Primal Stride

3 January 2010 – goals completed. Of course, I finish blogging about it only, oh, you know, 3 1/2 hours after the fact, but who’s counting? http://srilanka.laurieashton.com/2010/01/primal-stride-five-at-five-day-3/

Sorry, forgot to mention that I also included a photo of my front garden in the blog post. Yes, Seth, you may take a copy.

Day 3 – Complete
http://lxxiii.blogspot.com/2010/01/primal-stride-challenge-1-day-3.html

I even got a couple of pictures:
http://lxxiii.blogspot.com/2010/01/primal-stride-challenge-1-day-3-photos.html

alrighty- 2.25 miles done on the treadmill, 10 miles on the stationary bike, and more running to come! =D

woke up at 4:45 AM as usual..too badi didn’t get a lot of sleep but i still pulled myself out of bed!

I’m still getting better about going to bed early. Being an early riser without going to bed early makes Seth a dull boy. =)

Amazing workout! You’re rocking this!

Woke up at 5:30AM an hour and a half early with a migraine from hades lol Took one look outside at the snow and checked my computer for a real-feel temperature of -4 anddddd went back to sleep I don’t have a proper winter jacket to walk in so now I’ll be going to the mall to walk around it 15 or so times. I’m an “extra”-modified strider today lol

After kicking butt on my day 1 and 2 goals, walking longer and further than planned, I literally had my butt kicked yesterday afternoon. I fell down a flight of stairs – the whole thing, top to bottom. That’s bad at any time, but I’m just a few weeks past spinal fusion surgery, still in a back brace and with lots of healing ahead. I’m so afraid I’ve broken things loose or worse, not to mention being really banged up and sore as hell otherwise. A lot of good the back brace did; when my back hit the first step, the brace popped right off and lay at the top while I tumbled to the bottom. I won’t walk further than the bathroom until I see my surgeon tomorrow and get the verdict. I am so bummed.

That’s a rough go. I hope that you didn’t do any major damage. Make sure to report back how you’re doing.

This just in — me! That’s right, I just came in (well, 15 minutes ago) from my afternoon trek. The weather was a touch warmer today, but the wind was stronger when I was in the open. I still got about 45 minutes out there and spent about 1/3 of the distance breaking new trail.

Took some video of going up the toboggan hill and also I got to the top of the high knoll — it was easier than I had thought. The video will be posted much later today (or possibly tomorrow).

I managed the 7:00 am wake up as well. Had an earlier night which made it not so bad.

But you’re still doing it! We all have to modify sometimes. That’s life.

The amazing part is that you’re still getting up and getting exercise. That’s awesome!

Sherry, just read about your fall. I’ve had 2 spinal fusions (I’m good as new now) , and that is bad enough, I cant imagine falling down the stairs while still post-op.

I hope all goes well for you when you see your surgeon.

Best of luck,
MB

Ooph! I’m sorry to hear about your fall. I hope your surgeon has positive news for you tomorrow and everything ends up okay!

Don’t be bummed. I’m happy you weren’t hurt any worse and hope you feel better soon.

If there’s a chance you can still wake up at your goal time each morning, you’ll get the win for the week no matter what.

Hope to hear from you soon. With good news! =)

My screen name is macoup63. I just read about your fall Sherry and i will keep you in my prayers.
God Bless!

For me, it is tough getting started getting up early, but it is worth it once you develop the habit.

Sherry, I am so sorry to learn about your fall. I can only imagine the terror that went through your mind. My prayers go out for you. Please keep us posted.

Getting to bed early has always been the tough part for me.

I look forward to seeing your videos. It must take forever to upload them with your connection!

Awesome job on day 3!

Going to bed early is the killer for me. I’m usually up 5-10 minutes before my alarm goes off. Getting to sleep in time to wake fully rested is a battle of its own ranking. I’m getting there though.

This will be a modified day for me. Partly because it’s Sunday, which is a special day for our family, and partly because of plantar fasciitis. I wrote about this in my blog with hopefully some helpful info:

http://fitby41maybe42.blogspot.com/2010/01/plantar-fasciitis.html

I’m going to go walk now; it’s beautiful outside. I’m not sure how far I will get because of the PF, but it will give me an idea of what I can commit to tomorrow morning.

Funny: My husband wants to start a support-group blog for spouses of PC 5 at 5 participants.

Heading over to read your post now. I hope your walk goes well!

btw, that is funny… perhaps if he joined you in the challenge there wouldn’t be a need for such a support group? =P

Hi Seth –
Good job at making through the day 3 challenge AND writing a most insightful, reflective post. You’re pretty introspective for such a young guy or even for a guy of any age. Do you have a pet that could help getting you motivated to move in the mornings? With three dogs, I really don’t have much say in the WHEN it’s time to get up, nor do I get much say in the NOW it’s time to go and run. We do 5 miles a morning most days, and another three at night to ensure everyone sleeps through the night.
Clear, sunny and 75 today (but started at 40 this morning.)

Keep up the good work. It really is all for you.

: )

Only because of this challenge did I go to the gym today. it’s snowy, cold, and I’ve done nearly a weeks worth of my trainer-approved maximum cardio goal in the first two days. But I went! Shaved 4 seconds off the 5k time today. We’ll see what tomorrow holds.

I was able to wake up with little difficulty, but I procrastinated too long on going for the walk and ended up not having enough time before church. I’ll head out once the kids are in bed.

I have time to think while I’m jogging. =)

Moving in the mornings will be easy once I’ve made a habit of going to bed early. For now, I’ve been burning the proverbial candle at both ends.

I should be good to go by Thursday morning. Habits just take a bit of a kick start to get moving, right?

