In the not-too-distant future....

[mst3kharris]

In which I describe my goals:

 

I'm working on getting my life together in numerous ways, one of which is managing my ADHD better.  My therapist says that a solid foundation for managing ADHD is based on consistency in four key areas: 1) Medication, 2) Sleep, 3) Exercise, 4) Diet.  My medication is pretty good and I've taken big steps in making my sleep consistent.  That means that it's time for number three!

 

Now, I could argue that I'm already consistent in this area, in that I don't get any exercise.  (Har.)  But my blood pressure's getting a little high, and I'm tired of getting breathless just mowing the lawn.  Plus I'm going to have to shovel snow in a few months, and I'd prefer to be able to do more of it so my sixty-something dad doesn't have to do as much.  And my best friend has undertaken running--she's already done her first 5k!--so I'd really like to be able to run a 5k with her.  (The next one she's planning on doing is at the end of October, so I don't think I'm going to be able to be ready for that one, but the one after that, yup!)

 

My first goal in this area is consistency.  I am not good at developing and maintaining habits.  So right now I am aiming for at least two and ideally three days a week.  I'm planning on running in the mornings, and I have apps set up on my iPhone to help me.  I'm using Zombies, Run! Couch to 5k, although right now it's more like, Zombies, Stroll!  I've got a playlist set up and I got an armband so I don't have to worry about my phone bouncing out of my pocket.

 

My reward for when I get through a month of being consistent will be to get fitted for a pair of running shoes!

[mst3kharris]

The Story Begins....

 

(I did this on September 9th and didn't get around to posting it until the 10th.)

 

1.  Warmup:  I did the very, very low-key version of the Dynamic Warmup from Nerd Fitness.  I hopped for thirty seconds because I didn't have a jump rope and did nineteen jumping jacks because my phone fell out of my pocket.  Super-humbling moment: stopping halfway through the lunges to wheeze for breath.  

 

2.  Walking:  I have to learn to pace myself!  I think I went way too fast in the beginning.  Also by the end of my block my shins had started to feel like they were heatshrink bands.  I half-expected to look down and see my toes touching my kneecaps.  I liked Zombies, Run! more than I expected to.  I actually walked around a tennis court and a housing circle to make the story last a little longer even though I'd given myself permission to stop.  Jog.fm was a huge disappointment: I had to restart the app three times to get it to work.  I ended up only walking for about twenty minutes even though I meant to go for half an hour.  I'm really looking forward to finishing my mission tomorrow.

 

3.  Cooldown:  Um, I came inside and sat down and had some water?  Do I really need to do a cooldown?

 

4.  What I learned:  After doing some research on tight shins, I think my problem is that my calves are too tight and that I'm landing on my heel too much.  I'm going to aim for more of a mid-to-ball-of-foot landing.  I'll also add some dynamic calf stretches to my warmup.

[mst3kharris]

Week 0, Day 2

 

(Because the next workout is titled "Week 1, Workout 1," and I don't want to get confused although since I'm only doing two a week it'll get messed up right after "Week 1, Workout 3."  So.)

 

1. Warmup:  Did most of the Dynamic Warmup as noted above.  One of my goals, I think, is to do the whole thing.  I also forgot to do the calf stretches I wanted to do, but that worked out okay.  Also, I have really really forgotten how to jump rope.
2. Walking:  Tried to hold myself to a slower pace, which I think worked out better.  My shins didn't feel nearly so tight.  Right now the thing I don't like the most is that my throat starts to hurt, probably because of the way I'm breathing.  (Or gasping, if you like.)  I know I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut, but I never feel like I get enough air that way.  On the other hand I found that about a third to halfway through, I stopped thinking about it so much and it all seemed to smooth out suddenly.  That was neat!
3. Wanting another W word: I should probably stretch a little after I finish this.
4. What I learned:  I should write down the order of my warmup and put it on something and that way I don't have to keep stopping to check the site.  I should also focus on my breathing pattern so my throat doesn't hurt.

 

Song List:  "It's the End of the World As We Know It" by REM, "I am the Doctor" by Murray Gold and the BBC Orchestra of Wales, and "Kill of the Night" by Gin Wigmore.

 

Total Distance: .96 miles.

[mst3kharris]

Salvaging the Wreckage (Six-Week Challenge, Day 1)

 

Ugh, what a week.  I only got... well, actually, now that I think about it, I managed to do my life quest and half of my weekly goal, so that isn't actually too bad.  Still, I wanted to do all my weekly goal.  So that's my goal for next week!

