Dropping the Weight

The rising sun in the east has been a strong motivator to listen to the repeat sounds of my alarm clock going off. Running another mile, taking another step has been a very strong and endless challenge to go running. I've been going to the Dish, Stanford's infamous running trail, and walking/running and pushing along. Yesterday a good friend of mine said the next time we come to the Dish we're running the whole thing. The first thought in my mind, "You're a crazy health freak who's trying to kill me." The 3.5 miles is no easy task, and I highly doubt my body will become accustomed to the exercise regime, but making my poor legs go through the hills, twists and curves? That was a challenge I slowly wanted to prepare myself for. However, I slowly agreed that the next time we would run the whole thing no matter how slow and painful it might be, I would keep pushing myself, focusing on my breathing and eventually by the end of the summer, the miles would just slip away. The only compensation that I have other than the beautiful view is the rising sun every time I go early in the morning. Absolutely priceless.

But since starting this blog a week ago, I have only keeping a rough track of my exercise regimen, but I'm hoping I'll come back to this blog and keep writing, letting you know how I'm feeling. So far, I've been running and to the gym. I tried a rowing machine and although my arms were hurting later on in the day, I still enjoyed it! I instructed the machine to start the fishing game it had and I was supposed to capture smaller fish, but avoid getting eaten by my predators. So in order to avoid capture I had to row harder to move up and ease up to go down. I was constantly rowing and then easing, trying desperately to capture as many fish as possible. I must have looked like a complete maniac with my arms going backwards towards my waist and then forwards. I imagined being on the Thames River or rowing along the Eno.. and what would have made that dream even better was the image of a night sky and the big Dipper glaring back at me. 

Soon I will be able to run the streets of most cities with lightning speed! But until that time, I can only say my progress has been 4 pounds for this past week and counting. Until next time, remember to eat fresh fruits and veggies, along with plenty of water!

The First Steps

I woke up this morning around 7:30 am and could feel my bones creaking. I wanted to start a new exercise regimen that would take some of the weight off of my knees and give me confidence in my body. I started walking the Dish, a trail located near Stanford's campus, a week ago and was faced with several infamous hills. When I started last Saturday, I was convinced I would never make the 3 1/2 miles, or even worse I would pass out alongside the road and forget my own name. At first it took me an hour or so to find the entrance, which happened to be looking straight at me when I finally walked through the pearly gates of health. I saw the first hill, a gargantuan monster looking at me with its malicious smile that covered around to the top. I started my trek underneath the hot sun. It was exhausting to get up the first hill, but I decided to push ahead. I was faced with my next choice.. left or right?

To the left was an even taller hill, while to the right the hill started to decline. It was obvious, I took the decline. I started walking and the burgeoning sun started to beam down even harder. I had neglected to bring a water bottle, because I didn't have a bag to carry it in. I trekked along the next two hills before I finally made my way to a makeshift water fountain. The cool water was a quiet relief down my throat, but my satisfaction didn't last long. As I continued along the trail and made my way up two more hills to reach the top of the trail, I realized I had already trekked two miles. I was out of breath and quite exhausted. My eyes were glancing desperately along the trail for another water fountain, but to my disbelief there was none in sight. A wonderful girl lended me two gulps from her water bottle, enough to push me towards the end of the course. All in all, when I finished my throat was dry, my legs were tired and my calves were burning with pain.

I walked slowly back to my apartment and said never again. Two days later, I saw myself climbing that same hill, but this time I had a water bottle and I paced myself. Although it was still painful, I managed to finish the course with a nice drink of water sliding down my throat. The path was veracious, but after a week later, I don't feel the tiredness and fatigue as I once did when I first started the course. However, I certainly feel my calves every now and again reminding me that I'm not superwoman. As a dedication to my calves, knees, back and thighs I have decided to keep a blog of my progress.

The first things I started doing was drinking more water, eating smaller portions and maintaining a consistent walking pattern. Sure I would like my efforts to be rewarded right away, but there is little phrase called 'delayed gratification' that beckons me to stay on my present course. In a few months, I hope the photos would have shown a lighter me, but also one full of determination and fitness. So far, I'm down 3 pounds. Consistency, rest and a new lifestyle are all key to my progress.

Have fun!

Trice