The Gym Is My New Boyfriend

Planning Weekend of Fitness

2012-02-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

I am planning a weekend of fitness for myself in March. There is a retreat happening up island that I'd love to go to but it's not affordable, so I'm going to plan my own weekend to focus on me.

Proposed Plan -

Saturday:
Kettlebell class
Swimming laps
Climbing (indoor)

Sunday:
Long Slow Distance Run (14k +)
Yoga class
Window shopping

What would you include on a weekend like this? What should try that's out of my routine?

Picture from October Race

2012-02-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

Below is an image from the Half Marathon I ran back in October.Turns out I spend a lot of time looking at my watch. I think I need to upgrade to something fancier that will give me my splits, so I don't have to do it in my head at each marker.

Disney

2012-02-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

I went to Disneyland last weekend with the BF for a mini-vacation. We had a lot of fun and estimate that on the Friday when we spent 13hrs or more in the park we must have walked more than 14 miles. We were constantly on the move and my feet paid the price with blisters on the same toe on both feet. Who knew my walking gait was so different than my running gait and would cause challenges? Lesson learned. One more excuse to buy myself some Nike Free's for walking purposes.

I think I am going to post-pone my first long run in April, its scheduled for the 8th and 18KM and I'll be in Vegas. I think I will do it on the Tuesday instead in Seattle.

Also, one of my Seattle friends just started the Couch To 5K program and I am really excited for her. New runners have the best questions and insight.

Half Marathon Training

2012-02-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I ran 12.5km doing 10:1s in 76mins. This isn't very fast, but it's faster than my training pace group. It was a gorgeous route around South Lake Union in Seattle. It's my favorite route when I'm down here. The training plan was only 10k but I missed my turn around point. All in all it was successful workout.

I may join a women's field lacrosse team for the spring. My coworker coaches it and mentioned registration is soon. I played back in High School and first year University and really enjoyed it. She is sending me some more information so I can see if it will work in my schedule.

We leave for Vegas in 52 days! Time to step it up and learn to say no to the yummy treats and gluten free pizza that crosses my path. It won't be fun, but I'd like to think it will be worth it.

Chomping at the bit

2012-02-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

For those of you that rode horses as children or adults you'll understand the title. This is how I felt for 99% of the "long slow distance" run with Running Room this morning. The run was between 9 and 10km. A friend is in the clinic with me so I slid in with the pace group she's assign too. They elected to run a 6'30"/km average pace and it was just a little too slow for me. I felt like I was constantly nipping at the heels of the runners in front of me. When we hit heels I apologized to my friend and powered up them on my own as I need to take them fast and hard. I waited at the top for the group and then fell back into line. I feel like maybe I should be with a group running closer to a 6'15" - 6'30"/km pace to really hit my stride. I'm going to try to stick it out and re-assess at the end of February.

Would I be a horrible friend to join a faster group on Sundays and only stick with her on our Wed and Thurs runs?

iPhone Post

2012-01-31T10:35:00.000-08:00

This is my attempt to post from my iPhone. Bootcamp this morning was legs and abs and I always dread leg days. I made it through but there was much shuttering and shaking during split lunges. I'm also working on organizing a weekend dedicated to fitness in March. I am thinking the following: Tia class, kettle bell class, run in an area outside my usual zone, and a dance class. Should work out to be under $60 for the weekend. What activities do you undertake to stay out of a fitness rut?

Minimally Processed Nutrition

2012-01-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

I chatted with my boot camp instructor and asked when he was going to give a lecture on nutrition, he did me one better and gave me the plan he was on when he was cleaning up his eating. It's short and simple:

3 cups/day of kale/spinach/greens
3 cups/day of colored vegetables
2 cups/day of quinoa/fruit/yams
2 cups/day of lean protein
split up into 5 meals per day
you can reduce the carbs to 1 cup/day if you add in an extra half cup of protein and half cup of veg

It should be manageable, but I'm sure i'l, fight with my sugar cravings in a dramatic way over the first few weeks. The best of us struggle with "the white Satan" that is refined sugar and as soon as you give in it's like being on Day 1 all over again.

Wish me luck!

Sporadic Posting

2012-01-24T13:29:00.001-08:00

It has been brought to my attention more than once that my posting has become more and more sporadic over the last few years. I don't have a computer at home, so can only post from my smart phone or iPad, which reduces accessibility. I will work to try to post more often, but the constraints are frustrating. On top of this I am also working long hours and on the road a lot for my new role of Project Manager (since Dec 2010).

I will try to give you guys better updates with more pictures, quotes, reference to other blogs, etc.

Boot Camp and Gluten-Free Update

2012-01-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

Boot Camp is going well. We missed one class last week due to the snow and I missed yesterday due to high winds on Sunday that prevented my return from the Mainland. I enjoy the classes, except that we have started to use resistance bands and I am allergic to the rubber. My workaround is to bring full gloves and long sleeve shirts to class for these instances. I have not noticed a drop in weight, but BF has commented that it always makes me look more toned after the first couple of weeks. I have to keep pushing forward I guess. I have a trip to Vegas as the carrot at the end.

Running Clinic started last Thursday and I am very excited for it. This clinic has a number of first time half marathoners and a group of 6 girls going to the same race that I am aiming for with my friend. The first Half on my schedule is in early May, but there is another two that I'd like to do 1 in late June and 1 in early August. We'll see how training goes before I start paying more race fees.

I have been gluten-free now for nearly 3 months. It's hard. I notice that now if I inadvertently have gluten I immediately feel sick or have a pounding headache that doesn't respond to medicine and takes hours to dissipate. My mom has been good about finding me gluten-free treats in her travels and last week appeared with pizza shells made from rice flour, I miss pizza the most so this was a fantastic treat!

Full Plate for the New Year

2012-01-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

I am adjusting as best I can to being gluten-free. Turns out I can have dairy without issue, now that I have stopped having gluten. Today, if I were to have gluten I'd have a significant headache within an hour. It's not pretty, but it's nice to know I am taking better care of my body now.

I am still seeking out new gluten free recipes and restaurants. There are a surprising number of places that are gluten sensitive, but only two that I know of that are gluten free. I found a wonderful bakery that does gluten free buns! I am going to try to be more creative with quinoa and couscous over the next few months.

Starting on Monday, I am back at bootcamp 4 mornings a week: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday from 545am - 645am. Running clinic for the Half Marathon starts on the 16th and will have 2 structured runs per week and then 1 or 2 solo runs. I also redeemed my one month of unlimited hot yoga pass and am hoping to go to two classes per week. It's a full plate, but I think it will help me manage my stress a little bit better.

I am looking forward to a trip to DisneyLand in February for my birthday and bootcamp ends the week that I am headed to Vegas for 4 nights and 5 days with 10 friends. If that isn't motivation to work hard each class I don't know what is.

I didn't do any formal New Years resolutions. Did you?

Eliminating Candy

2011-12-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've decided that for the month of December I am going to strike candy from my diet. It doesn't do anything for me nutritionally and I tend to use it as an emotional crutch. That being said, there is one caveat to this and that is I will allow its consumption when I am in transit for 2.5hrs or more.

Restrictive Eating

2011-11-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

I'm struggling. I haven't struggled with this in a year or more, so it's particularly frustrating. They think I have a gluten-sensitivity or Celiac Disease (waiting on testing). This means mandatory food restrictions.

Food restrictions are a tactic I used years ago to drop weight in a disordered way. Being encouraged to add restrictions to whole food groups is a challenge for me. I find myself restricting wheat, barley, and rye (as per the medical recommendations), but also other things like rice and couscous (because I don't really like them). I've taken out the entire grain category. Some days I eat the calories of a normal person 1200-1500, but other days I can't figure out what's "safe" and available to eat so I clock in around 400-500 calories. This should feel more worrisome, but as I've been here before it doesn't. I get hungry, but it's not unmanageable.

I don't like the gluten-free alternatives. They taste weird and they are all very processed. It feels like replacing one bad option with another.

Finding Contentment?

2011-11-22T08:21:00.000-08:00

I have been criticized more than once for never being content with my lot in life. Never enjoying what I have and always asking for more when I get what I originally stated I wanted. I don't disagree with these statements, but I also don't know that it is entirely negative.

I found an interesting blog post that outlined many of my feelings on the matter:

"Contentment with continued growth is a difficult balance to strike; so much so that as soon as my life slows down and I find myself not worried or concerned about things, I have a tendency to take on a new responsibility. A new pet or hobby, is a good example. I think it’s a reaction of feeling as though since I’m not struggling, I am in danger of becoming stagnant."

This is my constant struggle and I think my resolution for the rest of 2011 and all of 2012 will be to strive to be more content without getting anxious that I am not moving forward at breakneck speeds.

Gluten and Dairy Free - Day 1

2011-11-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

They (being medical professionals) believe that I have either an intolerance to gluten or lactose. To test this theory, I am going to try my darndest to go two weeks (14 days) without either of these staples in my diet. I'm a little scared as I have a love affair with wraps and cheese.

Today, I have a homemade Barley soup (lunch), protein powder in chocolate coconut milk (breakfast), and a salad with grilled chicekn (dinner). I suspect I will get very bored, very fast.

Does anyone have some good recipes or tricks to recommend?

Race Results v3

2011-10-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

We finished the Half Marathon. I am happy to say my partner had enough juice left in the tank to surge at the end and abandon me for a 3 second faster finish time. I am unbelievably proud of her. Our time was nothing to write home about, but all goals were achieved. Within 2hrs of finishing we were looking up a Spring and Summer race to complete within the Province.

This is a video of our finish. She is in pink 2 people in front of me and I am in a striped yellow running vest.

T-6 Days to Half Marathon

2011-10-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm running my 6th Half Marathon on Oct. 9th with my friend Mia. She has never run a Half Marathon, so our only goal this time around is to finish and that will be an accomplishment in itself. I have been running with her for years, but she made a concerted effort and plan for running over the last 3 or 4 months. Currently, she has the pre-race jitters and anxiety. I take for granted that I have done some Half Marathon's already and don't get as nervous as I once did.

Thinking back I remember being so over whelmed on my first race that I cried at both the start and the finish. I am sure she'll enjoy it and finish with a smile on her face, but just in case...

Does anyone have any First Half Marathon advice or advice about dealing with race anxiety in general?

Loving Thy Self

2011-09-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

I need to work on loving myself better. I often do not see the little things that make life worth while because I get caught up with the minor inconveniences. I often say things to myself that I would never say to my friends because they're cruel. I'm not fair to myself by always seeing the glass half empty and striving to improve upon my improvements.

There are a ton of things I want to do in life, but I don't do them because I worry that I won't do them perfectly. I'd like to learn German, do silk paintings again, run a marathon, row, and sketch once a week (to name a few). I don't do these things because I place them at a lower value/priority than the easy stuff and work.

September and October will need to be about striking a better balance where I have faith and forgiveness for myself and find a better balance with work.

