Last Day Of May…Already?

I’ve said this before, what really…where is the year going? The 6th month of the year starts tomorrow. How are you doing with your goals so far from the new year’s eve? I don’t remember mine. I don’t think I made any resolutions really this year. If I did, it was just to stay moving. I’ve been doing that for the most part.

The last few weeks, my exercising has been hit and miss. Mostly, I’ve been on track though. I got my mile in today, and this one seemed to go a little faster than usual. My time is still a lot slower than it was. I’m not focusing on speed at the moment, just to stay moving. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical. I think a while back my fastest time for a mile was 33:10 or 33:20. Today, my took me about 35:10. But, like I said, I’m not concentrating on speed right now.

My confidence and walking are still pretty much in the tank. My walking isn’t too bad, but it could be a lot better. I’m doing my best not to worry about what may happen. That’s easier said than done though. The mind plays awful tricks on you. It’s also very difficult to switch that particular mindset. I’ve been practicing positive thinking, but no matter how many positive thoughts I may say or think to myself, those negative thoughts creep in and overpower me. Then the self fulfilling prophecies happen. If you think something is going to happen, then it most likely will. Along those lines, why is it that negative self fulfilling prophesies are more easily to happen than the positive ones?

Anyway, enough deep thinking for now. Like I said, I got my mile in, and am currently making my way to Buchanan, VA. I have roughly 28 miles to go, so it will be a while, unless I do more than one mile a day (once I get back into the daily mile routine). Here’s the virtual walk pictures from today and also one from last week that I never got around to posting.

Mile 272.6



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Mile 273.6



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Still seeing cars and activity as I’m passing through Lexington. Might be a quiet 28 miles until I hit Buchanan. Keep moving everyone, and a big hello to those that I recently found out were reading. Don’t be shy to comment below!

Back To Normal

After all the drama of the last week and a half, I’m slowly getting back to normal. After the shower incident, I’m still dealing with some leftover anxiety issues. I now have a secure safety bar installed just outside the tub. So, that is definitely good. My anxiety still flares up when I go to get in and out of the tub. The bar’s not going anywhere, but my mind keeps playing nasty games with me. Onward and upward though. The kinks will get worked out in time. Baby steps.

Today, I did one mile on the elliptical, after having done nothing for 10 days. It felt good to get back on. I felt a little uncomfortable for the first fifteen minutes (just like several weeks ago), but then it worked itself out, and I was more stable. I’ve done no strength training for the last several weeks, but will get back into that on Monday. I really wanted to focus on my elliptical today, and I didn’t want to be sore or tired when I did.

It’s so strange how a small fix can increase your confidence level. The new safety bar is making me feel a lot more confident and self assured. I did need to wear my shower shoes (pool shoes, whatever you want to call them) today, but the relief has been huge. I was worried constantly after what happened, worried that the new permanent bar wasn’t going to work right, worried about this, that and the other thing. Things are now situated the correct way, and I can relax. I need to get over this last bit of anxiety that is lingering, and I’m taking those steps (thus the shower shoes).

Now I can get back to my working out again, and keep racking up those miles. Here’s the picture from my mile today on the virtual walk site.

Mile 267.6



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

It pays to keep fighting. A few weeks back, I was down and out, and now I’m back to my old self. Keep moving, that’s the key!

Been A Great Week!

This week is basically over for us, and it’s only Thursday. I did great with my workouts. I got in my strength training Monday and Wednesday. I got my elliptical workouts done on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and today. I did skip my elliptical Wednesday, because I was exhausted. I ended up taking a two hour nap. I don’t remember the last time I took a nap. It’s been years. But I obviously needed it. And tomorrow I’m taking the day off from working out because my sister in-law is supposedly coming down in the morning. We’ll see. Every time she says “in the morning” it’s more like noon or later. To be on the safe side, I’m taking tomorrow off. I can still do my strength training, and I probably will.

It’s starting to get hot here. We got up to 91 the other day. ::::rolls eyes::::: Not looking forward to the heat. The weather man said it’s going to cool down this weekend, maybe to the low 70s, but we’ll see. I think the cool temperatures are running away. Won’t see them again until November probably. Joy.

