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May 31, 2008
Where does the weekend go?
We are heading out to see "Sex and the City" shortly (I have low expectations but it should be fun) and I feel like the day flew by. I got up fairly early and was on the bike by 8:30 or so. I watched a few episodes of "Weeds" and this week's "Real World." I am getting into "Weeds" but I forgot to reorder my Netflix queue so it will be back to "Boston Legal" this week! Anyway, I was sweating away as usual although my legs felt tired. At one point I checked the level that the trainer was set on (it's behind the back wheel on the ground, so I can't easily tell) and noticed it was up a notch higher than usual. No wonder I felt like I was working harder than I should! Putting it back helped although my legs were pretty dead by that point.
Matt's cousin stopped by later in the day to pick something up and I decided to walk with her to her next destination because it was near the library and I had a couple of books to pick up. The clouds looked threatening (it was SUPER humid today) so I brought my umbrella. I made it to the library but as soon as I was on my way back the sky opened up and it was thundering, lightning and pouring. The umbrella was some help but I was soaked and dirty by the time I got home. It didn't bother me too much though because it made me forget about the humidity.
I went grocery shopping later and saw all these people running when I was driving home. I decided to go for a walk/run since I have seen a little improvement in the knee bumps over the last 10 days or so. (They are still there though.) Well, it wasn't horrible, but between being out of shape and some lingering swelling, it wasn't normal either. I did 10 minutes of walking, then 5-5-5-5 of run/walk. And I use the term "run" loosely. It's a start, but the real test will be how my knee reacts the next couple of days. And to tell you the truth, my left knee didn't feel so hot either. I am trying not to get down about it though because this is the first time I've even run a step in about 3 months. I can't expect it to feel good. So it's a start...a slow one at that!
Posted by becky at 8:09 PM | Comments (1)
May 30, 2008
Quick day
Relief--I was finally able to wear a sports bra again this morning for my workout! I am now peeling terribly but feel much better. It was a little hard to get myself out of bed this morning though because I got home on the late side from last night's concert. It was really fun though (except for the rude people in the bar area of the coffeehouse talking loudly through Catie Curtis's set) and a good show. I was happy to learn that Catie will have a new album coming out at the end of August.
Anyway, I finally dragged myself up and onto the bike. I just got Season 2 of "Weeds" from Netflix so I started that today. I caught most of the first season during the few weeks that we had Showtime for free for some reason--it was right when we moved back down here. My legs felt pretty tired on the bike today because of the long ride yesterday, but aside from that, all was fine.
My day went by quickly once the afternoon came along today. Tonight we met up for sushi with friends we hadn't seen for a couple of months and it was a lot of fun. It was a little humid out during the heat of the day for me, but tonight was a nice night to sit outside.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)
May 29, 2008
Getting more comfortable
Going along with the theme of not being able to do as much working out as usual this week, this morning I rode the bike for what seemed like an interminable amount of time because I am going to a concert tonight. I watched a couple of "Boston Legal" episodes and the season finale of yet another MTV show I've gotten into, "The Paper." ("The Paper" follows the staff of Cypress Bay High School's newspaper, but I already had heard of the school because standout runner Emilie Amaro goes there.) My sunburn thankfully feels more tight and less acutely painful today, so I was able to work harder yet more comfortably on the bike. My knee was bothering me a bit (a little swollen) when I first got off the bike, probably from a long hill workout, but it seems better now.
I had a meeting downtown to go to this morning, and I had enough time to walk all the way there--probably around 2 miles. It was a very pleasant walk because it wasn't too hot yet and all of it was either downhill or flat. I tried to stay on the shady side of the street as much as possible, but it was a little bit hard. My burn is now totally peeling, and I'm sure it would be terrible to overexpose that new layer of skin to the sun...I shudder to think of it.
One of the participants in the meeting--which was really a focus group to talk about the linkages between medical reserve corps units (MRCs) and local health departments--was a Hopkinton (Mass.) resident whose MRC staffed the Boston Marathon medical tent this year. It was neat to hear about the race from that perspective. Afterwards, we were talking and she said I am welcome to stay at her house the next time I run Boston. A nice gesture although it probably won't ever be necessary.
Matt is going on some real estate cruise on the Potomac tonight and I will be at a Catie Curtis concert at one of my favorite venues, eating and listening instead of lifting. But it should be fun and I am glad to break out of my routine tonight.
Posted by becky at 5:21 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2008
A little improvement
This (thankfully short!) week continues to frustrate me. I woke up fewer times during the night due to sunburn pain, but I do remember seeing the clock at 5am. I had set my alarm, but it didn't go off, or I shut it...or something. Either way, I bolted out of bed at 7, knowing I had about 50 minutes to bike. I was bummed I had overslept (this only seems to happen when Matt is away) but I made the most of those 50 minutes and hammered away while watching "Boston Legal." I like it better now, although it isn't nearly as good as "Dexter" or "House." My sunburn was still bothering me when I woke up so I decided that since I was working out in the privacy of my own apartment, it was okay to just go sports bra-less (and shirtless, for that matter). Ahhh....it was so much better.