Personal Training

2011-07-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

The last two weeks have been an adventure in Personal Training. I hired Erin Crawford who is a personal trainer and world champion figure athlete. I chose her because she was recommended by a friend and definetly practices what she preaches. I purchased 4 personal training sessions, the meal plans, and the workout plans. Her rate is expensive, but you get what you pay for an none of my sessions lasted less than 90mins.

Let me tell you that getting up at 545am to be at the gym for 6am was a system shock. I am not a morning workout person. I like my workouts at Noon and after work. I did it. 4 times in 2 weeks I got up before 6am to have Erin kick my butt for 90mins.

Erin devised 2 lower body and 2 upper body days for me and we reviewed both sets of plans. These workouts include a warm up, ab work, control exercises, then the actual weight section. The upper body days certainly have me sore and stiff the next day, but I am not getting that feeling from the lower body days. I think I need to increase the weight on the lower body days, but as the exercises focus on stability I also don't want to fall on my face.

We did my measurements and body fat percentages and are going to compare against them in another 2 weeks or so. I'm nervous about that one, but hopefully it will validate my results.

Work ate my Half Marathon

2011-06-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday afternoon it was sprung on me that I would in fact have to be in Winnipeg, MB on Sunday evening for 10 nights / 11 days to train one of our larger clients. This is not my project, but the project manager assigned to it is no longer able to complete my training. I had a melt down. I get that they need someone there and that I am the best option, but not being able to do my Half was devestating. I have been training for this for months. Work will reimburse my race fee, but it will be my first DNF/DNS. I know there will be other races, but more of me is wrapped up in my running persona than I previously realized.

That was then, this is now. I'm in Winnipeg. I am still upset that I cannot do the Half, but understand that this was the best decision for my career. Can anyone suggest another spring/summer Half on the West Coast?

I ran today after being unable to run on Monday and completed the route below. It is only 4.5K but considering I am working 11hrs or more per day I am happy to get out the door at all. I am going to check out the local Running Room for the Community Run on Sunday morning. I am also hoping to get to hot yoga, but that is up for debate as the work days get longer.

A Month, Really?

2011-06-13T20:01:00.001-07:00

Wow. Its been more than a month since I have published a blog post. This may be a sign that I should formally place the blog on hiatus for the summer season. I have been very busy with work over the last few months in my new role and haven't been super motivated to work outside my box for fitness.

I mixed it up last weekend though. Last weekend I took the Learn to Row program. I rowed a bit in High School, but haven't touched a skull in years. The program was 3hrs a day on both Saturday and Sunday. The weather gods aligned perfectly with partially cloudy skies, minimal wind, and not too hot temperatures. I loved the program. The size was to be restricted to 4 people, but for whatever reason there was 5 of this. Instead of learning on the Quad on Saturday I got to use a double with one of the two coaches. The one on one time was awesome and I got a better workout and did some more advanced maneuvers. I spoke with the other participants after and they were jealous of my arrangement. Silly me, I'd been worried that being singled out was a bad thing. Overall, the weekend was awesome and now I can take any of the adult rowing programs, we covered more than 8Km on the water each day, and I got a slightly darker skin color.

Currently, I am debating between buying a 10 session punch for the 2hr Recreational Adult Rowing Program, hiring a person trainer (Erin Crawford) for 4 sessions, taking another running program, or getting back into climbing. I'd love to do the rowing, but feel it might eat into too much of my running time. BF says that he will assist with the Personal Training costs if this is something I really want to do to get back on track. I also met with the plastic surgeon and am weigh my breast augmentation options. They aren't booking beyond August at the moment and I'd want surgery after the October Half Marathon, so it gives me some time to think.

4 weeks down

2011-05-10T21:47:00.001-07:00

My attempts to cut out sweets like desserts was a shining success. My attempts to cut out my constant vice, candy, not so much. The surprising result was that it was actually easier to cut out alcohol than I had expected.

I had 4 drinks over the last 30 days. This is no small feat when one considers I would typically have 6 drinks a weekend and between 3-5 mid-week. I am happy with a reduction from 11 to 1 per week. I doubt I can maintain that virtue for the entire summer, but I don't miss the after dinner cider/beer to compensate for a stressful day. I've instead tried to get in more workouts or read my book or have a bath to try to relax and get out of "work mode."

It is getting easier to say no to treats, processed foods, and drinks "because they're there." I intend to continue to focus on my decision making process and acknowledge the consequences of my decisions before I commit to them. Its "living consciously" and I think there is real value in that.

In other news, I am back on the yoga bandwagon and will continue to try to go once a week.

Abs and Realistic Expectations

2011-04-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Charlotte's post earlier this week (or was it last week) about Abs and how to get em or how to accept that you won't get them was well grounded. I especially liked this Q&A:

Q: How do I get really defined/flat abs?

A: A combination of great genes and good eating. It is an oft-repeated axiom in the workout world that “abs are made in the kitchen” meaning that you can have the strongest abs in the world but you’ll never see them unless you lose the fat covering them up. For myself, I’ve found that my abs don’t show pretty much ever. Those of you that have read my book got to see pics but even at my lowest (and unhealthiest) body fat percentage, I still didn’t have visible abs. Other women have a six pack without even trying. Ah genetics, you strike again! The upshot is that how good your abs look pretty much has nothing to do with how you work them.

Q: Why should I bother with doing abs when I never see a difference?

A: I feel your pain, sister as I really don’t see changes in my abs either regardless of what I do. But our abs are about so much more than just looking good in a swimsuit. First, a strong core can help prevent back injuries and help heal existing back pain. Second, your core supports you in all of your other fitness endeavors – everything from running to weight lifting benefits from having a tight core.

If you don't already read her Blog the GreatFitnessExperiment I'd recommend you check it out. The entire article is here. Or those of you that live in #yyj I have her book and you're welcome to borrow it.

I'm working on my nutrition and making conscious choices about what I provide as fuel. I'm not perfect. I fall off the wagon at times. I had a half a glass of wine with Easter Dinner on Saturday and a bottle of cider on Sunday evening. These were splurges that ultimately weren't worth it. I'm all for drinking on occassion, but I think since I cut out the daily glass of wine I am better for it.

I still allow myself to have more treats than are really necessary and will continue to work on reminding myself that "food doesn't hug back." I am an emotional eater at times and when I am feeling guilty I deny myself food, its a rough roller coaster, but I'm getting better at navigating it.

Day 10

2011-04-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

The last 10 days have not been "perfect" but they have been full of conscious decisions. Did I partake when BF ordered Baked Honey Buns at Dim Sum? Yes. Did I have $1 worth of 5-cent candies on a Saturday movie night? Yes. These were decisions I made and acknowledged before committing to them.

I have no had a drop of alcohol in the last 10 days, which may not seem like much, but there have been ample opportunities. I have turned down dessert more than once, the office's monthly birthday cake celebration, and I've resisted the bag of starburst jelly beans calling my name. All in all, I've documented 95% of what I've eaten, limited processed foods in favor of "whole" foods, and generally feel better about my decisions.

33% of the way through.

8 weeks of learning to love the phrase "No, thanks"

2011-04-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've been overindulging in desserts and baked goods the last few weeks because there are a lot of opportunities that have presented themselves. There was dinner with my dad after a rough day at work that included cookies, my friend Nicole's birthday dinner that was capped off by cheesecake, BFs birthday with happy hour cupcakes, and candy on the ferry to and from Seattle this weekend. Enough is enough.

Today at the grocery store I loaded up on fruits, vegetables, and tupperware. I pre-chopped everything and stacked it on the main shelf in the fridge. Its hard to come up with excuses not to eat it when all of the work is already done for me. I also splurged on a marinated lamb kabob that I cooked in the oven. I don't know what was in the marinade, but it was pretty fantastic and a good diversion from the everyday.

As for the workouts, I need to play them by ear. I am on the verge of getting sick and I can definitely feel it the harder I am working and by the number of hours of sleep I need. I may pull from my shopping budget in order to pay for a 10 session crossfit punch card, but I'm still debating it. Wish me luck!

What's Next?

2011-03-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

That destination race wasn't a disaster so it has got me thinking about whether I want to do a destination each year and what that would look like. I really enjoyed how the Rock n' Roll race was so well organized and aid stations were well stocked. There was continual communication from the race during the days and weeks leading up to the expo.

What's next?

May 1 - TC10K (with work)
May 15 - Oak Bay Relay (w/ 2 friends and BF)
June 25 - Seattle Rock n' Roll Half Marathon (I signed up for this approximately 5mins ago)
Aug 28 - TENTATIVE - Edmonton Marathon (a co-worker has been trying to convince me to train for this event with her)

There was discussion about doing the Edge to Edge Half Marathon on June 12, but I opted for the Seattle Half instead because if you run 2 Rock n' Roll events in one year they will send you a 3rd medal. I can be bribed by shiny objects and I'm alright with that.

The draw back to Seattle is its on a Saturday, so I will have to get into Seattle on the Thursday night in order to pick up my gear from the race expo on Friday. It's going to be hilly and I don't expect as nice a finish time, but its worth doing.

Recipe for Success: Two Margarita's and a Sunburn

2011-03-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

I posted a PR today at the Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. The results are here. This beats my previous best by nearly 2mins and my most recent race by 9mins. I knew that my last race was an "off" day, but this confirmed it for me.

Yesterday, BF and I spent a leisurely day with my friend Mary (who lives in Dallas) dining on BBQ on a sunny patio, touring the course, walking by a lovely lake, napping, and dining on fantastic Mexican food for dinner. I ended up splurging on two margaritas and keeping a constant vigil on my hydration levels. The BBQ on the patio was the source of a significant sunburn on my shoulders and back. Apparently, for me this and a cold front were the recipe for success. It doesn't hurt that we also stayed at the swanky hotel, The Joule, in a room with a King size bed and enormous shower. I didn't end up taking advantage of their Infinity Pool, but I did enjoy the deck around it.

I've been training with work and Running Room and think it really helped to get me grounded for today. I never got the crippling lactic acid build up in my quads that was so prevelant in races past. The weather was on my side with slight winds, overcast, and low 60 degree temperatures. A ton of participants were shivering at the start line, but it was still warmer than what I've been training in this winter.

My friend Mary and the BF came and visited with me in the start line over the corral fence and we hashed out a plan for them to be cheering for me around the 10 mile marker. I nearly missed them with my headphones on and being on the opposite side of the road. BF came through with an extra 4 Gu Chomps and a hug. I actually beat them to the finish line.

The sights were lovely for the most part and included where Kenendy was assassinated and the "upscale" parks/home of Dallas. I run with headphones so I can't speak to the quality of the bands, but they did serve as easy progress markers. The spectators had some hilarious signs to cheer on the runners: "You've got tiger blood" next to a picture of Charlie Sheen; "Free iPads at finish line* (picture of iPad) while supplies last"; "I <3 Canadian Boobies"; "You can do it random stranger"; and "Run Hard, think of all the money I wasted on this sign if you don't";

Pictures to come later.

Taper for Dallas

2011-03-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

At this time next week I will be in the air coming back from the Half Marathon in Dallas, TX.

