Friday Fitness Blogging

• Weight = X-4
  
• Change From Last Week: -2
  
• Met Training Goals? Yes:
  
  • Fri = 30 min bike (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Sat = 9 miles (goal: 9 miles)
    
  • Sun = 6 miles (goal: 6 miles)
    
  • Mon = 1 mile
    
  • Tue = 2 miles (goal: 3 miles)
    
  • Wed = 1 hour swim (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Thu = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
  Total Miles: 23 (goal: 23 miles)
  
• Current Training Goal:
  
  • Fri = 45 min crosstrain
    
  • Sat = 10 miles
    
  • Sun = 6 miles
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 4 miles
    
  • Wed = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Thu = 5 miles

Ok, that was a surprise. Yeah, I've been waiting for it, but somehow I never thought my weight would actually drop at all. So a two pound drop is kinda nice, even if I have no way of knowing if the pounds will stay off. I keep figuring that with my starting weight, I'm bound to lose a few pounds doing The Walk.

I spread out my training walks a little this week, and it helped a little with pain management, but not entirely. My PT has a theory about the continuing pain, since it's not the same as the "stopping pain" I had earlier, but it's in the same place. We're trying some exercises to see if we can deal with the nerves involved. I also noted that when I did my five miles yesterday, there was a lot of pain in the first two miles, but it went away completely for the last three. Again, same place as the earlier pain, but not the same kind of pain.

Still trying to reach my fundraising goal for the 3-Day. I'm getting closer... only a bit over $1100 to go. I need, oh, 78 people to give $15... or 47 people to give $25... 24 people to give $50... hey, I learned a lot from volunteering at the PBS pledge drives, ok? Break the problem down into smaller units, and people aren't so overwhelmed by it, myself included.

Since last time, I got a donation from Brian McClenahen, and two more that are winging their way through the US Postal Service and won't register on the site for a few more days/weeks. I also got an e-mail from the 3-Day coach with the donation deadlines... "Mailed-in donations must be postmarked by June 14th to ensure they are posted to your account before the walk. Online donations should be made by July 7th." So if you intend to donate, please keep the dates in mind.

3-Day Route...

From the 3-Day page:

The 2005 Seattle 3-Day will be both challenging and beautiful. Beginning on the beach at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, the 3-Day will head north through the parks, trails and main streets of Bellevue and Redmond. On the second day, be prepared for hills but also calming scenes of Lake Washington as you head north around the top of the lake into Shoreline. The final day of the route visits various neighborhoods around our city touching on the local flavor unique to Seattle. Have your cameras ready as the day also boasts glorious views of Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains shining in the distance, as well as our magnificent skyline fronted by Lake Union. We will close with a moving and memorable ceremony at Magnuson Park ending this spectacular event. Please note that the exact route is still being finalized and subject to change. Developing the ideal course that will provide for a safe and scenic weekend is a long process, involving the cooperation of many jurisdictions.

Don't know about anyone else, but the line: "On the second day, be prepared for hills" sends annoying chills up and down my spine. I know what "hills" means to people in Seattle. It looks like we might follow the trail up through Bothell, which also means I need to practice trail walking a bit.

Friday Fitness Blogging

• Weight = X-2
  
• Change From Last Week: no change
  
• Met Training Goals? Yes:
  
  • Fri = 30 min bike (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Sat = 6 miles (goal: 8 miles)
    
  • Sun = 8 miles (goal: 6 miles)
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles (goal: 3 miles)
    
  • Wed = 1 hour swim (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Thu = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
  Total Miles: 22 (goal: 22 miles)
  
• Current Training Goal:
  
  • Fri = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Sat = 9 miles
    
  • Sun = 6 miles
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles
    
  • Wed = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Thu = 5 miles

No change in the weight, but that's not unexpected. I managed my training goals quite nicely this week, and although I had a few minor problems in my weekday walks, I'm beginning to get a grip on what pain to expect when. The "stopping pain" hasn't come back, and as long as it stays away then I feel very confident that I can do The Walk.

Speaking of the walk, I had some major donations since I last reported on it. I think I already mentioned (*CENSORED*) Distributor Don Thomason. Since he contributed (and thank you again, Don), I've got contributions from Marilyn Carlson, Kirk Stines, and Hilary Loud of the Wizard of Oz group in the NW, the Oogaboos, and two more contributions from John Reiher and my mother-in-law Nancy Gjovaag. A big thank you to Marilyn, Kirk, Hilary, John and Nancy for helping me towards my goal. Nancy's donation also put me up over the quarter-of-the-way mark, so an extra thank you to Nancy!

