyone in the Atlanta area needs a sports medicine doctor, I will be happy to recommend him to you. Instead of nurses who initially see you and take your history, the doctors are paired with a sports trainer. They suspected I could have a stress fracture, so I was sent for an MRI. The MRI showed I had a stress reactive condition, meaning I didn't have a visible stress fracture but had inflammation indicating I could be developing a stress fracture.
So I was put in a walking boot for four weeks and banned from running, biking, and swimming. After being so active for about seven months, it was a change of pace. Given that it was the Christmas season, having to be inactive while eating more than usual was unfortunate.
Fortunately, everything seems on the mend. I was pain-free coming out of the boot. The rehab plan is in effect. I was allowed to ride my bike for 4-5 days first. I got an indoor trainer for my bike. Which was good since it was rainy and/or cold. Then I was allowed to do elliptical work. I'm in that period now. I"m taking advantage of a 7 day pass to a gym to get the elliptical work done. The bonus has been there's a pool at the gym and I've been able to get some swimming practice done. Once I'm done with the elliptical, I'm supposed to make contact with the doctor before I can begin running again.
I'm still planning to run a half marathon at the end of February. I'm not expecting to be able to run the whole distance. My plan is to alternate running and walking. Hopefully, I'll get to start running again this week and I"ll remain pain free. Fingers crossed.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Saturday, November 19, 2011
The Athlete Within
I think I've mentioned before that I've spent most of my life not being an athlete. I had an athletic spurt in 5th and 6th grades when I played softball. But I played catcher, so the most running I would have to do would be potentially running the bases when batting (not necessarily a common occurrence). I considered doing field hockey in high school when they were just starting a team, but decided against all of the running. For my two required P.E. classes in college, I took fencing and gymnastics. I enjoyed them both while still avoiding having to run around too much. (What I really wanted to take was horseback riding, but that's another story for another day.)
Now my inner athlete has chosen this year to emerge. And it's not been happy to limit itself to just one activity. How far have I come in seven months? (Glad you asked)
I run. My longest run to date has been seven miles, set two weeks ago. And I'm planning to run a half-marathon in February. Up next is a Thanksgiving day 5K. I'm actually seeking out things to do.
I bike. I did over 60 miles over 2 days in September (on my almost 20 year old mountain bike). I really enjoy being on my bike. I'm now the proud owner of a proper road bike. I'm already signed up to the MS Bike ride next year. I may do the 60 mile ride first day.
I condition. I'm taking a fit class so I can get some all-over strength training. The biking and running don't really lend themselves to upper-body improvement.
I swim? If you recall from my Tin Man Triathlon experience, the swim was my weakest leg. While I can keep afloat and move about in a pool, I don't have a proper stroke. And I can't coordinate my breathing and swimming. Or, I should say, I couldn't. I got a co-worker who does triathlons to give me a swimming lesson. While I still don't have anything pretty, I at least feel like I could get from one side of the pool to the other with something resembling a stroke without gasping for breath or feeling completely worn out by the time I got to the other side. Now what I need is practice. And for that, I need to find a pool. There's no community pool in the county I live in. The pool used for the lesson is not particularly convenient. I'll figure something out.
Where this inner athlete has been hiding all my life up to this point, I don't know. But I like her. And I hope she sticks around for a while. I'm doing my best to keep her here.
Now my inner athlete has chosen this year to emerge. And it's not been happy to limit itself to just one activity. How far have I come in seven months? (Glad you asked)
I run. My longest run to date has been seven miles, set two weeks ago. And I'm planning to run a half-marathon in February. Up next is a Thanksgiving day 5K. I'm actually seeking out things to do.
I bike. I did over 60 miles over 2 days in September (on my almost 20 year old mountain bike). I really enjoy being on my bike. I'm now the proud owner of a proper road bike. I'm already signed up to the MS Bike ride next year. I may do the 60 mile ride first day.
I condition. I'm taking a fit class so I can get some all-over strength training. The biking and running don't really lend themselves to upper-body improvement.
I swim? If you recall from my Tin Man Triathlon experience, the swim was my weakest leg. While I can keep afloat and move about in a pool, I don't have a proper stroke. And I can't coordinate my breathing and swimming. Or, I should say, I couldn't. I got a co-worker who does triathlons to give me a swimming lesson. While I still don't have anything pretty, I at least feel like I could get from one side of the pool to the other with something resembling a stroke without gasping for breath or feeling completely worn out by the time I got to the other side. Now what I need is practice. And for that, I need to find a pool. There's no community pool in the county I live in. The pool used for the lesson is not particularly convenient. I'll figure something out.
Where this inner athlete has been hiding all my life up to this point, I don't know. But I like her. And I hope she sticks around for a while. I'm doing my best to keep her here.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Brrr...
The weather has been a bit schizophrenic the past couple of weeks. Hot one day, cold the next, nice the next. I've run in the rain and I've biked in the windy cold. So I'm having to put together my cold-weather gear. But it's actually pretty nice doing my workouts in the cooler weather. I don't get as sweaty. And I feel I can go faster.
To that end, I'm also working on increasing my running pace. My during the week workouts are going to be intervals where I alternate running and walking. For the running segments I will be trying to run harder and faster than my usual pace. I've done it once so far and I was able to achieve the goal of running faster for short segments.
The weekends I'm going to try to start alternating long runs and long bikes. I want to join in with the group rides from my local Trek shop.
To that end, I'm also working on increasing my running pace. My during the week workouts are going to be intervals where I alternate running and walking. For the running segments I will be trying to run harder and faster than my usual pace. I've done it once so far and I was able to achieve the goal of running faster for short segments.
The weekends I'm going to try to start alternating long runs and long bikes. I want to join in with the group rides from my local Trek shop.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Need for speed
I know that I titled my blog "Run when chased..." but my fits of athleticism has expanded into cycling. I am also being encouraged by others to expand into triathlons. Despite my participation in the Tin Man Triathlon, my lack of swimming skills will keep me from jumping into that arena for now.
Backing up a little, two weeks ago I had to travel for professional reasons. Between the MS Bike ride and that trip, I didn't do any biking. I gave myself a rest. I still ran, though. During my trip, I did get up on a stationary bike once, availed myself of the treadmill a couple of times, and ran outside once. I felt really good about keeping up my fitness goals while travelling and running a meeting (which was completely stressful for me).
