I can do it!

Ben and I went for a six mile walk today to deliver Christmas cookies...I guess that is worth documenting!  :D

I did my abbreviated version of P90X legs today, and even tacked on some ab-ripper.  I was planning to go water-running at the pool this evening, but had unexpected company and ended up at home instead.  Tomorrow I start my decompression treatment.  :S

Well, technically it wasn't a run...I spent 22 minutes on the "elliptical edge" machine at the gym.  It said I went a mile and burned around 60 calories, but I think it LIES!!!  I was totally out of breath and sweating like a race horse!  But absolutely NO impact or twisting, so it's an approved exercise.  Then I spent another 20 minutes on the stationary bike.  I already miss real running. 

Today was the first of my 20 DRX treatments.  They strapped me into a machine that had a harness around my hips and another one around my ribcage, then it pulled my spine apart for 28 minutes with a force of 55 pounds.  It took me a few minutes when I was finished just to be able to stand and walk again!  'Twas an interesting sensation.  Tomorrow I go back for session two.  Eventually they will increase the weight and the time.  Fun, fun!

After voluntarily submitting to another session of torture on "the rack," my PT tells me it's to be 3 months without running...THREE MONTHS!!! I have a marathon in less than FIVE months! Luckily for me, I have discovered the joy of "water running," and so maybe I'll survive after all... :D

So I began today with an early trip to the gym, where I warmed up on that stupidly hard elliptical machine, then did an upper-body workout (chest, shoulders, back, triceps, and biceps) and then spent a few more minutes on the elliptical before I stretched out.  Later on I visited the Pysical Therapists for decompression, had the hard news delivered, and went home to try to figure out what I was going to do about the running.  Then this evening, I tried out a bit of spin class, which I realized after about 20 minutes was going to be a bad idea for my back.  So I switched to the recumbant bike, did another 20 minutes of high intensity spinning, and wrapped it all up with a another mile on the elliptical from hell.  Then Ben and I went to the pool and, for the first time ever, I tried "water running."  Guess what?  It was really FUN!  I sweat like crazy, and felt like just maybe I might be able to continue training for the marathon!  I did 45 minutes of water running, then finished off with a 20 lengths swim.  All in all, I feel much more positive about my workout tonight than I have since the diagnosis.  Yay!

Merry Christmas Eve all you crazy runners!!!  Well, I had to try  to get something done, so I did another 45 minutes of water running today.  Bring on the Christmas candy!

I did a little bit of P90X Core Synergistics this morning.  As usual, I had to modify it so I didn't hurt my back.  It doesn't feel like I get as good a workout that way, but...so it goes.  Then this evening we took the kids to the pool.  We tried out a new location, and they didn't have aqua jogging belts, so I missed out on my 110 minute "run."  :(  At the last minute, I decided to swim a few lengths, but 40 was all I could get in before the pool closed.