I'm excited and looking forward to the quick vacation to somewhere warmer than the wet and weary West Coast. I am also nervous because this is the first time I am doing a race where I have never seen walked the city let alone the race course. I am reviewing the course and the elevation chart and comparing against google earth to get an idea of landmarks near the various mile markers. I am also racing with a watch that will do my 10:1 intervals this time, as I find that I go too fast out the start and it hurts me by the end.

Everyone around me has or is recovering from a cold or flu. I am very worried that its catching and may strike me before the race, which is the last thing I need. I will spend this week loading up on water, vitamins, and whole foods. Mom helped with this by showing up with four bags of produce for me and the roommate from the farmers market. I have already baked two pies and still have 5lbs of apples. I will likely see if any of my GFs could use some of the apples and oranges to keep them from going to waste.

Tonight I pre-made some of the salad fixings I will need for the week and roasted some cauliflower.

I plan to take a camera with me to Dallas, so this time around I should have some race pictures. Wish me luck!

Negative Gym Encounters

2011-03-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

I don't know if he is always grumpy, woke up on the wrong side of the bed, had a horrible day at the office, or is normally an ass but... this middle aged man at the gym today yelled at my work wife and I for chatting. He told us to "Shut it down" and "Leave the gym if we wanted to chit chat."

As nicely as I could I explained to him that the recumbant bike was public domain, I'd paid my gym fees, we had every right to talk, but I'd meet him in the middle and talk a little quieter.

He out his headphones back in and I thought that was the end of it and we continued catching up about our weekends. Not 3mins later he pulls out his headphones, bellows at us "I thought I told you to shut it down!" grabs my work wifes magazine and violently whips it at me. It left a solid welt/bruise on my forearm. I explained to him how he'd just crossed from assault to battery and that wasn't acceptable behavior. My work wife dashed off to find the gym staff and I stayed put, because I get stubborn when people try to intimidate me.

Anyways, I see the wife has the attendant so I dash over and explain things and show them the welt. We continue our workout in a different area of the gym and do a series of body weight exercises for 15mins to keep our heart rate up. The don't kick this man out of the gym, they let him complete his workout. I find this completely unacceptable, especially when others vouched for our story and there are cameras in the gym. They are going to "look into" the incident, but I don't think I will be going back there until its resolved.

Long Runs and Hill Repeats

2011-03-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

T-24 days until the Half Marathon in Dallas, TX.

*Excited? Check
*Nervous? Check
*Prepared? Check

Remarkably, I'm feeling better than I have for my last few races. Yesterday, I ran 17K over three runs: lunch (5K), afternoon (8K), and evening (4K). Tonight was a 3K run out, 6x1min hill repeats that worked out to be approximately 2K, and then a 3K run back. I figured I should work on my tempo, so I picked up the pace for the last 1.5K back. It felt exhilerating, considering that I had felt quite wiped after the repeats.

With the 5K run tomorrow and the 10K (in the snow and slush) last Sunday, my total distance for the week will be 41K. I'll get in a final 16K this Sunday and then start 2wks of taper.

It Snowed on my Run Day

2011-02-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Over the last 6wks its evolved that Wednesdays are my long run day. My long run ends up being broken into 2 or 3 sessions by necessity. I lead a lunch and afternoon run at my office. Lunch has been getting progressively longer, its now 5-7K. Afternoon run is a minimum of 8.5K up to 12K depending on the participants. I also run in the evening with a girl friend at a much slower pace. I firmly believe that this slower run is the reason I am not sore the next day, it moves the lactic acid around when I would otherwise be on the couch.

It snowed 6in in 3hrs this morning and that caused all my coworkers to cancel our running sessions. I walked home from the office, but by 7pm was feeling cooped up and lazy. I'm not comfortable running in the dark, ice, and snow, so I had to improvise. Today I did the summer workout from bodyrock.tv workout, with a minor modification to Exercise #4 as I don't have hanging ropes but a chin up bay instead.

I admit that she is purposefully over sexualized in these videos, but that doesn't negate the fact that she is very fit and does have some solid routines. Many fitness models have fake breasts so it doesn't shock me that she does too. It seems that this is one of the most prominent trends in fitness magazines, ignoring the weight loss pills and instant fix advertisements.

It's not perfect, but at least I did something. I managed to get through the routine twice before calling it quits. I'm worried that the double workouts have been hindering more than they've helped. I have started keeping a rough journal of what I eat to see if that's the culprit rather than the training.

Modified WOD

2011-02-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

Wow. I haven't published a post in ages. I write them and then I want to make them better and then it just doesn't get posted.

My work wife is headed to Cuba next month and she is very excited about it, but at the same time had the standard female worries about her appearance. She's placed her fitness into my care until take off. We both get bored easily, so I'm planning to dabble in a few different workouts for our 3 sessions per week.

We did a modified Workout of the Day (WOD) from www.crossfit.com for today's session. The "Cindy" called for 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, and 15 squats as a series for 20mins. The assisted pull up machine at the gym was broken, so we use a shoulder press instead. We did 10 shoulder presses, 15 knee pushups, and 15 squats as a series for 15mins.

It was a lot of work and then we followed it up with ab work for 10mins.

I've proposed to CB that we undertake the MonkeyBar Gym for the month of April. We'll see how that goes, I'm still reviewing the program to see how I can balance it with my continued running. I am also contemplating a full marathon in the Fall courtesy of my Marketing Managers repeated encouragement.

Review: DOWNDawg Yoga

2011-01-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

I attended DOWNDawg Yoga with a co-worker at her urging and promise of a free pass for the gym (Club Phoenix). Who can turn down a free trial? Her pitch to me was that this was a higher energy Yoga class, free from chanting, corpse pose, and shhhushing.

The websites description is as follows:

Enjoy your favourite yoga flow sequences and get your heart rate pumping while rocking to electric beats! NO dance experience - the music melts with the moves, and the moves are in tune with your breath, giving participants the ultimate, fun and funky workout!

The class was wonderful; energizing; a fantastic diversion from the yoga stereotype. The instructor was absolutely ripped and very outgoing. She checked in to see who had been doing a lot of ab and leg work in the last few days so she could tailor the class accordingly then promptly pushed play on a top-40s mix of songs. There was Lady Gaga, Christina Aguleria, and whoever sings "Tonights gonna be a good night"...

I LOVED this class. She had us doing squats as a transition between Warrior poses. Her go to move for transition in the first half of class was plank, shavasana, cobra, to downward dog. We finished the yoga portion of class with pigeon, which is exactly what my running body needed. Finally, there was ab work and some standing balance poses.

If I didn't need a membership with the gym and could simply pay a $10-15 drop in fee I would take this class 3-4 times per week. My biceps were sore the next day. I never got bored and it was fabulous to have an instructor that encouraged us to hoot, hollar, and sing through the poses that were difficult for us. Everyone should try this class. I was informed by gym staff it is also offered at Body Dynamics and their website confirms it.

Running Group Clinic

2011-01-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

January is my month to embrace Yoga. It is also the first month that I am participating in a Running Clinic, Half Marathon organized through Running Room. They take the guess work out of training. They provided us with a weekly break down of the group sessions/goals, advice as to additional sessions/distance that we should be completing, and they have pace leaders (so I don't even need to think about it). These are all the positives. They come at a $70 price tag for a 16 week clinic.

The negatives for me are that I am running on the heels of others 80% of the time and with others on my heels too. I am used to running solo or with groups of 2-3 at most. This is a big change for me and its nice because the miles tick away rather quickly, but I do miss the solace.

I am running Wednesdat at lunch and after work with some co-workers who are training for a 10K race May 1st. I still run Wednesday evening with a GF. This means that I need to run on Tuesday in solitude in order to maintain a sense of balance. I am not going to gripe to my new Running Clinic peers about the pressures of work, long distance, etc. I need my Tuesdays to pound out 5Km or more on my own and stop over analyzing my life.

Overall, I think the clinic is well worth the money. I am making new friends and there is always someone there to distract and support you. Last Thursday I was exhausted by our third progression and didn't feel like I could make it up the hill without walking. In swooped an older gentlemen I'd been running with since day 1 to push me between the shoulder blades and tell me I was going to do this. He was supported by a guy my age that runs with the group for fun, because he is twice as fast as 90% of us. He lopped along beside me telling me it was only 100 yards and reciting mantras to me in a cartoony voice. These two were invaluable to my mental health last week.

I missed Sunday's session due to sleep deprivation, but I made it up in the afternoon with a solo run after dropping BF off to head back home.

Lululemon Community Yoga

2011-01-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Those that have read more than a few posts will know that I buy a large volume of Lululemon clothing. I like the brand, the quality is there, and its Canadian designed. I also like that they do a weekly Community Yoga class. I don't often go, but I think its a nice way to say thanks to their customers. January they are doing the month of Ashtanga.

Last night I went and it was a restorative Yoga class. Unlike the dreadful restorative class I went to at Moksana on Friday night, this was one both challenging and relaxing. The instructor was 6mos pregnant and admitted to not being able to do all the bends anymore, but very helpful. She walked about the class to ensure that we were in proper alignment and provide adjustments as necessary. She works for a new studio, Ashtanga Yoga Victoria. They even had free yoga all weekend to promote their new location.

I would recommend the restorative class for runners or beginner yogis.

Multiples of 12

2011-01-05T21:21:00.000-08:00

There are 12 step programs; 12 day diets; and 12 days until I see BF again.

There is also 12 months a year. I am not a true believer in yearly resolutions because the best habits are formed over time, not on an arbitrary date because everyone else is doing it. I think instead, this year, I should look at 12 different "small steps" to gradually enhance my life over the next 12 months.

January = flexibility and stretching. I'd like to attend 4 yoga classes this month as this is a weak part of my program. I did Yoga via Netflix when in Palm Springs and felt better for it.

February = stretching my boundaries. A few years ago I had a month of saying yes to everything unless: I already had plans/obligations, it was illegal, it was immoral, or it would sink me further into Visa's clutches. I really enjoyed this month and it was through that months change of pace that I met my BF.

March = increase patience. I am signed up for a Half Marathon in Dallas, TX this month. I don't particularly enjoy solo long runs and would like to learn to be more patient with myself and the achievement of my goals. I can't give it all in the first 90mins and leave no gas in the tank for the finish.

April = be a better listener. They say we were given 1 mouth and 2 ears for a reason. I should use my ears twice as much.

May = Swimming can be fun. It's no secret that I avoid swimming as a workout because of how much pool time I had to log during rehab after the car accident. I have intermittently done water workouts. I think doing them more often leading up to summer would help me be more comfortable in a bathing suit.

The rest are yet to come and under review, but I will post an update when I can. Generally, I'm just trying to keep things from getting stale.

Preferences

2010-12-21T09:55:00.001-08:00

The gym that I normally go to on Sunday evenings, as a treat after dropping BF off at the ferry to go home, has changed out a bunch of their cardio machines. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but I find the new ones to be uncomfortable and hard to use. It's not just that its not intuitive as to how to change the TV channel, but that half the time the volume doesn't work. The back rests on the bikes are "adjustable" between moderately uncomfortable and excruciating. I up and left tonight after struggling to get one working properly for myself and went to a different gym.

