I used my new Suunto T3 Heart Rate Monitor for the first time yesterday morning…
But before I get into my morning, let me tell you about my job a little:
I’m a meeting Coordinator, and as such, I look after about 4 or 5 meetings per month. These meetings almost always take place in the evenings, and I’m supposed to come in to work late on “meeting days”, in lieu of overtime. However, because I’m so new there, I have no vacation, and so I have been trying to rack up OT to cover my upcoming trip to Mexico. It meant a grueling 3 months of managing 12, 13, or 14 hour days a couple of times a week, and it made me tired and run down (I was already run down from my last job, which is the reason why I a) changed jobs, and b) decided to book a trip to Mexico with no vacation leave)
But yesterday, well, yesterday was my first “meeting day” without overtime. Sweet, glorious morning!
I woke up, played with my HRM a little, leisurely made toast, and mapped out my run. I was only going for a short 3.5km run, because I’m trying to do a little taper before the 10km this Saturday.
It was kinda cold out (-6*C) and the run tired me out. I was slow, too (20:57). I didn’t look at my watch while running, but afterwards I went through all the stats:
Resting heart rate: ~50bpm
Average heart rate during run: ~141bpm
Peak heart rate during run: ~157bpm
Calories burned: 136
So there you have it. I don’t really know what these numbers mean yet, but I’m starting to do a little research. Apparently my maximum heart rate is around 185bpm, which would make a 141bpm run a 76% workout. That seems about right. It means I’m still kinda out of shape, though, doesn’t it?
Anyway, by the time I was done crunching numbers and all, it was about 10am, and I still had 2 hours to kill before work (AMAZING to have this kind of time on my hands). I went shopping, and two things happened:
1. I walked into Chapters, looking for a copy of 30 Day Shred (didn’t find it – boo) and instead walked up to the Starbucks counter and ordered a coffee. The whole process was as routine as it had been four months ago when I was ordering one every day.
me: “Could I have a Grande Bold, please?”
her: “Is that everything?”
me: “Yes.”
her: “It’ll be $2.05”
me (as I’m paying) “Could I also get the Soy Milk, please?”
her: “Soy on the bar!”
I poured in my milk, got my packet of Splenda (and a few for my purse) and a dash of cinnamon. The first sip was devine. Heavenly. Total bliss. How did I stay away so long?
In my mind, there’s a bit of a battle over the whole coffee debate. It seems that I’ve been pretty straight edge for a few months now, and I wonder if I really want to go back to one of my vices. Not that it will lead to other vices (though it might), but am I trying to justify my lack of willpower over something that I know is a hindrance to my health? Or should I really allow myself to enjoy coffee, because I do enjoy it, and it makes me “feel” good?
I don’t know. Anyway, I drank it down over the course of the next 45 min, and it was great.
2. I walked over to Future Shop, and found the DVD for $9.99!! There were also two more Jillian DVDs for the same price, so I picked up one of the other two (though now I’m not sure why I didn’t pick up all three, just to have the set… But I think it’s because I already have so many exercise videos!) So I’m starting the 30 Day challenge sparked by Caitlin over at Health Tipping Point. Word!
Lunch yesterday was Amazingly good:
Avocado sandwich from Bread and Sons (mamma mia those are good!)
Banana Chips
an Apple eaten a few hours later.
***
It is now 3:30 in the morning, and as I type, the first spring rains are tap-tap-tapping at my windows. It is a marvelous sound, and yesterday marked the first smell of spring for me. To forgo hats and mittens is like emerging from a cocoon. Spring is near, and the great thaw (human and otherwise) will shortly begin. I think Angelo might be right, it HASN’T been that bad a winter…
