day 12-18

18.04.11: day 12
30 min walk. ok, too many days of just walking. i'll try and kick it up a little.

19.04.11: day 13
1.5 hour road run! (well, i think it was about that, but i don't know for sure because i accidentally deleted my time on my watch at about 1.25 hrs! arrgh!! many of my technology mishaps are due to user errors.) my ankles and feet ached a little, but my cardio felt strong. i wasn't jogging very fast though...but it was a long one!

20.04.11: day 14
full body strength workout at the Y.

21.04.11: day 15
early morning spin class at the Y. wow. this was a tough one. i don't really 'do' spin classes and i don't even cycle outdoors...so i found this extremely challenging. so challenging in fact that i practically just went and listened to the instructor's music and did what i could! i guess it was a good place to start...a good learning experience and a good new activity. i actually enjoyed the group atmosphere in this class and it definitely pushed me more than i would have pushed myself if i was riding alone. i think i would like to do another one and see if i can improve...

22.04.11: day 16
hiking in east sooke park with my family! what a fantastic day to explore this gem of a park. i actually wore my five finger shoes for the whole hike and my feet felt fantastic! i find i have a very different relationship with the ground when i wear them. with a regular shoe, especially a hiking boot, the sole is so stiff that i often just drop my foot down anywhere. with the five fingers, i am so conscious of placing my foot down and using the muscles in my foot, ankle, and entire leg to balance and support each step. i wiggle my toes and really grip the ground around me. i'm really enjoying the experience and i was impressed that i was able to wear them for so long!

23.04.11: day 17
walk 30 min

24.04.11: day 18
cardio training at the Y for 1.5 hrs. variety of machines.
i've been working on my rowing sprints and i am trying to come up with a reason why. will i ever race? probably not! but i am sprinting to see if i can push myself through the uncomfortable feeling. as i have said before, i am a slow, endurance type person...not a powerful, sprinter, and i find pushing myself through that type of task to be extremely challenging. so, i'm practicing! practicing pushing through the physical exhaustion in my legs, the ache in my back, and most difficult for me, the mental voice that says "you can quit anytime". it has been tough but i have gotten my 500 meter sprint time down to 00:01:54. and i am beat after that!! i'll let you know if i improve!