And now to this weekend's main event. About mid-week I decided to sign up for a Brest Cancer Awareness ride which was being hosted by the local Trek Bicycle stores yesterday. I did a 25 mile ride from the Peachtree City store. It was fun and a good opportunity for a nice long ride (compared to the 5 miles I usually accomplish during the week). And it reinforced my desire for a road bike.
So...meet my new gear:
Backing up a little, two weeks ago I had to travel for professional reasons. Between the MS Bike ride and that trip, I didn't do any biking. I gave myself a rest. I still ran, though. During my trip, I did get up on a stationary bike once, availed myself of the treadmill a couple of times, and ran outside once. I felt really good about keeping up my fitness goals while travelling and running a meeting (which was completely stressful for me).
And now to this weekend's main event. About mid-week I decided to sign up for a Brest Cancer Awareness ride which was being hosted by the local Trek Bicycle stores yesterday. I did a 25 mile ride from the Peachtree City store. It was fun and a good opportunity for a nice long ride (compared to the 5 miles I usually accomplish during the week). And it reinforced my desire for a road bike.
So...meet my new gear:
It's my new road bike! It's so light! I've got new pedals and shoes to go with it! I will be Speedy Gonzalez! And I will not hurt so bad on the hills! Now I just have to get better at getting into my pedals and shifting (it's a completely different system than my mountain bike).
I plan on occasionally joining the group rides out of my local Trek shop so I can continue getting in some long rides. And I'm still running and preparing for my half-marathon in February.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Athlete?
First off, I'm not going to be doing weekly workout reviews. Rest assured, I'm still keeping up with everything. Just nothing new or exciting is going on with the workouts. If there's something new to report on that front, I will. The next big event I have on the schedule will be in February.
In the mean time, I will try to put up some thoughts on my efforts, in general. To that end...
Last week, I got called an athlete. Me and athlete have never been put together in the same breath before. My previous athletic endeavors have been limited to playing softball in fifth and sixth grades. And I played catcher, so it wasn't like I had to run around the field a lot. For my two PE requirements in college, I took fencing and gymnastics. So while I still consider myself a novice in my athletic endeavors, I can see how far I've come in five months.
I can run continuously for over an hour. I've done a triathlon (it wasn't pretty, but I did it). I've run faster than I ever have before (or since) in a 5K. I rode my bike 66 miles over two days (at a decent pace, too).
There hasn't been any big trick to it. I had a plan and I had a gradual build-up to my goal (which was originally just the running). And I definitely see results. I couldn't have done as well with the biking this weekend without the conditioning I got with the running.
So, yeah. I guess I'm an athlete.
In the mean time, I will try to put up some thoughts on my efforts, in general. To that end...
Last week, I got called an athlete. Me and athlete have never been put together in the same breath before. My previous athletic endeavors have been limited to playing softball in fifth and sixth grades. And I played catcher, so it wasn't like I had to run around the field a lot. For my two PE requirements in college, I took fencing and gymnastics. So while I still consider myself a novice in my athletic endeavors, I can see how far I've come in five months.
I can run continuously for over an hour. I've done a triathlon (it wasn't pretty, but I did it). I've run faster than I ever have before (or since) in a 5K. I rode my bike 66 miles over two days (at a decent pace, too).
There hasn't been any big trick to it. I had a plan and I had a gradual build-up to my goal (which was originally just the running). And I definitely see results. I couldn't have done as well with the biking this weekend without the conditioning I got with the running.
So, yeah. I guess I'm an athlete.
Monday, September 19, 2011
I like to ride my bicycle...
This weekend was the big MS: Bike Cox Atlanta ride at Callaway Gardens. We had a great time. The first day was 34 miles, which involved approximately 2 hours, 45 minutes of ride time but took longer due to two break points. There were some killer hills, especially in the last 12 miles. Some members of the team did 60 miles and some did 102 miles, but we all finished and did well. The rest of the day after finishing my ride was spent cheering the other groups as they finished.
The second day involved a 32 mile ride. Everyone on the team who didn't do the 102 mile ride on Saturday, with the exception of two, did the 32 mile ride. Two people just did the Saturday ride. I was sore from the day before, but felt good once I got moving. This time, the ride took approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes. Again, there were two break points and then we waited at the end for the whole 32-mile group to gather and ride into the finish as one. Then we waited to cheer in the 64-mile team mates (same guys who did the 102 miles on Saturday).
We got cool medals at the end. I'm sore today, but feel accomplished. I've already signed up for next year's ride. My goal is to save up for a road bike so I don't have to haul my mountain bike (which is heavier) up those hills again. (If anyone is interested in helping me with this goal, feel free to contribute :-) ).
The week leading up to the ride was my typical alternating bike and run days with Xfit class on Tuesday and Thursday. I didn't do anything on Friday as I wanted to rest up. And I needed to pack and travel. Today has been a well-deserved rest day. I'll start back up with a gentle run tomorrow.
The second day involved a 32 mile ride. Everyone on the team who didn't do the 102 mile ride on Saturday, with the exception of two, did the 32 mile ride. Two people just did the Saturday ride. I was sore from the day before, but felt good once I got moving. This time, the ride took approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes. Again, there were two break points and then we waited at the end for the whole 32-mile group to gather and ride into the finish as one. Then we waited to cheer in the 64-mile team mates (same guys who did the 102 miles on Saturday).
We got cool medals at the end. I'm sore today, but feel accomplished. I've already signed up for next year's ride. My goal is to save up for a road bike so I don't have to haul my mountain bike (which is heavier) up those hills again. (If anyone is interested in helping me with this goal, feel free to contribute :-) ).
The week leading up to the ride was my typical alternating bike and run days with Xfit class on Tuesday and Thursday. I didn't do anything on Friday as I wanted to rest up. And I needed to pack and travel. Today has been a well-deserved rest day. I'll start back up with a gentle run tomorrow.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Whew!
It sure has been a busy couple of weeks. I fully intended to do an update last week. But business and tiredness conspired against it. So there's lots to report.
