I looked forward to it...

Workout: Week 2, Day 1. 90 seconds running, 120 walking alternate 6 times. 15 minutes yoga and stetching

Feeling: Really good

Dessert: I saw a muscrat

So today I headed out alone. I was listening to one of my favorite comedians and just soaking in the atmosphere of our little walking path. We always go at night, but during the day there is a whole walking path world out there. People with HUGE cameras taking pictures of tiny birds, tennis players, a unicyclist, runners, walkers, bikers, etc all enjoying our the outdoors. Not to mention the river life: carp, egrets, and my favorite a muskrat! I have yet to see one in Japan, so that was a highlight.

Hiro's knee has been bothering him, so I went it alone, but I am happy to say that he is just taking a break because he agreed to join me in a 6 K run in April. My girlfriend is joining us, and then we are all joining another friend. So, I am quite exited, albeit nervous already! It will be my first race and we just began running.

Well, I think this is what it is all about anyway. I like to have have goals, and that 5K isn't just a number to make myself feel good. In fact, as the race reminds us, it is less than the distance that people all around the world have to walk to get water. So, the race is in honor of those people and will feature water education events, along with live music and of course the run. See here... http://www.joinliveearth.org/page/event/detail/4jj8z

So, I have a ways to go, but the feeling that I wanted to go running today, even alone, was encouraging.

Gas? Boo!

Workout: Couch to 5K week 1, run 2+3, 15 minutes yoga and stretching

Feeling: Better than Wednesday, MUCH better than Sunday

Dessert: Feeling better than Wednesday

Wednesdays I teach until 8 and get home around 8:45, so I eat a light lunch then snack on nuts, fruit, crackers, cheese, greens, etc until I go to my first class at 5:15. I eat enough that I feel full until the next morning when I wake hungry and ready for a nice breaky. Wednesday came, except when I was slurping my tea during class, I think I slurped in a lot of air, which led to terrible discomfort.

Usually I would take my unrivaled belly-ouch-killer, akadama (red beads: natural medicine that literally clears you up in minutes), but being the curious Cat I decided to see if running clears up tummy bubbles, or in this case an ever expanding balloon! My experiment ended badly. My tummy felt hard, and crooked. I didn't even stretch. I went for the red wonders, swallowed and then prayed. Prayers almost completely answered I shower and slept.

Tonight, on the other hand, my legs felt powerful and our pace was brilliant! I felt like I was running faster, harder, better. The running made me feel a little icky towards the last seconds, but when the walk portion came I recovered and could push a little harder during the next running span. Hiro seemed to think nothing was different, other than that he ate less dinner so felt lighter. I kept asking, "How do you feel?" as if his answer would change and he would say he felt as good as I did. I think I wanted him to, but, well, he is not me.

(An aside: This is a good New Year's Resolution for me... remember that your husband is not you! If he wants to make pancakes after running and eat them, that's his choice. You ate chocolate today. If he doesn't want to stretch for 15 minutes, fine. Stick to what you want, your path; let him stick to what he wants and his path.)

Anyway, we go up in running v walking time next week. I am ready for it. I like the gradual pace of this program. I am not too sore or tired. If anything I feel good and have more energy. All common sense stuff when you exercise, but having been on the couch for so long I almost feel like you might when you rediscover the slide or see-saw in the park. You know you could still do it and that it's always there, but you forgot how fun it was and "adult" stuff just seems more important. Rubbish that; I like the see-saw!

Running tip: Add Stevie Wonder "Part-time Lover" to your playlist.

Couch to 5K

http://tiny.cc/1P6IZ

Workout: 5 minutes brisk walk, 20 minutes run/walk with intervals of 1 minute running and 1 1/2 minutes walking.

After: yoga 10 minutes

Feeling: Good

Dessert: Watched "The Blind Side"

This workout seems so much more doable than ones we have done before. We tried the Hal Higgins 30/30 one, but it required doing it everyday and neither of us could keep up with that due to our work schedules. This one requires only a 25 minute commitment 3 days a week. Very doable!

