Doing Some Figurin

OK, so I've been a bad blogger. Which generally means that I've been a bad exerciser. In this case, that's actually sort-of true. Although I usually like to think that Monday mornings are not made for working out. And sometimes rainy Tuesday mornings fall into that category. I actually did go to the gym on Tuesday after work, but my workout got cut short (only 20 minutes on the Arc Trainer) because our dinner plans got pushed up. But I've got proof I actually did those 20 minutes, see:


But, the truth is, after finding out that I couldn't swim, bike or run for the next few weeks because of my broken elbow, my heart just isn't in it. So, I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do with myself for the next month or so while I'm waiting for everything to heal. The truth is that I just don't love the gymnasium. I think it's taken me a while to figure that out and I actually think it's why I didn't really workout much before I started this whole triathlon business. The truth is that I really love to be outside.

I think I've come up with a plan that will get me up and out of bed in the mornings, but might not be a plan for triathlon completion in 2010. I'm not sure that I'm okay with that last part of the statement quite yet, but I know that I've got to keep moving in the meantime. The best thing that I can come up with that makes me happy and willing to get up early is to take long walks outside. I know that's not necessarily going to help me when it comes time to swim, bike or run. But you know what? It's going to keep me a lot happier than I have been for the past few days.

Truthfully, I've really been down in the dumps about breaking my elbow. I feel mad at myself for falling in the first place. And then I think that if I could complete a triathlon immediately after breaking my elbow, why can't I just keep swimming, biking and running right now?

I know that I most likely won't be able to compete in either of my scheduled triathlons this year (New York City and Timberman) and I'm really having a hard time coming to terms with that fact. I also have to say that I feel incredibly guilty for getting Kristin to sign-up for Timberman as well and now it looks like there is a pretty good chance I won't be there! I'm still reserving my final judgments until my doctor appointment on June 15. Of course, I'm hoping that he'll say I can go back to all three sports, but even if he does, I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do right away - especially in the biking department.

So, with all of this weighing on my mind, I went out for a nice walk this morning. It was so nice to be back in the Park and people-watching. I even saw some of my Terrier teammates out there doing their brick workouts. I knew I wasn't walking as quickly today as I had over the weekend, but I was still just so happy to be outside and getting in some cardio that I didn't really care. At this point, I have to just remember to be patient and let my arm heal so that I can continue to do triathlons in the coming years!

I have to say that I realize that this might not make this the most exciting blog for the next few months, but I'm going to keep on writing even if there isn't anyone out there reading. I'll try to take my camera along on some of these walks, because there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think "only in New York...".

Arc Trainer
Time: 20:00
Distance: 0.52 miles
Pace: 38:27/mile
Calories: 206 (from machine)

Walking
Time: 1:13:01
Distance: 5.50 miles
Pace: 13:16/mile
Calories: 593
Maximum HR: 163
Average HR: 140