Wildcard Football and More Elliptical Training

Well...the Jets beat the Eagles, the Ravens beat the Pats (boohoo!!), and the Cardinals beat the Packers. Football was my motivation today while pulling out 35 boring minutes on the elliptical tonight. We have a room in our basement that we have turned into our exercise room. Our 1880 farmhouse used to be heated with coal, and we were informed that the room that is now our exercise room used to be the coal bin. There are two steps that go down into the room, and our small water tank in the back, but otherwise it's a nice, open room. Repainted prior to our family moving in, we decided that the cement floor was a little rough while exercising and originally had some scrap pieces of carpeting down. Jason's dad found some padded flooring type pieces that fit together and are waterproof, so we've laid them down all along the floor in there. That, coupled with a weight bench, elliptical, and TV make up our exercise room with a full length mirror against the inside wall and my stepper and foam rollers lined up behind the door. Maybe some day it will get another coat of paint, but for now, it does the job. The elliptical faces the TV and was "donated" to our room from my parents. I truly wonder if it is accurate with it's mileage and speed, because it records that I get much less distance per minute of work out than if I'm outside doing the same thing. hmmm....

Tonight (from the elliptical recording) I did 1.52 miles in 35 minutes. Whether accurate or not, I got a good cardio work out in while jamming to Jason's iPod to tunes by KISS, Aerosmith, and Dirks Bentley to name a few. Can't forget "I Like Big Butts" mixed in there somewhere too. Most I couldn't sing to because I didn't have enough breath to breathe for my workout and sing at the same time. Once in awhile I got a few phrases out and Jason and Julia could hear me from where they were eating dinner upstairs. Jason told me it was good that I had my Doctorate in Physical Therapy, because singing wouldn't be bringing in any money. Ah well...between the singing and shouting at the football players, I made my cardio workout count. Then I did those multi-directional calf raises, standing kicks in all directions and stretches. Pretty good for one night, I suppose. I'm thinking about doing abs before bed as well...but not before I finish my banana chocolate smoothie. (My reward for my training).

I have to say it's going well so far. Here's to the start of week #2. We are hoping to get out running twice this week prior to Julia and me leaving for Vermont to visit with friends. My recovery from the last outdoor run was much shorter than the first run in NJ. Muscles were not as sore and the lungs didn't burn as badly. Still have ways to go to get to a half marathon in May, but it doesn't seem as far out of reach as I initially thought it could be.