It's too bad I couldn't walk around all day like that. When I got out of the shower, I noticed that my skin is starting to blister. This has happened to me a couple of times before and I never know if it is normal or something that happens because the skin is getting even hotter when I am working out. It is pretty gross but throughout the day I have begun to feel a little bit better and I hope that the redness and soreness will be even less noticeable tomorrow.
Because I had an abbreviated morning workout and my back/shoulders were still hurting me, I decided to mostly do cardio tonight. I ellipticalled and enjoyed it very much, rocking out to my iPod and reading a little (silly book about a divorced NYC mom who starts a business to advise rich parents how to get their kids into private schools). I lifted briefly but it was not very effective because I couldn't do all I wanted to. I'm sure I will survive and I'm trying to be mature about it and listen to my scorched skin. Maybe if I listen, it will complain less forcefully.
Posted by becky at 9:31 PM | Comments (0)
May 27, 2008
Feeling like a wuss
My faithful blog reader(s) know that it takes a lot to make me back off when working out. That's why I am so shocked to be stymied by a sunburn, of all things! I had a sub-par trainer ride this morning, due both to the fact that I woke up a million times (okay, it just felt like a million) trying to get comfortable without lying on my back or my site and the fact that leaning over in biking position hurt my burn too. Parts of it are better, but my upper back is still really tender. Putting on a sports bra (or taking one off, for that matter) makes me cry. I soldiered on as best I could but I just felt like I didn't have that extra energy to make it a good workout. I did start a new series, "Boston Legal." So far it seems a little silly but maybe I will get more into it.
In more positive news, my visit to the periodontist this morning wasn't too bad. Turns out that I am doing damage to my gums by brushing too hard and flossing incorrectly. He gave me this really cool, super-soft toothbrush to use and helped me work on my flossing technique. There is one spot that "could use" a gum graft, but I'm okay for at least the next six months. Phew.
When I changed into my gym clothes after work and still felt like screaming when I put on my sports bra, I knew lifting wasn't going to be fun. I popped a couple Advil and off I went. I biked a little and then moved over to the mat to do abs. Ouch. Still not a whole lot I can do lying on my back. And lifting was almost worse than yesterday--I was pathetic. I focused on some leg stuff now that my knee is feeling stronger and stronger, and still I couldn't wait to get undressed!
I feel like such a complainer. Matt is in New York tonight so I am going to use the alone time to research home remedies. This must get better soon or I am going to get reallty frustrated!
Posted by becky at 8:47 PM | Comments (1)
May 26, 2008
Burnin' up
I had a bit of hard time sleeping last night because of my sunburn. I kept waking myself up every time I tried to turn over. It occurred to me during one of those wake-ups that lifting in the morning would probably not be so comfortable. Hmm....
Fast-forward to the morning. I had to do all my working out in the morning today because although we both had the day off, we were invited to a Memorial Day barbecue in the afternoon. So I headed to the gym and stayed long enough to do everything I wanted. I had a really good elliptical workout (very comfortable, knee-wise) and then switched to the bike until I felt I had sufficiently sweated for the day. Then I switched to lifting/abs mode, where I realized that my sunburn was going to cause problems (it didn't bother me before). OUCH! My skin is all stiff and burning, so my flexibility was definitely compromised. I did what I could and considered it a blessing in disguise that I would have almost 24 hours until my next workout. I really hope it starts to feel better soon! I have definitely learned my lesson on sunscreen.
We had a nice time tonight at our friends' house and we got started pretty early so it wasn't a late night. It doesn't feel like a "school night" but I know it is. In fact, I have an appointment in the morning before work that I am totally dreading--the periodontist for a gum problem. Yuck! What a way to start the week...at least it is a short one!
Posted by becky at 9:46 PM | Comments (0)
May 25, 2008
D.C. on foot
Heading into Memorial Day weekend, I thought I'd have a lot of relaxing/packing/organizing time. Now Sunday is almost over, and I'm realizing how busy I've been. I did get on the bike this morning, but not for as long as I had wanted (actually, I stopped my watch when my mom called to ask what time we wanted to meet them for brunch, and forgot to restart it.) But I don't get that many chances to see my family here on my home turf, so I wanted to take advantage. While on the bike, I watched most of "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," a movie which "we" watched last night (I fell asleep before an hour had passed). It was really good, but definitely a downer.
Matt and I walked down to eat with my parents near their hotel, and then I decided to head down to the FDR Memorial with them (Matt went back home to do some work). I took them the long way to the Memorial along the Potomac, and it was a beautiful day--breezy enough so that I didn't notice how sunburned I was getting until about an hour later. We ended up walking for about three hours all told, and ran smack into the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally. There were thousands of bikers riding through the city in honor of POWs. It was pretty cool to see, but at one point, we had to wait for 20 minutes before we could cross to the other side of the road. Eventually we made it back to the hotel where I refueled with a granola bar and a few Hershey Kisses, and the I walked the 20 more minutes back to my apartment.
I am totally beat and burned now and we have plans tonight. Part of me wants to get on the bike again for a half-hour, but I think I will take a quick nap and do some sit-ups so that I can make it through tonight. Hope everyone is having a good long weekend!
