Whew!

The official start date of the 24-week training program for the Atlanta, 2007 3-Day Walk is the last full week in April. So, I am getting really paranoid about that challenge. So, I have been trying to ramp up my workouts a bit to help with building endurance (at least that is what I am hoping to do).

Since the pollen is giving me fits and causing my youngest son to have asthma attacks, I have been limiting my workouts to the elliptical. I have gone for 45 minutes for the last 2 days and I feel like that is a definite accomplishment.

The best part of the elliptical is that I can stand under the ceiling fan at odd, evening hours after the kids have gone to bed. I have to make sure that I don't work out too late in the evening or I won't sleep well. But, it is convenient to be able to work out at night on the days when I am running like a maniac and can't stop to walk.

With the 24 week plan, I will have to walk a certain number of miles per week, regardless of pollen, rain, whatever. So, that can be a little different. It's hard to walk with the boys in tow. Its a situation my mother laughingly calls, "hit the ball and drag Fred!" Ethan does fairly well up to the around the 3 mile walk (although I end up policing him as much as concentrating on my own training), but John is good for only about a mile or so and he will complain with every step if I let him. I feel so awful to take them along because I have to be the "heavy" the whole time. It makes the whole workout an stressful ordeal.

Maybe I will walk at Mom's house this week. I can take the kids with me for part of it and then they can play at Mom's house while I walk like a sane person. As the walks get longer, it will get tougher to deal with the kids. I can't expect them to walk with me for 6 miles! Ha!

Well, I feel somewhat accomplished, but I haven't gotten on the scale as I was getting seriously bummed with that. It's easier to continue working out if I am not focusing on weight.