I did get my 1.4 miles in today, and it felt great. I’m still taking a couple of breaks during the 50 minute workout, but that’s OK. I have about 7 miles to go until I reach Vesvius, VA on the virtual walk site. By the end of next week, I should be there. I’ve gone a total of 247.2 miles.

Here’s the picture for today. This is mile 247.2.



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

It looks like there’s a small mountain up ahead on the left. Lots of sun too.

Have a great weekend, and a safe St. Patrick’s Day if you celebrate it. I am wearing green today.

Morning Exercise Is Best…For Me

First off, I'd like to say that I'm thinking of all the people in Japan after the massive earthquake that's occurred. The aftershocks are massive as well. The tsunami victims are also in my thoughts.I've been watching the news all day today and the video is frightening.

Onward.

I’ve tried exercising at other times during the day, but it seems like morning works best for me. Lately, I’ve been putting off exercising, particularly my elliptical, until later in the day. I don’t like tying up the bathroom when other people are getting ready for work or going other places. This morning I got my workout completely finished by about 8:45 AM. Loved it. So, from now on, I’m not going to worry about tying up the bathroom. I don’t take that long anyway.

I’ve said before that I tend to have an “all or noting” type of attitude when it comes to exercise. I’ll be working on that starting now. I plan to alternate long elliptical workouts with shorter ones. Today I did 35 minutes. Tomorrow I plan on doing 35 minutes. Then Sunday I’ll aim for 50. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I’ll do 35 (since I do my strength training on those days), and on Tuesday and Thursday I’ll do 50. I’ll take a day off here and there to rest, but that’s the general idea. And get it done early!

I’ve got two photos from the virtual walk site to share.

Mile 241



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Mile 242



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

And that’s that. I did find the book I was talking about the other day, and I’ll write about that sometime this weekend.

Vasaline Works For Me!

I deal with blisters from time to time when I exercise on my elliptical. A few months ago, my dad suggested Vasaline. He said to spread some Vasaline on the area that is prone to blister, and it should help prevent them. I tried it a few weeks ago, and it works! I smear a big glob on (I find the more you put on, the more it helps), and then I put my sock on right after that. So far, it works. He also said to put on a second sock. I haven’t tried that tip yet, but maybe I will one day. For now, I’ll stick with the Vasaline. Thanks Dad!

My “issues” that I mentioned in my last blog are improving slowly. I’m no longer using the pool shoes to get into the shower. My main problem still is my anxiety. I still go into panic mode here and there. I think I sometimes put too much pressure on myself to “fix” my issues. I tell myself to put on my shoes and use my walker just in our room going from my desk to the door and back. I over think it so much, it puts my mind in a tailspin and I end up making things worse. If I feel like using the walker, I will, but I need to not force myself to do it. Forcing myself to do something just puts pressure on me and causes me to think too much about it. I need to learn to go with the flow. I was good at doing that a few years ago. There’s a book I bought about four years ago that I need to re-read. I’ll write about that book in another blog. But that book is what jump started me to lose weight and get in shape. I will write about that soon. I need to find the book first…it’s somewhere on this messy desk.

I decided Monday to increase my time on the elliptical, and I did 50 minutes. I broke it down into segments, which is always a good idea. Trying to do 50 minutes straight would have been the death on my quadriceps, so I took several breaks. My elliptical display screen has been on the fritz for a while, so I looked back at some of my old spreadsheets to see how many miles I used to do in 50 minutes. Turns out it was about 1.4 miles. Good deal. It also said I burned about 430 calories in 50 minutes. Even better. So I did 50 minutes Monday, took Tuesday off and then did 50 minutes again today. I don’t know if I’ll do it tomorrow or not. It depends on how my legs feel. Plus I just got a batch of article titles sent my way to write. I’ve got about 13 or so articles to write in the next 6 or 7 days. Some of those I can extend, but the ones sent to me yesterday I need to get done. They’re easy to write though, as I’ve written them before. I just need to reword a few of them.

