Readers' Workouts -- Goals

Joy at Joy's Book Blog has built up a community of people who love to read and work out.

This week she's blogging about goals.

I'm not great about setting goals for the new year. I have decided I'd like to easily be able to run 10 miles on the weekend, like I used to with my friends. But I haven't actually done anything to make that happen.

This morning I ran four miles in the rain with
the temperature around 50 degrees. Warmer
than it should be for January.  This pic is
from another winter run in the rain. 

I've had some long runs in the new year, including a 7-mile run last week, but my body is still adjusting to a new way of eating.
I haven't eaten meat since Christmas Eve. I didn't give it up for any noble cause, only because I felt so sick for days after.
It started a few weeks before Christmas. I did a 6-day juice cleanse, drinking only fruit and vegetable juice. Then when I started eating again, I noticed that meat upset my stomach. I tried to avoid meat, but as I visited family or went out, it seemed like meat was always served. On Christmas Eve, I made mozzarella-stuffed meatballs. I only ate one, but my intestines felt swollen and inflamed. So I haven't eaten any meat since. Even the smell of it cooking can make me feel sick.
I never would have predicted I could give up meat. I have loved it forever -- a nice juicy cheeseburger, marinated chicken on the grill, pulled pork sandwiches. But the memory of how sick I felt for several days prevents me from being tempted.
I've eaten some fish, but notice that I feel very full after that too, so I'm sticking with mostly fruits and vegetables. Still, I find myself eating too much bread so that I'll feel full.
Anyway, as I'm figuring out how to eat without feeling sick, there are some days when I have walked rather than run, and I just need to be satisfied with that.
On the positive side, I have successfully reached my step goal on my Fitbit every day this year, even with some days of bad weather.

I wonder if I can reach 10,000 steps every day of the year. That might be a good goal.
Hope everyone else is enjoying an active January.

#ReadersWorkouts -- Warm-Weather Workouts

 

Joy at Joy's Book Blog has built up a community of people who love to read and work out. You know that I enjoy both of those things, so I'm joining in.

I can't believe that I haven't played along with #ReadersWorkouts since October.
At least I haven't stopped working out even though I haven't posted.
I had a spectacular run last week in 14-degree weather with sparkly snow covering the ground. Luckily, the roads had been scraped clean so I didn't risk falling on the ice.

Then on Thursday, I was transported, via airplane, to sunny Florida where the weather has been in the 70s and 80s everyday.

I've run each morning, except one, and it has been fabulous -- if a little humid. I know that no one will feel bad for me that the morning seemed too humid. How bout the fog? Yesterday morning, the outdoors was thick with spooky fog. Luckily, I had my shoe lights on so people could spot me.

I have one more day here in Florida and one more morning run, but I plan to continue working out in the cold when I return to Ohio.

Here I am with Mom and Dad as we take a walk in the bright sun. 

Hope your exercising went well this week and hope you enjoy the upcoming holidays.

Readers' Workouts -- Fitbit Challenges

Joy at Joy's Book Blog has built up a community of people who love to read and work out. You know that I enjoy both of those things, so I'm joining in.

At the risk of sounding like an advertisement for Fitbit, I wanted to share that I'm enjoying the challenges that Fitbit has set up for those of us who wear it religiously enough to have tan lines from it. (Yes, I do, even though I don't really tan, just freckle.)
Just last week, I found out that Fitbit had added challenges that allow the reader to virtually hike trails in Yosemite.
The first trail was 15,000 steps to Vernal Falls. The second 24,000 steps to Valley Loop. And the third, the one I'm "walking" now, is the Pohono Trail, 42,000 steps.
As I walk steps, the Fitbit counts them and tells me where I would be along the path if I were walking in Yosemite.

My husband pointed out that the hike would be much more vigorous in Yosemite, which is true, but it's nice to reach some virtual landmarks and see gorgeous pictures of the scenery when I do.

The map shows  my progress, and if I click on journal, it shows me photos of landmarks.

I can pan to the left or right with my phone to see more scenery, as if I'm really standing on a precipice looking at the breathtaking mountains.

The first day I started, I thought that I had to complete each challenge in one day, but that isn't true. The challenges can be broken up into a couple of days and the Fitbit just keeps moving me down the trail.
Even at night.

I hope Fitbit comes out with more challenges, and they don't have to be rugged hikes. How about some Paris walks that let me know when I reach Notre Dame or The Eiffel Tower or even Montmartre?
The places I would love to walk, even if I'm still in Ohio.
Hope everyone else is having a day full of exercise and good energy.

