Do Numbers Motivate You Or Hold You Back?

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Coco

Now that I am finished with physical therapy, I am gradually adding back more challenging running workouts–like speed and hill intervals. I usually do interval workouts on the treadmill. That way, I can force myself to do a long enough warm-up and cool-down, and work up to faster intervals or steeper “hills.” Plus, I find that intervals make the time spent on the treadmill so much more tolerable. 

Two weeks ago, for my first speed interval workout in ages, I warmed up for 15 minutes and then did 30 minutes of intervals:

0-5 min: waking @ 3.7 mph
5-10 min: running @ 5.7 mph
10-15 min: running @ 6.0 mph
15-45 min: 2 min fast/1 min recovery, working up to 7.0 mph
45-47 min: running @ 5.7 mph
45-50 min: waking @ 3.7 mph

It felt good. I felt good. The endorphins felt really good!

This week, I decided to run on the high school track near my house. I walked most of the way there, but ran the last 1/4 mile to start warming up. I ran two laps to finish my warm up, and then did 4 sets of 800 M repeats–running two laps at a fast pace, with a recovery lap in between.


I timed my laps on my Garmin, but didn’t look at it while I was running. It was a gorgeous day–in the upper 60’s with a lovely sunrise–and I was just enjoying pushing myself like I haven’t been able to for months.

When I got back home and checked my split times, I was amazed. My first repeat was at an 8:40-ish pace (about 6.9 mph), my second and third repeats were at an 8:30-ish pace (about 7.0 mpg), and my last repeat was at an 8:20-ish pace (about 7.2 mph).

I know I would not have gone that fast on the treadmill, and that got me thinking–do numbers motivate me or hold me back?

For distance, I think numbers motivate me. Once I decide to run a certain distance (or a certain time on the treadmill), I will reach that goal–even if I have to push myself, prod myself, or bribe myself to get it done.

For speed, I think numbers may hold me back. I am afraid to set aggressive pace goals, and wary of pushing my pace on the treadmill. Rightly or wrongly, I am afraid that running too fast will trigger an injury. When I run outside, I usually run faster that I do on the treadmill. I used to think that was due to differences between treadmill running and natural running, but maybe it’s because I hold myself back on the treadmill.

What about you–do you think numbers motivate you or hold you back?

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What Do You Get To Do Today? (Mile Markers Book Review)

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Coco

One of the essays in Kristin Armstrong’s book, “Mile Markers” that really struck a chord with me is “I Get To,” in the chapter on “Gratitude.” It relates to the importance of the terminology we use in our every day lives, and the profound impact of replacing our “I have to”s with “I get to”s.

Do you have to get up at o’dark-thirty to drag yourself to the gym, or do you get to start your day with a great spin class?

Do you have to face hill intervals, sprint intervals and cross-training, or do you get to push yourself past your comfort zone and learn just how strong you really are?

Do you have to spend an hour at a crowded yoga class, or do you get to treat yourself to an hour of stretching, strengthening and mindful breathing?

That I should treasure my opportunities to exercise hit me even more when I heard an NPR story about an imprisoned Chinese dissident. So random, I know, but the story mentioned that he was allowed outside for one hour a day to exercise. (Exercise must really be important for our well-being if a country so infamous for its poor record on human rights still gives prisoners an hour a day for exercise.) I bet he looks forward to that time every day and makes the most of it to the best of his abilities.

Now that I am recovering from my ITB/glute/piriformis issue, I am looking forward to getting to do more challenging workouts. I can’t wait until I’m confident enough of my recovery to get back to speed intervals. (Like these treadmill interval routines from Laura @ MommyRunFast.)  I can’t wait until I’m strong enough to try a CrossFit workout. (Like this one from Carrie @ FamilyFitnessFood.) I can’t wait until I can cut back on my physical therapy exercises and make more time for yoga again (but probably never as much time as Carla spent at this yoga workshop!).

What do you get to do today?

Posted in Book Reviews, Fitness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Daily Bread

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Coco

We say the Lord’s Prayer in church every Sunday, but how often do we stop and think about what the words actually mean? A few years ago I came across this book in our church library, and it really opened my eyes to the many meanings behind those familiar words.

The book spends one chapter on each phrase: “Our Father,” “Who Art In Heaven,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” etc. The chapter that really stuck with me was “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread.”

I always thought of this phrase in the context of asking God to give us what we need–food, clothing, shelter, etc. But the author also discusses the daily-ness of this prayer. We only need God to take care of us today, to give us what we need to get through today. I know I spend too much energy being anxious about tomorrow, and this is a strong reminder that I only need God to take care of me one day at a time.

The Bible story that underscores this message is from Exodus 16, where God sends manna down from heaven to feed Moses and the Israelites in the desert.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. …”

The people who took more than enough for the day–the people who did not trust God to provide for them again tomorrow–were at best disappointed the next morning.

Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.

On the other hand, when the Israelites needed a two-day supply because they could not work on the Sabbath, God provided enough for two days:

On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much . . . .
[Moses] said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

Another message in this prayer for daily bread is that we need to be fed by God every day. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of day-to-day life and forget to spend time with God until Sunday comes around–if then.

I have been guilty of this lately. I don’t think I’ve downloaded a Daily Prayer podcast since Easter. I vaguely recall picking up the latest copy of the Our Daily Bread booklet at church a few weeks ago, but I don’t even know where I put it, so I obviously haven’t done any daily devotional reading lately. I’ve been trying to pray instead of worry, but I haven’t spent much time reading God’s Word or listening for His “still small voice.”

Now that I’ve realized how hungry I am for this daily bread, I certainly will re-start this “diet” today. 

For more inspiration to eat at the Lord’s Table, check out this sermon from Lauren Stanley.

How do you keep life’s busyness from over-taking your quiet time?

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Five Things I Learned On My First Bike Ride

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Coco

If you saw my Wordless Wednesday post or my Facebook updates or my tweets, you know that my husband got me a bike to help fill our weekends when our son goes off to college.

It’s not my first bike, but it is my first bike with gears and handbrakes–shocking, I know!

I took it for a short ride around our neighborhood the first day I got it, but last weekend was my first “real” ride. Here are five things I learned during that hour on the bike path:

1. My Garmin has a “biking” mode.

This means that I can keep track of my cycling miles on DailyMile. 

2. Coasting down hills is fun, but so is passing others as my running-trained legs power me up steep hills.

3. I like to be in front so I can set the pace. My husband likes me to be in front so he can stare at my ass for an hour without me getting annoyed–maybe that’s the real reason he got me a bike. 😉

4. I need to work on my balance so I can change handlebar positions and signal turns without feeling like I’m about to wreck.

5. Padded bike shorts are a necessity–never mind the $50 price tag. You really can’t put a price on being able to use toilet paper without wincing!

I think cycling will be a fun way for my husband and I to spend more time together.

Have you tried a brand new activity this summer?

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday (The Gift Of Cycling Edition)

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Coco

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My husband bought me a bike.

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He thinks it will be a fun way to spend time together
when my son goes off to college.

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I think he’s right!

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