Labor Day weekend involved the whole family attending Dragon*Con. I took my workout clothes with me in case I got a wild hair to use the hotel gym, but that was not to be. So I went four days without doing any exercising unless you count the endless walking we did. Which I don't, really, since I could feel the effects of not exercising for four days when I started back up again. I really need to avoid repeating that in the future.
This weekend I did a training run with my MS Bike team, 'Cause of Carol. It was my longest bike ride to date. It didn't feel too bad. I did have to walk the bike up two hills, one at the beginning and one at the end. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to do my long run today. While I haven't felt overly sore, I was definitely tired in my legs. The most I could manage today was about 5K of mixed running and walking. But I was expecting that.
Here's the breakdown:
Monday, August 29: Biking, ~5.2 miles, 22 minutes
Tuesday, August 30: Running, ~2.5 miles, 30 minutes. Also, ATA Fit Class.
Wednesday, August 31: Biking, ~5.6 miles, 24 minutes
Thursday, September 1: Running (treadmill at hotel), ~3.4 miles, ~37 minutes
And then...Dragon*Con
Tuesday, September 6: Biking, ~5.2 miles, 24 minutes. Ugh, remnants of Tropical Storm Lee made it drizzly and windy. I was fighting some headwind. That coupled with the lack of activity the previous four days equaled a tough workout. Also, ATA Fit Class
Wednesday, September 7: Running, ~2.5 miles, 30 minutes. BEAUTIFUL weather. Cool. Loved it!
Thursday, September 8: No running or biking. Work lunch. But did ATA Fit Class.
Friday, September 9: Running, ~2.6 miles, 31 minutes. Beautiful, cool weather again. I can tell the difference with my runs.
Saturday, September 10: Biking. 'Cause of Carol training ride. We split into two groups. One group (my group) did a shorter distance. The other group did about twice as much. My ride was ~26 miles in ~2 hours, 10 minutes.
Sunday, September 11: Rebellion of the legs. Running, ~3 miles, ~42 miles.
This week will be mostly normal during the week. Friday I will not be doing anything leading up to the weekend and the MS Ride.
Labor Day weekend involved the whole family attending Dragon*Con. I took my workout clothes with me in case I got a wild hair to use the hotel gym, but that was not to be. So I went four days without doing any exercising unless you count the endless walking we did. Which I don't, really, since I could feel the effects of not exercising for four days when I started back up again. I really need to avoid repeating that in the future.
This weekend I did a training run with my MS Bike team, 'Cause of Carol. It was my longest bike ride to date. It didn't feel too bad. I did have to walk the bike up two hills, one at the beginning and one at the end. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to do my long run today. While I haven't felt overly sore, I was definitely tired in my legs. The most I could manage today was about 5K of mixed running and walking. But I was expecting that.
Here's the breakdown:
Monday, August 29: Biking, ~5.2 miles, 22 minutes
Tuesday, August 30: Running, ~2.5 miles, 30 minutes. Also, ATA Fit Class.
Wednesday, August 31: Biking, ~5.6 miles, 24 minutes
Thursday, September 1: Running (treadmill at hotel), ~3.4 miles, ~37 minutes
And then...Dragon*Con
Tuesday, September 6: Biking, ~5.2 miles, 24 minutes. Ugh, remnants of Tropical Storm Lee made it drizzly and windy. I was fighting some headwind. That coupled with the lack of activity the previous four days equaled a tough workout. Also, ATA Fit Class
Wednesday, September 7: Running, ~2.5 miles, 30 minutes. BEAUTIFUL weather. Cool. Loved it!
Thursday, September 8: No running or biking. Work lunch. But did ATA Fit Class.
Friday, September 9: Running, ~2.6 miles, 31 minutes. Beautiful, cool weather again. I can tell the difference with my runs.
Saturday, September 10: Biking. 'Cause of Carol training ride. We split into two groups. One group (my group) did a shorter distance. The other group did about twice as much. My ride was ~26 miles in ~2 hours, 10 minutes.
Sunday, September 11: Rebellion of the legs. Running, ~3 miles, ~42 miles.
This week will be mostly normal during the week. Friday I will not be doing anything leading up to the weekend and the MS Ride.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
To the pain...
If you can name that movie, brownie points to you.
I come to you today in some pain. The building up of running since April/May meant my legs were never really sore throughout the process. I've only really had sore muscles since starting Warrior Xfit class. At least different muscles are used each class. Well, Saturday's class had a lot more leg work. I wasn't feeling too bad this morning. A little sore. And then I went running. And now I hurt. I was fine all during the run. As soon as I slowed to a walk to cool down, I knew I would be having some pain today. And so I have. It's all to to the good.
Also this week, my running has been a little faster. Tuesday was so nice, weather-wise, that I wasn't sure if it was because of the cooler temperature or that I was using music instead of audiobook to run to. Thursday was warmer again, but I still was faster. So, I'm attributing it to the music.
Here's the week:
Monday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~23 minutes
Tuesday: Running, 2.68 miles, ~30 minutes. Noticeably cooler. It will be nice when fall arrives. Warrior Xfit class, also.
Wednesday: Biking, 5.25 miles, ~23 minutes
Thursday: Running, ~2.6 miles, ~30 minutes. Hmmm, Runkeeper failed. Estimate from Nike+. Warrior Xfit class, also.
Friday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~23 minutes
Saturday: Warrior Xfit class. Lots of leg work.
Sunday: Running, 6.54 miles, ~1 hour, 15 minutes. Another personal best. ~Half way to a half marathon.
This week will be challenging to get all my workouts in. Expect delayed reporting.
I come to you today in some pain. The building up of running since April/May meant my legs were never really sore throughout the process. I've only really had sore muscles since starting Warrior Xfit class. At least different muscles are used each class. Well, Saturday's class had a lot more leg work. I wasn't feeling too bad this morning. A little sore. And then I went running. And now I hurt. I was fine all during the run. As soon as I slowed to a walk to cool down, I knew I would be having some pain today. And so I have. It's all to to the good.
Also this week, my running has been a little faster. Tuesday was so nice, weather-wise, that I wasn't sure if it was because of the cooler temperature or that I was using music instead of audiobook to run to. Thursday was warmer again, but I still was faster. So, I'm attributing it to the music.
Here's the week:
Monday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~23 minutes
Tuesday: Running, 2.68 miles, ~30 minutes. Noticeably cooler. It will be nice when fall arrives. Warrior Xfit class, also.
