Running with Daulton

I started a running program called Couch to 5K about four weeks ago to start exercising more and I needed the stress relief from everything that was going on with my mom.  I also work at a job where I sit for 8+ hours a day and if I'm not careful, my weight will go up while my health goes down.  And I said I wanted to take better care of myself when I turned 30 and that includes exercise.

Daulton has gone with me before but he usually rides his bike and chooses not to run.  Tonight, he decided he was going to run with me and "get some exercise".  Here's how it went down.

5 minute warm-up:  We synchronize our iPods so the clocks start at the same time.  We are using the C25K app by Zen Labs on our iPod Touches.  Daulton doesn't understand the meaning of warm-up and is walking very slowly.

2.5 minutes into the warm-up:  We only have 1 arm band for the 2 iPod Touches we own and its pink and clearly mine.  Of course Daulton wants it but I convince him before we leave the house to just wear shorts with pockets and tell him he will be fine.  My mistake.  We stop to trade iPods two minutes after leaving the house and Daulton is happy to finally have the iPod with arm band he wanted.

1st interval - 5 minute run:  It sounds like a 500 pound man is running behind me.  I can barely hear my music over Daulton's foot steps.  After two minutes, the foot steps are closer and louder and Daulton passes me.  And its just as loud as if he was behind me.

Daulton keeps the lead for another two minutes and then runs out of steam.  I pass him and then spend the next minute looking behind my shoulder to make sure he hasn't given up and trying to yell encouraging words at him.  I am not at the point where I can run and talk, so the only way I can talk is one word per breath.  It takes a long time to get out my words of encouragement.

3 minute walk:  Daulton looks miserable.  I tell him its not as easy as it looks and he agrees. We decide to head back to the house so he can get his bike and I have to pee.

2nd interval - 5 minute run:  We aren't home yet and its time for the next running interval.  Daulton is not pleased that I make him run home but he makes it.  He gets his bike, I do my business, we trade iPods again because I want my arm band back, and we are back out the door to finish the interval.

3 minute walk:  Daulton follows me on the bike pedaling at the speed I'm running, which is about two steps above glacial speed.  Luckily he does not fall over but it makes me feel like he is the van that picks up the stragglers at the mini marathon and its my encouragement to not stop as I'm afraid he will run me over.

3rd interval - 5 minute run:  Halfway through this interval Daulton asks if he can go home.  I can't hear what he says so I have to stop and turn around to listen to the question.  I am so close to being done so I send him home and finish the interval.

Cool down:  I head back to the house and get Dixie to take her for her evening walk.  Matt asks me how it was and my response was "hot".  He then gets me a drink and only asks me questions that I can grunt the answer to.

I am neither a graceful nor a natural runner.  It takes a lot of will power to get through it and not give up when it gets tough.  I'm happy that I'm doing it for me and I like the changes I'm already seeing in my legs (and compliments from the husband don't hurt either).  And even though we can't really converse while I'm running, I like having Daulton with me.  It keeps me motivated and I can't give up because that's not the example I want to set for him.

Together we've taken up yoga and running.  I wonder what we will do next.

 

Yoga Time With Daulton and Dixie

I am trying to incorporate more exercise into my days and I've decided the best time to do this is right when I get home from work.  Exercise also helps me de-stress from my day and if I feel a little better about myself afterwards, so be it.  Sometimes I can talk Daulton into doing it with me so we both get a little exercise.

On Monday I asked Daulton if he wanted to do yoga with me.  Before I could get the entire question out he was already changing into comfy clothes and had pulled his mat (technically one of my old ones) out and was unrolling it.  There's nothing like an enthusiastic partner to exercise with.  So I put in my Power Yoga DVD and got ready to do some yoga.

The rest of our 30 minute yoga experience went something like this:

1 minute into the program, the first forward bend happens.  Dixie thinks we are bending over to pet her and is immediately in our faces.

2 minutes:  First plank, upward dog and downward dog positions occur.  Dixie is now going back and forth between our faces seeing who will give in and pet her first.

5 minutes:  Dixie is now laying in between the front of our mats where she can maybe get petted during the forward bends.

8 minutes:  Daulton just farted.

10 minutes.  Daulton is grunting and breathing heavily.  Its distracting and not very zen like.

11 minutes.  Daulton has now fallen over and is moaning.  Dixie rushed to his side in case he wanted to pet her to make himself feel better.

15 minutes:  Daulton still moaning on the floor.  I ask him what's wrong and he said, "when I fell over my bone popped".  He then moves to the couch to recover from his yoga induced injury.  Dixie is now next to the couch comforting Daulton and hoping to get petted.

20 minutes:  We are now into the stretching portion of the workout.  Daulton has recovered enough from his injury to participate.  These exercise are also done on the floor, which means a new opportunity for Dixie to get in our faces and seek attention.

21 minutes:  I try to correct Daulton's stretching form.  He disagrees with my comments and proceeds to do what he wants.  I give up and go back to focusing on what I am doing.

22 minutes:  Daulton has stopped stretching and is staring at the yoga instructor on the TV.  He then says, "That guy looks dead."  The yoga instructor is not dead but is incredibly flexible, something Daulton and I hope to accomplish.

23 minutes:  We are both giggling at Daulton's dead man comment.

25 minutes:  The relaxation portion has begun.  This is my absolute most favorite part of yoga and have even fallen asleep during this part because I get so relaxed.  This did not happen for me on Monday.

25 minutes 30 seconds:  Dixie's wet nose on my hand causes me to jump and breaks my relaxation.

26 minutes:  Dixie is now in Daulton's face and he again comments "That guy looks dead" about the yoga instructor we are following.  I give Daulton credit, the pose we were in is called corpse pose.

26 minutes 30 seconds:  Dixie is back at my mat and is now rooting her nose under my relaxed hand in an attempt to get me to pet her.  This results in her lifting my hand and then dropping it when I don't start immediately petting her.  And the wet, cold nose is not helping either.

27 minutes:  Daulton has given up on relaxing and is now very concerned that I don't look "dead enough" like the yoga instructor.  He the proceeds to reposition my arms in a more dead-like pose. 

29 minutes:  The instructor is already sitting back up and the session is almost over.  I decide to lay there for just a few more minutes to relax until I feel someone staring at me.  I open my eyes and Daulton is staring at me with a look that I interpret to mean "aren't you going to sit up like the dead guy on TV?".  I give up on relaxation and sit up to finish the session.

30 minute:  The session is over, the mats are rolled up and put away, and our yoga experience is over. 

It wasn't the most relaxing session I've ever had but it was fun.  It's always funny to watch Daulton and while he hasn't quite mastered the art of quiet breathing, he is getting better and has learned how to do the poses.  And I know he won't always want to do yoga with me and he's already pretty close to running faster than me, so our days of exercising together and me not embarrassing myself too much are limited.  So, I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.