No pets for me at this point. I’d love to have a dog some day though.

So it’s my fault?!? =)

Are you the type to get bored if you’re not showing improvement every. single. time? I tend to be. It’s fun until somebody gets hurt.

Stay healthy!

Late night walks are the best. They’re just chilly. At least they are here. I’m glad your morning started well!

You have fruit trees randomly showing up in your yard! That never happens here. =(

Great job on your day 3!

Done day three! I had one of the best sleeps I’ve had in a long long time =D. The day was rushed, so by the time I was ready to do my activity it was cold out (-20C or so), so Mom & I measured the area inside I would walk, doing 100 loops in the end! It was great.

I have tracking session-specific elliptical training metrics back to 2001 (although some months have been lost along the way). It’s all about competing against myself to make sure there’s no slacking involved. The measurements available on gym equipment finally got me interested in doing exercise; I still don’t like walking around the neighborhood because the metrics aren’t as readily available.

For me, it’s not so much dealing with boredom if the metrics don’t improve as the personal frustration of not getting better.

I made it today around noon. It’s funny but I planned to go to do my grocery shopping first, then return home, drop off the groceries and then hit the gym. Once I went outside and saw it was snowing I thought – I better go to the gym first, or I might not want to do if I go out and then go back home. I had to laugh at myself when I realized that I made going to the gym a priority. Thanks Seth .., oh and my recap is here (plus a link to my weekly menu plan if anyone is interested).

I hear you on the metrics. Working out on gym equipment allowed me to push my fitness level to the point where I could go outside and not give up before I’d had a chance to get anywhere. Seeing the numbers in front of me and knowing what I’d done previously allowed me to endure workouts at an intensity I’d never have imagined trying outside.

It’s nice to be able to look at a screen and know that no, I’m not actually going to die.

I think I’ll do a marathon at some point because I find the concept interesting. Otherwise, I’ll mostly be chasing numbers on shorter distances.

Good to have you along!

Um, -20C? Do you live near the arctic circle?! =)

I’m so glad you’re sleeping better! The exercise and regular sleep schedule has benefits I’ve been missing out on for a few months. Silly me.

“it was great”

You’re so hardcore. I’m inspired.

We do. Papayas show up fairly regularly. We also have volunteer curry leaf trees – there are about a dozen that I won’t uproot. We also have volunteer palms that I actually have to weed because they’ll take over everything. I’ve got several dozen I need to uproot, plus I need to thin the other palm…

That’s the thing about living in a tropical country – everything grows everywhere, and it grows fast. If we didn’t keep it in check, this entire landscape would be completely reclaimed by jungle in a matter of less than a decade.

Migraines bite. I hope you’re feeling better.

I’m happy to hear you can still walk, but man, that would have me really worried. Take care of yourself and let us know how you’re doing.

I had a very tough time with it until I married Fahim and started following his sleep schedule. He goes to bed early – by 9pm – because he has to be up at 5:30 to pray in time (he’s a Muslim). I don’t wake up as early as him because I require more sleep.

Well, at least it felt that cold. It might have only been -10C, but I felt like staying indoors =D.

I’ve always been a bit jealous of the sense of daily rhythm experienced by my Muslim friends as a result of their prayers. Rituals have many benefits, I think.

I need to do a post on morning rituals, I think. Yes! That would be fun to hear from everybody about! What do you think?

Change? No! Not that! =)

I’m so happy for you. That’s amazing! The long-term results of your early dedication will be bountiful and permanent if you keep this up.

Just left a comment on your blog. The snowy yard reminds me of my old home. I don’t miss the snowbanks much.

my neighbor could not go this AM but I went on my own about 5:30…it was super windy this AM but hopefully a few more calories were burned because of it haha…fighting my foot (planter fasciitis/heel spur stuff) so came home & iced throughout the day…also got in some kettlebell swings, made homemade soup…fighting the night snacktime cravings tonight so I’ve popped a couple ginger altoids and probably will pop a couple of licorice ones while I drink my tea & watch brothers & sisters (the only tv show I make myself watch ha!)

looking forward to tomorrow morning…great job everyone!

Final day 3 report: 1.75 miles before pf pain kicked in (then went home and did a lot of stretching). I plan on continuing with the 5-ish at 5.

Hi Seth! Today was difficult, but I got it done. http://meatymatron.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/post003/

Hey Seth, thank you for your encouraging note on my blog! I have to tell you this challenge came at a perfect time for me, and it has nothing to do with New Year’s resolutions or a new month, etc.
Having a chronic medical issue, I can find myself sitting by, watching other people achieve goals and feeling a little bit sorry for myself . And really, no one would blame me or make me feel poorly about that, because they “can’t imagine what it would be like. . ” Or, I can face a challenge, face my new lifestyle head-on, look it square in the eye and conquer it each day. My problem was forming the challenge that would get me moving. Then @JamieH posted about this.
Thanks again for leading the charge toward healthier, happier lifestyle changes, making it fun and providing me with some much needed accountability.
Let’s do this!

Seth, -20C is only barely starting to get cold. Pshaw! Try -40 or colder.

I used to start wearing shorts as soon as it hit a balmy -13C when I lived in Edmonton.

CeliacTeen, nice to see another Canuck here! Also great that you’re revising what you’re doing based on what’s necessary for the situation.

We have had high speed (through cellular network) for almost a month now. It is such a life changer!

However, my laptop (and my wife’s) cannot upload to YouTube so I have to use my old machine (now my daughter). The process slows down due to jumping from one office to another.

Seems to be something with AV setup on the newer machines — haven’t figured it out yet.