Apr 14: The case for personal training

Good lunchtime, good people!

I had an awesome run last night. Per the training schedule the Ladies of the Cancer are using for the Sporting Life 10k on May 2nd, I ran 4.5 miles last night. I have been trying to gently increase my speed and endurance. On shorter run nights I set a higher speed on the treadmill and try to run my fastest mile (best so far is 10:24 - I am aiming for 10:00, or 6 mph, for now). So I ran 3 miles without resting, in around 32:50. Which is great, averaging an 11 minute/5.5 mph mile. Very happy with that at this point. My time for the whole run was 50:56, so not quite the 11 minute mile on average, but still, I was pretty happy. It is good to see progress, and to feel it.

Alright, so, subject line. Hang on: background to subject line. My contract at the cancer place is ending on July 31. I've been here for almost a decade. Almost my entire 30s! So, I look forward to a change. It's been a good home and allowed me to buy a modest condo in downtown TO, but, yeah. Need a break, and a change.

So I'm saving a nest egg for the "break" part of that, which means changing my budget. I'm giving up my personal training after this last batch of sessions I've paid for are used, which... I'm not sure (can't bear to find out), but I think is soon. In a month or so. I'll have to check with Derek.

The cost over a year for my personal training was around $8000. Holy geez I could probably buy some decent plastic surgery with that! I used to worry about it being an indulgence, but the Miaouw reassured me - hey, it's my money to spend! I have to say that, for me, it was money well spent. It kept me going to the gym faithfully twice a week, no matter how I was feeling, what I was eating, how depressed I was, or injured. I know I would not have been going to the gym in the fall if I hadn't been financially committed to going.

But I was glad when I went. And I worked out harder than I ever would have done on my own, using muscle groups I'd never worked before and learning about better technique, etc. I told Derek I wanted Michelle Obama arms and by god I will have them one day! In the fall and winter, he checked in with me every week about my depression, and was totally supportive and non-judgmental when I confessed falling into old eating patterns, how shitty it made me feel about myself, but that I was committed to working hard for that one hour with him.

I'm going to miss seeing him twice a week. He is a great guy and we have fun together; we have become friends. He calls me "Lindsay-son" (shouts it, actually, while I cringe) and I call him "Miyagi". It's dorky and awesome.

So I'm trying to plan for a more cost-efficient motivation to keep me in check once the sessions with Derek are used up. I think I will sign up for Booty Bootcamp again. I did a 4 week session in Fall 2008 and it was tough and awesome. It's women-only, outdoor, twice a week, rain or shine, an all-over workout with cardio and muscle resistance training. I couldn't walk for two days after the first session I went to. Anyway, much cheaper, outdoors (I hate the crowds in the group exercise classes at the gym), supporting small business and businesswomen, and social too. I will keep you posted.

Additional motivation: there is serious talk amongst the Ladies of the Cancer that we may sign up for the Acura Toronto 10-Miler on July 11. That's 6 more kilometres/4 more miles than we'll be running on May 2, with 2 months to train up to it. I think it's totally do-able and great motivation to stick with the fitness plan. Also, proceeds go the cancer fighters, so rah, rah, live the brand and all that!

Lunch time is over! Time for you to log in to Facebook and see what new postings are there!

xo
LQ