Wednesday: Biking, 5.25 miles, ~23 minutes
Thursday: Running, ~2.6 miles, ~30 minutes. Hmmm, Runkeeper failed. Estimate from Nike+. Warrior Xfit class, also.
Friday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~23 minutes
Saturday: Warrior Xfit class. Lots of leg work.
Sunday: Running, 6.54 miles, ~1 hour, 15 minutes. Another personal best. ~Half way to a half marathon.
This week will be challenging to get all my workouts in. Expect delayed reporting.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Striking a Warrior Pose
Lots of exciting (to me) stuff to catch up on.
First off, I got my bike back, yea! Now I have some brand spanking-new road tires, new pedal cranks, new front gears, new front deraileurs (I so don't know how to spell that), and new brakes. One bike ride later, I no longer feel like I'm sticking to the road. And I'm a little bit faster. So, I'm just about ready for the MS Ride in just under a month. Have you contributed yet? Go here: www.causeofcarol.com and clink on through to my page. If you donate, I'll put your name on my bike helmet. Donate a lot, and I'll put what you want (within reason) on my helmet. Go do it! Additionally, I went and got my bike inspected so that I can have free mechanics help on the ride.
Next new stuff. I started a new exercise program this week to get some strength training. My son's Tae Kwan Do school has a fitness class called ATA Fit or Warrior X-Fit. My muscles are a-hurting. If you want to check it out, go here: warriorxfit.com. You can do it from home for free. I like the motivation of the class.
So here's how the week went:
Monday: Running, 2.49 miles, ~30 minutes. Awesome weather. Noticeably cooler. Made me look forward to fall.
Tuesday: Running, ~2.5 miles, ~30 minutes. Still pretty awesome weather. First Warrior X-Fit class. Soreness kicks in ~24 hours class.
Wednesday: Running, 2.46 miles, ~30 minutes. Warmer.
Thursday: The bike is back! 5.25 miles, ~24 minutes (about 3-4 minutes quicker than with the mountain tires). Second Warrior X-Fit class.
Friday: Running, 2.46 miles. Hotter
Saturday: Normally a rest day. Warrior X-Fit class happening, but I had a haircut already scheduled. I took advantage of the at-home option. Because each day is a different workout targeting different muscles, soreness just moves around the body.
Sunday: Long run day. It's my longest run to date: 6.42 miles, ~1 hour, 14 minutes. I have now run more than a 10K. I'm just under halfway for the half marathon.
First off, I got my bike back, yea! Now I have some brand spanking-new road tires, new pedal cranks, new front gears, new front deraileurs (I so don't know how to spell that), and new brakes. One bike ride later, I no longer feel like I'm sticking to the road. And I'm a little bit faster. So, I'm just about ready for the MS Ride in just under a month. Have you contributed yet? Go here: www.causeofcarol.com and clink on through to my page. If you donate, I'll put your name on my bike helmet. Donate a lot, and I'll put what you want (within reason) on my helmet. Go do it! Additionally, I went and got my bike inspected so that I can have free mechanics help on the ride.
Next new stuff. I started a new exercise program this week to get some strength training. My son's Tae Kwan Do school has a fitness class called ATA Fit or Warrior X-Fit. My muscles are a-hurting. If you want to check it out, go here: warriorxfit.com. You can do it from home for free. I like the motivation of the class.
So here's how the week went:
Monday: Running, 2.49 miles, ~30 minutes. Awesome weather. Noticeably cooler. Made me look forward to fall.
Tuesday: Running, ~2.5 miles, ~30 minutes. Still pretty awesome weather. First Warrior X-Fit class. Soreness kicks in ~24 hours class.
Wednesday: Running, 2.46 miles, ~30 minutes. Warmer.
Thursday: The bike is back! 5.25 miles, ~24 minutes (about 3-4 minutes quicker than with the mountain tires). Second Warrior X-Fit class.
Friday: Running, 2.46 miles. Hotter
Saturday: Normally a rest day. Warrior X-Fit class happening, but I had a haircut already scheduled. I took advantage of the at-home option. Because each day is a different workout targeting different muscles, soreness just moves around the body.
Sunday: Long run day. It's my longest run to date: 6.42 miles, ~1 hour, 14 minutes. I have now run more than a 10K. I'm just under halfway for the half marathon.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Pounding the pavement
This week was devoted exclusively to running. My bike is still at the shop getting new tires and getting a new drive train courtesy of a recall. Hopefully, I'll be getting it back tomorrow. Then we'll see if I get a speed improvement with the new road tires.
A couple of days this week were actually not quite as humid. I could feel the difference, but it wasn't enough to make a large difference. I'll be glad when it gets cooler.
Monday: 2.33 miles, ~30 minutes
Tuesday: 2.57 miles, ~30 minutes (one of those less humid, marginally cooler days)
Wednesday: 2.44 miles, ~31 minutes
Thursday: 2.45 miles, ~30 minutes
Friday: 2.52 miles, ~30 minutes
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 5.47 miles, ~1 hour, 5 minutes - This is the farthest I've run to date.
A couple of days this week were actually not quite as humid. I could feel the difference, but it wasn't enough to make a large difference. I'll be glad when it gets cooler.
Monday: 2.33 miles, ~30 minutes
Tuesday: 2.57 miles, ~30 minutes (one of those less humid, marginally cooler days)
Wednesday: 2.44 miles, ~31 minutes
Thursday: 2.45 miles, ~30 minutes
Friday: 2.52 miles, ~30 minutes
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 5.47 miles, ~1 hour, 5 minutes - This is the farthest I've run to date.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Stay safe, kids
I hope no one has melted from the heat across much of the country recently. It's been pretty blazing hot around here, so I thought I'd share my strategies for avoiding heat stroke. Because heat stroke is no joke.
If at all possible, I'd advise trying to exercise indoors or during cool parts of the day. Unfortunately for me, neither of those options are possible. I don't own a treadmill (and wouldn't have room for one, anyway) and I don't have a gym membership. Given that I get up at 5 am on the weekdays as it is, getting up earlier to go run or bike is not happening. And that pretty much takes care of the cool part of the day.
