Blog Archive

Getting back in the game


I have been slacking out working out for....well, since the beginning of the year. Yeah, I know, I know. I don't know what it is. I just cannot get motivated. I have been doing better since the weather has been nicer. And my plan is to actually go to the gym today. I have learned (well for me anyway) that it is a lot harder to re-start an exercise program than start from the beginning. I think this is because my expectations of myself are higher now. I know where I was and it is frustrating that I cannot just easily return to running and be where I was when i stopped. It is utterly frustrating. So I have to formulate a plan.

The planner portion of my brain (the whole thing because I am never spontaneous) needs a plan to get back into a routine. I am going to start the Couch to 5K (C25K) program again. So today when I go to the gym I am going to attempt week 4. I don't see the point of starting at the beginning because it is walking and I know I can do that for an extended period of time.

Last time I did the program I did it based on distance, this time I am going to to the time. By doing this I can easily run/jog/walk outside. It is harder to know your distance when you are outside. There are also programs for your ipod that chime over your music so you know when the the walk/run interval is up. I just think that is so cool.

So the plan is for 3x this week to:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

My run time is slower than the distance:time conversion, but my walk is faster. So, I should be able to accomplish this. Today, I am doing the treadmill though.

I also NEED to go buy a swimsuit. I am supposed to swim 300 hours in my 101 in 1001 and I have not done 1 second let alone an hour. So that is my next step.