Reflections from Week 3 of No Running

This week I hit some major milestones in my non-running month.  They included:

• 40 miles on the elliptical
• 100 miles on the bike
• 13 miles of walking
• 3 sessions of lifting weights

This past week...

I was astonished that...I actually logged 40 miles on the elliptical without dying of boredom.  If you are a person who regularly works out on this machine, I give you a lot of credit.  For me, anything more than 2 miles is a mental struggle.  I'm hoping I'll have phenomenal mental toughness after this.

My "long run" on the elliptical this week was...10 miles.  My goal was to do 12, but I couldn't.  I wanted to get off the machine so much after 10 that another 2 seemed like a death threat.  

I'm sad that...I was going to run a half marathon on Saturday but didn't.  I didn't sign up for it, so I'm not out any money, but knowing that I wanted to run it and not being able to made me sad.  I miss running, and racing, so much.

I'm feeling...like my body is truly healing.  I have no knee pain and feel like my hamstrings, quads, and glutes are getting stronger.  I haven't lifted so many weights in my entire life.  

I'm proud that...I did a 57 mile bike ride with friends on Saturday.  We were originally going to go 40 but continued to do some more.  We set out knowing we wanted a leisurely ride on our road bikes and did not intend to go fast.  It was very enjoyable.  I'm really starting to like biking, much more so than I ever thought.

I'm trying to decide if...I should sign up for the Venus de Miles bike ride in Lake Forest next Sunday, July 29.  The longest distance is 61 miles, which is what I'd sign up to do.  It comes with a hefty price - $80.  If it was a 100 mile race, I would sign up for it in a heartbeat.  I can sign up race day morning, so it is not imperative I sign up by tomorrow or anything.  

I'm ecstatic that...I am down to single digit days of no running.  I have never wanted August 1 to get here sooner.  

I will...ride in a 100 mile ride this year.  It is something that I can accomplish at my current fitness level.

I wonder...just how out of shape I have gotten in the past month.  I have worked out a lot, but not running definitely takes it toll on me.  I'm hoping I haven't lost all of my fitness.

I learned today that....my track coach thought I was not wise in the spring and early summer but never verbalized it to me.  Granted, I don't know if I would have taken his advice, anyway.  

I realized the breaking point of my injury was....Ragnar Madison to Chicago as an ultra runner.  I will never do Ragnar as an ultra runner again.  It was a ton of fun, but was not wise for my body.  

Two of the best inventions ever made are...padded bike shorts and bike gloves.  Enough said, especially about the padded shorts.  

9 more days until running resumes :)