Hi all - great to read about what you all are up to. I had a crazy busy day yesterday but managed to fit in a trip to the gym after my afternoon meeting before going home and making dinner. I ran/walked 5k on the treadmill - a minute and a half slower than last week, but I wasn't going for a PR, just a plain old workout.

Headed to the gym now for elliptical and strength training (it's an 'off' day for running). Was going to work out outside but wowza the wind has popped up something fierce and it's way too gusty to work out outside.

One question - I have read threads saying that the heart rate monitors on aerobic machines aren't too accurate, still every now and then I use them. I'm 29 years old, and I think my target heart rate is somewhere in the 145-150 range. Should I be concerned if the heart rate monitor on the treadmill registers something higher like that? I'm pretty consistently getting 155s or even in the 160s and I'm not sure if I should slow down or if it's all right. Any words of wisdom for this beginner?

TakingCharge - I don't have a good reason for why I was trying the balls of the feet, read it in a magazine and then found some references to it other places that seemed positive and decided to try it. My right foot goes to sleep sometimes during longer runs, and I found the toe strike when I was lokoing for ways to keep that from happening. While it did stop the tingly foot for the most part, obviously it was a bad idea long term. I've also read about striking in the middle of the foot. I need to look at that.


I'm walking like a normal person now, so am planning on the park after work. I'm hoping for 5 miles, but we'll see how the legs feel once I get there.

Ack - got a call and got pulled off and now I've lost where I was going with my thought.

I totally ROCKED day 1 of week 2 for c25k! I was nervous about the xtra 30 secs but my body was absolutely fine.

Cake- Good luck on your HM!

MBN- Thanks for the link for the stretches! I"ll be using them on my next run day.

MK- I second the Chalean Extreme dvd's. I'm getting them for x mas.

Mom of 5k- Sorry to hear about your treadmill! I hope it's an easy fix.

Just got home from work, and I'm trying to work up the extra energy to make it to my 'cardio blast' class.

I got 5 miles in today on the TM of doom. I still can't breathe thru my nose completely so it was slow and snotty, I had to walk at least a mile of it, but it's done. I've been paying attention to my foot strike while I've been running. Not to change, just to identify what I do naturally. I do both. cruising along full of energy: mid foot strike. Tired end of run or backing of a too fast pace for a bit: heel . Weird?

It's fun to have so many people checking in. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Take care of your injuries Ladies. I wish you speedy healing vibes.

MK: Weirdos? It's Seattle everyone is a weirdo. I did think Boulder to Seattle why bother ?.........

Good morning everyone!

Today is a rest day for me, but i'm going to go swim some laps after work to still get some cardio in.

Hubby keeps trying to get me to eat bad stuff, like chinese food or ice cream and when I decline he gets all angry. He complains about my plan being too strict and that he misses being able to eat with me. I've tried telling him that I can physically eat with him, it just can't be the same crap that he eats (he refuses to eat healthy, lol) It's just hard when he tempts me with all my old favorite junk foods. He's also complaining about all the time I spend working out and because of that he 'never' gets to see me.

I'm just confused about his behavior because before he would constantly urge me to go to the gym and eat healthy and now that I am he's not liking that either. What the heck?

enough complaining, lol. Hope everyone has a good day!

Morning Everyone! Went for a short run this morning, figured I'd try the early morning exercise and it was actually pretty nice. Ran along the water with the sun rising... not too shabby! Of course we'll see if I crash this afternoon!

Blue - impressed that even with a tough day at work you managed to get to the gym afterwards. That's always one of the toughest things for me, convincing myself to work out when it was a bad day at the job!

Eve - My husband is kind of the same way. In our relationship our good times together usually involved eating and drinking, and not particularly health stuff either. It took time but slowly we started to work more fun, non-food related activities into our lives and its been working well for us. I think the important thing is just to stick to your guns but also to bring new 'hang-out' activities into the equation.

Geranium - I love how you call it the treadmill of doom! Makes me smile!

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning!

Tried the park yesterday afternoon, realized I had no sports bra in my bag when I went to change... Didn't want to be bouncing everywhere so went home and ran on the treadmill. 4 miles instead of the 5 I hoped for, but better than I've done on the treadmill in a while. I did feel pretty comfortable after dark there, so I'm that looks good for the future.

Good day everyone!

WOW. we really HAVE grown you guys!! I can barely keep up!!

Eve-- is it possible your hubby is starting to feel threatened/jealous/insecure now that youre making lifestyle changes and he is not?? Dont let him tempt you or deter you away from your goals!! i know how hard it is living with someone who doesnt share your "lifestyle" But thats no reason it cant work!! keep at it, keep resisting his temptations, and eventually he will get bored/used to it and stop trying....

Geranium....Is seattle full of rich stoned granola hippys as well?? Im sorry to hear that,....washington is one of the only other places in the US id consider moving too...
Shannon--sorry bout having to run the tread instead! Personally, i dont have a problem if i forget a bra/sports bra....usually my tanks with the built in shelf provide MORE than enuf support for these A cups!!

