Exercise with Bobby!

Today I snuck in a decent workout in today after a weird and frustrating day at work. I was locked out from work for the first 30 minutes, because my phone isn't working so I couldn't call the store to let me in. Then it was just a burden to try to remove all the previous days' sale signs, then putting up the new sales, not fun.

So when I came home, Bobby suggested getting a little workout out in, and I was sold immediately. It took me awhile to pry Vanessa and Bobby away from their artwork that they were working on when I got home. I did manage to get them both in there, and everybody did a little aerobic activity in.

I finally remembered to wear my heart rate strap, so I could make sure that I was keeping my heart rate above 140, which I was able to do. I started off on the treadmill and to my surprise was able to run a mile, but it was at a slow pace, 12:20 min/mile. I'm happy that I was able to do run with no pain. After I slowed down the pace (5.7/12.0) I moved the incline up and slow walked a quarter mile uphill at a 9.0 incline with a pace of 4.1. My achilles was only slighty sore after, I could tell my running stride is a long ways away from what it used to be. I can feel myself being a lot more cautious with landing on the right foot. It's going to take some time, but I really won't start the real running until the new year.

I also got in a couple minutes of rowing, 30 pushups, 1 min 15 sec plank, 3 sets of 15 leg extensions at #7, 4 sets of 15 seated press at #10, and 2 sets of 12 of pull down at #7.

I also did some streching with Vanessa on the bar for my hamstrings, and heel raises.

Semi-productive!

Today managed to be productive, but that was only because Bobby made a surprise visit last night and convinced me to do a little workout. Everytime I'm in the exercise room, it feels like I should be there all the time. I don't know why its so hard to get myself to go on my own. I know that if I think I can do a marathon, much less the Ironman, I better get into the gym.

So anyway, today I ran on the treadmill for the first time. I didn't get the speed any higher then 5.0 (out of 10, I think.) My achilles and foot felt great, no pain at all. I'm slowly working my way up to probably trying to run a mile or 2 on the 22nd, which is next Tuesday. I still have about 80 miles to go to get my 365 for the year, which I think is possible running on the treadmill. I also did about 5 minutes of rowing and biking. It's nice getting a good sweat on.

I did manage to get a little weight lifting in. I did 4 sets of Seated Row, Leg Extensions, and Slanted Lat Pull Down. I just did them in a cycle in the order that I listed. I also added some calf streching, which felt good after the running on the treadmill.

After sitting in there I know I need to try a lot harder to get in there and help myself out, instead of sitting on the computer looking at nothing. I hope that anyone who reads this will, either give me their magic secret to motivating themself to get up and going eveyday, or else help someone else get out and do it for the first time. Happy Running Everyone!

Update!

Well I just got back from my surgeons office for a check up on my achilles and how its healing. Dr. Matlock said that it looks great and appears to be healing ahead of schedule. He's let me assume all duties at work and is giving me 2 more months until I can start doing high impact activities. I may still jump on the treadmill in a couple weeks to get back into it. I'm seriously considering not running the New Years Day 5K and just waiting until St. Patricks Day for my first real race.

I know getting back into my running shape is going to take some time and patience, which I hav plenty of both. I hear from a lot of people who are trying to get back in to sports after an injury end up injurying another part of their body because they haven't used all the muscles the way they should. I've heard lots of quad and hamstring injurys after an achilles tear, so I'm going to try to get myself into the exercise room at our apartment and actually used the machines and do quite a bit of strength training before I get back out onto the road.

The hard part is just getting up in the morning and making myself do something, I have a hard enough time making myself eat a meal in the morning but I know I'm going to need to if I really am going to take these dreams of running in an Ironman Tri seriously.

Well, it looks like I need to get something to eat and maybe put together a little workout before I start getting ready for work, and then tongiht I should try to think of exercise to do everytime to Vikings score or give up a Packer first down tonight. Go Vikings!