I want to know why, every time I step up my workout and start to see results, some part of my body decides to go wonky.

::adjusts icepack on back of right calf::

Yanno what's funny? The reason I started walking on inclines was so I could take the pressure off my knees. Now my knees feel good...but the right calf, not so much.

Yes, I warm up. The area has never been particularly tight. I could always do the stair stretch thing pretty easily.

I am...ticked.

Tried to jog two miles last night, and phizzled out after one. No energy, possibly related to the fact that I'm on drugs due to last week's head/eye thing. But I wanted to keep going because it would only be my third workout of the week, and the frustration has set in because I'm not getting better, fitness-wise, and in fact seem to be regressing. I know that doing this only 2-3 nights a week has something to do with this, but I'm a member in good standing of the club in that while I like how I feel after I work out, the actual gearing up to work out is a problem.

So I slowed to about 3.5 mph and added an incline, winding up at 4%. Did that for 20 minutes. Doesn't seem like much, but boy am I stiff this morning. Thighs and butt, the two danger zones. Guess I'll throw in some incline walking now and then, for the sake of variety and muscle tone.

In other news, need to fill out a rebate coupon. $6, which isn't trivial. I needed to buy two bottles of wine in order to qualify, but the wine wasn't expensive. Unfortunately, it wasn't very good, either, so I won't be getting it again (Turning Leaf Reserve Cabernet, in case anyone is interested. I found it watery/herbal/weedy).

Earlier in the week, I started to gather all the rebate stuff together--rebate coupon, UPC codes, cash register receipt--only to find that I couldn't find the receipt. This went on long enough that I decided the cause it was lost, so yesterday morning, I tossed the bottles, complete with UPC-coded labels, into the trash.

I shouldn't have done this until after I cleaned my desk.

Coffee grounds get into everything, and they stain a treat.

One of the labels looks nicely aged.

I laid off running for a week because of the knees. Stopped by the fitness center near my house yesterday, and spoke with the trainer. She advised not trying to run until the knees feel good for about a week. She also showed me the ellipticals, which look pretty interesting. I will likely go back early next week--assuming we're not snowed in--and give one a try.

I did walk tonight. The trainer suggested an incline, so I worked up to 3.5 mph at a 3-5% incline. 3% is noticeable. 5% is work. I broke a sweat, which was nice. Felt it a little bit in my knees, but nothing like last week. No pain, just...a sensation. I should ice them, I guess.

In other news, we could get another pounding of snow Sunday into Monday. No snow since the December 1st blizzard, a record 41 days without. Now, the next snow we get could bury us again.

This is ridiculous.

Update: I should say that the trainer likely would have advised me to lay off walking as well. But the knees felt ok and I was starting to feel antsy. I will no doubt pay for this later...

Knees hurt. Dammit. The inner sides of both, but the left is worse than the right.

I warm up for ten minutes before jogging, a slow walk that gradually increases in speed. I apparently need to do more.

I found these knee exercises and a description of runners knee, which I am guessing is what I have. I don't tend to the glam afflictions--I think it's simply overuse of some things that haven't seen this kind of excitement in 48 years.

Which means I need to lay off until the pain goes away, which I hope isn't more than a week. I'll probably lose the ground I've gained, and need to start over while adding in the exercises.

I don't necessarily want to be 18 again, but I'll take the knees...and maybe the digestion.

The Chicago Sun Times always features an appropriate word or phrase beneath the front page weather snip. Today's phrase is "mold lang syne." Completely appropriate. It rained most of the night, and misted for most of the morning. Now it's gray, with that damp 40s chill that somehow seems colder than dry, crisp 20s.

( writing and resolutions )
( another resolution )
And now, a snippet from the revised Chapter 2. Yes, it's going to be pure panic between now and mid-February. At least we have vacation.

***

( A snippet )

Again with the three miles. I did it again. Unfortunately, this means that 3 miles has officially become my new floor, which means it's no longer "wow, 3 miles" but "oh crap, are we there yet?"

I need to make up a new playlist with some serious industrial and other stuff that moves, because the shoegazer stuff just won't cut it.

The Running II Playlist:

( cut because it's a long list )

...just jogged 3 miles for the first time.