What's Yours is Mine

I love being outdoors.  If it weren't for the siren song of the big red couch, I'd spend more time outside than in.  (It's quite a song, by the way.  Incredibly difficult to tune out, and once you've heard it you're pretty much done for).

Right now, much of my training takes place inside the gym.  And while I could modify it in order to bring it outdoors, I lack sufficient space to do so safely and without infringing on other people's outdoor right.  Which leaves me jonesing for some good 'ole Vitamin D!  So far, the only way for me to get a fix is to either sit at the pool (incredibly inactive) or take the dog for a walk (only active if I'm trying to keep up with DH - I take 2-3 steps for each of his).  

Which brings me to my question for you:  Do you count incidental exercise/movement towards your training?  For instance, ideally I would be taking the dog out for a brisk walk/run about an hour a day (generally he looks at me with doggie eyes after 30 mins and I bring him home.  He's lazy).  In terms of my training, I would never consider that my "run" or my "cardiovascular exercise".  It's just...exercising the dog.  But if I were to include it as "training", I'd really be tacking on about 5-7 hours of light jogging or brisk walking to an already finely tuned (that's sarcasm, people) training program.

Interested in how you kids handle this sort of thing in your own programming.  Particularly those of you who train other people, or lead group exercise classes/training runs.  

If it's not "your" workout, does it count?

3 comments:

  1. Interesting question. :) If I lead a pace group for a race you bet I count those miles in my weekly total! It might not be at my "ideal" pace but it's still as Jeff says "time on my feet".

    As far as brisk walking etc I don't count my walking around town stuff as exercices, but if I'm up at the 'rents and walk their dog with my Daddy I usually note the miles in my training log but with a note that it was a walk or whatever. So it doesn't really "count" persay as my workout.

    But it is an interesting dilema and one we have dealt with frequently in MIT- what counts, what doesn't, how much cross training etc, etc. I think it comes down to knowing your own body. I have a freind who does not run more than 3 days a week (including her long run). She does other cross training- biking, pilates, swimming instead.

    Did that help or just muddy the waters more? In any event I admire your dedication to your training and eating plan!

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  2. Didn't muddy the waters any more than they already were :)

    With running in particular, it can become a problem in that you'll wind up with far too many "junk" miles under your belt every week. The likelihood of wearing yourself out before even hitting your key training runs. For me, the issue starts to become more metabolic, given my current short term goals.

    As always, we are an experiment of one. Won't know what works and what doesn't until all the data is in :)

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  3. I don’t count this because it would give me an excuse to back off the stuff that really works me. Junk mile is a good term for this! Speed walking is a different story with a deliberate motion and the HR steps up. This might be good as a recovery day, but never replace something which cranks your HR to the redline as sweat rolls down your face and muscles crave O2 faster then your body can delivery. On the other hand, if it means getting someone off the couch and putting their body into motion – This is great. Something is better then nothing! It’s relative to the individual.

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