More sleep, more better, more often

I have been trying, for the past few nights, to make a real effort to get more, quality sleep. Sunday and Monday night were pretty good with great sleeps in the 8 hour range; Tuesday and Wednesday weren't quite so good, but better than average. I think this is making a real difference in how I feel, so I am motivated to keep at it, in spite of the fact that I easily find things to keep me up at night (reading stuff online, for instance), but I need to balance this off against the real benefits to good solid rest and how it is critical to maintaining good health.

The exercise this week was great so far: Tuesday consisted of a couple of short walks (am and pm walks to the school and at night so the dogs could do their business respectively); Wednesday was a short walk in the morning (kids and dogs to school), Ashtanga yoga at the University at noon (a tough, satisfying 50 minute practice), and then another bedtime stroll with the dogs; Thursday (today) started with a nice about 25 minute walk with the SO and then at noon, sprinting at the University's indoor track.

Here's the (sprinting) deal:

• walk to the track (used as warm up in lieu of walking/jogging at the track)
• stretching
• 6 X ~ 60 m in about 15 s (~ 60%), walk back to the start, go again, about 40 seconds rest between each
• 6 X ~ 60 m in about 11 s (~85%+), walk back to the start, go again, about 60seconds rest between each
• 5 minutes walk/job warm down (4:1, walk:jog)
• stretch

This was a great workout. Things I learned: left Achilles is still a bit tender so best to sprint flat footed and not so much on toes; didn't wear orthotics this time and no ill effects as of typing this up, 8+ hours later, so we'll see, maybe wear them next time? All in all a good workout that went better and was easier on the knees by doing straight line sprints not sprints on the corner using the inside lane as I did last time that led to a tweaky knee.

Tomorrow I will try to make it to the pool for an easy swim, a great, relaxing way to end the week.