I've started working out 1 or 2 days a week with my work wife. She started at my company 3 months ago and we were fast friends. It's nice to have someone to keep me motivated, distracted, and accountable. I've been missing company for my misery. We're trying to use the pool one session a week, which is not my favorite activity. We warm up with cardio, do weights, and then get changed and swim some lengths. We're not doing 30min pool sessions at this point, but its a start.

I had a melt down on BF this weekend when I felt fat and gross and was uncomfortable in my own skin. He helped me talk through it and work out a plan, which always leaves me feeling more in control. This morning I realized how ridiculous I was being and we had a good laugh about it. He loves how I look even when I don't always see the same thing in the mirror. I, like many, tend to focus on the things that bug me rather than the big picture. I'm going to try to cut myself a little slack rather than being my own biggest critic.

I'm looking forward to the 24hr fitness center in Palm Springs next Sat-Wed. They're publishing the holiday workout schedule today and I am eagerly awaiting it. We only have one "activity" planned each day. This suits both BF and I. His goal is to sleep in. Mine is to relax and focus on what makes me happy and often that's working out.

Fleeting Days

2010-12-13T21:03:00.001-08:00

I'm a Project Manager by profession; I still fail to create Plans for my personal goals. I find it daunting to write it all down knowing that often I am the only one that will hold me accountable for it. Days and weeks can go by without me starting fitness goals or measuring progress.

This is something that I'd like to change, but I haven't determined the best way to go about it. It used to be that BF and I would hold each other accountable for our runs and workouts. Being far away its easy to forget to ask about those items and you don't want to be too stern about missed workout plans over the phone.

I think I need to make it fun. They say you're more likely to stick to goals and plans if there are negative financial repercussions, but that seems pessimistic. I prefer implementing a reward system, like "no candy or sweets for a month in exchange for a Lululemon Running Skirt." I am going to work on determining my 2011 goals and the associated plan and reward system. Wish me luck.

Setting Goals

2010-12-10T19:59:00.001-08:00

On March 27th I will be running the Dallas Rock n' Roll Half Marathon. IT is touted as a fast and flat course with mild to warm weather conditions. I believe with some dedication to my training and an increased focus on speed intervals I may be able to get close to a 9'15" mile average. This is an aggressive goal, but I have been able to average this doing speed intervals on the treadmill. I am still drafting an official training plan and my Thursday/Sunday runs will be driven by the Running Rooms training program starting in January.

What are you contemplating for your 2011 fitness or life goals?

**Update regarding the Lululemon Hoodie, I went to the local store and they were able to dig one up for me from the back stock. I LOVE it and will post pictures next week**

It's Official: I'm a Biohazard

2010-12-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

I was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia at the clinic last Saturday. Doctor figured I'd had it all week, but a demanding work schedule meant I couldn't get in any early. I was started on 10 days of antibiotics.

I'm okay with the med, no harsh side effects. I miss running. I was told I could work out "lightly" if I felt up to it, but no running and certainly not outdoor activities. I have an increased lung capacity from running and am "young and relatively healthy" so the doctor called it "walking pneumonia."

Essentially, it means my lungs are full of gross pus instead of air, but I'm not wheezing or coughing because there is a lot of space to fill. I miss running. I'm tired of spiking multiple fevers per day. I hate having to work half days because I have high maintenance East Coast clients that require my attention. I want to curl up in a ball on my bed and live there for a few days until this is over and done with.

I don't get sick often, but when I do it tends to be something significant like a blood infection or apparently pneumonia. Wish me luck in not getting intense cabin fever, while on the road to recovery.

Needless to say, I skipped the 5K Santa Shuffle last Saturday.

On a lighter note this link will take you the Lululemon hoodie I am dying to try on in grey.

Pseudo-Flu

2010-12-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

I have felt like I am starting to get the flu for a few weeks now. It's significantly affecting my weight lifting at the gym, but not as significantly my running. It's really frustrating and at this point I would rather be sick and bed ridden to get better. Otherwise, when I only feel slightly run down I still do my workouts to avoid the non-workout guilt I'd otherwise experience. I'm going to try to get to the doctor tomorrow as my mother is worried I have "Walking Pneumonia."

One of Those

2010-11-29T20:19:00.001-08:00

"Are you one of those people that only eats healthy in order to balance out the bad stuff you eat?"

A coworker asked this of me today, while I was eating an apple and admitting to eating a 1/2 a Raspberry Pie over the course of a weekend. I recognize that he meant well, but the comment got the wheels turning. I am one of "those people." I balance out my healthy choices with my less than virtuous cravings and indulgences.
More so, I have reason to believe I may be one of those exercisers too. I don't always exercise to balance out a treat, but I have done this in the past.

Case in point, I did a double workout on Sunday. The first workout was an 8K run with BF that I did because I love it when we run together and I love running. The second workout I did because I was sad he had to leave again, I'd had a mini Skor Blizzard, and I knew if I didn't distract myself with the "treat" of a workout I'd seek out candy.

I'm not 100% balanced in my relationship with food and myself. I doubt the majority of us are. I try to make conscious choices, but sometimes I can't muster the mental fortitude. I worry I'll fall into bad habits, but I think that worry is what keeps me in check. I find myself with hours on my hands and the core reason I don't spend them working out like crazy is that I know that particular crazy breeds my other type of crazy.

**Note: I wrote this entire post on the Spin Bike at the gym tonight. I wonder what that says about my revelations.**

Mini Update

2010-11-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

I am LOVING my hip-hop class at the Y on Tuesday evenings. I missed one class and then I scrambled to catch up, but I'm back on track now. I am going to sign up for the Winter session that starts in January. It's mini-interval training as we go hard/fast for 2mins and then get 16 beats and start again.

I am missing my outdoor runs, but we've have frequent snow fall of late and sub-zero temperatures. I did some hill intervals on the treadmill last night, but I'm having trouble talking myself into 30mins treadmill runs. I plan to start a series of 5 Bootcamp classes next week. I am going to try one that starts at 630AM and see how morning workouts fare with me. Wish me luck.

I will sign up for the Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in Texas this weekend. My mom is paying for my Half Marathon training program with the running room that starts January 6th. I spoke with the woman running the Marathon training clinic and she said I was welcome to tag in for some of their runs to cover my distance. The Half Program is scheduled to get participants ready for a race May 1st and my race is March 27th, so I'll need the extra mileage.

Aerial Trapeze

2010-11-15T12:25:00.001-08:00

On Friday, I took an Aerial Trapeze class in Seattle, WA. This class was both fun and terrifying. I took my class at Emerald City Trapeze.

I rock climb and cliff jump, which makes it realistic for one to assume that I could do this too. It was terrifying to walk up the 30+ foot ladder each time before my flight. Leaning over to grab the bar was hard. Leaning over to grab with my left hand and only relying on the man holding me from the my belt, terrifying.

I did three flights and qualified to be caught by another person on the other trapeze. I chickened out. I couldn't trust some man I had only met 90mins ago to catch me. It was just too much.

I did accomplish a few back flips and I did hang by my knees with no hands from 40 feet in the air. I am a little disappointed I couldn't get over myself and trust a trained professional to catch me, but there is always next time I suppose.

New Adventures in Coordination

2010-11-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

I am working on being more coordinated as this has never been one of my strong suits. To this end, I am signed up for a 7 week Hip-Hop class starting tomorrow. Between this, Step, and Squash I am hoping to see some improvement. *Fingers Crossed*

Last week, I had convocation and the whole day turned out really well. It didn't rain during photo's at the castle and my friend who is a make-up artist did a great job on my eyes. BF flew in for the day and mom took us out for a great steak dinner. The only major drawback was people already asking me, "What are you going to do now?" I just finished and I wish they'd let me enjoy it, but the truth is I am wondering the same thing myself. Eventually, I'd like to do an MBA, but its not a path I want to cross before I get more experience in my field.

Updated Weekly Workout Schedule:
- Hip Hop on Tuesdays
- Weights 3 days a week
- Running 3 or 4 days a week (one long run of 10K or more)
- Deep water running on Thursdays
- 1+ cross training session per week

I need to work in more stretching and think that may take the form of yoga once a week. Unfortunately, I haven't found a studio that I really enjoy the atmosphere at that matches my lifestyle schedule. I don't want to commit to weekend classes because I jump between Seattle and home a fair amount.

Oh, I am trying a Aerial Trapeze class in Seattle the weekend of the 13th. Wish me luck!

Vanity: My New Source of Motivation

2010-10-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia says that "Motivation is the activation of goal-oriented behavior."

The title of this post comes from a comment a friend of mine wrote on my wall about workouts and why we complete them. It is probably one of the most honest statements that I have ever had the pleasure of being sent. I often have other goals for my workouts, like a race, but at the end of the day vanity is the a huge motivator. I workout because I want to be faster, stronger, but I also work out because I want to be smaller than the current me. I want one summer with a hint of 6-pack abs. Vanity is the true reason I continue to workout when I don't have any tangible goals like races.

Today, I found a belt I wore when going through a horrible breakup. It has extra notches I cut into it with a knife, because it was too big. I could not hope to wear the belt on its smallest, hand made, notch today. I do admit that I would love to. It's now part of the underlying "vain" motivation. It stacks right up there with a 5 day vacation to Palm Springs that BF and I have booked for Christmas. I would like to be more fit, toned, and lean before I board that flight.

I am certainly not the first or the last blogger that will post about this topic. James S. Fell discussed this on a post at www.thatsfit.ca, excerpt below:

Running in the pouring rain isn't easy. Saying "no" to pizza, donuts, and that third beer is equally hard. The motivation to kick your own ass at exercise and deprive yourself of the abundance of yummy chow that permeates our society is hard to sustain, and you must strengthen your will by some creative means to be fit and healthy.

Vanity can be one of those means.

I would like to acknowledge here that experts consistently recommend that you have more than vanity or a positive self image for your reason to lose weight. I think that they are write that its useful to have a stronger reason to do it, but I don't think it eliminates vanity as a contributor to motivation.

Does this make me shallow? Maybe. Am I disappointed in admitting this about myself? No. Does this probably apply to the majority of people in the local gym? Yes, at least in part. What are your thoughts on this?

Gratitude

2010-10-19T23:52:00.000-07:00

I do not thank the people that make my life worth living nearly enough. This is the thought that keeps churning through my mind like a hamster on an wheel as I feel sweat dripping down my neck from my first Step class in more than a year. I can hazard a guess that this light began blinking when I stood outside the glass doors of the very full and moderately intimidating class.

I have not taken a Step class since my long past and sorely missed workouts with JD. That man was and continues to be one of my favorite workout partners and an individual who I am always eager to hear updates from. He's bought a house and is expecting his daughter in the new year. Missed workouts are presently amongst the most minor of his concerns, but I still appreciate that he checks in on mine.

