It's HOT Out There

As a resident of the Southwestern part of the United States, it's hot out there and it's going to get more unbearable to be active outside for many hours of the day once summer rolls around.  I slept in yesterday, pretending that I would fit in a run right after work in order to justify my extra pillow time.  Alas, as the day progressed and I felt the hot mid-day sun on my face, the prospect of outdoor exercise drained me. It was a great time to remember my membership that included pool time.  So immediately after work -avoiding the hazardous distraction of arriving home and deciding that the many tasks at home trumped a badly needed workout- I put on my swim suit, grabbed a towel, drank some water and headed to the pool.  I haven't been swimming in over 4 months.  The slight chill of the water was a blessed relief on a hot April day.  Trust me, in December the chill was most unwelcome. 

The manner in which we get physically active is less important than any specific activity we choose.  Components of physical activity include broad categories such as strength (think Mr. New Mexico) and cardiovascular (think Ironman) activity.  But the areas of physical health also include things such as flexibility, balance, endurance and the other benefits that we each focus on based on our individual goals.  These components are all part of a comprehensive fitness plan.  In order to reach my goal of completing a half marathon at my target pace, I will have to ensure that my training includes more than just the cardiovascular activity.

Planning for that Half Marathon

I'm feeling unusually motivated for a Monday morning.  The productive weekend has lead to a good start to the week.  All going well, my friend (the treadmill) will help me go on a short run while avoiding the New Mexico Heat.  I will complete anywhere from 4-6 miles depending on my time.  The scale and my target date are my motivating companions.

Get on This Bandwagon-Reuinion Time!

It is officially four months from 20 year high school reunion time.  If it wasn’t’ for venues such as Facebook, I wouldn’t have been back in touch with my high school days.  I moved away to pursue my education then my career.  Needless to say, professional pursuits along with gaining new experiences have really filled the years.  I had spent so much time training for races that my “exercise” time started to feel more like a chore than the escape and luxurious "me time" that it had represented most of my life.  The timeline until the reunion brought to mind, the various motivators that we can each fine thru the course of our lives to support us in making healthful lifestyle changes.   Milestones can also help us set reasonable goals (4 months, 6 months, 1 year) that lead to long term success because eventually each of those 3-4 month increments result in years of lifestyle changes. 

My goals really focus on those lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and putting a halt to the night time grazing.  This process entails taking a realistic look at my schedule in order to make sure that on those travel days or special events thru the summer I make better if not the best choices for managing my weight and training for that half marathon.  Yes, that’s what’s next.  It may or may not be more challenging than a triathlon – they each have their ups and downs.  The bottom line is working on that commitment.  I love a program to which I subscribe (yes there are many free options but I like greater detail) for tracking my nutritional intake by planning in advance and thus being proactive.  This program can be provided free if you are established with a health care provider whom works with the Nutrihand program.  I use this program for clients, now I’ll be using it for myself.

Goals: 

Train for a Half Marathon to be completed around September thru November of this year. (Run keeper is already my friend.)

Lose those pesky 20 lbs that have made running more difficult.

Anyone interested in jumping on this bandwagon, let me know.