Posted by becky at 4:01 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2008
Fun day with the 'rents
My parents are in town for a wedding this weekend--one of those weddings with tons of events, from the rehearsal dinner to a cocktail party to a morning-after brunch. But it's been many years since they've been to D.C. (we are in NY fairly often) so I was looking forward to showing them around both our current and new 'hoods. I was on the bike by about 8am so that I'd get my workout of the way--I watched "The Savages" which I had wanted to see but missed when it was in theaters. It was pretty depressing, although well done. I love Laura Linney in all her roles and Philip Seymour Hoffman is always good too. It just wasn't the best movie to bike to. I made it through though no worse for the wear.
After speed cleaning the apartment, I went to get my parents at their hotel and then we walked around Adams Morgan for a bit. Then we all (Matt too) drove up to see the new house and the neighborhood. We ended up doing quite a bit of walking and my knee was bothering me a little. It's just annoying because I can never not think about it--it's always a little swollen so some steps bother me more than others. We walked to get a sandwich, walked back to the house and then drove up to downtown Bethesda to do some more walking around. It was a beautiful, non-humid day in the 70s so we weren't the only ones out and about! But now I am about ready for a nap!
Posted by becky at 6:35 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2008
End of the week!
Although I am very glad it's Friday, I must say that this week flew by. But it was hard to wake up this morning after we didn't get home from last evening's dinner/work party until nearly 11, aka my bedtime. I was somewhat motivated to get on the bike to watch the "Grey's Anatomy" finale. I think I have a few minutes left but I really wasn't that impressed. It seems like this season was a real letdown in terms of captivating storylines. I honestly enjoy "Real World" more sometimes. Anyhoo, I felt decent but a little tired biking. Nothing too exciting to report on that front.
When I got to work, I found out we were getting out early for the holiday weekend. Nice! The timing was good because my calls ended up being canceled for today and the office was quiet anyway. I headed out around 2:30 and went...to the gym! Rare for me on a Friday but I knew I had the extra time and I had skipped yesterday. I ellipticalled a little and lifted a little--nothing too taxing. Then I did something I've been wanting to do for ages. I vacuumed out the car with one of those heavy-duty gas station vacs. It was awesome. The next step is cleaning it out with Fantastik or something, but I didn't get to do it because I had a manicure appointment.
Matt and I haven't been to our neighborhood sushi joint in a few weeks, so that's where we are headed tonight. I am hoping for a relaxing weekend.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 7:44 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2008
Forced easy day
Much to my dismay (but probably my body's happiness) I only will have time for one workout today. And I'll probably wuss out on a second workout to get my nails done tomorrow afternoon, so I'm looking at a few easy days in a row. I think I'll live. Tonight we are invited to a barbecue at Matt's boss's house. It isn't a very warm day--we've had a very cool May so I know we are in for it in June--but it should be a good time. I am also going to be leaving my office shortly for a meeting downtown, so today is a busy one.
But I did get in a solid bike workout this morning. My legs felt a lot better than they did yesterday so I did hill intervals most of the time. I finished "Into the Wild"--it was great. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I'm still kind of disturbed that none of the story seemed familiar from the book, but it could have been more than 10 years ago that I read it. When the movie was over, I switched to "Real World"--much lighter fare, to say the least!
My knee bumps seem pretty much the same. I can't say that I'm icing as much as I should,. or always wearing a wrap when I work out (I sweat through it!) but I'm trying to be good. Tomorrow will be two months and I'm still unsure as to when I will be able to run again. It still catches a bit when I first get up and start to walk around, and when I first get off the bike (I have no pain or weird feelings while biking, thankfully). So that's the status report since I haven't given one in a while!
Posted by becky at 1:18 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2008
Into the Wild
I tried really hard to find a movie available for free On Demand to watch this morning, but nothing really appealed to me. I caved and ordered "Into the Wild", which my parents and grandmother had both recommended to me (separately). I did read the book upon which it was based, but too long ago to really remember it. It has beautiful scenery and I'm enjoying it so far (will hopefully finish it tomorrow) although the pace is a little slow for a biking movie. My legs also felt dead today—they are probably just tired. I decided to stop doing hills after awhile and just take it easier. Easy running days were a no-brainer, but I have a harder time remembering to chill out once in awhile with the cross training because it doesn't beat up your legs as much.
I had an interesting day at work. Five of my colleagues and I were asked to participate in a "train the trainers" session. Our firm does a lot of training to prepare researchers/experts how to talk to media and policymakers, and some of us want to get more involved in the training. I did some of it informally with researchers at Georgetown, but this was an awesome way to learn how to do a good training session with a large group. We all had an opportunity to do mock on-camera interviews and other drills, and as embarrassing as it was to be put on the spot, it was really helpful. Our training went from 9-2 and I was tired after that!
I tried a new elliptical machine at the gym this afternoon. It felt like it was lower impact than the one I've been doing but had more of a running motion. I felt good but I could never get up a good cadence. I'll try it a few more times before I decide if I like it or not. I also lifted as usual and all was fine. There was a freak rain storm while I was in there and I sure was glad to have missed it!
