Either I'm suicidal or merely insane...

[ms_irreverent]

...you tell me.

A friend and I have a standing weekend date to walk. We usually do a 6-mile loop in about two hours (a slower pace than my standard, to acccommodate her). This morning she was having an off day, so we went only 4.2 miles, at an even slower pace.

I needed more, so later in the afternoon I went to the lake and power walked the trail, which is 4.25 miles. I knocked nearly 5 minutes off my regular time, for a new PR of 70 minutes. I will probably be dead tomorrow. ;)

[Tom]

You're just fine. When you find yourself loading 45-pound plates into a backpack for an 8-mile hike in the rain, then you should consider seeking help. :lol:

[CinnamonGirl]

Suicidal, insane . . . no. You're an inspiration -- and a very PURPOSEFUL girl. You don't settle for less than you need. That is commendable and something to pattern ourselves after. If I thought more along those lines I'd be saying I met my goals for this week instead of saying, "I'll do better next week."

[ms_irreverent]

You give me waaay too much credit. If the weather hadn't been as gorgeous as it was, I'd have settled down in front of the tube to watch the Nats instead. But it was sunny and just above 70, and I simply had to be outside!

I've got one bad sore spot behind my left knee--need to figure out where I hid the arnica gel--but other than that, so far, so good. Tomorrow morning will be interesting.

[CinnamonGirl]

Say what you will . . . in my book you are an inspiration. So . . . how ARE you feeling today? Hopefully not as bad as you expected. I hope you remembered your sunscreen yesterday!

Tell me about arnica gel -- I get the sense that it's a topical muscle pain reliever. If so . . . what should I be looking for when shopping for it?

[ms_irreverent]

Thank you. Guess now I have much to live up to. ;)

That one spot aside, I didn't have any other aches and pains (and my massage therapist told me I needed to stretch those calves more), but when I went to the gym I had no gas. I did some back, arm and abs work, even though I really wanted a nap instead, and it was a struggle to get through some of the third sets. In fact, I managed only two sets of assisted pullups. I simply couldn't do any more. The lesson appears to be that 8 miles is just too much unless I have a day off in between.

Yes, arnica gel is a topical remedy for deep tissue and muscle injury and trauma. The full name is arnica montana--I think it's also called wolfsbane--and it's also sold in pellets, which I always have around just in case for stupid things like slamming my bare foot into a coffee table or falling down the steps or whatever. It's amazing stuff. I did that coffee table trick a few years ago when I was visiting a friend, and I could barely get my sneaker on the next morning--not a minor issue, as I was flying home that afternoon. She gave me both the pellets and the gel (for that sort of trauma, you use both), and I'm here to tell ya, within an hour or so I could wear that sneaker without any discomfort whatsoever, and it kept the discoloration to a minimum. I buy mine at Whole Foods, and the most common brand is Boiron. If you Google it you can find all sorts of online sites that sell it, as well.

[CinnamonGirl]

Thanks for the info about the arnica gel and the pellets too. Looks like something I should have in house. The klutz factor comes into play in my life quite often. Now I have another good reason to go to Whole Foods!

[ms_irreverent]

You're welcome. I live at Whole Foods. ;)

Today was a much better gym day; I had plenty of energy. What a difference a day makes.

[Marty]

my wife can walk circles around me - she's the ferrari 250 GTO and I'm a diesel roadgrader - still, usually by the end of the session the bulldozer can overtake the sports car as they usually run out of gas - plus eat the hills and grades up and her flat track speed is curtailed more dramatically than mine...

[ms_irreverent]

Yep, that is very true.

Oh, I found out this morning that the lake trail is actually a half-mile longer than I'd thought, so now I'm more impressed with myself. :P

I walked for a good 45 minutes yesterday on my break. I haven't much of a clue how far I went total, but I timed from the farthest point back to the office--and I really pushed it on the way back--and made it in about 15 minutes, so it has to have been a couple miles overall. I took today as an off day and will do the same tomorrow. I've got a nagging pain somewhere behind my left knee that I am still trying to pinpoint. Maybe in the tendons. It's not the calf muscle as I'd first though; it's higher up.

[CinnamonGirl]

Glad to see that you are resting that knee, Ms_I. I know it will be difficult to live up to that plan, especially if the weather is nice . . . but do it anyway. Have a great weekend.

[ms_irreverent]

Actually they are promising us mostly rain and cold, which will make it much easier to take it easy; I have some freelance work to keep my busy instead. Hope you have a good (and nicer!) weekend as well.