Here are the pictures from the virtual walk site from Monday and today. I did 1.4 miles each day.

Mile 236.8



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Mile 238.2



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Sun is still shining in VA.

Have a great day everyone. Can’t believe it’s already March.

Afternoon Mile

I normally like to get my exercise done in the morning. Lately, I’ve been slacking off big time in the exercise department. I keep coming up with excuses not to “git ‘er done”. No more excuses I say. My lack of posting on the blog this time is due to my lack of exercising.

Part of my lack of motivation has been a severe lack of balance. That led to my confidence dropping, and my mood followed. Seems like my back was partly to blame, mainly my hips. My back was way out of alignment, making it even more difficult for my legs to move. My left leg would go forward, and then sort of hitch and get stuck. It didn’t want to move past a certain point. It would move, but I felt like I’d fall if it went any further. Walking was a pain in the butt and I came close to falling more than once when I went anywhere.

Long story short, I had some issues getting around the house. Issues that didn’t used to affect me. Getting into the shower was probably the scariest issue. But I adapted and did it “my way”.  My confidence was shot, and I thought to myself “shoes always help,” so I put on my pool shoes and bingo, that did the trick. Got in the shower with little issues.

My confidence is coming back slowly. I’m still using the pool shoes, but I’m about ready to stop that. I haven’t used my walker for a good long time, probably for almost two months. That’s going to change soon too. My hips and lower back seem to be back in place, and that’s helped a lot.

Today, I debated whether or not to exercise. Finally, around 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon, I decided to get with it. I put on my workout gear, and busted out my 1.1 mile in 40 minutes. I took a few breaks, but all in all my endurance was great. I even saw 61 rpm at one point. I’m normally at a speed of 55 to 56 in the beginning, and slow down to 52 or 53 near the end.

Still making my way through Virginia. Here’s the photo for my mile today on the virtual walk site.

Mile 235.4



 

Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab

No more excuses. Keep my butt in gear and stay moving. It doesn’t matter if I have a bad day, bad week, bad month, or longer. There’s no excuse for not moving. Unless of course there’s pain involved. But if there’s no pain, I need to move my behind.

Long Time No Post

Well, let's see. The last time I entered anything here was at the beginning, or near the beginning of November. I was busy with NaNoWriMo, and I'm happy to report that I completed it and am considered a winter. As a winner I received three pictures that I have saved on my computer. The one you see here is one of those. It was a great experience to have taken part in the NaNoWriMo, and know that I can complete 50,000 words in one month if I push myself to do so. I am looking forward to November 2010 so I can do it all over again. I will need to do some preliminary work, such as more detailed character creation and also storyline direction.

As far as my exercising goes, I am back to where I was about a year ago. I am back to doing one mile three days a week on my elliptical. I took my time and didn't rush myself. I started out slow doing three days a week at 3/10 of a mile then the next week I did 4/10 and so on. I am still taking a few breaks during my mile, but I am finishing it.

I had to take about a week off, or maybe 10 days because I was sick with a really weird cold. Everybody in this house as well as the entire family got this nasty bug. We had everybody down for a joint anniversary party, and our two year old niece was running around the house with a runny nose and sniffling. We also went to Outback that night for dinner, so it's possible we picked it up there, but I am inclined to think it was from our two year old niece.

The cold hit anybody in a different way. For me, it started out as a sore throat, and then worked its way into my ears and nose. I also had a headache and was very tired, having no energy to do anything. My husband, mother in law, and our 18 year old nephew had those same symptoms as well as a very nasty cough as well as an upset stomach. My brother in law kept teasing us saying that we all had the swine flu. We did not have the swine flu, thank you very much, it was just a nasty cold.

Other than that, not a whole lot has been going on. I enjoyed some time off from writing after a whole month of getting in two thousand words every day. I am slowly getting back into writing however, and that is a good thing.

For now I will keep this short, but I will write more later. I've got a few ideas that I would like to write about. Until then, keep on moving.