Posted by becky at 9:40 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2008
Always fun to start the day at the dentist
Technically going to the dentist wasn't the first thing I did today--of course it was working out. I knew my time at the gym later would be short because of dinner plans, so I rode a little longer than usual. I was bummed to open the latest Netflix DVD of "Dexter" only to find out there was only one episode on it. Now I've got at least a couple of days of On Demand movies and shows in front of me...but it could be worse. I watched the final episode of the season and it was great. I'm so glad there is a second season on the way. As for my knee, it held up well through many on/off "hill" intervals and I managed to create a nice sweat puddle from all of my labors.
The dentist appointment wasn't terrible--two cavities on the top isn't that big of a deal for me. I'm not sure I have too many unscathed teeth remaining. One of the cavities was, according to the dentist, "huge" and it took a long time to fill. Otherwise everything went fine and it's likely I can actually wait six months before going back! But I am going to the periodontist next week...
We had dinner plans with Matt's mom tonight, since she was still in town for her meeting. I got in an abbreviated gym workout (mostly elliptical and selected lifting) and then met Matt. We went to a place near Dupont Circle that has been a DC fixture for a long time but was new to us. Lots of very fresh fish--it was a nice time.
Posted by becky at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2008
A new week
Ah, Mondays. I usually find it easiest to wake up at the beginning of the week, but Matt and I were both woken up around 2 a.m. by a buzzing fly that kept coming toward our heads. We managed to ignore it, but I also heard the baby downstairs crying as well, so it was a little hard to fall back to sleep. Maybe that interruption was why I kept pressing the snooze bar when I really needed to get up! This procrastination led to a shorter-than-intended bike workout. I did work hard, but I felt rushed. I watched a really good "Dexter" episode and then some of the adidas meet from yesterday. I was so impressed by how in control Shannon Rowbury looked while running a huge PR. I am so excited for the Trials next month! I think there are going to be some good races and a few surprises.
My day at work went really quickly (again). I sat in on a media teleconference that I helped organize for about an hour in the morning and then things just got busy after that. Matt and I both took about an hour to show his mom, who is in town for a meeting, our new house. Our agent picked us up and drove us over there so it was as quick a trip as possible. We got the Wexler seal of approval and my parents are actually due for a visit this weekend so we'll see about what the Orfingers think.
I did my usual ellipticalling and lifting tonight, but I did more lower-body work with the Thera-band so I had to blow off some of my usual free-weight lifts. It is important that I set a time limit for myself in the evenings or else I might stay there too long!
I have a dentist appointment in the morning to get two cavities filled and I am dreading it. I've been postponing my dental work lately, but it really doesn't help!
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2008
Clothing exchange and other fun
Today was another rainy day--or at least it rained most of the day. The dreariness of the day didn't exactly help me wake up! I I slogged through the first 15 or 20 minutes of my bike ride and then I started to get more into it. I did 90 seconds on/off for a long time. My legs were pretty tired afterwards, which is always the goal. I watched and episode of "Dexter" (love this show now) and finished last week's finale of "The Office" (best episode all season--at least the shortened, post-writers' strike season.
The next thing on the agenda was a clothing exchange at my friend Amy's house. The idea was for everyone to bring "gently used" clothes and accessories that they no longer wanted. It was a great opportunity for me to clean out my closet. I brought over 4 garbage bags full of stuff. Unfortunately I wasn't enthralled with anything there, but I did find 2 shirts. Otherwise it was a good time because I caught up with some people I hadn't seen in awhile and Amy had put together a nice brunch as well.
After that, I picked up some groceries and came back home. I intended to do this homework assignment I've got to do before a training session on Wednesday, but it never got done. I was doing other stuff and then fell asleep. I did manage to get in a tiny amount of lifting and a little bit of ellipticalling before dinner.
Here's to the start of a new week!
Posted by becky at 8:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2008
Productive Saturday
Today went by quickly, but I got a lot done. First off (of course) was biking. I powered through "Dexter", "Gray's Anatomy" and some of "The Office" finale. Today was about staying on there for as long as I could--and working hard--and I think things went pretty well. For some reason, I woke up with a headache, though, and I wasn't completely on my game. It might have been dehydration because I started to feel better once I had nearly drained my water bottle.
In the afternoon, I did a couple of errands and then Matt and I continued our room-by-room audit/cleaning to prepare for our impending move (we close at the end of next month). We are getting there although we haven't yet reached the packing phase. Once that happens, I think all of this will start to seem more real.
Tonight we had a casual but fun night with our friends. We all met at the new, hip grocery store in our neighborhood and brought sandwiches back to our place. It was really nice out all day and tonight so we sat outside for a couple of hours. It was a lot of fun and a nice end to a productive day!
Posted by becky at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2008
A long Friday
I am honestly surprised I am still awake, but I did nap on my train ride both to and from Princeton today. It actually wasn't that bad getting up at 4:30 or so this morning because I knew it would be the only chance I had to work out. I wouldn't be able to do it often, but once in awhile it is okay. Anyway, I only had about an hour so I made the most of it and tried to bike hard. I watched last night's season finale of "ER" but it was kind of disappointing. Maybe it was just the fact that I was sick of fast-forwarding through the commercials (used to DVDs). But other than that things went well and my knee felt...pretty much the same as it has recently. Not amazing but not too bad.