[Marty]

please try and improve walk trechnique - there really is such a thing and by paying attention to it you can walk faster (always and forever the goal) and actually make it even less impact-stressful - slight pain behind the knee? Try and have the footfalls fall smoother and try and pump the elbows with greater velocity and ROM (range of motion)

[CinnamonGirl]

How is your knee, Ms_I?

Based upon the reference you made to your percentage of body fat on Tom's thread, I know you must be working out regularly and probably have been for a long time. If you haven't already described what you're doing, please share.

Although I'm only half way through this 12 week plan, I'm already looking toward setting goals and developing a strategy for the next 12 weeks.

[ms_irreverent]

It is slowly getting better. I had some energy work done on it last weekend after our Sunday morning walk (which we did shorter and more slowly for a number of reasons). I also quit doing calf raises for the moment and stayed away from heels this week. It feels as though it needs one more week, but we shall see. What it probably really needs is for me to stay off my feet for a solid week, but that ain't happening in this lifetime. :)

I've been lifting weights for eight or nine years; I can't remember anymore exactly when I joined this gym. Before that I'd done aerobics, step aerobics, Jazzercise and Jazzerstep. But I accomplished more in three months with weights than I had in all those years of the others.

At the moment, I'm using a combination of dumbbell stuff for upper body--chest presses, shoulder presses, triceps kickbacks, lat raises, shoulder shrugs, and a sort of backward overhead stretch/raise, all courtesy of Marty's fun fitness day--and various Nautilus and Cybex contraptions for abductors, adductors, extensions and hamstring curls. Also a Nautilus ab crunch and what I think is called a Roman chair (arms and back but no seat; you support yourself on your elbows and do leg raises). I've been doing cardio intervals on a recumbent, and I try to walk as often as possible. Some weeks I get to the gym three times and others twice, so what I do varies, and although Marty gave me a suggested two-day split, I've screwed it up two weeks running because I can't remember anything from one minute to the next, even when I write it down! :lol:

[Tom]

Ms_I,

I always write my workouts down and carry the piece of paper around with me as I go through them. I check off the sets as I go through them. Otherwise I'd probably forget how many sets I did, what I'm doing now, etc.

Good luck with the knees.

Tom

[ms_irreverent]

Oh, I know. I actually started a new log this week. It's just that the note with the split is on a sticky on my monitor and I kept forgetting to take it with me.

[Marty]

are you a victim of mental preoccupation? do you log results? You know who was the most annal logger/projector/data anylazer? Iron Vic. He would drive me crazy with his projected weight training cycles.

[ms_irreverent]

are you a victim of mental preoccupation? do you log results? You know who was the most annal logger/projector/data anylazer? Iron Vic. He would drive me crazy with his projected weight training cycles.

Mental preoccupation? Hardly. More like mental nonoccupation. ;) Yeah, I started a new log, a small notebook I keep in the car. I had to figure out what I was doing first.

You know, it's funny about Vic. He wasn't really like that in his dealings with us. He did fiddle a bit, but every damn writer out there does that; it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

[zebulondragonslayer]

How's your knee Ms_I ?Noticed you haven't updated this log lately...... Still working out regularly ?

[ms_irreverent]

I am just back from the gym, actually. I do work out regularly; I just don't post the log. (I keep one; it's in a notebook that lives in my car.)

The knee, well, some days I don't feel it at all and others I do. I must have overstretched a tendon or something. (Or else it's just creeping old age!) I have a sneaking suspicion that unless I opt to stay off my feet entirely for a couple weeks it will continue to annoy me. But since that is entirely out of the question--I have no interest in staying in bed that long!--I'll just live with it. I have several such annoyances. I refuse to give in to them but just work around them. I may have my acupuncturist address it, although that is a bit problematic because it would prevent her from doing some other things that are necessary. Have to see how it goes.

It's not really the knee anyway. It's a spot behind that I can't even pinpoint, somewhere above the top of the calf. I think it moves around just to drive me crazy. ;)

[ms_irreverent]

And a new PR at the lake today: 67 minutes. I am going to attempt to knock that down even more as the summer progresses.

The county has posted a sign that says the trail is 4.5 miles, so I will take that as definitive. My cute little pedometer is off on the short side by a half mile, it seems. But since it was a freebie, I suppose that isn't much of a surprise.

Oh, and (knock wood!) that tendon seems to be better.

[CinnamonGirl]

Great job on that PR, Ms_I! 4.5 miles in 67 minutes - I'm impressed. Is the path fairly level, or does it have some uphill and downhill sections?

Great to hear that your tendon/knee area is feeling better too.