Long Time No Post

Well, let's see. The last time I entered anything here was at the beginning, or near the beginning of November. I was busy with NaNoWriMo, and I'm happy to report that I completed it and am considered a winter. As a winner I received three pictures that I have saved on my computer. The one you see here is one of those. It was a great experience to have taken part in the NaNoWriMo, and know that I can complete 50,000 words in one month if I push myself to do so. I am looking forward to November 2010 so I can do it all over again. I will need to do some preliminary work, such as more detailed character creation and also storyline direction.

As far as my exercising goes, I am back to where I was about a year ago. I am back to doing one mile three days a week on my elliptical. I took my time and didn't rush myself. I started out slow doing three days a week at 3/10 of a mile then the next week I did 4/10 and so on. I am still taking a few breaks during my mile, but I am finishing it.

I had to take about a week off, or maybe 10 days because I was sick with a really weird cold. Everybody in this house as well as the entire family got this nasty bug. We had everybody down for a joint anniversary party, and our two year old niece was running around the house with a runny nose and sniffling. We also went to Outback that night for dinner, so it's possible we picked it up there, but I am inclined to think it was from our two year old niece.

The cold hit anybody in a different way. For me, it started out as a sore throat, and then worked its way into my ears and nose. I also had a headache and was very tired, having no energy to do anything. My husband, mother in law, and our 18 year old nephew had those same symptoms as well as a very nasty cough as well as an upset stomach. My brother in law kept teasing us saying that we all had the swine flu. We did not have the swine flu, thank you very much, it was just a nasty cold.

Other than that, not a whole lot has been going on. I enjoyed some time off from writing after a whole month of getting in two thousand words every day. I am slowly getting back into writing however, and that is a good thing.

For now I will keep this short, but I will write more later. I've got a few ideas that I would like to write about. Until then, keep on moving.

Quick Update

I know my updates seem to be nowhere lately. I've been busy with a bunch of ghost writing in the last few weeks. Having written about fifteen to twenty articles I've been a bit tied up. The sites I write for have slowed down a little bit, so I may be posting more updates here soon.

Things that have been going on with me:

• Lots and lots of writing.
• Have been keeping up with my strength routine.
• Staying off my right foot so it can get better.
• More writing.

I love to write, so I am completely happy with all of the opportunities I've been finding online. It can get a bit stressful if I can't find information on a certain topic. That's when I dig deep through the Internet and find what I need. Lots and lots of digging. The main articles I've been writing lately have been information on various countries. It is interesting to learn about these places, but trying to find information on the nightlife in them can be a bit tough. Some of the more depressed countries like Somalia or others in Africa have very little information on the evening entertainment. I've got to get creative when it comes to that section of the article. I just picked up two more of those article types that are due on Monday.

As far as my workouts are concerned, it's going well. I've kept up with my strength training, for the most part. And I'm getting back into my elliptical routine as well. My right foot seems to be doing OK, so I'm working on my endurance and distance. At the moment I'm going about .4 mile three days a week. I'm hoping by next Friday I can get up to .5 mile. And I'm letting myself take breaks when I need it. My endurance is really lacking, and I had to stop twice last Friday. But I went without a break yesterday, so it is improving somewhat. Last year at this time it's hard to imagine I was doing a full mile nonstop in about 37 or 38 minutes. I'll get back to that point eventually. With the shin splints and this strange foot thing, taking as much time off as I have has wreaked havoc on my endurance.

The weather is still trying to decide if it wants to stat with summer temperatures or drop to fall. We had a high of the mid 80s for about a week a few weeks ago. It got back up to the 100s and now we seem to be getting down into the 90s for a high. Looks like our highs will be in the 80s next week, so maybe fall will actually stick around this time.

Not sure what else to update on, not much is really happening. I've got a few posts I'd like to write here, I just need to sit down and write them, I keep saying that, and I keep procrastinating or something else pops up (like these writing assignments) and I never get to it. I should be getting more time to write soon though.

This is kind of a disjointed post, but at least it is a post. More will be coming soon.