After 3 months I should be able to run for 30 minutes. Also seems like a doable goal, and not one where I injure myself. I have a tendency to do much from the stat, instead of working up slowly. This work out does just that. So, I am hopeful!

I read Murakami's book, Why I Run and while reading the blog of a friend's sister-in-law, who is an avid runner, I felt this sense of I can do this. Simply, if I choose to, then I will. Murakami talks about it just being one more thing he does during his day, like brushing his teeth. It is routine. I remember when my life with exercise was like that. I enjoyed it and it was just what I did. Everyday. Somehow it became a did and not a do. Well, thank goodness I can choose.

Monday, I will do pilates. Tuesday, I choose to run.

Vacation Exercise

Well, California was glorious! Long walks everyday, a yoga class, and then... I got sick. Everything stopped dead in it's tracks. Ah, hell!

Well, then we went to PA. Soooooooooo cold! Second day Hiro and I braved the bitterness of Mother Nature and took a long walk through the neighborhoods of Norman Rockwell. It was so nice to see the old houses. Felt like I stepped back in time. Nice walking back up the hill, too.

Did the treadmill and some yoga on my second to last day, and other than that bathed Mom, changed her, etc, which is a mini workout.

So, looks like I got some work to do now that I am home. Just glad I am no longer sick and have discovered that even a little yoga can go a long way.

Happy New Year!

River walking

Workout: 30 minutes walking Saturday and Sunday along the Kamo River

Feeling: Great to be alive and outside

Dessert: Lisa to talk with on Saturday

Kyoto has one of the nicest rivers to walk along. Lined with old buildings, homes, new hotels, and trendy restaurants, filled with birds and clean water, and right in the middle of the city the Kamo is like a vital vein for this city's health! I feel so lucky when I have the chance to walk there.

Lisa and I agreed to meet and walk from Kyoto to Sanjo and at a nice pace we got there in about 40 minutes. Today, I walked from my friends house to Sanjo in about 30 minutes. My mind was blank and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually marveled for a few moments that my mind was blank. So seldom happens.

Tomorrow I will go back to aerobics I think. Not sure which one I want to do, but I am glad Nadine told me to get by ass in gear. I actually pictured myself doing sit ups when she said it. Grrr!

I like 20/10

Workout: Kathy Smith 20 minute mixed with calorie bursts (of which I did 3 of the bursts), 10 minute stretch :)

Feeling: Better. My headache is gone!

Dessert: I bought a small crochet hook

I have made a concerted effort to take the steps at ALL stations, even the ones with stupidly long lasting climbs. Well, once I took the elevator, but I had bags.

I didn't workout yesterday, though I should admit that if I had tried, I could have squeezed in a 20 minute one between my morning and evening work. My excuse is that I didn't sleep well the night before. Not such a good one, but did I mention all those steps!?

Well, tomorrow is another day and I am home working, so no excuses, I'll be back!

Back on the wagon

Workout: Kathy Smith 20 minute mixed aerobics, 7 minute stretch

Feeling: Good

Dessert: Sun shining through a completely open window and the hibiscus, onto my whitening winter skin. Armpits up!

After a long time of inactivity, false starts, and blah, I decided that to try and prevent this from becoming another false-start, I would blog about my progress.

My exercise shorts are a bit tighter. Breasts are MUCH bigger, as are my bum, hips, arms, tummy... Imagine my tummy will be flat again soon, as it is always the first to go, but those hips and bum will take time. Ah well, I got more life in me yet, so let's see if I can get back to my pre-wedding 61 kilos (135 lbs), muscle toned, and fierce self. I'd be happy with 140 though.

Operation, exercise anytime of day because your schedule is irratic, so deal with it and stop wishing it was regular like it was before the wedding (5 years ago), has begun. It's fine to shower at weird times!!! Be fierce with irregularity!

Feeling: Fired up.