The ellipitical: Not a treadmill but not quite a bike

Today's Workout: 50 minute elliptical, 1.5 mile run (to test out the knee)

I know some of you are reading this saying... wait, I thought you weren't running until Monday to rest your knee? Well, I admit I'm HORRIBLE at doing what I know I really should do. Don't be like me please. Also, two other things happened that made me decide to run:

One: I wanted to see if my knee ailment was REALLY Iliotibial Band Syndrome or just a minor tweak. Still not sure which one it is, but I'm a known hypochondriac so I always have to check.

Two: I just got a super cute running skirt, my first running skirt, that I wanted to try (and I really, really couldn't resist). Tell me you would be able to just let this skirt sit there and not test it out..

Athleta Swagger Skirt: looks super cute on. No, those aren't my legs that's the model photo. Would be nice though if they were mine!

So far it passed the 1.5 mile test, shorts didn't ride up, but I'll put it on gear reviews once I run a longer distance in it.

Now that I've got the whole skirt-testing thing out of my system I promise I won't run for a few days. Seriously this time.

I did do a long elliptical session today though because I actually had the time for once and nothing in particular to do. The elliptical is strange to me and I don't really know how to describe the motion. Its not quite running and not quite biking.. its somewhere in between. I do like the resistance settings and I feel like I give my quads a good work out, but its just not the same as running. I definitely don't sweat as much either, even when I put the resistance up high. I'd say the cardiovascular benefits are less than when running (wonder if there's a study on this.. there must be. Thats the evidence-based practice side of me coming out- I need some proof!).

Even though I normally dread the elliptical, today wasn't so bad. I stayed on longer than I planned and got in a really good workout, partly because I had energy and partly because I couldn't stop reading Harry Potter Book 7 on my Kindle. Yes, in addition to being obsessed with Disney World I am also a huge HP fan. And yes, I read the books as they came out and am now almost finished re-reading them all.

 As I'm writing this I realize that I must sound incredibly weird. But I'm sure I can't be alone in my love of HP! Besides, there's absolutely no fun in using the elliptical unless you are watching TV or reading. For me I prefer reading books about things that aren't real, but that I wish were. If only this place existed in real life....

 

My sisters and I at the Harry Potter Wizarding World in Universal Studios, Orlando. Yep, that's Hogwarts.

My sister in the middle loves HP as much as me, and my sister in the hat probably couldn't wait to get the hell out of there.

Butterbeer in Hogsmeade.

The butterbeer was amazing, sadly no real beer in it though.

Glad I got to share with you my weirdness, it would have come out at some point anyway. I really will take a break from running now that I know how awesome that skirt is. I'll also keep foam rolling and using the wonderful Stick on the ol' IT Band. I'm definitely hoping and praying this goes away ASAP because I have a pretty packed race schedule coming up. People were practically giving away organs to get into the Brooklyn Half Marathon this May, so I seriously don't want to miss that one. But we'll see what happens. Fingers crossed! Keep you posted.

TGIF! Enjoy the weekend.

Anyone have any races planned for the weekend? Tell me about em!