Conquering myself one step at a time

Ran 6.5 miles after work. It's nice to see the sky staying lighter later at night. My time was nothing to write home about. The path next to Trax was extremely icy and I stayed in slush as much as I could to avoid black ice. Also dealt with some extreme lower GI problems and had to take some emergency VPBs (probably all this eating healthy).

I had great plans to go running and to the gym tonight.  However, while I was running errands after work my son called and mentioned he was at the house. So, I spent the evening with him cooking, visiting and watching him play Guitar Hero World Tour.  He took off to find friends near the end of Biggest Loser, so hit the treadmill at 9 p.m. 

I didn't really want to run that late because it will be hard to wind down and fall asleep - but I can always read Isaiah if I am desperate for a sleeping pill. I am trying to follow the concept of  'no excuses'.

5 miles - 57 minutes.

Hey - here's a suggestion for the running 6 days a week/2 miles minimum.  I think that anyone who is running a half marathon or longer can have a free day off the day before as part of their taper. Does anyone agree with me on that one?

Yesterday I did a lot of icing of both my knees since they have been aching a lot to be ready to do a treadmill endurance test for Sasha.

I got up about 4:45 to head off to the gym.  Weight pre-run 148.4. Drank about 10 oz water before heading to the gym. Ran 1 mile warmup at 4:30 mph pace. Potty stop and another 8 oz of water.

Set the treadmill for 6.6 mph and settled in. My heart rate the first two miles was about 159-161 most of the time. At the start of the third mile my heart rate started going up and I was feeling the pace. Heart rate averaged 161-163 during this mile. In the fourth mile I mentally wanted to stop the entire time.  I was tired and hot and thirsty.  Heart rate went between 163-165 and occasionally 166.

I stopped at the 4 mile mark. I was starting to feel faint, but did not yet have the roaring in my ears and black spots that usually precede this yet.  I am not sure if I was at the end of my endurance or if I mentally gave up.

I mile cooldown at 4:30 mph pace.

Weight post-run 145.6. Lost nearly 3 pounds of fluid during the run - plus the 18 oz I drank pre run.

Drank my protein shake, played with the puppy and am about to pack up my food for the day.

Tonight I will try to get in some upper body weight lifting and some time on the ellipticals or arc trainer.

PM: Met Leslie at Gold's Gym and we did the first day of Jillian Michaels' Making the Cut Program (45 minutes). I had absolutely no skill or grace at it.  .5 miles on an arc trainer as a warmup. 30 minutes hard on the ellipticals (2.5 miles) after working out.

Leslie and I were discussing diet and fitness this afternoon.  I went and took the pre-tests in Jillian Michaels' book, Making the Cut.

Les - here are my initial results:

Pulse - 3 minute step test = 84 (excellent)

Pushups = 19 (above average)

Situps = 38 (excellent)

Wall Sit = 94 seconds (excellent)