Readers' Workouts -- New Exercise Schedule

Joy at Joy's Book Blog has built up a community of people who love to read and work out. You know that I enjoy both of those things, so I'm joining in.

During the summer months, I stay active, but I have a harder time enforcing a walking/running schedule on myself.
I definitely have enjoyed the morning walks I shared with my friend Sheila most days throughout the summer.
Now that college has begun again, I teach at 8 a.m. three mornings a week. So I decided to make those three days non-exercising mornings. Instead, I spend time writing before work.
That means I need to get a lot accomplished on the other four mornings. I'm trying to run six miles Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. So far, I've managed that on both Sunday and Tuesday. I'm fairly proud of myself, because while trying to run five or six days a week in the summer, I've noticed that my distance really goes down.

Here's a recent picture I took on a run. Some kids toilet papered one
of their friend's houses. It looks like a jungle with white vines.

Here's a selfie I took on my first day of class. 

This morning, I got my 10,000 steps in before 7:30 a.m. Then I walked for an hour and a half with Sheila. Right now, at 12:30, I have more than 23,000 steps for the day!
So for four days a week, while the weather stays warm, I'll get plenty of exercise.
But I do feel guilty about the idea of not exercising those other three days. Yes, it's a slight obsession; my friend Sheila jokes about all of my exercising rules.  My plan is to take a gym bag with me to work. I can stop at the gym and lift weights, do some rowing or bike riding on my way home from work. If I come home before I go to the gym, the odds of working out go way down.

It's only the first week, but I hope to stick to the schedule through the fall semester.
Isn't it funny that when the schedule gets busier, I actually get more accomplished?
I'm teaching seven college courses at two different universities, so I guess that means I need to be more disciplined.
Hope your autumn exercise schedule is off to a good start.

Readers Workouts -- Long-Distance Running

Readers’ Workouts is the weekly event by Joy's Book Blog where book lovers share workout stories, goals, successes, and challenges
Fourteen years ago, I joined a marathon training group.
I was running six miles about three times a week, so I was ready to jump into a group and train to run the Columbus Marathon. That was a very active time for me with the kids ages 6, 8 and 10.
Then that September, I tore my ACL while rollerblading with my boys. I heard it snap, but didn't know what it was other than that I was in a lot of pain.
My husband was gone on a business trip, so what choice did I have but to get up and rollerblade home. The boys suggested that they could get the wagon and pull me up, but I know getting in and out of the wagon would be more difficult than relying on the one good leg to skate home. I had surgery and weeks of physical therapy.
I didn't run the marathon that year, but the following year, I joined the group again and made it through the 26.2-mile race.

Since then, I've met with running friends most weekends to run -- our long runs, we used to call them. We've seen each other through a lot -- marriage issues, cancer, rebellious teenagers, depression. Sometimes our runs are more like therapy sessions.
One friend, and the main motivator of our group, moved away. Our runs have gotten shorter and less often.
This weekend, after a 5-mile run, we decided to commit to long runs again.
I miss the feeling of the salt tightening on my face after I've run for miles and then I stand in the shower washing it all away and feeling my muscles relax in the hot water.
So our goal is to run 10 miles on the weekends again. We're starting with a marathon training schedule, even though we don't plan to run a marathon. In about 7 weeks, we should be running 10 miles and enjoying our time together on the running trail.
Is there an exercise you miss?

Readers' Workouts -- July

Joy at Joy's Book Blog has built up a community of people who love to read and work out.

When I visited Joy's blog, I learned that she sets a monthly workout goal. I had never thought of doing that. I usually take it day by day, and most days, I expect to exercise.
I feel incredible guilty if I don't start my day with a run, or at the very least, a walk with my friend Sheila.
One day this week, I reached my 10,000 step goal before 7 a.m.
I also have been exercising with my daughter for her Beach Body workout, which really made me feel muscles I didn't realize I had. I'm taking a break from Beach Body this week, but will probably start again next week.
Trying to judge how much I exercise per month, I turned to my Fitbit record. According to the dashboard, I've walked 225.38 miles since June 27, so in the past month.
No wonder my sandals are worn out. Of course, when I run, I don't wear my sandals.
I'm not sure if that number is a lot or not. I guess I'll have to compare it to the upcoming months.
Thanks for the reminder, Joy, to check in with  you and other bloggers on exercising.