So what else can I do? First off, hydration is very important. And I'm not talking just water. Electrolytes are important. So I take water spiked with electrolytes courtesy of Nuun tablets while I run or bike. So I'm hydrating as I go. When I finish running/biking I down some Gatorade Fit. And I chase it down with some coconut water. And I make sure that I take in plenty of fluids (mostly water) for the rest of the day.
What else? On the especially hot days, I adjust the intensity of my workouts based on the weather. I try not to push it too hard. I listen to my body and vary the intensity, accordingly.
After saying all that, I have to say that there were a couple of days this week that were not too bad. Completely due to cloud cover keeping the heat down. But it was still really humid. So lots of sweating going on.
And I guess I jinxed myself by saying that I was going to run or bike 6 days this past week. I only got in 5 days due to a late-night clean-up job created by my washing machine dumping water everywhere. I took the next day off from work. But a nap was on order. Sleep is important, too.
This week is an all running week. I took my bike in to the shop to get new road tires and new chain only to find out there was a really old recall on the pedal cranks. So now I'm getting a whole new drive train on my bike for free. But I won't get it back for a week. But I'm not complaining.
Last week's recap:
Monday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~25 minutes
Tuesday: Post-flood day. Nap.
Wednesday: Running, 2.28 miles, 30 minutes
Thursday: Biking, 5.31 miles, ~28 minutes
Friday: Running, 2.33 miles, 30 minutes
Saturday: Pre-programmed rest day. Running around of a different type.
Sunday: Long run, 4.8 miles, 1 hour
If at all possible, I'd advise trying to exercise indoors or during cool parts of the day. Unfortunately for me, neither of those options are possible. I don't own a treadmill (and wouldn't have room for one, anyway) and I don't have a gym membership. Given that I get up at 5 am on the weekdays as it is, getting up earlier to go run or bike is not happening. And that pretty much takes care of the cool part of the day.
So what else can I do? First off, hydration is very important. And I'm not talking just water. Electrolytes are important. So I take water spiked with electrolytes courtesy of Nuun tablets while I run or bike. So I'm hydrating as I go. When I finish running/biking I down some Gatorade Fit. And I chase it down with some coconut water. And I make sure that I take in plenty of fluids (mostly water) for the rest of the day.
What else? On the especially hot days, I adjust the intensity of my workouts based on the weather. I try not to push it too hard. I listen to my body and vary the intensity, accordingly.
After saying all that, I have to say that there were a couple of days this week that were not too bad. Completely due to cloud cover keeping the heat down. But it was still really humid. So lots of sweating going on.
And I guess I jinxed myself by saying that I was going to run or bike 6 days this past week. I only got in 5 days due to a late-night clean-up job created by my washing machine dumping water everywhere. I took the next day off from work. But a nap was on order. Sleep is important, too.
This week is an all running week. I took my bike in to the shop to get new road tires and new chain only to find out there was a really old recall on the pedal cranks. So now I'm getting a whole new drive train on my bike for free. But I won't get it back for a week. But I'm not complaining.
Last week's recap:
Monday: Biking, 5.21 miles, ~25 minutes
Tuesday: Post-flood day. Nap.
Wednesday: Running, 2.28 miles, 30 minutes
Thursday: Biking, 5.31 miles, ~28 minutes
Friday: Running, 2.33 miles, 30 minutes
Saturday: Pre-programmed rest day. Running around of a different type.
Sunday: Long run, 4.8 miles, 1 hour
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Running on all cylinders
This week, I got to get in all my intended workouts unimpeded. So I got back up to my goal of working out 6 days last week. I already covered last Sunday in my last post, so here's how the rest of the week looked:
Monday: Biking, 5.28 miles, ~30 minutes
I don't remember if it was Monday or Wednesday, but I saw papa turkey last week. He looked a bit confused as to whether he wanted to cross the road or not. He stayed on one side of the road as I passed by on my bike. Those turklets/turklings had to come from somewhere ;-)
Tuesday: Running, 2.48 miles, 30 minutes
So I decided to go to running for 30 minutes on the weekdays. Running for 40 minutes plus the time it took me to change clothes then change back left very little time for eating my lunch. Plus, it's still been pretty hot, so I didn't want to overdo it.
Wednesday: Biking, 5.31 miles, ~30 minutes
Feeling a little worn out this day, but I pushed through. I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment once I'm done.
Thursday: Running, 2.51 miles, 30 minutes
I'm trying to better my pace. So I did some intervals in the beginning of my run where I would run harder for one minute then at a easier pace for two minutes. I didn't carry it out throughout the whole workout as the hills were not being helpful. I think I might shorten the intervals a little bit, like my former 30 second run/1 minute walk intervals of yore.
Friday: Biking, 5.28 miles, ~30 minutes
I wouldn't mind bettering my biking pace, also. I'm trying to keep up a steady cadence as I ride. I don't want to take all day on the MS ride for the 35 and 25 miles. But I'm also not going to push it hard either. I'm going to try to strike a balance between keeping a decent pace and having an enjoyable ride.
Saturday: Rest day
Saturday was my pre-determined rest day.
Sunday: Long run, 4.78 miles, 1 hour
It was decently cool (comparatively) this morning for my run. Still humid. But it didn't feel oppressive. So I felt pretty good for my run.
This week should be another uninterrupted week.
Monday: Biking, 5.28 miles, ~30 minutes
I don't remember if it was Monday or Wednesday, but I saw papa turkey last week. He looked a bit confused as to whether he wanted to cross the road or not. He stayed on one side of the road as I passed by on my bike. Those turklets/turklings had to come from somewhere ;-)
Tuesday: Running, 2.48 miles, 30 minutes
So I decided to go to running for 30 minutes on the weekdays. Running for 40 minutes plus the time it took me to change clothes then change back left very little time for eating my lunch. Plus, it's still been pretty hot, so I didn't want to overdo it.
Wednesday: Biking, 5.31 miles, ~30 minutes
Feeling a little worn out this day, but I pushed through. I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment once I'm done.
Thursday: Running, 2.51 miles, 30 minutes
I'm trying to better my pace. So I did some intervals in the beginning of my run where I would run harder for one minute then at a easier pace for two minutes. I didn't carry it out throughout the whole workout as the hills were not being helpful. I think I might shorten the intervals a little bit, like my former 30 second run/1 minute walk intervals of yore.