And, if you have any money to spare, consider sending it to the 3-Day to help me along some more. Every little bit counts. Whether it's $5, $50, or $500 it helps.

Training Update

Sorry for the tardiness of this post, but I've been... well... training!

I managed to get my miles in this week, and I'm looking at a 9/6 mile weekend right now. I also think that on the days I'm not scheduled to walk I should at least do a little time on the treadmill. The fact that it takes me a mile to just warm up disturbs me a little, so maybe if I do a mile every day regardless it might help. We'll have to see.

Friday Fitness report coming later... I did get my crosstraining in today, as well.

When I get home from work, maybe I'll see if I can't put together a photo-blog entry. I've got a few I haven't posted yet for whatever reason.

Also, I'm still asking (and needing) donations. If you can't afford more, consider donating $15 to the 3-Day. That's only 25 cents per mile... not counting all the training miles I've been doing.

Training Update

Wahoo! Eight miles today. Ok, it was all on the treadmill, but I got it done. That means I completed what needed to get done over the weekend, despite not having any time to do it. I get to see the PT tomorrow, but it's all good news at this point.

Training Update

Got my six miles in today... 6.1 miles, actually, if I counted right. I did the Town-Gown Loop twice, then came home to a house full of Doctor Who fans.

I'm feeling pretty good right now. A bit of heelspur pain, but the lower leg pain isn't there for once. Back on track...

Friday Fitness Blogging

• Weight = X-2
  
• Change From Last Week: -1
  
• Met Training Goals? Not Quite:
  
  • Fri = 30 min bike (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Sat = 3 miles (goal: 7 miles)
    
  • Sun = 9 miles (goal: 5 miles)
    
  • Mon = Rest
    
  • Tue = 1.5 miles (goal: 3 miles)
    
  • Wed = 1 hr swim (goal: 15 min ct)
    
  • Thu = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
  Total Miles: 18.5 (goal: 20 miles)
  
• Current Training Goal:
  
  • Fri = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Sat = 8 miles
    
  • Sun = 6 miles
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles
    
  • Wed = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Thu = 5 miles

Almost made it this week. I got thrown off by my bad exerperience on Tuesday on the trail. Hopefully my good walk on Thursday will continue to counter that. I suspect tomorrow will be my 6 mile day and Sunday my 8 mile day. I'm also seriously considering Eric's suggestion to tweak the schedule so I get my long walks in on days I'm not working. We'll see.

Training Update

Well, the PT and I came up with a plan of action that involved more tape and staying away from the trail. It may have worked. After two miles on the treadmill this morning, I walked the Town-Gown Loop, which is about 3 miles, and had no pain problems. I'm back on track... I hope.

More tomorrow.

Training Update

It took a little less than a half mile on the Sammamish River Trail before the pain returned to my right leg. This was the pain we thought we had beaten, but there it was, right back. It was like I was back at the beginning of training again, wondering why there was such an intense pain in such an unlikely spot.

I only did one mile outside, and I plan on trying the rest on the treadmill after I've finished icing down the pain spots. But it's really discouraging. I went nine miles on Sunday, all on the treadmill, but I can't even make it a half mile outside?

Training Update

I woke up this morning expecting to be in agonizing pain. Instead, I was mildly sore. Yes, my feet were particularly bad, but not impossible to deal with. The PT was impressed with my progress, and I think we've gone from "I may be able to do the 3-day" to "I can do the 3-day".

My left leg is having some of the pain, and we did a bit of massage work on it, but it wasn't so bad to make walking impossible. I plan on trail walking tomorrow, probably with Eric. I'll report again then.

Training Update

I was a little depressed last night, as we returned home from the Oz party that Eric hosted, because I had only gotten in about 3 miles of walking for the day when I had intended to do at least 5 miles. Worse was the knowledge that I could have managed the miles, if I'd only been willing to leave the house and risk doing more miles on real concrete sidewalks. As it was, I'd done nearly two miles on sidewalks already that day, and I hadn't had any major problems with my legs.

But I kept putting it off until it was really too late to do it. And so I was feeling a bit down.

When I got up this morning, I decided I was going to do 9 miles today to make up for yesterday's laziness. I got up just after seven, and promptly started to do nothing. I fiddled around on the internet. I read the paper. I had breakfast. And before I knew it, 11 o'clock had rolled around and I'd done no training at all.

Growling to myself, and probably snapping at poor Eric a little, I hauled myself over to the treadmill and started. I did four and a half miles on an increasingly noisy and clanking treadmill, then iced my legs for a half hour and rested before doing another four and half miles. That's right. I did it. I made nine miles today.