 

1. Warmup:  I did 30 sec jump rope, 20 jumping jacks, 10 squats, 5 lunges (each side), 10 hip extensions, 5 hip rotations (each side), 10 front swings (each side), and 10 side swings (each side).  I totally forgot the pushups and the Spider steps, heh.  I did notice when I was walking down to the street to start the workout that I could really feel my hip flexors between my thigh and my torso.  ("The exercise is working.  I can feel it here.")
2. Workout:  I did the whole of Week One, Workout One in the Zombies 5k app.  This was twice as long as I've gone before!  I think I'll probably do this workout again once or twice more: I only did one of the run/walk drills and I'd like to do more before I go on.
3. Warmdown:  Did the elevated pushups I forgot in the warmup and some of the Nerd Fitness cooldown.  The muscles in my legs kept jumping for like half an hour afterwards.  It felt really strange.
4. What I learned: I really want a hat or something to wear when I'm out.  I keep worrying about my skin because I'm hella pale and I don't put on sunscreen when I got out because I'll sweat it all off right away.  Still need to keep working on the breathing pattern although I think it helped with the burning throat and an incipient stitch in my side.  Also, I can't remember the last time I had a stitch in my side.

Total Time: 38 minutes

Total Distance: 1.96 miles (3.15 km)

 

Song list: "Tank!" by Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts, "Get the Party Started" by P!nk, "Start the Commotion" by Wiseguys, "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" by Concrete Blonde, "Get a Little Dirty" by The Ironweed Project, "Stupid Girl" by Garbage, "I Want You Back (Live)" by KT Tunstall, "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk, and "Head Over Heels" by the Go-Go's.

 

(I started laughing when the last song came on because it starts out, "Been running so long/I nearly lost all track of time...")

[mst3kharris]

In Which I Discuss My Typical Patterns (Brief Interlude)

 

One of my biggest life struggles is that my motivation tank is perpetually empty.  Dr. Russell Barkley, a neuropsychologist who studies ADHD, talks in this video about ADHD and motivation.  Self-motivation requires being able to delay the gratification of something forward in time.  ADHD, however, makes this difficult to do.  So unless the consequences are right up in my face, I struggle with getting things started.  Which brings me to this week.

 

On Monday, I put on all my gear and sat down at the table and... I didn't want to go.  I didn't go and I didn't go and I didn't go and finally I took off all my gear because it was just getting silly.  So I didn't get anything done on Monday.  Tuesday I told myself I'd do it on Wednesday.  Wednesday I didn't get it done either because I went on errands with my brother and grandmother and I'm trying to do this in the morning.  Thursday I didn't get it done because I had volunteering in the morning.  Finally on Friday I thought, "I'm going to lose the whole week if I don't do something" (imminent consequences!) and squeezed in two-thirds of a Zombies, Run! workout before I went to my other volunteering gig.

 

I'm kind of disheartened because I feel like this is how things always go.  Once the first blush of doing something wears off, my brain goes, "Oh well!" and promptly forgets all about it.  So I'm trying to think of ways to get myself to Nike up on Mondays and Wednesdays.  One site recommended thinking of exercise as something along the lines of brushing your teeth: it's not something you do because you feel like it, it's something you do because it needs to be done.  I think I'm going to try this approach.

 

(It made me laugh, though.  How many times have you seen "forget about having fun" on a list of motivational tips?)

 

But instead of beating myself up some more, I think I'll try to be positive.  (I find that simply thinking, "Ugh, brain, why don't you brain properly" isn't helpful beyond an immediate emotional catharsis.)  When I step back and consider it, this week wasn't a total failure.  I didn't forget my goals.  I did my life quest on Tuesday, most of a workout on Friday, and tried to at least get started on Monday.  All progress is progress.  So hey, I guess I'm actually proud of myself after all.

[mst3kharris]

In Which I Squeeze in Saving Abel Township (Six-Week Challenge, Day #7)

 

On Monday, I got dressed in all my running gear and then sat down at the dining room table and... didn't go.  After about an hour of sitting around, I changed out of my gear because it was getting silly.  I discussed this at greater length in my battle log, but I'm choosing to view this as a small success, because I a) remembered I meant to go running and actually changed into the clothes.  This Monday I'm going to make myself start the warmup and see how far I can get before my brain whines its way out of doing the rest of it.

 

So yesterday I got really irked with myself for almost losing an entire week AGAIN and made myself do the next Zombies, Run! workout for twenty minutes.  I would have done the whole thing but--and this is true--I had to go to my volunteering gig where I feed baby squirrels.  Still, that's twenty minutes that wouldn't have gotten done otherwise!

