With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams...

Still a bit sore from Saturday's run.  I hopped on the elliptical for an hour and it felt great.  Didn't bother my groin at all.

I need to be more diligent about  my stretching in the pm and after a good work out.  Icing too.

Did another hour workout on the elliptical.  Did stretching after.

Thought I might try running in the afternoon, but I'm not ready for 90 degree running in 60% humidity yet.  I've got to work my way up to that kind of torture.

I did 30 on the elliptical, and then thought I'd try my luck at running.  My groin was sore the whole time.  I tried stretching it out, but it's still sore 8 hours later.  It's hard to stretch and ice through out the day when I'm in a classroom with students and teachers.

I'm sure my spaz move of falling down the concrete stairs on my way to lunch in front of 400 teen-agers did as much good for my groin as it did for my self-esteem.  It's really been sore since that "smooth move."

But I firmly believe it's nothing that a little pain medicine and a few more weeks off of running can't cure.  I just hate not running.  I've got to get serious about healing though, or I'll never be able to keep up with RAD for the first 1/4 mile of the race :-)

woke up extra early so I'd have time for my 1 hr elliptical and the errands I had to run before 630 am.

The hour workout was great.  I'm glad the elliptical is fixed.  I stretched a lot, and iced while I sat on the ball and worked my arms.  But by the end of the arms workout, I was ready for some sleep again.  I just leaned over toward the bed, and the ball tipped me gently so my head & shoulders were on the bed, but my pelvis and ice pack were still in place on the ball.  Then I took a very short 10 min nap.  It was glorious.  I wish I could take another one right now!

The ice really helped this morning.  It's just amazing to me how it can make the pain disappear. 

No running this morning, but that's okay.  I do want to heal, and I know running aggrivates it.  Since the elliptical is helping me get my daily workout and keeping my cardio up, I'm just going to stay off the roads a little longer.

I was back on the elliptical this morning.  It took me a while to get up to speed.  The machine kept blinking  "SPEED UP" at me. I did a 45 min workout and then a 20 min workout.  The longest workout is 45 min, so I can't pick a one hour program. 

I stretched afterward, but didn't have time to ice.  I think I'll regret that today.  I'm so glad it's Friday!!  I'm going to the baseball game tomorrow and we're sitting in the $1 hot dog, hamburger & beer section.  Free sodas, popcorn and peanuts.  All for an extra $5 entry fee.  It's only $4 to get in, so it's bargain date night!  I guess I'll be the designated driver.  I'll have to find an extra long and hard workout tomorrow morning so I can pre-burn some of those hot dog calories.  It'll all be worth it!

We went on a 7 mile hike with out backpacks on.  Mine was about 30 lbs.  It was good exercise, but the best part was the water habitat area we found on our journey.  Lilly pads, frogs, turtles, and some kind of otter that's been busy building a dam.  It was beautiful.  I'm so glad we went off the beaten path.  The trail was completly flooded over because of the little dam building critter, so we got to go on a little walk about and follow the train tracks back to the car. 

Over 2 hours of hiking.  Forgot my usual hiking socks & got a blister.  Lesson learned for next time!

Did two 30 min workouts on the elliptical in the am.

Walked the 2 miles after school got out. 

Less pain in the groin area this week.  Hoping to start running next week.

Two 30 min workouts on the elliptical this morning.  Then ball crunches and a few arm exercises w/weights.

Tomorrow is the student's last day at school.  I don't think any of mine are coming, so today is my last day with students.  They're leaving at 12, so one more hour!!!

My blog is starting to sound like a broken record.

two 30 min workouts on the elliptical.  crunches on the ball when I'm done.  It's a rut, but it's a rut I'll take over doing nothing.  At least this way I can get my heart rate up and sweat it out.

I hope the magic running fairy visits me this week-end and I can run w/o any groin pain. 

She's related to the magic ceiling fairy who always thinks I'm smiling when I'm upset.  It's because she's hanging upside down! 

Is school over yet?

Broken record..just a little longer version.

Did 2 45 min on elliptical this morning.  Slightly sore after, but I think better stretching could have helped.

Started elliptical and got somewhere between 10-15 min when the power cord on the back came out.  I just thought it was easier because I was getting so good at it! 

After I realized it was off, I did a 45 min session.  Didn't stretch.  Not really sore, but wish I would have anyway.

I really need a fan for the garage.  Even at 6 am, the garage has turned into a sweaty box.

Planning to hike like crazy tomorrow.  Hopefully I can sneak in a little run too.  I'm feeling like I'm ready to try a baby step for my running.

Got up and did 45 min on the elliptical.  Then did yardwork & housework.

We tried an afternoon hike.  Boy, 90 degrees with mid-day sun was killer.  We drank a lot of water! 

I still haven't weighed my bag, but I'm pretty sure it's around 30 lbs.

We hiked for 2 hrs 20 min.  About 8 miles.  It was good.  No groin pain, but my knee was acting up.  It seems like it's always something.  Next week, I'll use my knee band.

45 min on elliptical

Tried a one mile run after.  Groin was a little tender, knee was a little tender.  I'll wear a knee band next time.  I stretched out the groin after to try and make sure I'll be good the rest of the day.

90 min on elliptical.  Ra coached me through the whole thing, it was great.

However, my cell phone got wet inside the screen from all the sweating going on, and it has a big black blob right in the middle of it.  I put it in a bag of rice (someone said this helps) and we'll see how it works.

Sleeping in is my new favorite past time.  It's only an extra hour, but it's an extra hour I'm loving.

Two 45 min sessions on the elliptical again.  I brought a box fan into the gym (haha) for a breeze.  I might have to turn it up higher tomorrow.  I've got two pair of shoes that are soaked all the way through from the sweat fest.

Ran a mile after the elliptical.  It wasn't very hopeful.  My knee was really bothering me, even with the knee band on. 

I tried some quad strengthening exercises, and did some stretching to help.  I also iced.  Lucky for me I have two ice packs!  One for the groin and one for the knee.  Maybe I'm not so lucky after all if I need two ice packs...hhhmmmm.    I feel lucky if that counts for anything.

Mixed things up a little today and did three 30 min sessions on the elliptical.  Felt good after.

I thought I'd try running before the elliptical today to see if it would feel better.  I ran 2 miles at a pretty good pace.  My knee didn't bother me.  My groin was a little sore at the beginning, but it warmed up and was fine by the end.  I kept it short so I didn't over-do anything.  I walked a little afterward, then came inside to stretch.

I stretched & did some sit ups.  Then I sat on the ice pack & iced my knee while I worked on my arms. 

When I was done, I didn't feel like getting into the sweat box and doing any elliptical.  I think I'm hiking later with Mike, so I just threw in the towel and decided to check email instead. 

Felt good to get those two miles in.  Hope things still feel good tonight.