[ms_irreverent]

Great job on that PR, Ms_I! 4.5 miles in 67 minutes - I'm impressed. Is the path fairly level, or does it have some uphill and downhill sections?

Great to hear that your tendon/knee area is feeling better too.

It's a very nice mix of hills and level areas (as well as paved and unpaved). I have to admit that by going counterclockwise, as I did today, it is a little easier to maintain a faster pace, because the hilly section that would otherwise be in my last mile and a half is instead one of the first areas encountered. Still, there are plenty of other hills along the way, and I always work up a good sweat. It was nice to see the water level up, too; we had some hellacious rain the other day.

[Bobcat]

Absolutely great about the tendon. They can be loads of trouble. (About 25 years ago, a couple of them had me using a cane for six weeks.) Let's hope that your tendon problem is evaporating for good.

[ms_irreverent]

66 (I think) minutes today, which I did not expect at all--there was a lot of mud, so I had to step carefully in many places lest I wind up on my butt. ;)

It appears that the tendon problem was caused by my shoes. Something CinnamonGirl said in another thread struck a chord with me, and I realized that the ones I'd been wearing were something like four or five years old. I bought a new pair last weekend, and the difference was immediately noticeable. Thanks, CG!

[CinnamonGirl]

Glad new shoes made the difference, Ms_I!

Aches and pains that can't seem to be explained are a bane to my existence, and hearing that it appears we've solved the cause of one of them is wonderful news!

[ms_irreverent]

66 minutes. In the 90-degrees-in-the-shade weather. ;)

I really should have gone two hours earlier, but it just didn't happen.

[Tom]

It builds character. :twisted:

It's not a bad idea to take along a water bottle and sip it occasionally if you're going to be out in the heat for a while. If you're only out for an hour or so you're probably OK without it, but it's not too hard to turn yourself into a heat casualty on a hot and humid DC day if you're a bit dehydrated to begin with.

[ms_irreverent]

Oh, I always have a water bottle with me! If for no other reason that it makes me keep my arms up.

(I have to actually stop moving if I want to drink; I am usually walking at such a fast pace that I cannot do both at the same time.)

[Tom]

You might look into purchasing a CamelBak. Basically, it's a backpack with a water bag in it, with a hose that runs out and clips to one of the shoulder straps. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be had for as little as $25.00 or so. They make it really easy to stay hydrated while doing something else. They are the shizzle for hot-weather endurance work.


http://www.camelbak.com/

[ms_irreverent]

I know about those. I'd rather carry the bottle. ;)

I don't allow myself to get anywhere near dehydration, trust me. I had heat exhaustion once, many years ago. It will never happen again!

[ms_irreverent]

66 minutes, give or take. And this time I saw a great blue heron in the water, with a fish in its mouth.

[vinay]

i just imagined you fighting with it for the fish :P Did u ?

Seriously, good cardio.

[ms_irreverent]

LOL no. The fish wasn't large enough to feed me, so I opted to leave the heron alone. ;)

[ms_irreverent]

Today was my first lake walk since June. One would think that after all this time the layoff would have had a significant impact on my time.

One would be wrong. 67 minutes. :)

It did feel more difficult, though.

[CinnamonGirl]

Today was my first lake walk since June. One would think that after all this time the layoff would have had a significant impact on my time.

One would be wrong. 67 minutes. :)

It did feel more difficult, though.
I didn't realize that you haven't been taking your walks. Has your knee been acting up?

[ms_irreverent]

No. I sprained my foot pretty badly when I was in Chicago, and while it healed fairly quickly in terms of just everyday movement, it needed time to get back to normal for that sort of walking. Then, when I finally felt it could withstand heavy-duty walking, the weather was uncooperative--when it's 88 degrees and 90 percent humidity at 7 a.m., there is no way I'm going to try that.

[CinnamonGirl]

OK. I do recall you mentioning that injury. After spending a weekend in Alabama, I understand why you wouldn't want to do that walk!

[ms_irreverent]

Well, today was not very stellar. I'm guessing here, because among other things I actually ran into a former neighbor (first time in 10 years I've ever encountered anyone I know there!) and stopped to chat briefly without thinking to watch the time, but I think I was around 69-70. Backsliding, but it is humid, which always bothers me. Plus I think I am still worn out from yesterday, a very long, brutal day at the office. I haven't felt really zippy since I got up this morning, even with about 9 hours' sleep and three cups of coffee. But oh well. There's always next week.