There are countless cliches about growth and aging and the wheel of time. The fact of the matter is that the person we all were a year ago is never the same person that stares back at us from the mirror today. People evolve, lives change, and priorities shift. I spent the week post Half Marathon in a funk, feeling sour that I was not the same person that I was that first race and disappointed that I didn't "live up to my own potential." I believe, I'm mostly over it now.

I love that though she's busy remodeling her new home, Mia still makes time to run with me and watch ANTM once a week. I am overjoyed for CB and her new life with her darling baby girl, but sorely ashamed that I have yet to hold this wonderful addition to the world. I don't think I'm a bad friend or a bad person for not having done this yet, but sometimes my priorities are out of whack and I don't see the forest for the trees.

I have wonderfully supportive friends close to home and throughout the interwebs. I am fortunate for this and the support, advice, and encouragement I receive. I recognize that often they tell me a version of what I want to hear because they recognize that I'll also listen to what I don't want to hear if they phrase it right. Thank you to those commenter's (IRL, Twitter, FB, and Blog) that gave me their personal insight, motherly advice, and general wisdom prior to my Half Marathon.

I miss BF. I miss having a built in running partner who respected that pounding the pavement or hackling a trail, even if we were both tuned into our iPods, made my day better. It gave me the opportunity to clear my head without the pressure to stare someone in the eyes and talk about my fears, concerns, ambitions, and dreams. It's a lot easier for me to speak freely when I have a built in pause button in the form of hills, narrow trails, traffic signals, and puddles. I am still struggling to make the shift from this easy comfort to a relationship riddled with pregnant pauses over a Skype Call. I'm fortunate that we both recognize that this is hard, but 100% worthwhile. I still miss my running partner every time I lace up my shoes and I think that's okay.

I'm working to get my head on straight and define some goals in the absence of school, a half marathon in the immediate future, and a second job. I spend a lot of my life striving for goals and I recognize that the fact that I will never stay satisfied is challenging for those around me. When I don't have goals I am unhappy because my fears that I will squander some potential I didn't know I have take root and flourish. I want to apologize to those that choose to be in my life in spite of my ever changing objectives. I don't move the marker to frustrate you, but to keep myself in a happy place. All I can say is thank you for being there.

Race Recap

2010-10-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

I was bib #5669. I finished 288/588 for my age group, which though I am in a new category is still a far fall from last years results.

The race shaped up roughly the way I expected it to. I adjusted my expectations to meet the realities of my recent training and my diagnosis of acute anemia. The long and short of it is that I finished in 2'10" and I can't say I wasn't disappointed. This means my pace was 6'13"/Km when last year I kept it under 6mins.

It rained the entire day before and it was still pouring at 3AM on race day. The sky was over cast when I reached the starting line. I even tossed on my Running Sleeves to get some extra coverage without committing to a true long sleeve shirt. I ended up pulling these off around the 8-9K mark. Once I removed them, I found that my right bicep was very sore. I don't know if this was because of the sleeves or because I was pumping my arms more than normal, but it was the strangest running casualty yet.

I reached the half way mark at exactly 1hr and was on pace to finish in 2'05". Unfortunately, the weather didn't agree with me and there were some significant head winds from the 15-20K mark along the water. It was like running through molasses, when I was already sore. Mentally and physically I got through it by adding in additional walk breaks, but it was not my finest segment.

I am glad I decided not to forgo the race, but I am going to try to make some adjustments to my training plan for Dallas in March. The goal is to take it a little easier this week and then get back to my base mileage and long runs. This way when ramping up for the Dallas Rock n' Roll Half Marathon I can focus on speed rather than distance. They even have pace teams!

"The 13.1 mile course will display Dallas’ country yet urban charm. Themed aid stations, live bands, and cheer squads will be strategically placed along the course to enlighten your race experience. The weather is predicted to provide ideal spring running conditions, the average high in March is 68 degrees and the average low in March is 47 degrees. The components of perfect weather, mile by mile entertainment, and a flat fast course combine to make a supreme race choice to put on your Spring calendar."

The finishers medals look pretty wicked too!

2 Weeks without posts?

2010-10-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone is still bothering to read this considering I've gone more than 2 weeks without a post, but if you are I thank you for your ongoing support and queries.

I am 4 days from my Half Marathon. I'm still battling a wicked chest cold and don't feel 100%. I am nervous that I am going to "fail" but I haven't defined what "failure" is in this instance. Presently, it's an omnipresent feeling of apprehension and worry about the race. I was also diagnosed two weeks ago with acute anemia and am trying to regulate my iron to keep the spins at bay. [there is a great article here on some low-iron solutions] I attempted to explain this to BF last night and his reply "At this point making it half way would be an accomplishment." This was not the correct response. The correct response was what I got from Mia when I bemoaned his lack of support.

"I think you will do great! Obviously BF is having trouble conveying the correct things. After all he is a silly man. You will do the best you can. All things considered (being sick, losing a great running partner)."

This was the response I was needing. Reassurance that it is okay for me to race and that I'll be supported regardless of the outcome and that I've worked hard for this.

I am nervous. I will persevere and it may not be a PR, but "the accomplishment is not that I finished, but that I had the courage to start." Any encouragement, mantras, advice, etc. that you have available would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening!

Elation over Superficial Things

2010-09-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

I don't want to be proud that the scale has been steadily dropping over the last 10 days, but I am. I am really, really proud of the decreasing numbers. Admitting this makes me feel sick on the inside. I know that its just a number and I should be this happy over the fact that I feel better, not over the number. Unfortunately, it doesn't register that "feeling better" is a real side effect until the scale validates my efforts. Am I the only one this happens to?

I could have written this post a few days ago, but didn't want to "jinx it" - I am ridiculous. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing, but I don't know how to truly "not worry" about what the scale says. I didn't have a scale for years when I was recovering from my era of very disordered eating, but my cousin gave me her's when she moved 16 months ago. Since then, the scale has been my daily "guide" at the end of the day. I give it the power to determine whether I'vs done "good" or "bad" throughout the course of the day.

**Spoiler Alert: On America's Next Top Model last night they eliminated the contestant Anne-maria who was obviously anerxic. Throughout the show she talked about how she put herself on a "calorie restrictive diet" to get lean. At the photo shoot they told her to turn her body so she didn't look so skinny and she argued with them that she was "trying to get lean" and didn't hear them when they said she was already too lean. There was a one-on-one with her where she talked about how when she looked in the mirror they didn't see what she saw and she saw someone that needed to be leaner to be a model. This part was really hard to watch and hear. I felt for her, but I also think they did the right thing by eliminating her. She wasn't healthy and should be getting help rather than throwing herself into the lime light for additional scrutiny.**

Mixing It Up

2010-09-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm 1 week into my clean eating and exercise plan. I haven't gone completely nutty with the numbers yet, but I am also not allowing myself to calculate the macronutrient percentages of exact calories counts. I am just writing the volume of items eaten at a given time and recording my observations about the day in general.

There were a few less then virtuous choices last week, but I've made peace with them:
- chocolate truffle cup cake with peppermint butter cream icing made by a very creative and crafty friend
- 1/16 of a homemade strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake

I knew that both of these items were coming and had an uber healthy dinner in anticipation of their consumption. I also worked out every single day to varying degrees from light and easy to hard and sweaty. I think overall it was a successful week and has motivated me to stay on track.

This week, I have a massage booked for Wednesday evening, which I am very much looking forward to. On Thursday I am meeting with my cup cake baking friend, who is also a personal trainer, to devise a 6wk weight routine to increase my overall strength. Yesterday, I ran 12K after work, cooked dinner, and then went to a 75min Yogilates class. Tonight, boot camp followed by a 60min Yoga for Runners class at Feel Good Yoga (they are running free sessions this week).

I bought myself a reward for completing the Half Marathon. I don't get to wear it until after I am done and it is the motivation I was looking for. Lululemon Dance Studio Pants in Black was the final selection (size 6). Do you reward yourself for healthy habits or is the habit reward enough? I find that I need a tangible item to set my sights on when I am searching for another gear to finish a work out. Sometimes its a massage, energy chews, a pedicure, or clothing; my rewards really depend on my mood and the level of effort required to attain them.

I have a Bachelors of Commerce!

2010-09-08T11:59:00.001-07:00

School last week was intense. I was there for 12-14hrs per day and didn't have the mental capacity to post when I did get home at the end of it all. There wasn't much to post regardless as my ankle was still sore from the run on Aug 26th. I did a morning Yoga class on the Wednesday and an evening gym session on Thursday. Beyond that I focused on school, at crap food for dinner, and generally worked my mental butt off to prepare our final project.

It's official - I passed everything and at the end of the month I can sign BCom at the end of my name and on my business cards!

This week I am focusing on getting back on track. The sedentary hours in the library and junk food for dinner did a number on my waist line and my blood sugar. The number they did on my waist line and the scale have left me emotionally frail at the moment. I recognize I put too much stock on a number sometimes, but its something I haven't mastered being indifferent to - I'm working on it.

For now, its all about clean eating and getting in a daily sweat session. I am using a Google Doc to track what I eat and at what time of day. I am using all the willpower I have not to compute the actual calorie counts everyday. I did this for long enough when I was younger that I can rough estimate it, but I feel like computing it will create a whole new level of crazy. In reality I really want to track it to that level of detail because then I can optimize (read: decrease incrementally) over the course of a week and factor in my workouts too.

What's your opinion of food and exercise logging? Good, Bad, Ugly? Am I the only one that brings on a little too much crazy once I give in to my OCD and Body issues? How happy are you all that I am not posting my food log on the blog itself? I figured I would spare anyone that actually reads my posts that particular annoyance.

Quote from Wasted by Marya Hornbacher:

"That paradox would begin to run my life: to know that what you are doing is hurting you, maybe killing you, and to be afraid of that fact--but to cling to the idea that this will save you, it will, in the end, make things okay."

How do you Eat an Elephant?

2010-08-26T09:08:00.001-07:00

I've never tried, but I'm told you eat an Elephant one bite at a time.

I'm exhausted. I am stressed about school, being away from work for a week (while I have some big projects on my plate), trying to fit in running, and maintaining my long distance relationship. I just wrote out a bunch of details and recognized I was throwing myself a pity party so I deleted them.

I am going to run 12K after work today, before going home. This will make me feel like I have accomplished something for the good of my body and mind.

I am going to make seeing my girlfriends tonight a priority. One is going back to school in a week and I want to soak up the time that is left.

CB just had her daughter yesterday and I went to see them and she's a gorgeous and healthy. I am looking forward to seeing her grow up with such loving and attention parents. That family is blessed.

I am going to stop freaking out about the fact that I finish school in a week and a half. Yes, its scary. Yes, I'll have more free time. Why does free time have to be observed as a bad thing? It provides me with opportunities to try something new. Suggestions?

This was my attempt to put on a positive attitude in place of the Debbie Downer that I had this morning. Thank you for humoring me in this.

Also, one of my favorite Bloggers Charlotte from the Great Fitness Experiment just had her book listed on Amazon.com yesterday. It's on my pre-order wish list and I hope to purchase it by the end of September.