Quick Update

I know my updates seem to be nowhere lately. I've been busy with a bunch of ghost writing in the last few weeks. Having written about fifteen to twenty articles I've been a bit tied up. The sites I write for have slowed down a little bit, so I may be posting more updates here soon.

Things that have been going on with me:

• Lots and lots of writing.
• Have been keeping up with my strength routine.
• Staying off my right foot so it can get better.
• More writing.

I love to write, so I am completely happy with all of the opportunities I've been finding online. It can get a bit stressful if I can't find information on a certain topic. That's when I dig deep through the Internet and find what I need. Lots and lots of digging. The main articles I've been writing lately have been information on various countries. It is interesting to learn about these places, but trying to find information on the nightlife in them can be a bit tough. Some of the more depressed countries like Somalia or others in Africa have very little information on the evening entertainment. I've got to get creative when it comes to that section of the article. I just picked up two more of those article types that are due on Monday.

As far as my workouts are concerned, it's going well. I've kept up with my strength training, for the most part. And I'm getting back into my elliptical routine as well. My right foot seems to be doing OK, so I'm working on my endurance and distance. At the moment I'm going about .4 mile three days a week. I'm hoping by next Friday I can get up to .5 mile. And I'm letting myself take breaks when I need it. My endurance is really lacking, and I had to stop twice last Friday. But I went without a break yesterday, so it is improving somewhat. Last year at this time it's hard to imagine I was doing a full mile nonstop in about 37 or 38 minutes. I'll get back to that point eventually. With the shin splints and this strange foot thing, taking as much time off as I have has wreaked havoc on my endurance.

The weather is still trying to decide if it wants to stat with summer temperatures or drop to fall. We had a high of the mid 80s for about a week a few weeks ago. It got back up to the 100s and now we seem to be getting down into the 90s for a high. Looks like our highs will be in the 80s next week, so maybe fall will actually stick around this time.

Not sure what else to update on, not much is really happening. I've got a few posts I'd like to write here, I just need to sit down and write them, I keep saying that, and I keep procrastinating or something else pops up (like these writing assignments) and I never get to it. I should be getting more time to write soon though.

This is kind of a disjointed post, but at least it is a post. More will be coming soon.

Exercising With Cerebral Palsy

Exercising with cerebral palsy can be challenging and very frustrating. Luckily my type of cerebral palsy isn’t too severe. I am able, for the most part, to do any type of exercise that an able bodied person can do. I sometimes have to modify exercises such as jumping jacks or similar moves. To help with my bad balance I stand with something behind me, such as a couch or a bed. Just in case I fall, I’ll have something soft to land on. I also will hold on to a safety bar for support as I do standing leg exercises.

I have to watch out for injuries however more than “normal” people, as the strain on my joints is a bit harder than those of most people. My legs for instance bend inward as I put weight on them when I step, so I have to watch out for shin splints or foot injuries when I’m walking or am on my elliptical. I have to concentrate on my feet and leg positioning or else I have aches and pains in my lower legs. I have a habit of thinking that I can do anything like a “normal” person, so I push myself on certain exercises. I see how fast I can go on the elliptical or I do one too many shoulder presses. I end up with a sore shoulder or a sore leg as a result. I remind myself that it’s OK that I don’t do a mile in under 30 minutes. It’s OK that I only use the first two resistance levels on my elliptical. I remind myself that as long as I keep moving I’m doing something good for my body.

The hardest thing for me to do, is taking time off to heal from an injury. Right now as a matter of fact, I’m dealing with a sore foot. Due to me pushing the elliptical peddles hard and fast I lose focus, push with my toes and the insides of my feet and not push with the whole foot. Therefore, I now have muscle pain in my right foot, and need to take time off to let it heal. I’ve been off my elliptical now since last Monday, and I’m itching to get back on. I’m keeping up with my strength training so that is good, but I really want to get on and do a half mile on the machine. I’ll restrain myself though.

So, dealing with exercise and staying in shape while having cerebral palsy can be very frustrating. Our bodies are more susceptible to injuries than other people, and it takes longer sometimes to heal from an injury. But we have to keep moving (safely of course), no matter how little that movement is. As long as we keep moving, we can accomplish our goals and get healthier and stronger.

