One Step Forward.......

Okay, I'm still on track but wasn't able to walk much this past week due to.... you guessed it, another pulled muscle in the same left calf. This time I was playing racquetball with my friend Sid. I think I'm going to hold off on that until I lose another 20 lbs. or after the run in January! After walking the 10K+, Becky and I walked 4 miles last Monday (week ago) on the indoor track at Gene Fullmer fitness center in West Jordan. That's 64 laps on their small track, made me dizzy! Then it was weight training on Tuesday and racquetball on Wed. where I pulled a muscle, weights on Thursday, Nothing Friday and Saturday. I didn't eat too healthy this week.. again... but I did eat well! I think I ate Pizza twice at work and took Jon and Katie to dinner for his birthday Wednesday night and had pizza again! It was great but not what I should be eating.

I'm starting some weight training to build strength (3 days per week) and aerobics the other 3 days. Feeling much better and stronger and have lost about 17 lbs. so far. Still going slow on the weight loss but still making progress.

I love the fall and the leaves and the colors. I mowed my lawn for the last time this year and put the old lawn mower away. I pulled all of the flowers out and cleaned out the garden. It was a little sad as it always is this time of year to see all of the color go but winter has its beauty too and I'm looking forward to the holiday season. I even put my snow plow on my ATV and its ready to go! Becky and I bought some warmer clothes to walk/run in and will still do our longer walks outside. Getting colder so we need to bundle up!

Have you ever felt that you get too involved in too many good things? It's hard to keep up with it sometimes but as Chris and Harry say (remember the book?) connections and relationships are vital and extremely important so I don't feel too bad that I'm involved in so many good things. I've just got to be careful not to do too much and not have time for the most important things. Between work, Lions Club, church callings (3), family, U of U Engineering Alumni Board, YSA activities, etc. I'm feeling a little tired. Maybe that's why I haven't written here like I should!

A few setbacks, but all in all, I'm still on track.

Whooo Hoooo! 10K+ Today!

Becky and I walked/ran twice around Daybreak Lake... 6.69 miles, average pace 4.1 mph or 14:44 minutes/mile! Average heart rate was 137 bpm, maximum 160. It was awesome although now I'm a little tired and sore! But, it was at least a 1/4 Marathon! Whooo Hoooo!

Back in the Saddle Again.....

Okay, I did it. I joined the Salt Lake County Northwest Recreation facility and upgraded to a Gold membership which gives me access to all 16 County facilities in the SL valley. I have been going almost every day since I joined and have been doing both aerobic training and strength training...spinning, eliptical, treadmill, track and even swimming. Tomorrow, we're doing a double lap around the Daybreak lake... about 6.5 miles. I hope I can make it!

I found out that I'm a horrible swimmer and need some lessons. I don't know how to breathe and swim at the same time! It's sort of like chewing bubblegum and walking! I can't do that very well either! Anyway, I need swim lessons! I was doing everything wrong. I couldn't kick right, breath right, stroke right, or anything else right! I really looked stupid in the pool and I'm sure the lifeguards and the other swimmers were having a great laugh! One guy, suppressing his snickers, said he had an extra pair of goggles that I could have (he was taking pity on me) and that he would go and get them for me. The life guard took it upon himself to give me a few pointers and to let me know that I was doing everything wrong! After eating a little humble pie, I asked him several questions which he very politely and patiently answered. Then the guy with the goggles came back and handed me a bright pink pair of goggles! I sheepishly put them on and went about my business practicing my kicking using a kick board, swim fins and bright pink goggles! I finally said "oh, look at the time!" and rolled out of the pool and waddled into the showers hoping never to emerge again! On the bright side, I did get a pretty good workout and I didn't drown so maybe I'll try again sometime after I buy me some manly goggles!

When I wasn't doing aerobics, I lifted weights; one day for upper body and one for my lower body. It feels pretty good but again, I could use some coaching. I also played racquetball yesterday which is a great workout! I played with my buddy Sid from work. He usually wins but It's still gets my heart rate up for about an hour.

So, as Gene Autry would say:

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again!

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again!

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again!

Until next time!