Our meeting went well today and I got to know a little more about some colleagues I hadn't had a chance to talk to. We met at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton and it is a really nice campus with a cafeteria that is free for all employees (and their visitors)--it's fairly healthy with a really impressive salad bar. Very cool.
By the time we got home, it was early evening and I met Matt downtown for dinner to celebrate our fourth anniversary. We went to Central, which has gotten rave reviews but is also known for being more casual than other "top" DC restaurants. The food was good--we each had the signature "lobster burger"--but the service left a lot to be desired. I didn't start getting tired until we got home, and now I can't wait to get into bed.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 10:46 PM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2008
Another quick one
I am rushing to get stuff done tonight (and haven't eaten dinner yet) since I have to catch an early train in the morning and I hope to at least bike first. I am heading up to New Jersey for the day for a work meeting.
As for today, I got up and noticed that my knee felt a little better at the incision bumps, so that was good. I rode the trainer and watched a bunch of MTV shows On Demand because my next installment of "Dexter" didn't arrive until today. Nothing too exciting to report about my workout except that I did so many "hills" that my legs were shaking afterward. But only for a little while.
Lots of conference calls, meetings, and work to get done today in the office and then I was headed to the gym as usual. I didn't drink enough water today and I had a headache by the time I got there. I was totally dragging on the elliptical although I'm getting better at reading on it. Lifting was fine although I found myself sharing the free weight area with a bunch of guys who were telling disgusting stories.
That's all for me as I'm off to get stuff done.
Posted by becky at 8:52 PM | Comments (0)
May 14, 2008
Wednesday is here
As usual, it gets harder and harder for me to wake up as the week goes on! I pressed snooze as many times as I possibly could this morning and it took me a few minutes to wake up/warm up once I got on the bike. "Dexter" entertained me but my knee was bothering me a little, right in the two spots where it is swollen. It's really strange, because it's not swollen like you would expect--it's like there are two lumps of tissue underneath the skin. Maybe scar tissue? It is possible that all my massaging/messing with it made it hurt more today. I actually have an email in to one of my old PTs to see if she's seen this before and if she knows any techniques (stim? ultrasound?) that would help speed this healing process up.
Things were pretty crazy again at work but I took a break around 3pm to literally take a walk around the block and grab a cup of coffee. Sometimes I just get too antsy sitting at my desk all day. The fresh air helped and then the (work) day was over before I knew it. I headed off to the gym and decided to ride the stationary bike instead of ellipticalling, mostly because I am into my book and it is much easier to read on the bike. Lifting was fine too although I was lacking energy and just trying to get through my routine as quickly as possible!
Posted by becky at 10:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2008
Two days down
Somehow, it feels like it should be later in the week than Tuesday. I think it's because I've been pretty busy at work. It's always interesting how one week is different than the next even though you are doing pretty much the same stuff. I know, profound pieces of wisdom here. I did say that I've had a lot going on!
I had more DVD problems with "Dexter" this morning, but unlike yesterday, they did not completely stymie me and I was able to watch a full episode. I also watched some of the "Hills" season finale. A great mindless show and I'm sad to see it finish, but I hear new episodes are returning in August. My knee felt good on the bike and I felt like I was out of the saddle more than I was in it with no ill effects.
We had a really interesting speaker at our lunchtime staff meeting today. He does research on how to motivate people to change their behavior to mitigate the effects of global climate change and I even have a textbook of his because he is a social scientist by training who worked in public health for a number of years. He's not an alarmist, but he did raise some interesting points about how soon we will start seeing the tangible effects of climate change on ecosystems and it certainly made me want to start being more aware of my "carbon footprint." Whether I will change my behavior is another question, but I am at least trying to educate myself about the issue!
I "greenly" walked from work to the gym as I do most afternoons and did a bit of an abbreviated workout in order to meet a friend for dinner. I did get in some ellipticalling and lifting. Compared to yesterday, it seemed that no one was around. It was a beautiful night (maybe that's why) and we got takeout rotisserie chicken and ate outside. Now I am trying to keep myself awake because Matt is on his way back from New York but I think it is going to be a struggle!
Posted by becky at 10:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2008
Technical difficulties
My otherwise enjoyable trainer ride this morning was marred by a DVD that was stuck in one spot near the end of a "Dexter" episode. Netflix will definitely be hearing about this one! Aside from that, everything was fine. My knee felt okay and even the temperature inside was cool because I opened the window and colder air than I've felt in a long time came rushing in. We've had a ton of rain here and it really caused a change in the weather. (Again, I probably would have enjoyed running in it.)
Work was busy today but not stressfully so. Everyone was complaining about the dreary Monday so at least I wasn't the only one with the blahs! The end of the day came quickly and I headed off to the gym in the rain (but it had lightened up significantly by that point). I had a brief foray on the elliptical, but I didn't feel as energetic as I had doing that last week. I was also trying to read and this particular model made that difficult because the book "shelf" isn't quite at eye level. I am reading Jennifer Weiner's latest chick-lit book and it is perfect exercise reading, so that was too bad. I also lifted and took some extra time to sit down and massage the inflamed incision areas. I hate it but I can really feel stuff moving around.
