Jill Hedgecock

Fiction Writer

Stairmaster

Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 11

My body went under protest this week. However, the blister on my right foot (my first since I began training) that I got from my 10 mile hike last Sunday is almost healed. Lessons learned: Trim your toenails and wear thick socks, even if you thing you are going on a short hike (I thought I was doing a five miler). Because of my gradual approach to conditioning, I really haven’t had any seriously sore muscles. My knees haven’t always been happy after Stairmaster, but who can blame them? But on Tuesday day, after my Monday Spin class, my legs seemed to be creaking when I walked. It wasn’t horrible, but the pain was noticeable, I’m not sure if I was compensating for my blister or if it was just a tough class. Anyway, I skipped the gym on Tuesday and Thursday nights, though I still did my usual two mile morning hike those days.

I discovered that Level 7 (60 minutes) for 5.3 miles on Stairmaster is just as hard, if not harder, than the Level 6 (90 minutes) for 7 miles workout that I did last week. I think the difference between Level 6 and Level 7 is about 8 steps per minute, which doesn’t seem like much, but I assure you it is. No way could I have survived 90 minute at Level 7 this week, especially when I discovered that my Kindle battery was dead after I climbed up on the Evil Machine. Thank goodness I had music.

I am really busy this week, so this week’s Stairmaster goal is going to have to be another killer Level 7 stint: 65 minutes or 5.5 miles whichever comes first.

Ten Wondrous Things: Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 10

It’s week 10 so it seems appropriate to take stock on progress to date.

Wondrous Thing No. 1: I am not dead. Okay, that’s a bit melodramatic. But seriously, I did 7 miles in 90 minutes this week and I am not dead. That is a wondrous thing!

Wondrous Thing No. 2: Joining a gym (and liking it – sort of). Gyms are for people that enjoy exercise (aka not me). I took First Aid to meet my physical education requirement in college; I don’t like to sweat…still I kind of like body pump and do like to swim.

Wondrous Thing No. 3: Buying my first sports bra at over 50.

Wondrous Thing No. 4: Learning to breathe right. Thanks to my soccer daughter, she informed me that when you feel winded, breathe through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.

Wondrous Thing No. 5: I can read on Stairmaster. (Thank goodness – it helps me endure).

Wondrous Thing No.6: Hiking higher than soaring hawks and turkey vultures. It’s kind of a heady thing to look down and see winged creatures below you.

Wondrous Thing No. 7: St. Elmo’s Fire would become my theme song. (I can climb the highest mountain.)

Wondrous Thing No. 8: Wildflowers. How great to see the incredible diversity of spring flowers. Gorgeous!

Wondrous Thing No. 9: Amazing hikes. I had no idea how much amazing open space lies almost at my doorstep.

Wondrous Thing No. 10: Splat! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that my gym cloths would be drenched to the point that they make the same sound as dropping a wet bathing suit on the floor.

Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 9 – Blood and Sweat

A tough week after I donated blood on Tuesday evening which put a small wrinkle in my workout plans.  I added a book to my weighted backpack for my morning hikes.  I did manage to complete Body Pump class on Wednesday night, though I went easy on the weights.  I met last week’s Stairmaster goal by time, not distance:  90 minutes, 6.29 miles and 302 floors, two days after my blood donation.  Two hikes completed my workout week this weekend: a difficult, approximately 8 mile loop up to the East Peak of Mount Tamalpais on Saturday with Eric and a 4.6+ mile hike at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness on Sunday with Lindsay.  Next week’s Stairmaster goal:  7 miles or 100 minutes.

Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 8 – New Heights

Not only did I meet my Stairmaster goal of 6 miles this week, but I exceeded it. What a relief to knock off this daunting task early on in the week. 6.26 miles, 300 floors and 80+ minutes. I pushed myself so hard at Body Pump on Friday that my arms felt like a frozen side of beef and I had difficulty lifting my arm to shampoo my hair. We repeated the steep Pacific Rim Trail at Lafayette Reservoir hike on Saturday and beat our time from last time by over 20 minutes, plus I carried a full backpack. Overall, a good week!
Next week’s Stairmaster goal – 7 miles at Level 5 or higher or 90 minutes.

Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 7 – I Know Where My Feet Are

A tough week for Stairmaster. I didn’t complete my goal of 5 miles at Level 6 on Tuesday (4.5 miles)– a grueling experience fraught with disappointment and at the end of the failed misery, the knowledge that I’d have to do it all over again. I got back on the Evil Machine on Thursday, this time with a paperback in hand since I now don’t need to stare at my feet in fear of missing a step. The wonderful distraction of reading was enough for me to complete 5.1 miles at Level 6, plus an “easy” 0.4 miles at Level 5 and cool down for a total of 5.6 miles, 76 minutes and 269 floors. The good news is that with the 0.5 mile warm-up on Stairmaster at Level 7 that I did on Friday meant that I walked 10.6 miles on stairs last week. A long hike on Sunday at Wildcat Canyon ended this highly productive workout week.

I’ve got a schedule-packed week ahead, so I know I won’t be matching this distance next week.

Next week’s Stairmaster goal – 6 miles at Level 5 or higher.

Inca Trail Conditioning: Week 6 – Posture!

My first Spin class was Monday. I liked the workout and will be back for more. Tuesday was an eye opener. I never realized how much I slouch. After the trainer got me straightened out (LOL), I made a conscious effort to squeeze and apple between my shoulder blades during my daily hike, while working at the computer, walking around the house, but most importantly, during my Stairmaster workout on Wednesday. Although my Stairmaster goal for the week was to go 5 miles and I’d planned to stay at Level 5, I was feeling strong, probably because my new posture makes it easier to breathe! I ended up doing 5.5 miles (75 minutes), 3 miles at Level 6. Friday, I took the usual Body Pump class, then did 40 minutes of Spin (self-directed). Because of a crazy busy weekend, Eric and I only went on a five-mile hike, but I increased my pack weight, so I felt like I was still pushing the envelope.
Next week’s Stairmaster goal – 5 miles at Level 6.