1. Warmup:  I decided to reduce the number of reps for each exercise in the interest of doing each exercise.  I need to review my form for hip extensions and spider steps.  I did jump rope for 30s, 11 jumping jacks, 5 squats, 5 lunges, 10 tree pushups, 5 hip extensions, 5 forward leg swings, 5 side leg swings, and 5 spider steps.
2. Workout: I did most of day two of Week One, Workout One in the Zombies Run! 5k app.  I completed the beginning 10 minute walk and ran two of five run/walk drills.  I experimented with landing on the ball of my foot and found that it felt much smoother, more natural, and that I didn't seem to be as out of breath.  I also kept working on belly-breathing through my nose and out through my mouth.  I feel like I'm gasping less.  I was glad to quit early, though, because I'd been thirsty when I left the house and I was really thirsty by the time I called it quits.  Note to self: drink more water before leaving next time.
3. Warmdown:  Did straight leg stretches and also made sure to stretch my calves since I read that running on the ball of the foot is stressful for the calf muscle.  I went straight to squirrels in my workout gear; luckily, the building where I volunteer is a fairly warm building anyway, so I wasn't any sweatier than usual.
4. What I learned:  I didn't want any ice cream on the way home from squirrels!  It was very strange!  I like landing on the ball of my foot when I run but I'm worried it's not good form.  I want to get a water bottle for when I run, since my usual mega 32 oz. bottle is a little unwieldy.  I need to review some of the forms for warming up.  I also (re-)learned that I should give myself credit for what I did manage to do, instead of fretting over what I didn't.

Total Time: 19:09

Total Distance: .98 mi (1.58 km)

[mst3kharris]

Achievement Unlocked: Running Between the Raindrops (Six-Week Challenge, Day #11)

 

That's a filthy lie, by the way.  I am one damp elf.

 

(Not really an elf, but I've decided I'm going to be my WoW character for a while.  She's my favorite.)

 

1. Warmup: I warmed up in the garage because I didn't want to chance slipping in the mud in the backyard.  I pantomimed jumping rope for 30 seconds, did 12 jumping jacks, 10 squats, 5 lunges, 10 freezer pushups, 10 hip extensions, 5 forward leg swings, 5 side swings, and 5 spider steps.  I need to get a yoga mat from somewhere because lying on the floor of the garage for hip extensions is a bit gross.
2. Workout: I did all of Week 1, Workout 2 in my Zombies, Run! 5k app.  I did three of the running drills.  I also stopped to pick up some soggy recycling that had fallen on the street and put it back in the bin.  I'm sure it'll be moldy and nasty by the time the recycling people come again, but it looks nicer this way.  My shins were super tight at the beginning but when I started the running drills, they loosened up or something.  My app stopped playing music halfway through the drills, but I didn't dare stop long enough to figure out why.    I spent the rest of the run trying to figure out how to knit fingerless gloves with a mitten flap because my hands were cold.  I need to figure out where to get cold-weather gear.
3. Warmdown: Did a little bit of stretching and put newspaper in my shoes.  Next I'm going to take a shower and have some oatmeal.  Must find clean dry socks.
4. What I learned: Running in the rain isn't so bad.  It's when you stop and realize how damp you are that it's not pleasant.  Having a hat on really really helps and it's fun to watch the rain drip off the brim.  I'm going to scrounge up some money and get a pair of earphones with hooks; my ibuds keep falling out.

Total distance: 1.98 mi (3.15 km)

Total time: 38 minutes

[mst3kharris]

Achievement Unlocked: What I Set Out to Do (Six-Week Challenge, Day #13)

 

Twice in a week!  WOOP.  It wasn't rainy today but it was windy and pretty cold.  I'm going to need gloves before I need anything else.  My hands are always cold in the winter anyway, and running with them in my pockets seems like a bad idea.  My shoes were still a little damp from Wednesday!

 

1. Warmup: So I think I'm going to warm up in the garage, going forward.  I can't jump rope in there--there's too much stuff and the ceiling's too low--but I can mime it.  Still need a yoga mat for the floor.  I did twenty seconds of mimed jump rope, twelve jumping jacks, 10 squats, 5 lunges, 10 freezer pushups (I'm doing wall pushups on the standing freezer), 10 hip extensions, 5 forward leg swings, 5 side leg swings, and 5 spider steps.
2. Workout: I did Week One, Day Three of the Zombies, Run! 5k app.  I think my player stopped playing music on Wednesday because enough water got into it that it paused.  I'll have to put a baggie over my phone on wet days, I guess.  I did four of the walk/run drills.  I think I might repeat week one next week and keep working up to doing all ten of the walk/run drills.  Poor Abel Township will just have to put up with being stuck in a time loop for a little while.
3. Warmdown: I stretched a little when I got home and had some water.  I should stretch out more thoroughly in the future: into the garage with me!
4. What I Learned:  I started my workout thinking, "Ugh, this is going to take forever," and then zip! suddenly Dr. Myers was saying, "Good job, Runner 5, you're almost done."  Surprised me.  My shins hurt during some of the walk/run drills: it spiked right up the front of my leg.  I don't know what I'm going to do if I need new shoes.  :/  I also need to figure out what shoes I'm going to wear if I keep my running shoes just for running.