Candy Boycott Re-instated

2010-08-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's official. I am re-instating the candy boycott. I've been in a funk the last couple weeks and am still struggling to adjust to being in a Long-distance relationship, when I was enjoying my "same address" status. To this end, I've realized that I may have been using sugar as a crutch once more. This is my fall back position and its not good for me or those around me (I metabolize sugar quickly and get very hyper). To this end, I am boycotting it for an undetermined length of time, but likely until the end of September. I want to see if it will help me in handling the root of the challenge rather than the symptoms.

In other news, I walked a lot this weekend in Seattle and we included "fun exercise" as dates like Bowling and Adventuring to new places. I need to get in a long run this week and will probably do it on Friday night as BF won't get in before Saturday. Alternatively, I could do it on Thursday. There are less then 50 days until the Half Marathon, but at this time I am more concerned in the 12 days that are left until I am done my Bachelor's degree. Wish me luck!

Excerpt from Bootcamp

2010-08-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

We got the lead for this "workout segment" from Twitter and have incorporated it at Boot Camp into three sets of each activity in a circuit, with a 30 second break between each set.

30 squats
30 second wall-sit squat
30 wall push-ups
30 second low plank
30 jumping jacks

It looks easy, but I end up sore (in the good way) the next day. Of course, we also combine this with other ab, leg, and arm work and cardio throughout the class.

I <3 the girls that come to boot camp and love the friendships that I have gained through miseries love of company. On Thursday we're hiking the mountain, working out at the play ground at the top, and then jogging home. Get vitamin D and good company.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2010-08-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

The recent weather here has been hot and gorgeous. Great for socializing and lounging by a body of water. Sub-par for runners accustomed to Canada's colder climate. I go through this every year, but seem to forget until its upon me. I am adjusting my runs to be early morning or late afternoon (read as close to dusk as possible) in order to minimize the chance of heat exhaustion. At moments like this I really miss having BF as a running partner because I tend to get nervous running solo after dark. I will work on overcoming this fear over the fall as I don't have a lot of options.

Two weeks left of online studies for my degree and then 1 week of in-class. The light at the end of the tunnel is VERY bright and I am looking forward to the free time. I may have some contract work lined up, for Event Coordination, for the fall.

Also, BF and I are exploring Christmas vacation options and are likely going to Europe or Japan. He wants Japan, but Europe would allow us to do a stop over in New York to see his family. We're crunching the numbers and exploring our options.

24 day and 60 day countdown

2010-08-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Count down #1 is the number of days before I finish my BComm at University
Count down #2 is the number of days before my next half marathon

School is severely hampering my ability to get long runs completed. It's the price I need to pay to keep my GPA up high enough to meet Graduate school requirements. Instead of "defined" runs I am going to stick to my cross training "bricks" and try to get in some extra "quick and dirty" runs during the week for the extra miles. I know "junk miles" aren't the perfect solution, but its time on my feet and at this point I'll take it. Once I'm done at school I'll spend more time on training, but this investment has to come first.

I am still Spinning on Monday's and Bootcamping on Tuesday and Thursday.

2010-07-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

Last Week Plan:

Monday = Spinning
Tuesday = 90mins Bootcamp / Pole and 30min run
Wednesday = 45min Run/Walk with some friends
Thursday = 60min Bootcamp and 30min run
Saturday = 60min run with BF

Last Week Actual:

Monday = Spinning
Tuesday = 60mins Bootcamp / 20min run
Wednesday = 30min solo run
Thursday = 60min Bootcamp
Friday = 45min run with a friend
Sunday = 50min solo run (long run)

Analysis:

I ended up logging the workout time that was scheduled, but it was not in the order scheduled. It's a six of one, half dozen of another, type of moment. I am happy with the results and the long run was 2K shorter than I'd wanted it to be, but at least I got the majority of it completed.

This Week Plan:

Monday = Spinning
Tuesday = 90mins Bootcamp
Wednesday = 45min run with a friend
Thursday = 60min Bootcamp
Saturday = VEGAS! (Run in the morning if I am feeling energetic)

Bricked Workouts

2010-07-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

I have a new found respect for those that "brick" their workouts. I first heard this term amongst my friends that train for triathlons. A "brick' is when you do an epic amount of biking and then immediately get off of said bike and try to run. This gets them ready for race day and I can see the value in this type of preparation. There is a more extensive post about it here that's worth checking out.

I do not do triathlons, but I am modifying "bricks" to suit my training goals. On Tuesday I did 60mins of Bootcamp and followed it immediately with 30mins of running. It felt like I was trudging through syrup in the heart of an Alberta winter. I finished the workout, but I've never felt so slow.

The advantage of this experience is that my "running only" workout on Wednesday felt like a breeze by comparison. It was hot. I was sweaty, but overall I loved it. I'm a little stiff today and am looking forward to having Friday or Saturday to rest. Tonight is the last Bootcamp class of the week and my dear friend "Barbie" is coming as she just purchased a 5 session punch card. I haven't worked out with her in ages and am looking forward to it.

Idolizing Starlets

2010-07-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

"I think all women in Hollywood are known as sex symbols. That's what our purpose is in this business. You're merchandised, you're a product. You're sold and it's based on sex. But that's okay. I think women should be empowered by that, not degraded."
- Megan Fox

Do you have thoughts on this? I read a great piece by Chuck Klosterman that compared Marilyn Monroe to Pamela Anderson.

Bootcamps

2010-07-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Last week:

Monday = 60mins Spinning
Tuesday = 90mins of Bunny Bootcamp / Pole
Wednesday = Sitting poolside at the Country Club and then an easy 60mins Pilates Fusion class
Thursday = 60mins Beach Bunny Bootcamp
Saturday = 3hrs of car wash fundraiser

As you can see I didn't truly workout Friday through Sunday. BF was back for his weekend visits and it just didn't take priority. The Beach version of Bunny Bootcamp that we did on Thursday was intense because of the instability of the sand. We finished the class with 4x100m hill sprints.

I was disappointed in the Pilates class. It was weak and I've heard that the classes can leave your abs sore for days. If I were to do it again I'd take the hour spin class before and follow with Pilates. I've had the luck of finding two great workout partners that are game for just about anything I can throw up as an option. They've been huge lifesavers the last few weeks.

This week I need to place a higher priority on Running. I've been neglecting it especially the long runs on weekends. I am signed up for a half marathon on 10-10-10 and need to be ready for it. I'd love to break 2hrs. There are great articles in the August Runner's World focusing on Half Marathons. If you're interested in trying one you should check it out.

This week:

Monday = Spinning
Tuesday = 90mins Bootcamp / Pole and 30min run
Wednesday = 45min Run/Walk with some friends
Thursday = 60min Bootcamp and 30min run
Saturday = 60min run with BF

Adjustment

2010-07-07T09:34:00.001-07:00

It dawned on me today when I spent an extra 10mins curled up in bed with BF that this time next week that won't be an option for me. I realize I'm going to miss him, but I don't think I've truly registered how much. Going from living with someone everyday to seeing them a 2-4 days in a 2 week period feels huge. I don't know who I am going to do nothing with. I don't have backup running partners that can commit to a 3 day a week schedule. I'm going to miss this, more than I want to think about. Just typing this has me on the verge of tears.

On Monday, we went for a hike from 0-491m in elevation over 1.5Km. It was challenging and wonderful. We got to the top and spent 10mins just looking out at the vista, which now includes a golf course.

The weather is gorgeous this week, which means my motivation to workout is being trumped by my motivation to lay on the beach. I know that's a poor excuse, but this weekend is scheduled to clouds and rain. I am going to run on Thursday evening with BF as it'll be our last chance in a long time. There's talk of calibrating the Nike+ sensor again to compare our scheduled runs remotely. We'll see if I get organized enough for that to happen or not.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

2010-07-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Has anyone tried this? It looks fun and would meet my creative fitness goals for July. It's only $19 for a one hour rental, lesson, and all the gear at Transfer Beach.

Muffin Top

2010-07-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking. I have spent the last week pulling up my bootstraps and getting my act together. I had been lulled into a happy shell of laziness on the home front in anticipation of BFs move to Seattle. Last week, it dawned on me that I was losing cardio and strength gains I'd worked hard to achieve. I feel like a marshmellow. The scale hasn't changed, but I don't feel as good about my appearance as I did when I was more dedicated. To that end, I will try to get my workout sessions in this week, even if the durations are not feasible.

For example, yesterday was a travel day from Seattle back home, so we could only squeeze in a 3K run. We ran fast, hard, and were VERY sweaty by the end. I figure that'd better than nothing.

I am reminding myself that no one makes me run. I run for myself. Do I really want to quit on myself? If I quit on myself, how can I expect others to support my efforts? This is my motivation for the week.

Also, Vegas in 26 days. No one wants muffin top for Vegas!

An Inspiring 8-year old

2010-07-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already read the Runners World article on the 8-year old girl that won Dipsea this year, you should. This story is inspiring, heart warming, and motivating. You can view it here: http://dean.runnersworld.com/2010/06/small-wonder.html

Homework Ate My Workout

2010-06-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

Last night, my team at University, debated whether they wanted to modify our term project. We are two months in and this would be a significant scope of work. We had a debate about it over Skype. Personally, I like our current project, but we'll see what they come up with on Friday. Unfortunately, this consumed 1.5hrs of my afternoon and caused me to miss a hilly/stair workout with two girlfriends.

Today, the plan is a 10K walk/run around a local lake. *Fingers Crossed*

I've quit my coaching job. I loved the kids. I loved the sports. I wasn't a fan of my boss' disorganization and management philosophy. The expectation that we would live and breath this job, when it was part time for 75% of the staff isn't feasible. This turned out to be an insurmountable difference of opinion for us.

Tomorrow, the plan was to go River Tubing for Canada Day, but the weather man calls for rain. I am a fair weather tuber. We're working on a back up plan and there is talk of street hockey near the University.

What do you do to manage your workouts when life gets busy? I used to make them more of a priority, but work and school seem to be weighing me down of late.

Many Apologies

2010-06-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting the blog and those few people that do check in with me on a regular basis via it. I'd like to apologize. Life has been a little crazy lately.

I lost my motivation for running after the "horrid" finish time at the half marathon. I still haven't really got over it, but I'm back on the band wagon. I have been doing some additional cross-training sessions that have left me "toilet sore" as Charlotte from GreatFitnessExperiment coined the expression in this post.

On that note, Charlotte is leaving the Blogging lifestyle and will be sorely missed. She was very honest, candid, funny, and heart warming with her posts. I fully support her reason and am glad to still have contact with her via other means. If you haven't read her posts, they are gems. I find myself reviewing her posts when I need motivation and inspiration.

I said I'm back on the running bandwagon and for me that means I created a 10 week running plan to assist me in getting half marathon ready once more. I am going to do the Royal Victoria Marathon (renamed - Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon), but once again I will be doing the HALF not the FULL. I don't think I am mentally ready for a full marathon yet. It's a lot of time to dedicate to training and a significant lifestyle shift.

