Hamstrings and heels

I wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box this morning when I decided to wear high heels following a 2.5-hour workout yesterday.

After work yesterday, I went home to get ready for my run and soon decided that it was far too windy to run outside. Instead, I went to the gym to run on the treadmill. Here’s what I discovered: running 19 miles is a whole heck of a lot easier than running four miles on a treadmill. And I’m completely serious. First of all, the cardio room at the gym is rank with moldy sweat that seems to incubate in the warm air. Secondly, I enjoy running because I feel free, independent and get to zone out. I can’t really get that feeling with someone panting and sweating two feet away from me. Even though I was tuned in to CNN News on the TV screen to keep my mind off the run, I could not resist glancing down at the timer every few seconds. After what seemed like hours, it was finally time to lift.

I absolutely love lifting weights. It’s a different way to for me to push myself. It requires me to focus my energy and breathing differently than when I run. Last night, I started with abs: 100 bicycle ab-kicks, followed by 150 crunches on the ball, then 100 more bicycles, then 50 lower ab lifts and finally 100 bicycles. Yes, I love doing abs. Weird, I know. When my lifting buddy Beau showed up, we got started on legs. Beau was an NMSU football player and knows the perfect routines to make it hurt. And this includes the dreaded lunges. Squats I can handle, leg lifts I can handle, but lunges get me every time. And today, each time I get up from my desk — wearing my freakin’ high heels — I feel my hamstrings pulling and stretching in the most uncomfortable way. But secretly, I love it!