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My thighs are so sore today. After not working out for months, I think I’ve been pushing myself too hard these past 2 days. Ouch ouch ouch!

I decided to make today a rest day, but then at 11 PM I noticed that my pedometer was only at around 8,500 steps. My daily goal is 10,000 steps with 30 minutes of aerobic steps (quicker-paced steps as recorded by my pedometer). I had one hour before the count resets and despite my aching legs, I slid on some ankle wraps, put on my rocker bottom sneakers, and grabbed a couple of 3-lb dumbbells. I spent the next 40 minutes jogging, hopping and dancing in my living room while watching the news. With 10 minutes to spare, I had surpassed my 10,000-steps goal and logged 41 minutes of aerobic steps. I am so happy I did it!

My pedometer readings for Wednesday, August 11, 2010.

My legs are starting to get very sore from yesterday’s run. I can’t walk down a flight of stairs without simultaneously laughing and grimacing in pain.

I decided to stop being a baby and cleared off my treadmill.  30 minutes later and I’ve logged a good 3.61-mile run – yay!

It was a lot easier on the treadmill.  When I run outside, I have a difficult time pacing myself. Yesterday I had tried to do a moderate pace for most of the run but I found myself quickly running faster and faster, burning out, pausing, and then doing it all over again. I’d catch myself going too fast and started counting in an attempt to keep a rhythm: 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2.  It didn’t work very well though.

With the treadmill, I could control the pace and it was must easier to maintain. Go too fast and I’d run off the front of the treadmill. Go to slow and I’d slide off the back of it.  It was a very different experience and I think I prefer it over running outside.  I’ll give outdoor running a few more tries though.

Too lazy to clear the clutter off my neglected treadmill, I popped the Nike+ sensor in my new LunarSwift running shoes and headed outside. Then I hesitated. Fight or flight? I thought about my warm apartment and the dinner that was waiting. I told myself I’ll just do this tomorrow instead.

But then I ran. I ran and ran and ran.

I ran around my neighborhood and circled the block a few times. I darted around bushes and dogs and thought for half a second that this would be easy. Of course it wasn’t. I needed to stop more than once. I wasn’t enjoying it. The onlookers. The mosquitoes. The low-hanging tree branches hiding in the dark, whacking me in the face. I didn’t like it one bit!

I sprinted, jogged, walked and, at 99% of the time, uttered every 4-letter word in the book. I obsessively checked the readout on my Sportband, getting a boost every time I saw the number go up. 0.3 miles. 0.75. 1.24. 2.58. I had wanted to quit. My lungs burned. My ears roared with the rush of wind and my own labored breathing. But I pushed. The numbers were going up and up. Just a bit more. Hang in there!

27 minutes later and it was done. I got my 3 miles. It was quicker than a sitcom. I did it and as much as I hated it, it was still pretty awesome.

Now let’s do this again.