Friday: Biking, 5.28 miles, ~30 minutes
I wouldn't mind bettering my biking pace, also. I'm trying to keep up a steady cadence as I ride. I don't want to take all day on the MS ride for the 35 and 25 miles. But I'm also not going to push it hard either. I'm going to try to strike a balance between keeping a decent pace and having an enjoyable ride.
Saturday: Rest day
Saturday was my pre-determined rest day.
Sunday: Long run, 4.78 miles, 1 hour
It was decently cool (comparatively) this morning for my run. Still humid. But it didn't feel oppressive. So I felt pretty good for my run.
This week should be another uninterrupted week.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
A week in review
Time for catching up! Another hot week here in the south. And more challenging business. Let's get started:
Monday: Biking, 5.24 miles, ~30 minutes
Tuesday: Nothing. C had a dentist appointment in the middle of the day then I wasn't able to do anything after work. So it was deemed a rest day.
Wednesday: Running, 2.71 miles, ~30 minutes. It was another hot and humid day. I didn't feel as defeated by the weather as I did the previous week. I made sure not to overtax myself and have a sports drink with me as I ran. I knew it was going to be hot, so I set my goal from the outset as 30 minutes.
Thursday: Biking, 5.26 miles, ~30 minutes. I tried to up the pace some on this run. It's a goal I'm going to be working on until the MS ride.
Friday: Running, 2.61 miles, ~30 minutes. See Wednesday.
Saturday: We had company and L had a Tae Kwan Do tournament, so another rest day.
Today: Running, 4.82 miles, 1 hour. The long run is definitely a mental game. Yes, I want to keep running. Yes, I can do it. And I do. Not that the weather is a great motivator. Or hills.
This week, as it looks right now, doesn't appear to have as many challenges to getting out. Saturday is the pre-determined rest day.
Monday: Biking, 5.24 miles, ~30 minutes
Tuesday: Nothing. C had a dentist appointment in the middle of the day then I wasn't able to do anything after work. So it was deemed a rest day.
Wednesday: Running, 2.71 miles, ~30 minutes. It was another hot and humid day. I didn't feel as defeated by the weather as I did the previous week. I made sure not to overtax myself and have a sports drink with me as I ran. I knew it was going to be hot, so I set my goal from the outset as 30 minutes.
Thursday: Biking, 5.26 miles, ~30 minutes. I tried to up the pace some on this run. It's a goal I'm going to be working on until the MS ride.
Friday: Running, 2.61 miles, ~30 minutes. See Wednesday.
Saturday: We had company and L had a Tae Kwan Do tournament, so another rest day.
Today: Running, 4.82 miles, 1 hour. The long run is definitely a mental game. Yes, I want to keep running. Yes, I can do it. And I do. Not that the weather is a great motivator. Or hills.
This week, as it looks right now, doesn't appear to have as many challenges to getting out. Saturday is the pre-determined rest day.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Weekend work
A busy weekend including travel. How did I fit it all in? Not too shabby. My regular weekly goal is to exercise 6 days a week. And the majority of weeks, I've been able to meet that goal. But I don't beat myself up if I can't get there. Last week, I made it to 5 days. What happened? I had company at work one day that prevented me from going out for my regular lunchtime workout. Saturday was birthday party day for C, so I sacrificed the run.
Here's what I DID do:
Thursday: Biking, ~30 minutes, ~5.2 miles
It was a tad bit cooler on Thursday than it was Wednesday. And biking feels cooler, too, since I'm creating my own breeze.
Friday: Running, 40 minutes, ~3.2 miles
Cooler still. I left work early on Friday, so I did my running once I got home. It was nice to know that it really was the heat that was such a major factor on Wednesday.
Saturday: party!
Sunday: Long run, 1 hour, ~5.2 miles
Cooler still. I felt really good on this run. Especially on the second half. I don't know if I would call it "runner's high." But I did feel like I could have gone longer.
I want to mention something new I've been trying out. For my longer runs, I'm taking a sports drink out with me. (I did try this on the oh-so-hot Wednesday, but it didn't help.) Straight up Gatorade is way to sweet to me. They have a new product out, G Fit, which I've mentioned. It's meant to be more like a lightly flavored water. And I do like it a lot better than traditional Gatorade. Last week I also picked up a product called Nuun. It's a tablet that turns water into an electrolyte drink. It comes in lots of different flavors. The flavor is very light. I made a test batch to try out the taste. It was a little weird. But not awful. Today, I chilled the water first, added the tablet, then some ice. The flavor was MUCH better upon chilling. The thing I really like about Nuun is that I can carry them in my purse for when I can't carry around a bottle of G Fit. It's also great for traveling (again, when I carry G Fit with me). I'm going to try out some other flavors, too. I've had the berry and also have some ginger orange, which I haven't tried yet.
Here's what I DID do:
Thursday: Biking, ~30 minutes, ~5.2 miles
It was a tad bit cooler on Thursday than it was Wednesday. And biking feels cooler, too, since I'm creating my own breeze.
Friday: Running, 40 minutes, ~3.2 miles
Cooler still. I left work early on Friday, so I did my running once I got home. It was nice to know that it really was the heat that was such a major factor on Wednesday.
Saturday: party!
Sunday: Long run, 1 hour, ~5.2 miles
Cooler still. I felt really good on this run. Especially on the second half. I don't know if I would call it "runner's high." But I did feel like I could have gone longer.
I want to mention something new I've been trying out. For my longer runs, I'm taking a sports drink out with me. (I did try this on the oh-so-hot Wednesday, but it didn't help.) Straight up Gatorade is way to sweet to me. They have a new product out, G Fit, which I've mentioned. It's meant to be more like a lightly flavored water. And I do like it a lot better than traditional Gatorade. Last week I also picked up a product called Nuun. It's a tablet that turns water into an electrolyte drink. It comes in lots of different flavors. The flavor is very light. I made a test batch to try out the taste. It was a little weird. But not awful. Today, I chilled the water first, added the tablet, then some ice. The flavor was MUCH better upon chilling. The thing I really like about Nuun is that I can carry them in my purse for when I can't carry around a bottle of G Fit. It's also great for traveling (again, when I carry G Fit with me). I'm going to try out some other flavors, too. I've had the berry and also have some ginger orange, which I haven't tried yet.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away, know when to (not) run. Let me tell you, it was *bleeping** hot and humid today. I fully intended to do my regular 5 walk/30 run/5 walk today. It was not to be. You've got to know when the elements are against you. And today, it certainly was. We had a heat advisory today. And it was no joke. I started out ok. I got through the first 15 minutes. I even took some Gatorade Fit with me. And then it all went south. I took it down to a walk for a while. Tried to elevate it back up to a run. Had to take it back down to a walk. Then concede the whole effort at 30 minutes. I can't tell you how much running I did, total. A little disheartening? Yes. Do I feel bad about it? Not really. Like I said, the weather was absolutely miserable today. And I went out two hours later than normal, which just meant it was even hotter. It's supposed to start cooling down a *little*. We'll see.