Matt is in New York tonight so I made myself stir-fry for one and hope to get to bed fairly soon. I just read about the earthquake in China--the sheer number of casualties is so terrible. We (as in Americans) are all wrapped up in our political news so it is a somber reminder of the problems in the rest of the world.
Posted by becky at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2008
Not-so-sunny Sunday
Today was predicted to be a washout Mother's Day here in D.C., but the rain held off until late in the afternoon. It was just very gray out for much of the day and I blamed my sleepiness on the dreary weather. I actually had to get up on the early side to get in some time on the trainer before we met Matt's aunt, uncle and cousins for brunch at a crepe place in our neighborhood. I watched a particularly gruesome episode of "Dexter"--one that also featured many rats--and some never-before-seen-footage "Hills" episode. I did not wear the knee wrap today...not in the mood. I have been taking Advil regularly but so far things feel pretty much the same as they have for about the last 7-10 days, and the incision spots are still a little puffy.
Brunch was a lot of fun, and then Matt and I walked to a new grocery store near our apartment. There were lots of free samples and you'd think that I wouldn't have been hungry post-brunch, but I had to try a few things! This is not an upscale grocery store like Whole Foods but it is the nicest one in the immediate neighborhood, so it's fun to have. Of course, we won't be in this neighborhood all that much longer!
In the afternoon, I read the paper and napped and then went to the library. I also tried to go to a new location of my gym near the library, but when I got there, the guy at the desk said it "wasn't open for workouts" yet. I was confused, because I had checked the Web site before going there, but I guess they must have some permitting issue. I ended up going to elliptical at the location near our apartment instead, and it was pouring by that point, making the walk back very unpleasant. But all in all, a decent Sunday and start to the new week.
Posted by becky at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2008
Starting to clean up
I got in a couple of hours on the trainer this morning, but I never felt all that into it. I got a decent workout but mentally I just felt like time was passing really slowly. At least I had a couple of good things to watch--"Dexter" and "Grey's" and (part of) "The Office." I wore one of my knee braces and I really think it is more uncomfortable than anything, plus I sweat right through it. In any case, I'm not really sure why I didn't have such a great workout--I guess it was just one of those days. I have been feeling pretty tired lately and maybe I should have slept a little later. What can you do?
Although we aren't going to move until the end of June, I know how quickly the weekends come and go so (Matt and) I are starting to throw things out and clean up around the apartment a little more than usual. I am also going to a clothing swap next weekend so I spent a bit of time today going through my wardrobe and picking out things to exchange. I have no idea if I'll find anything for myself, but at least I was motivated to get rid of some things that don't fit anymore.
We had lunch in Georgetown with an MIT classmate of Matt's (and biking/swimming buddy of mine) who was in town for a wedding. When we parted ways, the sky had darkened and we were convinced it was going to pour. But it passed and got really nice out--we have tickets to the symphony tonight at the Kennedy Center and will probably walk most of the way there to take advantage of the nice weather.
Posted by becky at 5:41 PM | Comments (0)
May 9, 2008
Not ready for prime time
It poured all night long and was still raining when I woke up. Probably would have been a soggy day to run, but I still think about the weather at workout time, just because it's so ingrained in me. I might have been dry on the bike, but only for a few minutes. When it is humid outside, I seem to start sweating even more quickly on the bike. I sweated through last night's "ER" and the rest of the "Real World" episode that I started yesterday. Everything went well.
Next on my agenda was a visit to Dr. K. (everyone actually calls him Dr. K.; it's not just a anonymity thing), my orthopedist. He is perpetually running late so I was shocked when I heard my name called only 5 minutes after I got there. It took him a few minutes to actually come in to the exam room, but it wasn't bad. Basically he took one look at my knee and proclaimed that it is still swollen (only around the incisions) and that I probably won't be running for another month. (Another month?, I thought to myself. How will I survive?) He told me to "bike and elliptical a lot" and do the following things: 1) take 3 Advil twice a day, 2) massage the swollen/scar tissue areas on my knee as much as I can to get them to go down, 3) ice more and 4) wear a knee sleeve while working out. I hate wearing the knee brace because people feel at liberty to talk to me and ask questions at the gym AND it makes me hot. The rest of them I can do, and I'll try the brace (maybe). The massaging of the swollen areas does not sound fun because they still hurt. I'll do my best.
As we continued talking, Dr. K. told me that I can probably try running in sooner than a month, but that I just have to make sure I don't overdo it and do it on a day when I can be off my feel afterwards if need be. I'm pretty in tune to how my body is feeling so I think I'll know when I'm ready--I added in the biking and then ellipticalling at what I think were appropriate times so I'm somewhat confident I can do the same with running. I am going to set a goal of doing some running before my birthday (June 12), although this is a completely arbitrary marker (that just happens to be a little more than a month away) so I shouldn't put too much stock in it. I keep thinking about how Joan Benoit Samuelson won the Trials after her arthroscopic surgery and how Kara Goucher wrote in her Nike blog about running a couple of weeks after getting a piece of cartilage flushed out. Things are progressing a little more slowly for me, but hopefully they will continue to progress!