Sporty- Glad you enjoyed your AM run!! There really ARE two types of runners--morning and evening runners!! Give it a week or two-- you will never go back!! What time did you run at?? I wake up at 3 and dont usually have a prob crashing untill about 6 or 7 at night.

Blue---first of all, dont pay ANY Attention to what the HR monitor on the treadmill or other piece of gym eqipment tells you. If you ARE interested in HR, then definitely invest in a decent HR monitor...it wil be MUCH more accurate!! Second of all, i believe the "aerobic" zone for you and i (we are both 29) is anywhere from approx 130 to 155 or SO...give or take..... It is my personal opinion that it doesnt really matter what your HR...percieved exertion is more important, unless you are specifically TRAINING something, like your Lactic Acid threshold, or VO2Max . You know how hard you are working........if its a long run, you dont wanna be out of breath..if its interval work, you wanna be breathing hard at the end of each interval....easy enough!!
anyway, thats just my opinion...although HR monitors are GREAT to have, especially for getting accurate calories burned.... i like to wear mine once a month or so, to check my progress and see cardiovascular improvement..... The better shape i get in, the less calories i burn when i run becuz my heart doesnt have to beat as many tmes to get oxygen to my muscles....more is delivered with each beat, you know? im finding where i USED to burn about 650 calories during a 10K, now im LUCKY if i burn 400 on a 6 mile run..... kinda sux.......on the other hand, im burning way more calories at rest than when i was "chubby"........ DOnt know if any of that helped....

Cake-of course im still smoke free!! never EVER going to let a cigarrette cross my lips again!! Of course, i havent had any alcohol since i quit smoking, so we will see how i handle that situation when it arrives (drinking and smoking go together like PB &J!) I didnt "place" at the marathon... are you kidding?!! I think i got 600th somethig overall outta 2000 runners!! So ya,i guess i did "place".....!! Youre funny.....

FAT---That would be totally fantastico if we both did the winter distance races!! i would LOVE meeting you in person! We could go out for brkfst or something after the races!!


Lets see...today= off day actually, im finding now that ive stepped up my intensity i think i DO need days aff from running....weird......not that i CANT run, its more like i want to get the MOST out of my KEY runs, ya know? SO i did the stairmill thing at the gym, and the spin bike, and i did kicking drills in the pool for about 20 minutes (OMG, if you guys havent done that, it is KILLER on your legs!!) Then later this afternoon i meet with my trainer for strength training, i think today (As oppossed to track work or conditioning)... TOMORROW i will hit up a nice relaxing long run.....mayhaps 13 to 15 miles.....at approx an 8 30 or so pace (trying to bring my long run tempo down, in prep for training to qualify for baston after the new year).
but SUNDAY is the BIG-to-do this weekend for me.....im doing this thing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, called Red Rocks Fitness.....its free, and started by this guy who just wanted to do a killer workout at red rocks....now hundreds of people join him!! Itll be a bootcampy style thing for about 2 and a half hours i think, and its supposed to be the HARDEST WORKOUT around..... heres a link for it if you guys wanna look...i think its sounds GREAT!!! but, im really weird like that, so....

http://www.redrocksfitness.com/
check out the "routine" tab at the top....looks UBER KILLER....

Dancer and FaT--- join me at redrocks!!! i think it starts at 10 am!

Wow you gals are just so chatty, I can barely keep up...

I haven't read the last few posts but I did read EveLHaelf hubby's reaction... I'm 53, married 26 years, and my hubby has learned to suck it up. We not only do this for ourselves, but we do it to improve our couple relationship, so that we can live «Happily Ever After» ... So tell hubby to suck it up, he'll be happier in the end... I'm such a hard a$$ though ..... He'll also get used to the new you/lifestyle, so keep at it...he may even join you in the end...

I just joined and am thrilled that there is a runners thread. I live on the coast and the best hour of my day is the run to the beach and back, approx 5 miles. Daylight savings means I can put my flashlight away for a few weeks.

MK - well for me an AM run is certainly not the same as yours! I'm talking 7:30ish, hardly 3:00am!!!

Sporty-- let us know if you crash this afternoon!!

Welcome Button!! Always glad to have new members!! Tell us a little more about your running history please!! Sound slike youve been doing it, at least for a LITTLE while....any races? In the past OR planned for the future?

Hey, whatever time works, as long as you go and run!

MK, I feel your pain about the calorie burn. I burn around 85 calories per mile, because I'm little. A half marathon burns, maybe, 1100 calories. Yeah it's a nice calorie bump, but hardly license to go pig out. When you add up my pre-race breakfast (I don't normally eat before I run), gatorade and gel during the race, and post-race banana, I've already consumed half of that probably. If I've taken the day off before the race as a "taper", there goes the other half because I've lost the calorie burn the day before.

That's why I tend to gain weight during running season -- between the tapering and race fueling, it's really easy to over-consume! I'm going to make a conscious effort NOT to do that this year. Race day is just another day (food wise).