The High Cost of Running

Wine for last night’s party = $30
Several martinis and a tiny sampling of Petar’s beer = free, courtesy my host & hostess
Cab fare at 7:45am this morning from Coxwell to High Park = $25
New running chip for my iPod because my old one fell off my shoe = $45
Double espresso at Starbucks to get me going = $5
Running 8km in 1hr5mins (10km was just not happening) in *extreme* post-drinking discomfort?

Priceless.

I regret nothing. Except, perhaps, the photos on my camera that tell me I’ll be getting called “Tits McJedi” for at least the next few weeks.
Damn that Darth Vader helmet!
Damn my irresistably show-offable lingerie!
Thank you Melly for this morning’s life-saving cup of tea and wake-up call!

19 thoughts on “The High Cost of Running

  1. Serious synchronicity. I was just about to call you to make sure you weren’t unconscious somewhere.

    I tried to stay up, but I couldn’t. I finished my tea and then when back to bed. I shoulda just stayed up, ’cause it was harder to get up the second time around. (Petar, otoh, is till asleep)

    Thanks for coming, sweetie. Your room is here for you anytime.

  2. I was having serious deja vu. I was chattng with one of Petar’s friends, and suddenly EVERYONE was hollerin’. I got up, looked over, and sho’ nuff, there were BOOBS AT ONE OF MY PARTIES, again.

  3. I used a treadmill today for maybe the 2nd time ever (the first time was when I’d just joined the gym, and I gave up fast). I’ve been using ellipticals a lot, but I think my body is far too used to them….so I decided to *run*. My only problem is that I’m prone to overdoing it, because I like things to be fast, and I don’t know where my groove is on a treadmill yet. However, I was very sweaty (even more than usual), so I think it’s definitely a more intense workout. I don’t think I’ll be running outside anytime soon though 🙂

  4. You? Are a dirty old man.

    Besides, I don’t see photos of YOU showing off YOUR boobs on the interwebs!

    Oh, no, wait… wait, hang on… I’m remembering… I guess I *do* see that.

    (my photos forthcoming)

  5. The pleasure was all mine! I even had fun washing up with you afters. 🙂

    And as usual, I slept like a lamb in my little room with its delightfully fresh sheets and fluffy pillows thank you thank you.

  6. Starting pace on a treadmill should be around 4.5. If you find you’re running a 12 minute mile or faster, you’re going too fast for an endurance building run.

    If you must go fast – and believe me, I understand, I’m more a sprinter than a distance runner myself – try running for 33 minutes alternating 10 minutes fast run(5.0-6.0), with 1 minute walking pace (3.7). Ten and one. It works!

  7. When was the last time there were boobs at one of your parties?
    I think I missed that.

  8. Thanks! That’s helpful. What I’m going for is cardio/weight loss/general looking good naked 🙂 I’ve no desire to run a marathon or anything. I generally do about 45 minutes of cardio at a time, so I’ll need to either keep a slower steady pace, or run fast for a bit and then jog for a bit. I also need to figure out the workings of the treadmill, because I wasn’t sure of the settings.

    Today my thighs and hips are in pain….good pain, but pain nevertheless. I’m used to low-impact cardio! I think this will be a once/twice a week thing for now, mixed up with other things. But it’s good to get something new going.

  9. I hate to be a nag, but for the love of god, get yourself some good shoes. You do *not* want to do anything high impact without good shoes.

    If you want weight loss, slower is better. 60% of your max heart rate burns more fat than 80%. And note: I said running and WALKING. Not even jogging. Seriously, 60 seconds of walking will help you run for the next ten minutes. Drink water during the break. Also, I think maybe you should be doing what you consider a “jog” when you’re trying to “run”.

    As for looking good naked, I’m sad to report that only a painful number of sit-ups has ever helped me in that area. Running just maintains that inward hourglass waist thing, but doesn’t give you a flat tummy. You’ll still have a sexy little belly even after months and months of running. Sit-ups, babe.

  10. It’s all about Pilates for the belly 🙂 It gets at all the muscles that sit-ups only wish they could get at. But that’s just toning – only cardio gets rid of the actual belly chub. So sadly, both are needed. Why so complicated? Sheesh.

    Jogging…yes, that 🙂 I keep pretty good track of my heart rate, though the treadmill running thing will take a bit of getting used to to find my ideal pace. I may have to rethink my music too, dammit. Most of what I have is good for *running* (since it was meant for the elliptical, which you can go faster on).

    You people who run outside….I bow to you.

  11. I’m going to echo pipes here and tell you that if you want to really start running, you do need good shoes. Go to the Running Room and get them to suss you out.

    She’s right about the running and walking thing. I’m so fucking anal, I can’t walk, so I do 30 minutes starting at 7.0mph and go increasingly up until – for the last 2 minutes – I’m running at 10mph. Which honestly, is stupid and does not burn far.

    Also, as per sit ups, I have to respectfully disagree. You do need to do cardio to lose any belly pooch. Sit ups only tone the muscle, they don’t flatten. And if you don’t lost the pooch (which a lot of men find really sexy, actually) doing sit ups can actually be counter productive because it can cause that area to bulk up a little bit.

    I think your combo of elliptical, running and pilates may prove to be the holy grail. I am going to come back 20lbs heavier from being in London because my flatmates like to eat Maltesers and wine gums. I’m fucking doomed.

  12. What you might want to try is actually the walk/job thing on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then do 10-15 minutes on the elliptical at a higher resistance, you know, so you’re really feeling the burn. It’s hard to do more than 30 minutes on a treadmill because it’s so bloody boring.

    Also typo in my previous comment, “does not burn FAR” should read “does not burn FAT.” My roomie here in the UK is a personal trainer. I am going to ask him some workout type questions and get back to you.

  13. Let me just clarify, that I am not trying to “start running” 🙂 I just need to change up my cardio routine a little, so I’m adding the treadmill. I think the shoes I have can handle once or twice a week on a treadmill (I’ll do other things in between). If I start to notice a problem I can look into something else. I just came back from the gym where I used the treadmill again, mostly because it was super busy and that’s all that was available. It’s going to hurt even more tomorrow than it did today, isn’t it? Heh. Also….I wish the fat would burn more! I really want to get things going again, and I don’t think anything’s moving. The scale sure ain’t. I think I need to start focussing on diet again…..but I get so hungry!! I eat *well*, but I get hungry, and I gotta eat! But I think I need to go back to where I was a year ago, when I was avoiding sugar as much as possible and eating a lot of healthy salads and stuff. Sigh.

  14. Thanks! I’d love to hear his opinion. And yeah, I should think about using more than one machine/session. What a concept 🙂 I’d like to not mind being seen in a bathing suit this summer, should the occasion arise….but currently it still ain’t happening.

  15. Also, there were boobies at the Hallowe’en party of the same year. Kat came as a very cleavagey SuperTramp/SuperVamp.

  16. Wow. That is basically exactly what I have been doing, without having a clue that it was actually a “good strategy”, or even a strategy at all!

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