Beach is the life for me...

I am just back from a weekend getaway in Myrtle Beach...

I needed it more than I realized.

For five full days I did not let thoughts of work  - or other day-to-day life stresses  - intrude.

Five days of ...

Sand and sun ...
Living in beachware and flip flops....
Long walks on the beach...
Unlimited pool, sauna, and spa time...
Palm trees everywhere...
Shopping...
And time with my beautiful daughter...

I could get use to living on a beach...

Raising the Bar...

Mission accomplished.

I walked the Nat 5K Sunday and am happy to report that I met my 4 goals:

• Finish
• Not be the last to finish.
• Finish without the need for paramedic assistance afterwards.
• Finish faster than 54.10 (my previously recorded 5k PR)

My actual recorded finish time was 51.16.  My pace was 1:32M faster than my previous PR.

Yay me:)

It was a much smaller group of walkers/runners than the Christmas Story 5k.

I appreciated the smaller crowd.

Though I had to push myself to not cross the finish line last.

And what was advertised as a closed flat loop did not seem very flat to me. The Natatorium's indoor track is what I consider closed and flat.

My son, who is working to lose weight and get in shape for kite-surfing in Belize, also ran/walked. It was a win for him as well as he ran for a much longer interval than he thought he could.

Overall it was a great way to start my Sunday morning.

And in answer to the finish line volunteer who asked: Yes, I do plan to do it again next year.

And I have a new goal for my next 5K: 

Under 51:16 and at faster pace than 16:31M.

A Slight Miscalculation....

I have been trying to get my 5K walk time under 55 minutes because my PR for an organized 5K is 55:58.

Or so I thought...

It occurred to me earlier this week that said organized "5K" (2013 A Christmas Story Run) was actually 3.2 miles.

Which makes my 3.1 mile (5K) time more like 54:10.

So that is the time to beat this weekend.

I just may be able to do that.

My time today on the Nat's  indoor track was 48:45.

That gives me a little breathing room for the outdoor, and possibly not so flat,  course for the run this weekend.

Wish me luck.

I will share the results Sunday or early next week.

No more jogging for me...

In an attempt to get my 5 k time down a bit, I thought I might try jogging part of it.

And try I did.

For a couple of weeks, I jogged a few yards every 1/8  mile lap at the NAT.

It did not seem too bad...especially after I started wearing two sports bras to minimize the jiggle at top.   

But then...

By the end of the second week my knees started bothering me.  At first, I did not attribute the ache to the jogging.  I thought maybe I was just overdoing it a bit. I realized that I was actually sweating during my laps...yeah, must be overdoing it.

So I walked/jogged less and less miles each day. 

Two and a half, then two, then one...

Still, my knees were hurting worse each day until I could hardly walk without feeling the pain.

I was ready to forget participating in the 5K I am training for.

My son suggested I see a doctor.

Ha...he should know me better than that.

He next suggested I stop jogging completely and try biking for a few days instead of walking.

Why didn't I think of that?

It's a miracle. I can walk again...without hurting.

No more jogging for me...ever...

I am now actually walking at a faster pace than my best walk/jog pace.

Though my 18 minute mile pace is still pretty damn slow.

I blame that slow pace on my short legs and the few (quite a few) extra pounds I carry around.

Only seven more days til race day and my legs are not getting any longer and the pounds are not falling away....

So I best get off this couch and see if I can find a way to move a little faster...

September Goals...

September is going to be a busy month...

I have set the following activity goals: 

• AVG 12000 steps per day 
• AVG 5 miles per day

This is a stretch goal for me; I admit it, I am out of shape.

I have signed up to walk a 5 k on September 14. My goal for this 5 K is to beat my previous sponsored 5 K record of 55:57.  I am working at it.

I have planned a girls (Mom-Daughter) getaway weekend for my birthday weekend.  Sorry sons, but if I invite boys I have to pay for an extra room...I am cheap and saving for a trip to Belize.

Yes, I said Belize.

I will also be helping my oldest son pack up his office and residence as he prepares to move to Belize in early October.

I am so excited for him and and his girlfriend.  They are making their dreams come true.

And I have a reasonably priced dream vacation destination in my future; Belize in December is looking more like reality every day.

I promise to do my best to not to be the mom/mom-in-law from hell when I visit:)

Searching for a gym...

In mid July, when I realized that I was actually going to keep the goal I set of walking 10000 steps a day, I decided to reward myself with a gym membership.

When I look for a gym (I have done this a time or two in the past), I look for three things, in order of importance:

• A lap pool (for water walking)
• In indoor track (for walking in inclement weather)
• Accessibility (hours of operation/proximity to residence)

I found two gyms (with the above requirements) in my area:

• The Natatorium in Cuyahoga Falls  
• Akron General Health and Wellness Center - North

I love the Nat; I used to frequent that place when I lived in the falls years ago.  

• PROS: Familiar, lots of free programs to members, awesome aquatics centers, member's guests are allowed  at  reasonable rates; best hours of any gym with pool; pay as you go monthly rates; walk in enrollment;  etc, etc.
• CONS: A few miles from my apartment in the opposite direction of work.

In all fairness, I needed to check out AG.

• PROS: Very close to my apartment; 3 locations to use.
• CONS: Higher rates than Nat; hefty enrollment fee; less open hours; appointment needed to sign up; no month-to-month option; etc, etc.

Yeah, I chose the Nat.  

Not only do they offer all of the above, they have on-line membership renewal, receipt availability, sign-in tracker, activity calendars....WIN-WIN. (I love technology.)

A piece of advice to AG: Asserting that an enrollment fee keeps your rates down does not fly when your yearly rates after the enrollment fee are more per month than the Nat's rates for monthly, non-resident, non-senior members.

Well, I best go make use of that membership....

What I did on my summer vacation...

I was shocked to realize that I last posted almost 4 months ago...
Damn...what have I been doing?  Not  sharing on my blog, obviously.

Summer has come and gone.

It was not overly eventful or exciting....but lazily enjoyable.

I have made a change in my extra-curricular activities. 

At the beginning of summer I was using the few extra bucks I had each paycheck to visit one of  the local racinos conveniently located on my way home from that thing called work. However, losing a few bucks within a few minutes was doing less and less to relieve the stress of the workday.

I like the racinos because they are somewhere I can go by myself and not feel out of place by myself and not spend too much hard earned money.

But I do like to get something back for the little bit of hard earned money I spend; something more than just a few minutes of play time.

I decided I needed to find a new activity that I could do by myself or with others that was reasonably priced and helped relieve stress.

I took a walk to think about it...and kept walking.

After that walk in late June, I decided two things:

• I set myself a July activity goal of 10000 steps a day.  That goal seemed reasonable until I tried to keep it. It was a little harder than I anticipated.  But I did keep it and set the bar a bit higher for August: AVG 11300 steps and 5 miles per day. August is done and goal achieved. Yay me.
• I decided to not play my aforementioned play money and save it for a gym membership. I spent July walking and shopping for a gym.

I am feeling better even though the scales are not showing a loss.  Maybe the after-walk ice cream is not such a good idea....

Oh well, one small step...