[ms_irreverent]

OK, this is nuts. I went this morning before hitting the gym, and my usual Tuesday MO is to walk at a good clip but keep it to around 70 minutes so I can still lift. Well, I didn't think I was pushing myself harder than usual, but I did the loop in only 66 minutes! (And still had enough gas for the weights.)

Makes me think 65 is not out of the question. We shall see.

[CinnamonGirl]

Oh, 65 is definitely not out of the question. That's a ripping good time for a 4.5 mile walk! I know I couldn't do it, and I walk a lot! Good for you, Ms_I!

[Dylan Thomas]

Ms._I,

How do you feel today after Saturday's KB workshop?
I't was nice to meet you, and I hope to see you again when you get a KB.
Dylan

[paperboy]

Ms._I,

How do you feel today after Saturday's KB workshop?
I't was nice to meet you, and I hope to see you again when you get a KB.
Dylan

Yes, I've been waiting to hear about this!

[ms_irreverent]

Oh, I was already feeling it by Saturday night, and more so yesterday and today. But I like DOMS--to me it's a signal that I really worked hard--so I have no complaints, and it didn't keep me from my regular workout this morning. Surprisingly, I feel it most in the thighs, adductors especially. But I will be able to walk the lake tomorrow morning.

I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop and meeting you (and your family!), and eventually, when I can get my own KB, I'll be looking for you. Thank you!

[ms_irreverent]

Well, I still don't believe it, but I did the lake in 65 minutes today!

[JeffS]

Great job, Ms. I!
That's a butt-kicking pace for 4.5 miles. Maybe the slightly cooler temps helped?

Do you wear a heart rate monitor on your walk?
I'd be interested in seeing the stats, particularly a faster pace vs. a somewhat slower one.

[ms_irreverent]

I don't, but buying one is my next priority when I have some extra funds to play with. Won't be next month, not with car tax due. Ugh. :x However, once I do have one, I will definitely post that sort of info. I'm actually curious myself!

[CinnamonGirl]

I'm not at all suprised, Ms_I. I recall saying something like that last week! :wink:

[ms_irreverent]

Well, I was surprised, especially since it is Tuesday, which means I went to the gym afterward (and still had enough gas to lift). But I am finding that these days it is next to impossible for me to not push myself on that walk. Probably the only way that will happen anymore is if I am not alone. ;)

[paperboy]

I don't, but buying one is my next priority when I have some extra funds to play with. Won't be next month, not with car tax due. Ugh. :x However, once I do have one, I will definitely post that sort of info. I'm actually curious myself!

Being from Maryland, I never had to deal with that. Now that I'm in Georgia, I'm in that same boat. A fart on the car tax!

[ms_irreverent]

Been a while since I posted here, I realize. Weather and a change in my work schedule have kept me away from the lake for most of the past month, although I went two Sundays ago and kept my pace to a leisurely 70. I can feel a difference in my body overall--I don't have as much zip on a day-to-day basis as I did when I was going regularly twice a week--but it's one of those things that can't be helped. Still, I went this morning and even though I started out not intending to push too hard, the challenge got the best of me and I finished in 65. :)

[ms_irreverent]

Went back to the lake today for the first time since the end of November--we had snow in early December, followed by some severe cold, which I can't stay outside in anymore--and despite the long layoff managed to do it in 67, so I'm happy.

[CinnamonGirl]

=D> Very good, Ms_I! =D>

[Tom]

Ms_I,

I saw in the chat that you're having a shoulder issue. After the chiropracter checks you out, you might consider giving this routine a whirl, as an adjunct to whatever you're doing now.

http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/shoulder.htm

I have an old shoulder injury that bothers me from time to time, and this routine usually gets it feeling right again in a week or two. The things to keep in mind are: use light weights (I usually use 3lb dumbbells; 5 lbs maximum), make the mind-muscle connection, move slowly and with control, and don't stop at all until you finish the last set.

[ms_irreverent]

Thanks. I may do that; I'll see what my chiro says on Monday. The odd thing is that I have never to my knowledge injured my delt. The trap on that side was wrenched in a '94 car wreck, but till now I have never had a delt problem. And I have no clue where this came from.

[ms_irreverent]

66 minutes today, which was a surprise because I really didn't think I had enough energy to pull it off (I'm so worn out by the time I get home Friday night that it usually takes me till Sunday to perk up again). But I had to take advantage of the mild weather. Spring in the middle of January is always a plus!

As an aside, I am astounded at all the downed trees. I saw a lot when I was there two weeks ago, and there were even more today.

[ironeagle6]

Ms I, I get worn out just reading your program, LOL.

I walked up a set of stairs the other day in 35 seconds, does that count?

