Okay And Now The Back Of The Legs

Well I decided to really push it today. Wow, somehow that sounded like I was a meathead athlete or something. That really wasn't my intention. Let me start over. I decided to work to a clinically significantly higher rate/pace/distance than I did yesterday. That better? Now I sound like the doctor I am playing on TV. Yesterday I ran for about .35 miles at a speed of 7.0 mph. Yes I know it doesn't sound like much, but you try getting your ass on that treadmill and run that long at that fast of a pace. Not funny, not amusing, and certainly not easy. So I decided, in my delusional state of mind that if it was really hard yesterday, why couldn't I just make it a little further today? Yeah, not smart. Well, I am sure its smart in that "its-healthy-and-you-will-thank-yourself-someday" sort of way, but in the heat of the moment, when I am gasping for air and praying that the gods would smite the gym down, I decided it wasn't such a good idea.  But I guess I need it.  *cue the bells tinkling and the cheezy fade out/in screen*

It was a dark and stormy It had been a long couple of weeks and the world of workout for Dr. Travis was beginning to come crashing down around him.  He had realized that it had been several weeks and he was reaching a dark and stormy place in his workout routine.  He was progressing at a speed of next to nothing when it came to increasing his distance.  Plans and goals of reaching milestones were soon becoming distant relics of workouts gone by. It was becoming perilous.  Each night on the treadmill thoughts were overtaking his mind that he would never make it to a point of even considering a marathon as an option. Each and every night the 2 miles in 30 minute barrier just could not be breached. He moved from trying to run an increasing time to trying to run an increasing distance. This was going well until he decided to reward himself with a day off and he would have to start all over at square one the very next day.  He dreamed of having a trainer a la Bob and Jillian on Biggest Loser. But alas, he was relegated to the world of Body Exchange in Bakersfield, where the closest thing to a motivator is the fat chicks chillin on the stationary bikes (you know, the ones with armrests).  And of course the ever constant motivators such as:

this:

or the ever feared:

*Dr. Travis wakes up in a cold sweat, shivering and decides he must scrub the sin off his skin*

So without any other motivators, I decided I just needed to go to a happy place and run.  Tonight, it was a milestone. I hit .65 miles without stopping to breath.  The lungs burned, the eyes burned as the sweat dripped down my brow, and amazingly, the shins stopped hurting.  Yes, this phenomenon was quickly overshadowed by the movement of the pain to the back of my legs. The calves were screaming. It was as if I was trying to sell them to a veal company.  But I worked through the pain. I alternated between walking (never less than 4 mph) and running (at quite the clip of 6.5-6.9 mph) for 30 minutes, which was all I could put in because we were running a little late tonight getting to the gym.

I would like to take a break tomorrow night, but sadly, I can't. I am already significantly behind on all of my goals for my nike+ so I cannot miss a beat. I am trying to play catch up. I am 2800 calories behind, 26 miles behind, and .99 runs behind.  So tomorrow night I will be back on the treadmill, giving the treadmill some fine sweat lubrication and wishing that I could be in some exotic location with 6-pack abs. Someday, Someday.

Here's to a successful and productive weigh in tomorrow.  Those damn Olympics are cramping my style with not being able to watch Biggest Loser.  Somehow, already in-shape athletes competing with the best in the world is not as inspiring as a bunch of fatso's running like they never have before.  Maybe in a couple weeks.  Until I need some more inspiration...

Dr. Travis