Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Wednesday Workout Update, Or How I Learned to Love the Recumbent Bike

Not really.

I don't love it. I don't even like it. But I appreciate it. And that's enough, right?

Actually, for me, it is. Because this is when I would normally quit. Quit running, quit working out - the whole shebang. Hey - I had a good run of what...nearly three years of exercising? I gave it a shot. But the universe is trying to tell me something, with my bum ankle...go back to being a couch potato...you're too old for this kind of stuff...who did you think you were trying to fool with this whole "running" thing?

But the fact that I'm not quitting, that I have been going to the gym, by myself, three times a week, and getting on that boring piece of equipment - well, that tells me that I HAVE changed. I want to stay in shape. I like how my body feels after I've exercised. I even like sweating although I tend to agree with this quote "Sweating is NOT the sign of a good workout routine. It's just your body crying from the cruelty it just endured."

So I accept the recumbent bike. For now. Hopefully for not too much longer. I'm going to take my ankle out for a test run on Friday and see how it feels...fingers crossed. Austin is looming. And I wanna run it, dang it!!!

Oh, I've actually been doing an upper body workout with the weight machines after I'm done with the bike (and I only had to bribe myself once to do it) (Clif Bar - Crunchy Peanut Butter flavor). I have to say that I'm really pleased with my arms - I'm seeing the muscle definition already, so I guess I hadn't lost everything after I stopped letting Brad and Linda beat me up work me out! Who knows - I may even start doing some ab work next...will wonders never cease?!?

P.S. I'm a Girl Hero! Thank you, Jenn, for featuring me!!!

20 comments:

  1. Loved reading your story on GH. Very inspiring! :)

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  2. When things work out great and effortlessly,
    we tell ourselves that the Universe
    must want us to do this or that.
    When it gets rough,
    we tell ourselves that the same
    Universe must not want us to do that anymore....
    How fickle - this Universe!
    When we know /for me/
    sometimes we are just falling back
    to our previous behaviors that
    got us into trouble in the first place:
    Quitting, hiding, running away.
    When the requirements are stepped up a little.
    The real fight is between the ears.
    Telling The Crazy Brain to back off and let us Run!
    Or whatever the good thing happens to be!

    You are alot of people's hero, by the way!

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  3. Girlfriend I'm so proud of you!

    Yes you could easily go back to being a couch potato which your injury but you didn't. You tackled that bike and pulled through!

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  4. You continuously inspire me. Please don't ever stop! :)

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  5. Not only are your arms still strong, but your heart is too Shelley. You show that ankle who is boss and never, ever give up. The races will be there waiting for you when you're able to run again. Really.

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  6. You are MY hero! LOVE the interview. Hope you are back to running sooner than later but so proud of you for sticking to the boring bike!!

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  7. Yay girl hero!!

    I am so glad she featured you.

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  8. I think you have mentioned that you go to Any Time Fitness. Check the recumbent bike to see if it had the target heart zone workout. The ones at my Anytime have it, and it makes the bike more fun. It constantly tells you to change your heart rate up and down, so its a real challenge.
    Hang in there! Hope you can run again soon!

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  9. Love you perseverance! I had to giggle at the Crunchy Peanut Butter Cliff Bar bribe! He he!! I love those things too! Thanks again for sharing your story on my blog and for the link!

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  10. You might just fall in love with the recumbent bike though! I love mine :)

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  11. Yay for you going even when you don't want to. It will make the transition back into running so much better. I might even try one of those things. I've never tried it. Maybe during Oprah...

    Good for you on adding in the arm work. I like my arms too, if I don't see the flap on the back LOL.

    LOVE the sweat quote. You know I'm not a fan of the sweat.

    Now I'm going over to check you out on Jenn's blog!

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  12. please check into water exercise classes or water jogging while you are injured... a water jog belt is like $20 and most rec centers have them avalible.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f3hN1RijN8

    it could be a good cross training to avoid injury in the future too aye?

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  13. You're so inspiring. I was putting off doing my strength training today but I read your post so I'm off to work out. Plus it keeps me warm during these blackouts. :)

    Keep up the great work. You'll be back to kicking asphalt in no time.

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  14. You definitely have come a long way Shelley! The fact that you aren't quitting is so great!

    It took all three of us about 1 1/2 hours to clean our driveway from all the snow - it looks pretty now because everything is white - in a few days it will just look like shit.

    Hugs!!

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  15. Go you on not quitting, keeping a positive attitude and doing arm work. You rock!

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  16. You'll be back on your feet in NO time!!! In the meantime, take care!!!

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  17. I read this this morning and thought about you all day. Well me and you. We both have "Come along way, Baby" Cha cha chaniges!

    Great post.

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  18. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
    seriously.
    thats what I got.
    oh, and a warning not to be me and give yerself carpel tunnel of the booty.

    that too :)

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