Another week, another 2009 Get Fit Challenge diary. So we're on Week 14, entering our 2nd quarter.
Here's the intro paragraph from our fearless-missing-in-action leader, drbloodaxe:
The premise is simple. I'll post a weekly review diary around 10-11 EST Saturdays, wherein we all share our experiences over the last week in getting in better shape physically. Nutition and exercise are the most likely subjects of comment, but we want to know (if you're willing to share) your start weight and goals if you're trying to lose weight, or your BMI, or your starting exercise plan and goal, or however else you're measuring your progress. The more of us supporting each other there are, the more likely each of us is to meet our own individual goals, or so we hope ;)
So please... in the comments, let us know how you're doing. Are you losing pounds? Inches? Eating better? Exercising more? Have a nutrition or fitness tip to share? Have a recipe to share? It's easier to do this with support, folks!
My tip for you (or maybe my revelation of my Achille's heel) ;-) ... internalize images of "real" food portions. Food Portions cheat sheet I loves me a little too much cheese, and I've gotten to the point where I try to weigh it, measure it, whatever every time I eat it And then I make sure I enjoy it, knowing that my body is better off with a little cheese rather than the vast quantities I'd eat without thinking.
When thinking of something to share (and hopefully inspire), I thought that I might share a blog entry about a run I went on Thurs. morning.
I had scheduled myself a tempo run for Thurs. morning (I'm training for the Bolder Boulder 10K in late May, and I'd like to come in under an hour, so I need my mile splits to be less than 10 min/mi). I've been aiming for a goal of sub-9:30 min/mi for my tempo runs, as I'm not quite up to the distance that I want to be in another month or so. (Ie, in my mind, shorter runs mean tempo should be a bit faster.) I've been running a 9:30 pace pretty easily, and I've been doing runs with interval training to try to increase my speed as I am also increasing the distance of my long runs and slowly increasing my weekly mileage.
When I checked the forecast Wed. night, it looked like it would be about 30F in the morning. Not a problem. But when I got up... it was 19F. I did step-ups inside and then a slow half mile to warm up, and then I went for the tempo. And I managed to squeak out 3 miles in 27:30! (9:10 min/mi!)
I felt so good about myself at breakfast. I know people who run a lot more mileage-wise every week (and in every run), and I know people who are a lot faster than me, too (both are very easy when you live in Boulder, land of the elite athlete). But I felt good, because I did well at something that was hard for me (I'm no speed demon). A big lightbulb went on for me: part of what is so great about working on these personal challenges is the very real sense of accomplishment that happens when strides are made. I won't win the Bolder Boulder if I clock in at 59:00, but in some sense, I will have won.
I also thought it might be good to reprise the poll in the very first diary about the Get Fit Challenge: