Back in December my work teammate Anthony asked me about my exercise schedule. I had been doing a 30 min class twice a week since November. We sit near each other and he and I often talked about our soccer experiences last season and fitness in general.
I had shared that I wanted to get some high intensity cardio in but never seemed to make it happen.
“I’m hitting the treadmill Monday, Wednesday, Friday want to join me?”
I agreed that Monday and Wednesday would work for me. We’ve been going regularly and I’m loving it.
The gym was pretty busy in January so we shifted to 2pm to avoid the crowd. It has been humbling getting back into running. Plus there is a definite technique specific to treadmill running and not getting motion sick.
Running is the most efficient way for me to get to a target heartrate. In a few minutes I’m in the zone and I’ve been alternating walking and running for a total of 30 minutes.
We can’t always score machines beside each other but it’s really not about running next to each other. The biggest benefit has been that we take turns nudging each other to keep working out. A quick “you hitting the gym today?” has kept me on track.
The mid-afternoon timing helps me over the lull I usually feel that time of day. I get back to my desk feeling energized and optimistic.
Last week I was feeling harsh with cramping feet and I just could not hit my stride. Seeing I was frustrated Anthony gave me a pep talk and offered that walking on an incline could keep my heart rate up.
I’m enjoying the little bits of support we offer each other. and it has helped me reclaim running with, and around, other people.
This week I ran 9 minutes continuously, the longest I’ve done in a while. It felt good to have a new milestone so early on.
Thanks for being my cardio companion Anthony!