I have selected my "vacation half marathon" for next year. BF has committed to assisting with the airfare costs as a Christmas present and this provides us with an "us" vacation. None of my other friends would think to travel thousands of miles to run, but we're really excited for it. It will be the Dallas Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in March. Does anyone have advice for running in the heat when you come from a Northern location (I'm in BC, Canada)?

This week I have 4 days of running on my schedule and two days of cross-training. This weekend we may also be moving BF to Seattle, but it may be the following weekending depending on when his apartment is ready. He's excited, but anxious about the whole thing. I'm going to miss him on a lot of levels, particularly as a Running Partner as he's been tops!

Life, Workouts, Changes

2010-06-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's official. BF landed a job in Seattle and will be moving the second weekend in July. I am excited for him, but worried for us. We've set a date of January 2011 to review where we are at, whether he wants to stay on after his probation, and what the options are to have me move there at that time. He makes more than I do and my skill set is relatively transferable. Instead of doing something for our anniversary on the weekend of the 4th we will be moving his stuff down to his new apartment and purchasing the few items my parent's aren't providing for him.

My little brother is moving to Alberta he following weekend. He is leaving a TON of stuff behind because he and his GF has duplicate items. BF benefits from this because he gets dishes, utensils, microwave, etc. in this arrangement.

His parents flew in early yesterday, for his convocation this week, and generously took us for dinner. The unfortunate part of this surprise was that I missed my 630-730pm bootcamp class that I was looking forward to. I am going to run/bike before my Deep Water Running class this evening to make up for it. We have dinner plans with them at 7pm, so I may still smell of chlorine, but I'm not missing 2 workouts in a row. :D

Family wedding this weekend near Alberta. I'm stoked for visiting with everyone, driving with my little brothers, and seeing my cousin marry the love of his life. It's going to be interesting because I haven't been back in years and used to spend all my summer's out there. I am packing my runners and hope to get re-acquainted with it on foot. There are a few areas that don't have much of a shoulder, so I need to problem solve them still. Trail runner's will definitely be coming out as there are some great routes to the abandoned mines, etc.

Motivation

2010-06-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Motivation: the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose.

At the moment, I don't have much of this essential ingredient. It's been wanning since I lost both my running partners over a month ago and had that horrible finish in the Half Marathon. I am debating hiring a personal trainer for a weekly session, but don't know that its the best use of my time/money. One of my GFs has volunteered to work out with me, but I know she runs slower and that may just frustrate me more.

I am still working out 5-6 days a week, but its not the same distance that I was logging before. I still love running, but its hard to get out the door to do it. It doesn't help that BF is likely soon moving to Seattle for work, so I am trying to spend additional time with him, while we have it. Maybe that's the root of the challenge.

What does one need to look for in a personal trainer? How have you increased your motivation?

Quote from Peak Performance

2010-06-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

"We want to leave a legacy, a mark in history, to show people what kind of passion we have for this sport. We've won World Cups and Olympic gold medals, but the dream of everyone on this team is that even when we take our leave, as we must do, we have left such a great legacy that future players and fans will always know that this didn't happen by accident. This was something that was carefully calculated and it worked because of love and passion. We wanted to play. We want people to know that we did it for the right reasons."

–Julie Foudy, cocaptain of the U.S. National Women's Soccer Team

Roundup: May

2010-06-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

I seldom take the time to review the month, but here it goes.

- Completed my 2nd half marathon (even if I was unhappy with the results)
- BF moved in with me (it may be temporary depending on where he lands a job)
- Tried a Bootcamp Class for the first time (really enjoyed it)
- Picked up the Summer Sampler Fitness pack to bring more Yoga into my life
- Got a great Yoga DVD courtesy of a college at the office
- Weaned myself off of Energy Drinks, from one a day to perhaps one a week

June's game plan?

- Try more fitness classes (Body Pump, HEAT, other Yoga Styles, etc.)
- Be happy and healthy for the family wedding Father's Day weekend
- Continue to avoid Energy Drinks
- Evaluate the quality of the food entering my body
- Weigh the pros and cons of my choices before I make them (be here now, etc.)

Life Gets In The Way

2010-05-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

I come to recognize that if I let it life gets in the way of my enjoyment. I am refusing to let that happen to this week. You see this week is busy, even for my type-A self.

- I am working 9+ hrs per day at the office to hit some critical deadlines
- I have two major projects due in the next week for school and two demanding discussion groups.
- BF is moving in (temporarily) this weekend until he gets a job either here or in the USA

I refuse to let these things get in the way of my workouts and healthy objectives.

I ran Mon/Tues (and did Yoga on Monday). I hit the gym for 30mins yesterday. Tonight I will boot camp or go to the open house at GoodLifeFitness. Tomorrow? I haven't got that far, but the workout will happen.

The biggest challenge with all of this is the fact that I have been getting less sleep and am trying to leave my energy drinks behind. I feel like I am lagging as I go about my day and yesterday I caved and used Candy as a pick me up. Bad I know, but I stopped at $1.50 in 5-cent candy from 7/11 so it could have been worse.

Review: Keane2BeFit Outdoor Bootcamp

2010-05-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I attended a fundraiser put on my Keane2BeFit. It was an outdoor bootcamp workout in the park near my house, complete with a live DJ. More than 40 people showed up for this fun workout.

One station consisted of the workout depicted in the video below. Key differences the tire we hit with the hammer was larger and we had to carry the smaller flipped tire over our head. Also, we had to repeat each drill for 90 second intervals.

This was one of many activities and it ended up being a tough workout, but not to the same level that I found Crossfit to be. I am going to take one of their trial classes next week and determine if it will meet my needs for the next month.

Review: Oak Bay Kool Half Marathon

2010-05-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I completed the Kool Oak Bay Half Marathon. The weather was perfect. Partially cloudy with a moderate humidity and little to no wind.

As mentioned previously I had a wicked case of the flu 10 days ago, which didn't really clear up until 5 days ago. I always sleep fitfully the night before a race, but I did consume an ample amount of water and adequate amount of carbs on Saturday.

I met my BFF of 10-yrs at the starting line. He was costumed out Juno style. We knew he likes to sprint and walk, so there were no plans to run together. BF had to bow out of the race because he pulled his back at Crossfit on Thursday afternoon. The race started promptly at 8am.

I reached the 5K mark in under 26mins. I vomited up stomach acid somewhere between 5-6K at the crest of a small hill. Unpleasant, but a great excuse to eat my first Gu Chomp of the race. I reached the 10K mark at 56mins and was going strong. Much to my relief between the 11-12K marker I learned that we did not have to navigate the GIANT hill that BF and I had trained for previously. The route turned down a side street at the base of this obstacle. Unfortunately, in my excitement I didn't pay enough attention and rolled my ankle before the 12K marker.

It wasn't enough to keep me from running, but it did hurt and changed my cadence. At 13.5K I could see my BFF up ahead and got within 200m of him before realizing I was not going to catch him. My leg hurt. My pace was slowing. I had a mammoth amount of negative self talk underway. At he 15K I realized I was not going to get a sub-2hr result. At the 18K marker it began to dawn on me that I may not make my previous time of 2'04".

Sadly, I finished with a time of 2'09" I am unhappy with it, unhappy with myself, and I was in a world of pain at the finish line. If physiotherapy will sign off on it I may do the half marathon that was recently announced for June 6th. *fingers crossed*

Clean Eating

2010-05-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

I struggle with having a healthy relationship with the food that enters my body. I can go for weeks at a time with an 90/10 rule (90% high nutrient "good" foods and 10% treats). Other times I will have a healthy dinner and later be out with friends, Pizza will be made available for Free and I will eat it "because its there and I never order pizza." I don't need the Pizza. I'm not hungry. It's just there and its a treat I don't purchase for myself. Afterwards, I feel horrible about it. Is this isolated to me or does it happen to other people?

I found a FREE online magazine about Clean Eating, with some good ideas and a lot of diet plugs that I am happy to ignore. As much as I try to avoid "writing down" what I eat because it makes me a little crazy and OCD I think that is what I am going to need to do for the next little while. Thoughts?

Bootcamp

2010-05-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

I have never done a Bootcamp style class. There is a gym in town that offers an introductory special of 2 classes in one week for $25. I am very tempted to look into this to meet my goals for the next 44 days. Have you ever taken this type of class? I'd love to get some feedback.

My training thoughts post-half are:
*2-3 days a week of running (one a long run)
*1+ spinning class per week
*try bootcamp
*1 round of 9-hole golf every two weeks
*1 Water Running class every week or two
*Kayaking once every two weeks with my mom

Any other suggestions for crosstraining and avoiding boredom without losing my running base?

45 Day Countdown

2010-05-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

It's official. I'm going home in 45 days for my cousin's wedding. I haven't been home since my other cousins graduation the year after my grandfather passed away. This is significant and I'm anxious and excited about the prospect. My brother, foster brother, and I will be rotating off on the drive with my Mom and oldest cousin in tow. It's an 8-10hr drive, but I'm looking forward to it.

That being said, we'll be on the beach for essentially 3 days straight, with a wedding thrown into the mix. It feels like the pressure people describe for high school reunions. I want to be in tip top shape. The post-half-marathon XTing sessions will begin a week from Wednesday. I see a lot of spinning, weights, crossfit, and hiking in my future.

Have you ever felt the pressure to be at your best for an event such as this?

Choices

2010-05-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

"You can make yourself happy or you can make yourself depressed. The amount of effort is the same."

I am trying my best to remember this today. I'm struggling, but realize I am doing it to myself and only I can pick myself back up.

That being said, Half Marathon in 9 days! I got some great advice from Quix on my last post and will be doing some cross training this weekend and continuing my taper, rather than try and make up my long run. I'll finish the half and that's all that matters. I am doing it to support BF who hasn't completed one yet. :) I have the opportunity to share in this accomplishment and that's a real treat.

Heart Breaking Run

2010-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's run was a mixed bag for a few reasons.

1) It was my first run since getting sick. I finished the 5K, but I didn't feel as strong as usual and had to take a few more breaks. I pushed myself to power through some hills though.

2) I was able to dig deep to tackle the hills because the run filled me with a vague sense of sorrow. BF is awaiting his post-graduate studies work Visa to come through (the system is a few weeks behind). It's looking more and more like he will have to move back to the States at the end of the month. He's given his notice at the current place and will either be going to the US or moving in with me. Not knowing is hard. Being patient is hard. This was not what we had planned.

If he has to leave I will have to learn to run solo in the evenings again. I feel lost in the unknown and am trying to keep optimistic for both of our sakes.

Ok, I am done with my pity party.

Tonight, I may go to the gym for a light session, but I was puking again last night. Otherwise, I will do a ton of homework and recuperate knowing that our Half Marathon is in 10 days. I'm excited and anxious for it.

TKO by the common flu

2010-05-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

I've been out of commission since Saturday afternoon and am finally back in the office today. I am feeling 70% and will continue to take it easy. My choices for not taking it easy are limited as BF "borrowed" my runners and gym card until I am 100%, so I don't make myself sicker by working out preemptively.

