Signs of Spring

It has been an amazingly beautiful day in Athens! After last weekend’s scary tornadoes and the cloudy skies that we have been having, the calm after the storm definitely feels like a wonderful treat. Since it was already in the 60s by 9 a.m., I just couldn’t resist spending my morning outside studying at one of my favorite spots in Athens!

Uga, Jr. seemed to enjoy the view while I sipped my delicious coffee and did some reading! It was such a great morning… no rush… no worries… no stress… just time to get my work done and enjoy the gift of the day. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to live in an awesome neighborhood for the past two years. It is unique and quirky and Athens-y in every perfect way, and on days like today, it sure is nice to be close enough to walk to class!

After my post on Tuesday about how I first fell in love with running, my long walk left me thinking about how simple exercise can truly be. Even if you aren’t a fan of running or if physical challenges keep you from running, walking can be just as effective when it comes to keeping your body healthy. Here in Athens, you can walk almost anywhere, and the hills provide the added bonus of a leg workout. My mom’s neighborhood is nice and hilly, too, and I always find myself surprised by how sore my quads and calves feel when we finish one of our “mega-walks,” as we like to call them!

Here’s my point - exercise doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to involve running until your heart feels like it is beating a million miles a minute. That kind of vigorous exercise isn’t always necessary, and it certainly isn’t for everyone. So now that spring is right around the corner (We spring forward this weekend! How is it time to change our clocks again already!?), I encourage you to lace up your sneakers and step outside for a nice long walk! I’d venture to guess that you will find that exercise is really not all that bad. In fact, it can be downright relaxing!

And if you don’t have easy access to a good, safe place to walk, or if you prefer to exercise at the gym, don’t worry! The treadmill plan that I am posting here will work your legs from several angles and will break your workout into intervals that keep things interesting and challenging!

Incline	Speed	Time
1.00%	3.8-4.0 mph	0:00-2:00
3.00%	3.6-3.8 mph	2:00-3:00
5.00%	3.4-3.6 mph	3:00-4:00
8.00%	3.2-3.4 mph	4:00-5:00
10.00%	3.0-3.2 mph	5:00-7:00
1.00%	walk @ 4.0 mph or jog @ 6.0 mph	7:00-8:00
10.00%	3.0-3.2 mph	8:00-9:00
8.00%	3.2-3.4 mph	9:00-10:00
5.00%	3.4-3.6 mph	10:00-11:00
3.00%	3.8-3.8 mph	11:00-12:00
1.00%	3.8-4.0 mph	12:00-14:00

** repeat this sequence as many times as you desire to finish out your cardio workout **

I use this workout whenever my knees and ankles need a break from running. It's definitely not as vigorous as a good long run, but it still does the trick when you are looking for a low-impact option! I also leave myself the choice to jog a bit to keep my heart rate up during the eighth minute, but you can just walk if you prefer! You can use this walking workout as cardio at the end of a leg workout OR by itself - both are great options that get your heart pumping and your legs moving.

Well, my spring break started today after I got out of my 3:30 class… I am so excited about having the next ten days to work a bit, do some reading, and relax. I have a few exciting things planned throughout the week that I am excited to share with you, too! On that note, I’m off to enjoy a homework-free evening!

Please note: Any exercise tips that I make on this blog are simply that - tips. I love to share my experiences with health and fitness, but it is important that you talk with a doctor before beginning any new exercise program, especially if you aren't working out already! I am always happy to answer questions and comments, if you have any! Thanks for reading :)

Free to Run. Free to Live. Free to Be.

I’ll be honest - I used to dread running. It might seem surprising that I did gymnastics for so long and could hardly run two miles at the end of my career, but it’s actually not that uncommon. After all, gymnastics is all about short bursts of power, and no routine is ever more than a minute and a half. Plus, long-distance endurance was never really my thing. I vividly remember Saturday morning workouts, when we would run countless laps around the gym with Madonna’s “Die Another Day” blasting in the background. Even though I was pretty convinced that those weekend practice “torture sessions” were going to be the end of me, I managed to scrape by, but I never imagined that running was something that I would ever really enjoy.

Looking back, I think that my love for running developed when I finally recovered from a nearly year-long injury. When I was fifteen, I blew out my ankle on the night before I was scheduled to leave for my first national competition. The next eight months were the hardest that I ever faced during my gymnastics career - I spent months on crutches and was completely sidelined for an entire season. Still, I went to practice every day, working on my upper body and core strength as much as I possibly could. I came to love strength training, but I still felt so trapped. Even as I watched my teammates struggle through the endurance conditioning that I had always hated, I wished more than anything that I could just take off running. But I had to wait… eight long months.

I remember the first day that the doctor finally cleared me to do some light jogging. I remember the excitement that I felt as I laced up my shoes, which he told me to wear for extra support even though gymnasts typically run barefoot. I remember the FREEDOM that I felt with those first few steps, the JOY that I experienced as my heart began to beat faster, and the sense of ACCOMPLISHMENT that I felt as I finished my first real run in almost a year!

Okay, so I only ran ten measly laps around the 40 foot by 40 foot spring gymnastics floor. BUT I WAS RUNNING. Just a few months prior to that I had hardly been able to hobble around. In that moment, I promised myself that I would never again take my ability to run for granted.

This morning, as I was running on the track at the student center, I was overjoyed with a sense of freedom! With my legs plugging along, heart pumping, and the News Boys’ “I Am Free” blasting, I laughed at the irony of how far I have come since the “Die Another Day” era. Now, running and exercise help me recognize the life and vitality that God has blessed me with, and I am motivated by my desire to remain strong and healthy so that I can lead the full life that He has planned for me.

After the Warrior Dash! It was so empowering to crawl under barbed wire and leap through fire!

Although we may not all be able to run or even exercise as often as we want, we do all have the power to become stronger in a wide variety of ways. A quick half-hour session of exercise each day, even if it is simply walking around the neighborhood, can make a huge difference over time. The important thing is to get moving! If you struggle with finding the motivation to exercise, here are a few tips that I find helpful:

1.     Learn about the benefits of exercise. Believe it or not, working out is great for your mind, body, and soul. People who move regularly tend to be less stressed, less likely to become ill, and more optimistic about what lies ahead in life!

2.     Reflect on the ways that exercise might help you live more abundantly. Maybe you want to have more energy when you spend time with friends or family, or perhaps you want to have the energy for volunteer projects that require you to be extra active.

3.     Exercise with a friend or family member. Walking or even hitting the gym with a loved one can be a great way to bond. Plus, you are more likely to stick with your plan if you have someone to hold you accountable.

4.     Write down your exercise every day. When you reach a short-term goal (like working out three times per week or walking two miles, for example), reward yourself with something like a subscription to a new magazine or a trip to the movies with a friend.

5.     Most importantly, remember that you were created to accomplish amazing things in this life! I believe that when we exercise and stay fit, we are better equipped to tackle our purposes with full hearts and strong bodies!