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Enough futzing around ... I've talked about smoking, about food ... and about food again!
"My gosh, Bish, quit being a chubs!"
Now on to the part that seems like some kind of motivational poster, "where there's no pain, no gain."
Here's what I did about a month ago after I knew I'd be attempting the Lincoln Presidential Half-Marathon April 6th. I searched online for a sample of what a weeks exercise routine should be in order to train for a 13.1 mile run. From that, and because of my schedule, I decided upon this:
- Sunday's would be my big run-days. At first I'd start with two miles, jog/walk. From there I would determine what I'd run throughout the week. The first Sunday I made two miles--warm up and a mix of jogging and running. I then went on another round that same day.
- Then Monday's, after work, I book it to the gym to get on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes. There I choose a course that provides a good amount of resistance so I can keep my heart-rate up. After that 30 minute cardio, I get on some machines to work my upper-body Ideally, I'd go another 30 minutes.
- Workouts for Tuesday includes either an indoor or outdoor jog/walk of 30 minutes, plus a lower-body workout with machines. If I run outside, I go for two miles as quick as I can. On the treadmill I go for 30 minutes, which lately has been right about 2.2 (and continues to get further).
- Wednesdays it's off my feet and on a stationary bike of some kind There I use a program to provide resistance to force my heart rate up and steady. After a 30 minute, roughly 10-plus-mile trek, I then head to other machines for an upper body workout.
- Thursdays, it's back to a 30 minute jog/walk workout on the treadmill.
- Fridays, it's back either on the elliptical or the on the stationary bike ... either way, I want to be off my feet but still getting my heart rate up.
- Saturdays are a bonus day that I could use to rest, but I still go get my heart-rate up on a machine and do some kind of machine workout or work on my core (though, I still need a LOT of work on that).
Then back to Sundays, it's time for the big run day. When I started I thought two miles was gonna kill me. Now a month later, I'm up to nearly 5.5 miles on my big run Sunday. I hope that by the time April 6th comes around and I'm up to run 13.1 miles, I can do it without losing my sanity!
More motivational poster stuff: This is where you put up or shut up!
Really, it's a big jump to devote to a training schedule ... but once you start and feel the benefits of working hard every day to work harder and go farther, you don't want to stop! I haven't skipped a trip to the gym in a month. That in combination of a good solid diet of fresh vegetables and calorie counting and plenty of solid sleep to recoup my body ... I've lost 20 pounds since Christmas!
That's motivation!