None of the agonized pain in my legs. Maybe a little hint of it in my left leg, but not enough to panic over. I might need to get it taped a couple more times before it completely subsides. Nothing in my right leg except the usual aches. My feet are killing me, but I expected that. Already, just a few minutes after stopping, the pain is fading quite a bit.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and I'm going to see both the physical therapist and the chiropractor. I'm happy to have good news to report.

Friday Fitness Blogging

• Weight = X-1
  
• Change From Last Week: +1
  
• Met Training Goals? Yes!:
  
  • Fri = 30 min bike (goal: 30 min ct)
    
  • Sat = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
    
  • Sun = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles (goal: 3 miles)
    
  • Wed = 15 min bike (goal: 15 min ct)
    
  • Thu = 5+ miles (goal: 5 miles)
  Total Miles: 18+ (goal: 18 miles)
  
• Current Training Goal:
  
  • Fri = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Sat = 5 miles
    
  • Sun = 7 miles
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles
    
  • Wed = 15 min crosstrain
    
  • Thu = 5 miles

Huzzah! I finally got a week in that I managed to hit all my goals. Admittedly, I don't feel like the treadmill is as good exercise as the trail, but it's exercise. For this next week I've made some slight adjustments to the schedule because I'll be very busy on Saturday. If I can get 7 miles in on Saturday, I will, but I suspect the longer walk will have to wait.

In any case, I seem to be doing ok, so I'll just keep working at it and hope I can handle the real thing when the time comes.

Training Update

Ow. Ouch. Ow.

Still not "cured" of the Plantar Fasciitis, although the work we've been doing in Physical Therapy has definitely helped. But after a walk that was a bit over five miles, I can sure feel the problem.

I was going to try to get six miles, thinking I could outdo my goal of five miles, but the treadmill started making a pretty dreadful sound and I decided that prudence dictated stopping it and checking it out. After looking at it for a bit, I didn't have the heart to get back on, so I stopped at nearly 5 and a half miles.

We've stopped taping my legs for a bit after the last taping ripped a couple of layers of skin off my right foot when I took it off. It hurt. Bad. I was very sensitive to the lower leg pain coming back, but it didn't seem to in today's walk. I need to walk 7 and 5 over the weekend, so we'll see if the longer walk brings the pain back. I hope not. If it does, I may have to divide the walks up into multiple sessions and see how long I can go before the pain starts up. I'll figure something out.

So that's where I stand. I hurt, but not too bad, and I made all my training goals since last Friday. Let's see if I can do it again this week.

Training Update

Whew! Did my 3-miler today on the treadmill. I was carefully monitoring the pain spots to see if anything flared up. For a brief time I thought maybe I was getting the pain we've been training out of me... but it subsided quickly. Maybe just normal soreness. When you are watching for something, you sometimes make it happen just by being too intent.

I'm now icing down my legs, and I think I'll need to do an ice massage (five minutes of ice on the sore areas) or contrast bath soon. Still, this doesn't hurt much, so I'm thinking positive thoughts.

After work I want to try some time on the treadmill without being taped up. I'm curious to see if the tape is doing a lot right now, or just being an extra guide for my ankle bones. We didn't tape my left leg yesterday, and it seems to be doing fine today, so maybe I'm almost to the point where I don't need the tape as much.

At work, I got some plastic counting links in bright colors. I'm making a chain on the wall of one link for each mile I've done, with each day being a single color. It's giving me a decent feeling of accomplishment, something I need right now. Maybe I'll take a picture of it sometime to share.

Iraqis Watching American TV

Riverbend on current TV programming in Iraq. I particularly like her idea for a new program: "I have a suggestion of my own for a reality show. Take 15 Bush supporters and throw them in a house in the suburbs of, say, Falloojeh for at least 14 days. We could watch them cope with the water problems, the lack of electricity, the check points, the raids, the Iraqi National Guard, the bombings, and- oh yeah- the 'insurgents'. We could watch their house bombed to the ground and their few belongings crushed under the weight of cement and brick or simply burned or riddled with bullets. We could see them try to rebuild their life with their bare hands (and the equivalent of $150)..."

Training Update

I'm not out of the woods yet. I did my five miles on the treadmill today, but towards the end of the distance I began to feel the pain again, ever so slightly. I think I need to concentrate on treadmill training for another couple of weeks before thinking of going back to the trails and sidewalks.

Currently icing my legs down. I just remind myself that I did a quarter of the daily distance of The Walk itself... and then I feel quite a bit better.