Exercising With Cerebral Palsy

Exercising with cerebral palsy can be challenging and very frustrating. Luckily my type of cerebral palsy isn’t too severe. I am able, for the most part, to do any type of exercise that an able bodied person can do. I sometimes have to modify exercises such as jumping jacks or similar moves. To help with my bad balance I stand with something behind me, such as a couch or a bed. Just in case I fall, I’ll have something soft to land on. I also will hold on to a safety bar for support as I do standing leg exercises.

I have to watch out for injuries however more than “normal” people, as the strain on my joints is a bit harder than those of most people. My legs for instance bend inward as I put weight on them when I step, so I have to watch out for shin splints or foot injuries when I’m walking or am on my elliptical. I have to concentrate on my feet and leg positioning or else I have aches and pains in my lower legs. I have a habit of thinking that I can do anything like a “normal” person, so I push myself on certain exercises. I see how fast I can go on the elliptical or I do one too many shoulder presses. I end up with a sore shoulder or a sore leg as a result. I remind myself that it’s OK that I don’t do a mile in under 30 minutes. It’s OK that I only use the first two resistance levels on my elliptical. I remind myself that as long as I keep moving I’m doing something good for my body.

The hardest thing for me to do, is taking time off to heal from an injury. Right now as a matter of fact, I’m dealing with a sore foot. Due to me pushing the elliptical peddles hard and fast I lose focus, push with my toes and the insides of my feet and not push with the whole foot. Therefore, I now have muscle pain in my right foot, and need to take time off to let it heal. I’ve been off my elliptical now since last Monday, and I’m itching to get back on. I’m keeping up with my strength training so that is good, but I really want to get on and do a half mile on the machine. I’ll restrain myself though.

So, dealing with exercise and staying in shape while having cerebral palsy can be very frustrating. Our bodies are more susceptible to injuries than other people, and it takes longer sometimes to heal from an injury. But we have to keep moving (safely of course), no matter how little that movement is. As long as we keep moving, we can accomplish our goals and get healthier and stronger.

Exercising With Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Exercising with cerebral palsy can be challenging and very frustrating. Luckily my type of cerebral palsy isn't too severe. I am able, for the most part, to do any type of exercise that an able bodied person can do. I sometimes have to modify exercises such as jumping jacks or similar moves. To help with my bad balance I stand with something behind me, such as a couch or a bed. Just in case I fall, I'll have something soft to land on. I also will hold on to a safety bar for support as I do standing leg exercises.

I have to watch out for injuries however more than "normal" people, as the strain on my joints is a bit harder than those of most people. My legs for instance bend inward as I put weight on them when I step, so I have to watch out for shin splints or foot injuries when I'm walking or am on my elliptical. I have to concentrate on my feet and leg positioning or else I have aches and pains in my lower legs. I have a habit of thinking that I can do anything like a "normal" person, so I push myself on certain exercises. I see how fast I can go on the elliptical or I do one too many shoulder presses. I end up with a sore shoulder or a sore leg as a result. I remind myself that it's OK that I don't do a mile in under 30 minutes. It's OK that I only use the first two resistance levels on my elliptical. I remind myself that as long as I keep moving I'm doing something good for my body.

The hardest thing for me to do, is taking time off to heal from an injury. Right now as a matter of fact, I'm dealing with a sore foot. Due to me pushing the elliptical peddles hard and fast I lose focus, push with my toes and the insides of my feet and not push with the whole foot. Therefore, I now have muscle pain in my right foot, and need to take time off to let it heal. I've been off my elliptical now since last Monday, and I'm itching to get back on. I'm keeping up with my strength training so that is good, but I really want to get on and do a half mile on the machine. I'll restrain myself though.

So, dealing with exercise and staying in shape while having cerebral palsy can be very frustrating. Our bodies are more susceptible to injuries than other people, and it takes longer sometimes to heal from an injury. But we have to keep moving (safely of course), no matter how little that movement is. As long as we keep moving, we can accomplish our goals and get healthier and stronger.