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:28 PM | Comments (1)
May 8, 2008
Girls and their knees
I just read this great article, which will appear in Sunday's New York Times, about the mystery of why girls suffer more knee injuries than boys: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/magazine/11Girls-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp. . It's obviously a subject near and dear to my heart (although it focuses mostly on ACL injuries) but I'm sure anyone with an interest in sports and health would find it interesting.
Speaking of knees, mine were feeling pretty good this morning on the bike and I got a good workout in on the trainer. I am back to doing as high intensity workouts as I ever was on the bike--or at least close--and am encouraged by that. I watched another "Dexter" and some of last night's "Real World." The usual for me.
I had a meeting downtown in the afternoon so I went to the gym nearby. I used an older elliptical (which I actually like better) and then I lifted. It was much cooler than the Bethesda gym with all of its HVAC problems; otherwise, things were pretty much the same.
It's almost Friday!
Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)
May 7, 2008
Another day down
It was pretty hot today--in the 80s. I'm not complaining though as I spent most of the day in the office! As usual, I started my day on the bike. I had a hard time waking up, but once I stopped yawning, I was able to work pretty hard. I watched another episode of "Dexter" and am really starting to like it despite its strange and far-fetched premise. I also caught a bit of the "Today" show and learned all about the vice-presidential residence. I am normally not interested in those sorts of historical things but we drive past that piece of history every day so I always wondered what was behind all the shrubbery.
Aside from the fact that it was Pizza Wednesday, work was pretty status quo. Our office environment is very casual and lots of people were wearing shorts since it was so warm out. Sometimes we have to dress up, but I love being able to wear whatever I want most days of the week! At first it was strange, but now it's just normal to see people in t-shirts, hats, flip-flops, etc.
I ellipticalled again at the gym this afternoon and felt a little better than last time out. Unfortunately there is an HVAC problem in the gym. The heat was actually on downstairs and I can't believe people were choosing to use the machines down there! I headed upstairs where it was at least a little cooler and tried to mop up after myself. (I wasn't the only one complaining about how hot it was, either.) I also got in a good lift and added in a bunch of lower-body strengthening things with the Thera-band. All in all a decent couple of workouts and a pretty good day.
Posted by becky at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)
May 6, 2008
Busy busy
I made a valiant attempt to get on the bike early this morning since I knew it would be nearly impossible to get to the gym in the afternoon. I didn't wake up quite as early as I wanted to, but I did okay. I was surprised that my legs weren't more sore from ellipticalling yesterday. I did some (unweighted) hamstring curls and that seemed to affect me most. (I'm on a kick to strengthen my chronically weak hamstrings, and I don't understand why all my biking doesn't do anything.) Anyway, today I finished my final "House" DVD (I can catch some of the season 4 episodes online, but I'll have to read the recaps of most) and started a new show--"Dexter." I didn't know a whole lot about it but enjoyed the one episode I watched. It certainly is an "out there" premise--a lovable serial killer who also happens to be a cop--but seems well done. As for my knees today, they were feeling okay. No major news to report. I am seeing the doctor on Friday and I think I know that I'm not yet ready to run, but my knee has sort of been feeling the same for about a week, so I'm a little concerned. We'll see what he says.
One of my after-work commitments tonight (I also had a work happy hour with the founder/owner of our company) had to do with something I haven't yet blogged about. Matt and I are pretty close to being able to say with 100% certainty that we are homeowners. After all of our house hunting, we found a place we really like and hopefully I can talk more about that soon! Tonight we were ironing out some last-minute details. We are pretty excited and hopefully it will all work out. My muscles didn't get a second workout, but I'm pretty sure it will all be worth it in the end!
Posted by becky at 10:14 PM | Comments (3)
May 5, 2008
Lessons learned on the elliptical
I have been wanting to try my hand (ahem: knee) at the elliptical but it is so much easier to ride my trainer for my morning workout that I did that and hoped that I'd get a chance in the afternoon to elliptical. I watched a "House" and a half and then really had to hurry because Matt had an early-ish meeting and I tagged along for the ride. (The car ride, that is.) Both of my knees were a little sore from the bad bike at the hotel gym (it had all sorts of loose parts) but I was able to throw in a bunch of hill climbs that were pain-free. Before I got on the bike, though, I had to check results from the 10K at Stanford last night--I had a feeling Shalane was going to bust out a big one, but I didn't expect her to break the American Record by that big of a margin. Wow! I am so excited for the Olympic Trials and the Olympics. Hopefully the TV coverage is decent, but if not, there's always Flotrack.
Work was really busy today, but not frantically. I got a lot done and that is always a good feeling at the end of the day. It was another very nice day outside, not that I really got much chance to enjoy it until I left to walk to the gym. I know the hot weather is right around the corner but so far we've been lucky!
So I did snag an elliptical at the gym, but it wasn't one I particularly liked. I like the old-school Precors and this one had too many things to adjust. But I found a setting that seemed okay and started rocking out to my iPod. I felt really good for about 20 minutes, and was pouring with sweat (unfortunately for the guy next to me). Then I sort of ran out of energy and my legs were rubbery for the last ten minutes (I limited myself to 30). But it's a start and my knee felt all right, just a little stiff at first. Then I did my usual lifting routine. Hopefully the next time will be even better.