Training Update

I did 30 minutes on the exercise bike yesterday, according to the plan. Today was the big test, though, as I needed to do five miles on the treadmill. Having done five miles just two days ago, I wasn't sure I'd be able to manage it.

Thankfully, I did manage it. And tomorrow is an even bigger test. Five miles again.

I started out with a short half mile walk, then iced my legs while watching the new Doctor Who episode. The rest of the walk, a bit over four and a half miles, was almost constant. I stopped a couple of times early to adjust my socks, and once about halfway through to get some gatorade/(*CENSORED*) mix. The treadmill switched off on me at one point, also, and I took a water break since it was so kind as to give me an excuse.

Today I listened to music on my computer while walking. I meant to read a little Manga, but by the time I warmed up enough to trust myself reading and walking at the same time I was enjoying the music too much to switch. And yes, I sang along. I hope I didn't drive poor Eric completely batty.

Politics

Ug. This settles it. Before we have another election in King County, the problems at the elections office MUST be fixed. I mean, another 87 absentee ballots that were never counted? This goes beyond slight incompetence into gross negligence. You expect a few mistakes, which is why the state allows for three recounts. But these new mistakes piled on the ones already found indicates a level of stupidity that cannot be tolerated in an elections office.

Of course the Rossi Rethuglicans are still pushing for a new election, but none of them have made any proposals at all to address the underlying problems. We'll never know for sure who won this governor's race, but if we fix the problems then maybe we'll know in the future. A revote at this point is the very definition is insanity: ..."doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

As long as I'm dipping into politics, let me touch on another favorite subject of bloggers and pundits. Terri Schaivo. My opinion has been that it's never been something that is/was my business, and therefore the eagerness of politicians and reporters to involve themselves in this one person's life struck me as terribly obscene. My only consolation in the whole case was that, from Terri's brainscans, it appears that she'd been effectively dead for years and therefore probably didn't care about what was happening to her body. If she'd actually still been in there, unable to properly communicate, trapped in that shell of a body, the whole thing would have been much more painful to watch.

For me, if I was in that situation, I would prefer to be pumped full of painkillers and allowed to die naturally. Starvation, whatever. If I was still awake in there, I'm just hoping the folks watching me would give me enough painkillers that I couldn't feel it. If I wasn't in there... who cares? I want to be cremated when I die, but I suppose it doesn't matter to me if someone keeps my body alive as a zombie for awhile as long as I eventually get my rest. To be honest, I'm far more worried about the people left behind. I'd hate to see Eric waste 15 years of his life on my zombie-corpse. Just let me go, already.

And one last thing: Report: Iraq intelligence 'dead wrong'. Bush lied. He lied repeatedly to start a war. All he's done is make sure his oil buddies get rich. Look at the prices at the gas stations if you don't believe it. Bush sacrificed American troops for profit, not even bothering to finish the first war he started before running off and starting a second one. Bush lied through his teeth to start the war in Iraq, rushing it through so that nobody had enough time to check his facts. When Clinton lied about his personal life, he got impeached. What, exactly, will it take to get Congress to impeach Bush? Why isn't lying to kill American soldiers enough?

Friday Fitness Blogging

• Weight = X-2
  
• Change From Last Weigh-in: -1
  
• Met Training Goals? Partially:
  
  • Fri-Mon = Various levels.
    
  • Tue = 3 miles (goal: 3 miles)
    
  • Wed = 1 hour swim (goal: 15 min ct)
    
  • Thu = 5 miles (goal: 5 miles)
  Total Miles: 8
  
• Current Training Goal:
  
  • Fri = 30 min crosstrain
    
  • Sat = 5 miles
    
  • Sun = 5 miles
    
  • Mon = rest
    
  • Tue = 3 miles
    
  • Wed = 15 min crosstrain
    
  • Thu = 5 miles

Well, my body hasn't yet started conserving fat in response to my increased activity, so I've apparently lost a bit more weight. I say apparently because until the weight stays down for a few months it's hard to tell if it's real progress or just normal fluctuations.

For real progress, though, I have how I feel. And I feel like my clothing is getting looser. And my wedding ring is slipping slightly for the first time ever. I tend to believe that I am losing fat and gaining some muscle. At least, I hope that's what's happening.

As for pain... the areas on my legs that are sore this morning seem to be completely normal areas, not the muscle that's been bothering me. So I have some real hope that I can complete both the fivers this weekend and start to really catch up on the training schedule. Wish me luck! And, if you want to give me more incentive, please donate: