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August 10, 2005
7 Times a Week is Nothing
This morning I warmed up for about 15 minutes including a mile downhill. I was looking for mile markers so I could start my pseudo-workout but I couldn’t find them in the overgrowth so I decided to just run 2 minutes hard, 1 easy, 4 times. I was going a little faster than 5K pace. I wasn’t sprinting but it was definitely hard enough that I was looking at my watch waiting for the 2 minutes to be up. Then I jogged uphill home. The whole thing took 38 minutes. It made me so happy to get some speed into a run. Also, my foot feels okay today. It actually felt better after my run than before. Because of my foot hurting yesterday I ended up switching my workouts around and taking Tuesday as the non-running day instead of Wednesday. It either worked or my foot didn’t really have much wrong with it anyway. Who knows. I also broke out the ice pack again at work during the day. This is the EASIEST injury in the world to ice. The knee is so hard-but the bottom of the foot…Ahhhh…
I am also a moron at 6 AM. I got dressed and packed all the extra stuff I take with me when I drive somewhere to run: keys, wallet, phone, water bottle, change for parking, and a towel. I walked out to my car where I remembered I had planned to run from the house today. Brilliant.
After work I did some things that will allow me to go to bed without guilt tonight. I did an hour and a half of work for one of my paying jobs and then I went to the gym to do some core stuff and foam roll. I have a tendency to procrastinate both things and I feel great I did them both. I also stopped by my friend’s housewarming party which I would have felt badly about not doing. Now I can read my book and People magazine with my conscience at peace.
Randomness:
-On vacation this weekend there was a front-page article about a woman who was in a vegetative state after entering the hospital for bunion surgery. She had a bad reaction to the general anesthesia. My parents are very against me having bunion surgery which I was considering this winter when I was having such a bad time with my foot and they both mentioned the article to me. (My foot is 100% better now that it’s summer and I have running shoes that fit and can wear flip-flops).
-Last week my partner and my boss and I were discussing what people in jail did with their time and whether or not inmates can workout seven days a week if they want to. My boss said something like, “Who works out 7 days a week?” Then she looked at me and asked, “Oh my god, do you work out seven times a week?” I replied, “Um…well…sometimes more than that.” Then, in an effort to look normal, I added, “I mean, if you’re training for a triathlon [which they both knew I was] there are a few different sports and you have to do more than one a day.” The truth is I do double sessions (and so do you people reading this!) a few days a week even when I am not training for a tri. I like to b/c it often works out time-wise (it’s hard to do cardio AND stretch AND lift AND do sit-ups AND do knee exercises AND foam roll before work) and it is psychologically better to know you only have little pieces in front of you rather than a monster workout. I actually don’t think it’s weird at all. If you are doing a full body workout there are so many components to it (with some at the gym and some outside) then it is easier to break it all up. I am guessing I work out 10 times a week. Anyone (or everyone) else over 7? Though I do know some of you prefer the single daily workout. I think just from reading your blogs I can put people in the appropriate category of single or double!
Posted by Audrey at August 10, 2005 09:07 PM
Comments
There are people who _don't_ work out seven days a week???! (Just kidding.) I do at least 12 workouts a week, I'd say, but probably more on average. But we know I'm weird.
As for the bunion surgery...I'm all for surgery if it'll get rid of severe pain that otherwise won't go away. The woman in the coma, though very unfortunate, is like a plane crash. You don't read articles that say, "7,000 planes safely landed in the United States today."
Posted by: Alison at August 11, 2005 07:18 AM
Alison makes a good point about the surgery. I mean obviously surgeries aren't 100% safe but then again, neither is anything.
Sounds like a great workout! I'm glad your foot is feeling better. Now that I've been "restricting" the amount of exercise I do (to not go overboad while I'm recovering) I probably fall right around 7 times. I do take one day off. I go back and forth with double workouts. In the summer I rather stick to one so I can do things after work but there was a point in the winter, when I didn't want to wake up that early, that I'd split b/w morning, lunch and after work sometimes. Don't worry we are not weird ;) Maybe just not ordinary... extraordinary! I think I like that.
Posted by: Nanda at August 11, 2005 10:44 AM
Hey, what kind of shoes are you using? I am trying to settle on a new kind that will be comfy for my bunion problem.
Thanks!
Simba's Mom
Posted by: Simba's Mom at August 11, 2005 12:23 PM
FWIW - My grandfather had bunion surgery under gen anesthesia when he was 70 and he is just fine. Bunions typically only get worse as you get older so don't wait till you're 70. Statistically you have a much better chance of being mauled by a dog on a run or killed in an accident on the way to the procedure than you do of death by anesthesia.
Posted by: Rob. at August 11, 2005 12:36 PM
You mean that the average person doesn't work out at least seven times a week?! I guess that I fall into the "double" category. Not always running, but I usually do at least two things a day. Sometimes I don't "count" my exercise either. Like, I watch TV while I do core exercises, it gives me an excuse to watch a stupid TV show.
Having surgery is always somewhat risky. After the last procedure that I had that involved "going under" I am sorta scared of it; they had a great deal of trouble reviving me, it scared the s$%t out of my mother because she was standing right there and I wouldn't wake up. I'm all for it if it involves fixing a major problem though.
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at August 11, 2005 01:55 PM
i have been embarrassed about answer this here poll question! working 60+ hours a week (70+ w/commute) makes exercising more than 7x in a week almost physically impossible for me (if i want to hold the rest of my life together at the same time). wussy i excuse i know. if you people work that much at an office, plus workout, major MAJOR props! i'd say i work out 5-6x a week on average.
Posted by: brent hopkins at August 11, 2005 07:36 PM
HI! I am scheduled for bunion surgery in two weeks and am scared to death. I am a runner and am so afraid that I won't be able to run afterwards! Anyone out there that has gotten the surgery and can still exercise??
Posted by: kate at February 26, 2006 02:07 PM