On another note, I'm backing off on the blogging a little bit. I don't think you necessarily need posts just tell you "I biked" or "I ran" today. If I have something extra to say, like today, I'll write and catch up the workouts since then. Even if nothing interesting has happened, I will to an update a couple of days a week.
Monday: Biking, ~30 minutes, ~5 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Today: Running/Walking (unknown combination), ~30 minutes, ~2.3 miles
On another note, I'm backing off on the blogging a little bit. I don't think you necessarily need posts just tell you "I biked" or "I ran" today. If I have something extra to say, like today, I'll write and catch up the workouts since then. Even if nothing interesting has happened, I will to an update a couple of days a week.
Monday: Biking, ~30 minutes, ~5 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Today: Running/Walking (unknown combination), ~30 minutes, ~2.3 miles
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Playing catch-up
Phew. I guess it's been a while since I posted. Last week was pretty busy. Including traveling out of town for work. Then going to the in-law's house to drop off L for the week.
Tuesday was a planned off day. I had a doctor's appointment during lunchtime and I didn't have any time after I got home from work to fit in a run or a bike. Then I left for San Antonio on Wednesday for my work trip. A couple of factors work against me, posting-wise, not workout-wise. First, I had to take a work laptop with me, not my personal netbook. So I couldn't sync my iPod Nike+ data. Second, the internet would have cost ~$10 a day to access from the hotel. It irks me that I can get free internet at lower priced hotels but the nicer hotels I've stayed at charge for the internet. So, aside from what I could access from my phone, no internet for me. But the hotel was nice and and a REALLY NICE exercise room. It had a dozen treadmills, six ellipticals, two recumbent bikes, three or four stationary bikes, weight training stations, yoga room, and lap pool. It was as good as a regular health club.
Wednesday: stationary bike, 30 minutes, 6.4 miles.
I went to exercise right after checking into the hotel and unpacking. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Riverwalk area. Way too hot to be exercising outside.
Thursday: treadmill, 40 minutes, 3.1 miles.
I got up early before the meeting started to go exercise. I knew I wouldn't be in the mood after the meeting got over for the day at 5 pm to go workout. And I found out after checking in to the meeting that there was a reception that evening starting at 5:30. And then I was out late after that getting dinner. Pretty darn tired at the end of the day.
Friday: stationary bike, 1 hour, 12.45 miles.
I had a chunk of free time mid-morning between when the first meeting was finished and before I had to be back for an afternoon workshop. While I was chugging along on the bike, the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off for both its final time and for the Space Shuttle program's final time. I was pretty emotional. I've always loved the space program. And Atlantis is my particular favorite from my Space Camp counselor days. So I was the crying girl on the bike.
Saturday: treadmill, 30 minutes, 2.3 miles.
Travel day. Got up early again. Had to get ready to fly home. Knowing that I'd be hopping right in the car to go to Alabama as soon as I got home, I wanted to get a small run in. Then on a plane. Then in a car. Lots of traveling.
Today: running outside, 1 hour, ~5 miles.
I'm trying to do longer distances/times on the weekends. I went out while at the in-laws and got in my run. Today was a day of mental obstacles. It was hot and VERY humid this morning at 8 am. I had to convince myself to keep going toward my one hour goal and not quit earlier. I pushed through and made it. I was a sweaty mess at the end, though.
This past week was the biggest test of my exercise resolve with the amount of traveling I did. But I am happy to report that it was a success!
Tuesday was a planned off day. I had a doctor's appointment during lunchtime and I didn't have any time after I got home from work to fit in a run or a bike. Then I left for San Antonio on Wednesday for my work trip. A couple of factors work against me, posting-wise, not workout-wise. First, I had to take a work laptop with me, not my personal netbook. So I couldn't sync my iPod Nike+ data. Second, the internet would have cost ~$10 a day to access from the hotel. It irks me that I can get free internet at lower priced hotels but the nicer hotels I've stayed at charge for the internet. So, aside from what I could access from my phone, no internet for me. But the hotel was nice and and a REALLY NICE exercise room. It had a dozen treadmills, six ellipticals, two recumbent bikes, three or four stationary bikes, weight training stations, yoga room, and lap pool. It was as good as a regular health club.
Wednesday: stationary bike, 30 minutes, 6.4 miles.
I went to exercise right after checking into the hotel and unpacking. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Riverwalk area. Way too hot to be exercising outside.
Thursday: treadmill, 40 minutes, 3.1 miles.
I got up early before the meeting started to go exercise. I knew I wouldn't be in the mood after the meeting got over for the day at 5 pm to go workout. And I found out after checking in to the meeting that there was a reception that evening starting at 5:30. And then I was out late after that getting dinner. Pretty darn tired at the end of the day.
Friday: stationary bike, 1 hour, 12.45 miles.
I had a chunk of free time mid-morning between when the first meeting was finished and before I had to be back for an afternoon workshop. While I was chugging along on the bike, the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off for both its final time and for the Space Shuttle program's final time. I was pretty emotional. I've always loved the space program. And Atlantis is my particular favorite from my Space Camp counselor days. So I was the crying girl on the bike.
Saturday: treadmill, 30 minutes, 2.3 miles.
Travel day. Got up early again. Had to get ready to fly home. Knowing that I'd be hopping right in the car to go to Alabama as soon as I got home, I wanted to get a small run in. Then on a plane. Then in a car. Lots of traveling.
Today: running outside, 1 hour, ~5 miles.
