The Accidental Pastor's Wife

I've still got a ways to go, but I've found some tricks that help me get to the Recreation Center where I work out:

My husband has a flexible schedule, but doesn't like to be bound by much of a routine. So I get up in the morning and I ask, "So when can I work out today?" Sometimes it's the morning, or late afternoon, or after dinner. I have just learned to be flexible because beggars can't be choosers!

Once he tells me when it would work for him, as it gets to be closer to that time I think of all the stuff I can get done that will enable me to get there. I get in my workout clothes with my running shoes! I begin some dinner preparations just in case I'm going in the late afternoon. If I get to go in the morning, then I wait to take my shower until I get home. I just immediately get in my workout clothes. If I go after dinner, I again get in my clothes and shoes before I serve everyone. Then I let my dinner settle as I wash all the dishes, and by then I'm ready to go. Have you noticed a pattern here? Right now, I get to go this afternoon sometime. I've taken a shower, but went ahead and put on my clothes. Oh, and make sure my iPod is ready to go, along with my water bottle and any reading material.

Go for at least 45 minutes. What's 15 more minutes when you're already there and sweating?

I tell myself, if I get tired, "I can do anything for ____ minutes!" "It's only ____ more minutes!" "I never regret working out when it's all done!"

Mix it up. Don't do the same thing all the time. I added the stair killer and it IS hard, but good. As soon as I'm not challenged at something, I up the pace, the incline, the level. I've worked up to the 12th level on the elliptical trainer. I can run at 5.0 now on the treadmill. I did NOT start that way. In fact, when I began I did something terrible to my knee because I went too fast.

Get some great shoes. The gal over at Finish the Race suggested going to a running store and getting a gait analysis. I did that over Thanksgiving and discovered that I overpronate, which was contributing to my knee problems. I got a shoe that gives me better support and the problem is solved!

As I think of more things that have helped me, I'll post about it.