Couch to 5K, Week 3 Revisted, Day 2

I really got bored again today.  It's a good thing I have an excellent imagination.  I was able to stick myself on some of the forest trails I've run in the past: last summer I did a teeny bit in Lake Bronson State Park, and Greenwood Park in Thief River Falls; years ago I ran more often in the UW arboretum and on the trail along the west edge of Lake Wingra in Madison, WI; and back in my "school formerly known as DMLC" days, I did cross country practices in Flandrau State Park in New Ulm.

It gave me a little boost today when I needed it, to put myself out in the woods, listening to all the forest sounds: the birds singing, the chipmunks scolding, the the scritch-scritch-creak of trees rubbing together, last fall's leaves crunching beneath my feet.  I almost slipped once in some mud in a wet spot, and startled a deer, which startled me.

If I was imagining to be running around here (which I would not, since it's very flat and open and a boring place to run) I would have imagined a grouse flushing causing me to jump a mile, thinking it was some bear or wolf or cougar jumping out to eat me up.  I hate when that happens.

But alas! all this adventure was only in my mind.  I was really just plugging along on the tread mill.  I am, however, very thankful for the use of Connie's tread mill.  I know I would not have exercised as faithfully this winter if I was only doing the Gazelle and my pilates DVDs.

On to this week's routine

• 5 minutes warm up
• 90 seconds jog
• 90 seconds walk
• 3 minutes jog
• 3 minutes walk
• 90 seconds jog
• 90 seconds walk
• 3 minutes jog
• 5 minutes cool down

I stayed to about 2.9 mph walking and 4 mph jogging.

The computer told me I burned 177 calories with 55 of the fat calories.  I covered 1.37 miles and it took 25 minutes.

I did my full workout with all the extras today, so that would include

• two sets on the Nordic rider; for each set I did 50 in the pulling position, and 25 in the pushing position; and
• 8 minutes on the Gazelle, four sets of 20 in each of 4 alternate positions, plus some regular strides before and after and in between.

I still have a bit of lower back stiffness, so I did a good stretch before and after.  I'm also still a bit plagued with this foot pain.  Maybe my sis can suggest some stretches.

Aaaaaiiiimmmmeeee!

It's my left foot, between the middle toe and then to mostly the fourth tow, but some toward the second toe.  And it's back a bit from the toes.  Joe found a very tight knot in my arch.  He thinks it's from a tight muscle in the center of my hamstring and then up, yes, you guessed it, through the piriformis and into the lower back.  So I've been trying to do stretches for those areas.  But if this does not make any sense to you, please let me know what I should be doing instead.