I'm trying to do longer distances/times on the weekends. I went out while at the in-laws and got in my run. Today was a day of mental obstacles. It was hot and VERY humid this morning at 8 am. I had to convince myself to keep going toward my one hour goal and not quit earlier. I pushed through and made it. I was a sweaty mess at the end, though.
This past week was the biggest test of my exercise resolve with the amount of traveling I did. But I am happy to report that it was a success!
Monday, July 4, 2011
In need of calibration
Happy 4th of July, everyone! I hope everyone had a good day. I've been able to get a lot done today. A lot of area residents started out the day by running a nice, relaxing 10K. I did not participate in the Peachtree Road Race this year. But I will go for my number next year. In the meantime, I've decided to increase my distances on the weekends (or holiday, as it was today). Instead of going for time today, I went for distance. My chosen distance today was 5 miles. Not quite a 10K, but my prior farthest distances hovered in the 5K range. The way I keep track of my runs, primarily, has been my Nike+ sensor with my iPod. Recently, I've also been tracking it with Runkeeper and the GPS on my phone. I haven't had a chance since getting the Nike+ sensor to do a proper calibration. That requires a known distance, like on a track. So, on a day like today, the Nike+ sensor tells me that I went ~5.3 miles while the Runkeeper/GPS tells me that I went ~4.8 miles. I'm going to go somewhere in the middle, for the time being, and say I went ~5 miles today. One day I will get around to calibrating the Nike+ sensor and see if the two tracking methods get closer.
I was feeling pretty good at the end of my 5-ish miles. I think I could have done 10K.
Today's workout: running
Distance: ~5 miles (~5 minutes walk then running until iPod said 5 miles, then ~5 minute walk)
Time: just under 1 hour
I was feeling pretty good at the end of my 5-ish miles. I think I could have done 10K.
Today's workout: running
Distance: ~5 miles (~5 minutes walk then running until iPod said 5 miles, then ~5 minute walk)
Time: just under 1 hour
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Keeping busy
So even though I haven't updated in a few days, don't think I've slacked off. I just had a complete battery shutdown on Friday night, falling asleep on the couch after getting C to sleep. Yesterday, I was busy with a project, so didn't get on my computer. But, never fear, I kept up with my workouts the whole time. I don't have much else interesting to say tonight. Except, good luck to everyone running the Peachtree Road Race tomorrow! I might do it next year.
Friday's workout: Bicycling
Distance: ~5.1 miles
Time: ~30 minutes
Saturday's workout: Running
Distance: ~3.2 miles
Time: 40 minutes
Today's workout: Bicycling
Distance: ~5.1 miles
Time: ~30 minutes
Friday's workout: Bicycling
Distance: ~5.1 miles
Time: ~30 minutes
Saturday's workout: Running
Distance: ~3.2 miles
Time: 40 minutes
Today's workout: Bicycling
Distance: ~5.1 miles
Time: ~30 minutes
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Soldiering on
I wasn't feeling the absolute best today. Mentally, I wanted to go for a run. Between the biking and taking Tuesday off, I haven't run since Sunday. I was feeling somewhat meh but didn't think it would stop me. Then I realized that I left my iPod at home. At first, I only thought about how I would miss it while doing so exams at work. Then I realized that it was a running day and I DIDN'T HAVE MY iPOD! No music/podcast/audiobook to listen to while running. No keeping track of my run with Nike+. Ack! If I had forgot it Monday or Wednesday, it wouldn't have matter as those were biking days. Which is about the only thing that bothers me about the biking, not being able to listen to anything. I did keep track of the distance using Runkeeper on my phone. But it sure didn't help my mood during the run. But I did it.
Today's workout:
5W/30R/5W
distance: ~3.1 miles
Today's workout:
5W/30R/5W
distance: ~3.1 miles
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wildlife
I designated yesterday as this week's rest day. Mostly because I wanted barbecue for lunch. But, on with the show.
I have seen various wildlife around work. I used to see bunnies grazing in the grass along the side of the road as I arrived at work in the morning. And I've seen deer occasionally. Just within the last two weeks, I saw a deer during a run. (We won't discuss the squished turtle I saw while running last week). Today: wild turkeys.
Let me back up and tell you a little story. My in-laws live in a new development in an area that hasn't been built up too much yet. As a result, they see a lot of wildlife. Deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, etc. We've seen the deer. And I like to tease that I don't believe they really have wild turkeys because we've never witnessed them. To top that off, while on a work trip to New York City, my husband and I found a turkey in a park near where you would take the ferry to Ellis Island. So we say we found a turkey in NYC, but not in the woods of Alabama.
Back to today. As I was biking, I saw some cars from the opposite direction stopping. And then I saw a wild turkey cross the road. At first I thought it was maybe a goose because we have a lot of them around work. But no, a turkey. And then, five little baby (closer to juvenile) turkeys following close behind. As I got close to them, they were in some trees to my right and I was able to confirm that they were turkeys.
Makes looking forward to a workout easier. What wildlife will I see next?
Today's workout: Cycling
Distance: 5.25 miles
Time: ~25 minutes
Weather: Sunny, hot
I have seen various wildlife around work. I used to see bunnies grazing in the grass along the side of the road as I arrived at work in the morning. And I've seen deer occasionally. Just within the last two weeks, I saw a deer during a run. (We won't discuss the squished turtle I saw while running last week). Today: wild turkeys.
Let me back up and tell you a little story. My in-laws live in a new development in an area that hasn't been built up too much yet. As a result, they see a lot of wildlife. Deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, etc. We've seen the deer. And I like to tease that I don't believe they really have wild turkeys because we've never witnessed them. To top that off, while on a work trip to New York City, my husband and I found a turkey in a park near where you would take the ferry to Ellis Island. So we say we found a turkey in NYC, but not in the woods of Alabama.
Back to today. As I was biking, I saw some cars from the opposite direction stopping. And then I saw a wild turkey cross the road. At first I thought it was maybe a goose because we have a lot of them around work. But no, a turkey. And then, five little baby (closer to juvenile) turkeys following close behind. As I got close to them, they were in some trees to my right and I was able to confirm that they were turkeys.
Makes looking forward to a workout easier. What wildlife will I see next?
Today's workout: Cycling
Distance: 5.25 miles
Time: ~25 minutes
Weather: Sunny, hot
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