Posted by becky at 9:30 PM | Comments (0)
May 4, 2008
Missing in academia
Our hotel room was unfortunately very close to the elevator bank and my sleep could have been better last night, but what can you do? I had to get up pretty early (5:30ish) in order to get in a workout before our presentation, and when I left the room, there was a young guy--stinking of mixed drinks--pacing the hallway for some unknown reason (maybe locked out of his room?). In any case, I was glad that he didn't follow me up to the gym.
I was planning to try the elliptical this weekend, but the machine at the hotel was 1) crappy and 2) broken. The bike wasn't much better, but I didn't have much of a choice. I had my iPod and my book so I had enough to entertain me. I biked and did my ab stuff and then I had to get ready for the morning. My knee felt okay on the bike but I noticed later that it was feeling kind of stiff (i.e. swollen). I never know what is going to bother it, but I guess I did a bunch of walking yesterday afternoon.
Our presentation had the misfortune of being scheduled for the very last slot of sessions at a meeting that started mid-week. My colleagues and I (three of us) had only four participants. But they were all very engaged in the topic and we felt like we imparted some wisdom--what more can you ask for at your first academic meeting? It was all over by 10am. I went back to the hotel and met Matt and we grabbed some breakfast at Whole Foods and sat outside near the water to eat. It was amazingly another beautiful day in Baltimore.
We headed back to the big city around noon and ended up taking a long walk in the afternoon. It was warm enough and I had gotten up early enough so that I felt a little fried by the time we were done. I sat down on the couch to read the paper and fell asleep almost immediately--I think it was the perfect thing for me today (as opposed to doing some additional working out/lifting).
Here's to the start of another work week!
Posted by becky at 7:17 PM | Comments (0)
May 3, 2008
Adventures in Baltimore
I defintely woke up more well rested this morning, but both Matt and I were awakened at 5 in the morning by some nut screaming in our alley, which is right behind our bedroom. It really freaked me out but I think it was just someone who had way too long of a night at the bars nearby. Luckily I did not have too much trouble falling back to sleep. When it was really time to get up, I fueled up and then got on the bike for what seemed like forever--I watched "House," "Grey's," and "The Office." My butt was feeling the effects but my knees felt okay and I was able to do some hills as well.
In the early afternoon, we drove up to Baltimore. I am presenting at a meeting tomorrow and the session is at 8am. Matt volunteered to accompany me and we decided to make a little weekend trip out of it. It was actually very nice out so we checked into our hotel and then explored Fell's Point and the new up-and-coming area kind of across from the Inner Harbor. My previous Baltimore experiences have been at Orioles and Ravens games and doing the touristy thing in the Inner Harbor, so this was pretty new for me. Matt knows more about development in the area through his job, so it was neat to hear and see all that is happening. We really had a fun afternoon, and before going to a trendy place for dinner (I randomly picked it because it was close to our hotel) I had a little time to check out the bike in the sub-par fitness center (my only option tomorrow). A very fun day! I hope our presentation goes smoothly and we have enough people in the audience to make it worth our while!
Posted by becky at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)
May 2, 2008
Finally Friday
Wow, this week seemed really long and I am glad it is nearing the end. I woke up still kind of tired this morning with itchy eyes despite getting a decent (admittedly not great) amount of sleep. I think I may be suffering from some allergies as I've heard the tree pollen count is very high right now. My throat has also been a little scratchy/itchy so yeah, maybe that is what's going on.
My trainer ride was on the shorter side today because I stayed in bed until the last possible moment, but I made the most of it, even doing some more hills. I watched last night's "ER" and finished the "Real World" episode I had started yesterday. "RW" used to be half-hour episodes but they've decided to go to a fewer number of hourlong episodes instead, in case anyone was wondering.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens at this weekend's Stanford meet--there are a ton of studs entered in the distance races. I can't see myself watching an entire 10K online, but it might just be that exciting.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:09 PM | Comments (0)
May 1, 2008
So tired
I must need more sleep. Every time I had down time today at work--staring at my computer counts--I wanted to curl up and take a nap. I hate that feeling so I am going to clean up from my dinner and go to bed ASAP. But first, a quick recap of the day's physical activities.
I had a good workout on the bike this morning. I took Advil before I started and my pes didn't bother me. I even tried a couple of (short!) hill intervals and I think I am getting there. I was happy to have "House" to watch although this is the last DVD in existence and then I will see if I can find the latest episodes online...or wait for the current season to come out on DVD, but that could take awhile.
I felt like I was sleepwalking on my walk from my office to the gym, but I perked up when I got there. I tried a few new strengthening routines (knee) with the Thera-band that I found online as well as my usual biking/lifting. The book I'm reading right now is a trade paperback size and it won't stay open on the bike, even using one of those plastic holders. Aside from that annoyance, I didn't have any complaints.
Matt is in New York tonight in VIP seats at the Yankees game. He says I could even see him on TV (if the game is broadcast here) but I will have to take his word for it--I'm going to bed!
Posted by becky at 9:24 PM | Comments (0)