:lol:

[ms_irreverent]

LOL of course. Every little bit counts!

[guitarfreak]

Would this lake that you mention regularly in your training log be located in Burke?
If so I used to run around it when I was in high school... twice around it actually. I play golf there and take my kids there too. They like going to the driving range and playing mini-golf. They want to play real golf too but it'd get a bit expensive.
Although.. now that I'm thinking about it.. perhaps you're talking about Accotink, which I live near now. That was the main lake I would run around in high school. I still go for walks all down through there with my wife and kids.

[ms_irreverent]

It's Burke Lake. I love it there; it's where I've gone to clear out my head for probably 20 years now. Even when I'm walking to beat the clock, it's the one place where I can let my mind go utterly blank; listening to the ducks and geese is wonderfully therapeutic.

I didn't know Accotink had any trails. I've gone there for some picnics in the past, but that's it.

[Bobcat]

It's Burke Lake.

Does that ever bring back some old, vague, fuzzy memories! It has been decades since I've been to Burke Lake.

[guitarfreak]

It's Burke Lake. I love it there; it's where I've gone to clear out my head for probably 20 years now. Even when I'm walking to beat the clock, it's the one place where I can let my mind go utterly blank; listening to the ducks and geese is wonderfully therapeutic.

I didn't know Accotink had any trails. I've gone there for some picnics in the past, but that's it.

I grew up going to Burke Lake fishing and so forth. And yeah... Accotink has a nice trail that runs all the way around the lake. There's also lots of offshoot trails which my dog and I have spent many hours exploring. Although I've not seen them recently, there was also a pair of bald eagles living at Accotink. If you go down by the marina where the picnic area is and walk over to the right or left... you'll quickly find the paths.

[ms_irreverent]

I grew up going to Burke Lake fishing and so forth. And yeah... Accotink has a nice trail that runs all the way around the lake. There's also lots of offshoot trails which my dog and I have spent many hours exploring. Although I've not seen them recently, there was also a pair of bald eagles living at Accotink. If you go down by the marina where the picnic area is and walk over to the right or left... you'll quickly find the paths.

I'd heard about the bald eagles. We've got a blue heron over at Burke; I see it frequently. It likes the corner down at the Burke Lake Road end.

[ms_irreverent]

When I was a youngster, I took piano lessons for a number of years. Loved to play but utterly despised practicing and would try to get out of it as much as possible. Drove my parents nuts, too, because anytime I'd skip a few days, the next time I sat down, whatever I played was flawless. They never understood that. (Not sure I did either, but at least I was more willing to accept it for what it was!)

Why am I telling you this? Yesterday, I went back to the lake after a seven-week layoff and walked the trail in only 64 minutes. That's a PR.

[childresspta]

Way to go on the PR ms_i.

[ms_irreverent]

Thank you!

Went back today and did 66. But I reversed direction, making it more uphill and putting all the bare asphalt at the end instead of the beginning. I dislike walking on bare asphalt; it's very jarring (and tiring). I was also still feeling Saturday's effort, which made that section even worse. Still, to the best of my recollection, I'd never hit 66 in that direction before, so I believe that is another PR.

(In case you're wondering, the reason I don't usually go that direction--aside from the asphalt--is that my b/p med includes a diuretic, meaning the location of the sole bathroom is an issue and has to be factored in.)

[ms_irreverent]

Ahh, spring. Let's hope it's here for good.

I went to the lake but quickly discovered my energy level was pretty low. Probably a combination of physical and mental fatigue--was up late last night and today I had too much on my mind that kept resisting my efforts to shut out. Plus there were way too many bikers to dodge :mad: (moral of the story: go earlier next time). So instead of playing beat the clock I alternated between pushing it as hard as possible and then slowing down to a leisurely stroll. Was a nice change of pace.

Oh, yeah, I forgot: This trail has one of those fitness "par" courses. I figured what the hey and stopped at the pull-up station. Silly me. I may be small, but I still can't manage to pull myself up except with a jump-start. Maybe a year from now.

[moonlady]

Keep on trying on the pullups. Someday I'll get the courage to try one unassisted to see if I can do it. When you can you'll feel *really* good.

[ms_irreverent]

It was gorgeous this afternoon, so I took a nice leisurely stroll around the lake. 66 minutes. ;)

(I'm actually surprised I managed that. My legs tired very quickly for some reason. Still, there's one stretch between certain landmarks that usually takes me 18 minutes. Somehow I managed it in only 15.)

[CinnamonGirl]

Nice work, Ms_I!