Archive for February, 2009
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the last two days.
Yesterday was an improved 6:07 and today was 5:48. I am getting there. (?)
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Accountability etc.
Today I got up at 6:17.
Not quite the 5 a.m. time I was aiming for. In fact, it made me slightly late to work.
So far I have done things such as setting out gym clothes, put the alarm far away, and I have started going to bed at the early hour of 9 p.m. so that I am not tired when 5 a.m. rolls around.
But a strange thing happens in the morning. I start an argument with myself. “Oh, I need to get up now and go for a run/go to the gym because the alarm went off,” I start out. “No you don’t, you’re tired, it’s early, it’s cold, you can go later, the gym doesn’t sound like fun.” Sometimes the second voice is more brief, with just a “No.” And with that, I am back in bed, until I realize I have overslept and proceed to get aggravated with myself for not getting up earlier. Which is not a fun way to wake up, really.
Last night, the argument began at about 12 a.m. when my alter-ego shut off the 4:45 alarm. Because, I reasoned with myself, I could just workout later. Well, I can, but that’s not the point. The point is that it is difficult to fit in my schedule — things happen at work that require me to stay late, etc. And I don’t care to workout when I am normally ready to eat – eating wins sometimes, I will admit.
This nighttime alter-ego I have is a tough broad. But I have to beat her. They don’t call this a challenge for nothing.
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30 Day Challenge
As anyone that reads my blog knows, I struggle with the early morning workout, but I want to do it and have for quite a while. Starting tomorrow, I am going to try to wake up early for thirty days straight. Wake up time will be 5 a.m. Since I know that sleeping in on weekends is one of the things you shouldn’t do if you want to keep up your schedule, I’m going to give myself a 5:30 or 6 am wakeup time for the weekend days. Napping and whining will be optional (but probable). The end date of the challenge is March 20.* Join me if you dare!
And as far as running goes? I have come upon another IT band flare. It seems to be a problem in both legs. But it’s not severe — I stopped running about a couple of weeks ago when I got a twinge of pain in that telltale spot during a run — and it happened after about 5 miles — and have only been cross training since. I have also been doing the pelvic strengthening exercises in the latest Runner’s World. And while they look innocent, looks are deceiving — I thought the exercises were going to be useless because they look like easy calisthenic exercises. Well, I am proud to say that I was wrong, and that after the first couple of tries through the exercises, I felt my hip muscles when working out the following day. And as far as cures go, I have read here, and other places, that hip strengthening is vital to solving IT band problems.
I did sign up for the St. Louis Half Marathon in April. But, I am not going to push it if it’s not meant to be, because it’s not worth it. And frankly, it would be one thing to have a few months of training under my belt and then to have this happen — but that’s not the case. I was not running very much when it happened. Just two or three times a week. 5-6 miles at a time. It was a surprise when I found myself in pain.
*I think one of the signs that I am really a lawyer (read: ridiculously anal retentive) is that instead of just saying the challenge starts February 19 and ends March 19, is that I get out my calendar and hand count the days.
About Me
My name is Michelle and I like to write about running, food, and fitness in general. Check out my About Michelle section for more!
