yellow bars??

So I've pretty much decided I should strive to do the 1/2 marathon. But I'll make my final decision later in the year after I see whether or not I can keep the motivation for longer than a few days.

I decided at the beginning of the year that this was the year I was going to focus on me. I was going to get healthy again. I've worked on the weight issue. And though I'm not where I want/need to be yet, I know I can get there if I just work out a little more.

I started rollerblading before work last week. I've been a little discouraged with the rollerblading though. My goal is to get these "little yellow bars" in my workout graph. I wear an armband as part of Jenny Craig Metabolic Max plan. I've used a similar program called the Body Bugg in the past. It measures caloric output in various different ways. It's a great tool and let's you see where you are. I've hit a plateau like this before and that's where I got discouraged and gave up with the Body Bugg. I have an office job. In order to get work done, I sit, a lot, in front of the computer. Therefore, my opportunity to get walking steps in is decreased. My Jenny lady gave me shit last week for not having enough steps. It wasn't for lack of trying. Its b/c I had a lot of lectures this quarter, therefore, when writing lectures, and preparing them on the computer, there's only so much time in the day to get them done. And when I get home and have a whiny cranky toddler, last thing I want to do is take the toddler on a walk. I want to shove food in her, get her bath and put her to bed ASAP. So I looked at when I could get steps. I've been waking up like clockwork every day at 5:30am. So I figured, why go back to sleep for a half hour, why not get up and do something. I love rollerblading. I could do it every day and never get bored. So I started doing that last week. I found that when Chris and I went 'blading (he was running) and we switched off pushing the stroller I got these "little yellow bars" which are targets that you're working harder on the graph the arm band gives you. I really can't figure out how to consciously get the bars. So I figured, cool, If I push myself harder (b/c when Chris and I went it was like a leisurely stroll), I'll get more bars! NOT! So then I figured, well maybe I need to do more hills, go faster, etc. Tried that. My ass was burning and I was huffing and puffing after these big hills. No bars! But somehow I got them cleaning the house randomly one night this weekend. Go figure! Oh and my pedometer (for a work challenge program) doesn't count rollerblading as steps, but my armband does.

So to get some yellow bars and to see how far I can really run in my vibrams (essentially barefoot running) I went this morning. Did almost a mile straight before my calves started to rebel. Better than I thought I could do, so I guess that's a start.

I was getting ready and Chris asked me if I went rollerblading this morning. I told him I went running instead. He was like "WHAT?! YOU DON'T RUN!!" ha ha! I think that's a challenge! Truth is, I hate running with him. He turns everything into a competition, which isn't what I'm out for. I'm out for encouragement, not throw it in your face competition. That's great that you can run longer than me, but my calves are cramping and I need a break. Sorry for the bad genes. Instead of saying "ok, stretch em out so we can keep going" he gives me some guilt trip about how I'm slowing him down and how hot it is, and by god how much he's SWEATING. Oh no not the sweat!! Or I get a "my shoes are better than yours" conversation. "I love these shoes. I can grip the road, and it's padded in just the right spot, yours aren't padded right. Yours aren't made for this terrain... mine are by far awesomer than yours..." BLAH! And the other part of why I hate running with him is that it's all on his schedule. He works out at the worst times. 6pm in Arizona this week - average temperature 95 degrees or more. 6am in Arizona this week - about 63 degrees. When would you rather run outside? On the weekends he decides to go at 2-4pm. Peak time for heat in Arizona. Why would I go run when it's 90+ outside when I could go by myself when it's in the 60s or 70s?)

So day 1 of running. My legs are killing me. My calves are giant knot balls and I've got some tendonitis in my ankles, but it felt good.