Earlier this week, I started a new journey of 1000 miles. The mileage really isn’t important specifically but serves to set a target. For me, having a target to achieve is important, so 1,000 miles sounded like a good one. More specifically, my goal is to exercise 1,000 miles, be it walking, running, biking, rowing, swimming indoors or out. At present, I have no specific time frame in mind, but if I know my competitive nature, I will want to accomplish the goal as aggressively as possible
I started the weeks’ workouts on the treadmill in my basement, mostly out of convenience. My life is crazy busy so my workouts usually happen either ridiculously early or very late in the day.
After four days on the treadmill, I noticed some of my leg muscles were sore, so I mixed it up a bit today and rode 16 miles on the exercise bike. My new Brook’s hadn’t ever been outside the house until today. When I left for the gym at 7:15 AM, there were some icy spots on the road – and apparently in the parking lot of the gym because after a few steps, I completely wiped out. LOL. I’m sure it was quite a site as I scurried to get back on my feet again. I only had a little bit of blood to show for it, and luckily didn’t rip my leggings.. haha
I haven’t been to the gym in a long time, and I’ve discovered they’ve gotten all new bikes – and I had to re-learn how to use them.. ha. I never did figure out how to change the rpm to mph setting, but I was able to do two 30 minute sessions for a total of 16 miles in about 70 minutes, which is 13.8 mph ave – respectable for the first bike ride, but i’ll work to improve that.
I used my gym playlist for biking, but in all honesty, the pacing is different on a bike than on a treadmill, so I may need to come up with a bike playlist. For today, it worked fine.
For any of you who were along my 2015 journey, you know that I love the rower, too. When I arrived at the gym today, there was someone on the rower – which was fine because my intent was to bike anyway.
As I finished my second set, just before the cool down, I noticed that the rower was empty! I had this brief struggle with myself – do I finish the bike workout in the middle, before hitting the desired time/distance and hop onto the rower? or do I take my chances that it will be available in 5 minutes when the cool down is over? the struggle is real. I have long struggled with the OCD part of me that would prefer if the workout would end at an even distance and an even time and an even calorie count, but it never works out that way. Today, I opted to wait for the even time and finish the cool down.. and you know what happened at exactly 2:25 min left in my cool down? you guessed it… someone got onto the rower. DANG! I was like, “really?”
and then I remember that my friend told me they had brought in an additional rower. I looked casually around the room and didn’t see one. When my workout was over, my legs were like jelly and it took a few seconds to be able to walk like a human (true!) But when I did, I took a walk around, and.. lo and behold in a lonely corner (which is perfect, since I really don’t like to be around other people), there was the second rower – wide open, with no one on it! I was so happy as I climbed on and started rowing – it felt like meeting up with an old friend. He and I got reacquainted for a few minutes before I decided I had better get off, but it was a nice reunion. I think I’ll row again tomorrow.
It felt really good today to stretch some different muscles and accomplish more miles…. a blessing for the day.
Be blessed, my friends. Keep trucking!
SB
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