Did I mention the half marathon is in 12 days? I missed my long run on Saturday for the reasons noted above. I am hoping to make it up on Thursday, but the odds of that are 50-50. *Fingers Crossed*

When is a vegetarian not a vegetarian?

2010-04-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers recently announced he was only eating a vegetarian diet. Good for him. I've done it. I know its hard, but there are some benefits. This morning we were chatting about it and he talked about Balsamic on his Tuna. Come again? Tune is a fish. "Well ya. I still eat Tuna. I might eat Shrimp. I don't know yet." This prompted another co-worker and I to google what this seafood eating vegetarian should be titled.

I found an article here that is really funny.

Here's an excerpt:

"Here is a little snippet taken from a typical conversation someone has with me upon finding out I'm a vegetarian:

Me: Yes. I'm a vegetarian.

Dumbo: Really? So you don't eat meat?

Me: No. I'm a vegetarian.

Dumbo: So what do you eat? Like beans and stuff?

Me: Uhh.. I eat everything that isn't made of meat...

Dumbo: So do you eat fish?

Me: Where did you go to school?! I'm a vegetarian! A fish is not a vegetable!

Dumbo: I know, but some vegetarians eat fish...

Me: Well those people are not vegetarians. They are Pescetarians. They eat seafood but no other meat.

Dumbo: But seriously, what do you eat? Like, if I ordered a ham sandwich, what would you eat? Just bread?!

Me: Oh jeez...

Dumbo: So if you went to a restaurant, what do you order? If they don't have salad? Fish?

Me: Please God Save Me From This Man."

A Peek at May

2010-04-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

May is fast approaching. With that comes the realization that I am running my second half marathon in a little over 3 weeks.

May 16th is race day. That means I have roughly a week and a half before I have to begin the taper. To this end I ran the 10K race on Sunday and followed it with a 5K tempo run in the evening. It's not perfect, but its a good sign that my legs can handle the distance and the speed after fatigue.

The plan for May?

1) I am going to try to drop energy drinks cold turkey (wish me luck!)
2) Maintain my base mileage after the half marathon and gradually increase it over the summer. I don't want to do a full marathon yet, but I don't want to lose my gains.
3) Commit to one yoga session a week (or more) to increase my flexibility
4) Continue adding in new and exciting cross-training elements to decrease the likelihood of hitting a plateau (April saw the addition of Deep Water Running and Spinning classes)
5) Remove candy and sweets from my diet again, it was nice to have them back, but they didn't make me feel any better/worse

The Resolution

2010-04-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Previously I had posted my debate about yesterday's race here.

I ran with Mia on Friday night and we batted some ideas back and forth. She told me that on Wednesday after our run she was in dire straights and cried because she felt she'd let herself and me and BF down. This broke my heart. I decided then and there that I would not be ditching her to run my own race on Sunday.

Sunday rolled around and we all met up at my place at 645am. Solrac never showed (later we found out his cell died and he snoozed his alarm clock, waking up at 10am in a panic). We pinned on our race numbers together headed downtown and huddled together for warmth until the race started. It was moderately windy and chill with the morning air, but I elected to leave my jacket in the car; Once I start running I get hot fast.

We told BF at the beginning that if he feel solid he should run his own race and we'd meet him at the downtown bell tower after the finish. He stuck near us until 4K when he hit his stride and was able to weave in and out of the runners more effectively when he wasn't looking back for us. He was gone into the throng that was 13,000 runners.

At the 5K mark we hadn't taken a walking break, this is HUGE for Mia, we walked for approximately 45secs and then picked it up again. We bypassed every water station on the course. I am really proud of us for this because we've been working on being hydrated enough on a daily basis not to need these stops. Turns out BF used each of these as his walking break and had multiple cups.

The last 5K were a little rough for her, but I restrained myself from running ahead. I was as encouraging as possible and worked for small wins in the last 5K. Mia wanted to walk at 7K, I told her we could do it at 8K. When she wanted to slow down I pointed out signs that spectators were holding for encouragement. I noted the little kids running with their parents beside us and how they were looking up to everyone that passed them.

We had a plan that for the last 1K we'd take it easy for the first 400m, speed up a little for the next 200m, and give it our all for the last 400m. I was OVER THE MOON impressed when Mia was able to push herself to full one SPRINT the last 200m and finish strong.

My goal was to have our timing chips read a finish that was no more than 3secs apart. I met this. Our timing chips have the same finish time of 1'04"17.

Mia's goal was to finish in under 1'10" and feel better than when she ran it without training 4 years ago. She more than met this goal.

For the record, BF finished in 56mins. This was 1min under his previous PR. This also means that he "ran like he stole it" for the last 6K as previously he was on pace for 6:25/Km and ended well under 6/Km.

*Pictures to come later this week*

Debate: PR or Supportive Friend

2010-04-22T14:09:00.001-07:00

Here's my debate. I am running a 10K race on Sunday morning with BF, Mia, and Solrac.

We've established that Solrac will be running on his own because he likes to sprint and then walk and that doesn't mesh with anyone else's style. He's not "well prepared" for this race, but he'll get through it.

Mia was sick for two weeks about a month ago and she never really came back from it. This was exemplified last night when it took us 33mins to run 5.25km because she wasn't feeling her stride and we had to add in more walking breaks. This was frustrating, but I get that some days are harder than others. BF and I have a last run scheduled with her tomorrow for 5K. Her pace the last few times has been killing me. I feel like I am dragging her along and she used to keep up without complaint.

The debate is:
- Do I tell her that on Sunday I'll start the run with her, but plan on running my own race if she can't keep pace
- Do I run at her pace the whole way and embrace being a supportive friend as my goal
- Do I have BF run with her and "run like I stole it" (he's offered, but I told him that wouldn't be necessary previously)

Help? What would you do? What would you expect if you'd been training with someone?

Britney Before and After Pictures

2010-04-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

This image is taken from an article on Shine, located here.

What do you think of the fact that she released the before pictures? I think it's a great way to generate extra publicity and try to promote a more realistic body image. At least she is admitting that she is imperfect.

Five Thing Friday

2010-04-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is a list of 5 things that are on my mind this Friday. Comic is care of htttp://penny-arcade.com that makes posts a couple times per week. Click on the image to enlarge and feel the true comic value.

1) I am happy that I have an easy 3 Mile run scheduled with Mia for this evening before a dinner with my wonderful roommate at his favorite local restaurant. I suspect that the dinner will cancel out the good work from the run.

2) BF is away until Wednesday with family functions in the US. I am utilizing a work and homework free weekend to see some friends that are out of town. We will be adventuring to Seattle to go Outlet mall shopping. I love shopping, but I am VERY picky. I suspect I will likely pre-buy some gifts for upcoming birthday's more than stuff for myself.

3) Great co-workers. One of the guys I work with who also runs sent me a text last night around 7 prompting that I better be running because the weather was fantastic. I hadn't planned to run, but it was enough to get me out the door. I haven't had many work environments with people close to my own age or value system before so this is new and fun.

4) Removing a social loafing team member from our team for my University studies. We are far more efficient and effective without his dead weight bringing us down. I love it and the team is a lot more harmonious. We made some great presentations yesterday to our Prof for Entrepreneurial Ventures.

5) Books. I haven't got on board with the concept of a Kindle yet or eReader, in general. I like books that I can touch and feel. Hence the comic at the top of this post. I just finished "Banker to the Poor" and will be starting "Let my People Surf" this weekend. Do you have any good recommendations? BF and I are creating a list of things we'd like to add to our library.

Review: LeMond Spinning

2010-04-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Previously, I have attended a class titled "Athletic Drill Training" which featured a combination of spinning and free weight stations. This class was intense for the spinning, but I was pretty confident with the free weight stations and enjoyed it. Yesterday, I was scheduled for a 4-5Mile Tempo run, but my ankles were feeling out of whack. I elected to go to a LeMond Spinning class instead as I know they are famous for sprint intervals and hill climbs.

"Spin class is a fun cardio, no impact workout using a stationary bicycle. Simulating sprinting and hill climbing will enable you to build cardio fitness, muscle strength and endurance. Classes are for all fitness levels as you are in control of the resistance level on your bike and how hard you work in class. Spin training is a great accompaniment to any fitness program or sport including running, swimming, cycling and triathlon."

I chatted with some of the women before class and ended up on a bike beside a girl who had taken the class once before and a girl who was a veteran spinner. I run half marathons and felt pretty confident about my fitness, but this class was intense. Within the first 15mins I wasn't sure that I was going to finish the class. At 30mins I wanted to puke (I didn't, for the record). At 45mins I dug deep and decided that my pride would not let me leave 15mins before the end of class. At 57mins when we got off the bikes to do stretching I nearly fell down.

This class was intense and the whole time we were turning up the resistance a little bit more. Not once were we given the option of turning it down again. I don't think I have ever been that sweaty outside of Bikram (hot) Yoga. I finished the class. I didn't puke. I shook and felt disoriented for the rest of the evening as a result of this intense cardio session. I think Charlotte has mentioned it before, but I couldn't find the post to link back to. Has this happened to anyone else before?

Strangely, this morning I am not sore. I feel a little disappointed. After all the sweating and muscular fatigue and thoughts of puking I expected more stiffness. I guess this means I have to go back...

Hydration

2010-04-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Did you know our bodies are 60-75% water? I vaguely recall this being a Jeopardy style question in a 5th or 6th grade science class. In my circle Hydration has been a popular topic over the last month. Many people are ramping up for races, taking on new challenges, and trying to recovery from end of semester celebrations. Hydration is totted as a key factor in each of these scenarios. They may have a point...

Coach Jenn writes that:

"Proper hydration is responsible for regulating our body temperature and blood pressure, keeping our blood volume correct, ridding our bodies of waste products, and much more. Oftentimes, the way a person feels largely depends on their hydration level. When we feel fatigued, have headaches, or general nausea, it’s often due to being dehydrated."

According to Dr. Sam J. Romeo, CEO of Romeo Medical Clinic, Inc., in Turlock, Calif., half the population is at least mildly dehydrated all the time. These people don't even know what a day feels like when they're fully hydrated. Drinking the right amount of water daily can lead to better decision-making skills and concentration, elevated moods and improved coordination. So just imagine how the benefits of proper hydration might affect your workout.

Runner's World has an entire homepage dedicated to Hydration. They continue to stress that preparation/prevention by drinking water regularly means that you won't need water on a cloudy day for a 60min run.

Do you have hydration goals? Do you use the easy (pee color) check to determine if you're hydrated? Do you use any hydration belts/bags for long runs? The BF has used the Camel Pack I got for Christmas for a few runs, but it sloshes around a fair amount.

April's Running Quotes

2010-04-07T10:18:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I google running quotes to get some perspective/motivation. I really liked the two listed below:

You don’t run against a bloody stop watch, do you hear? A runner runs against himself, against the best that's in him. Not against a dead thing of wheels and pulleys. That's the way to be great, running against yourself. Against all the rotten mess in the world. Against God, if you’re good enough. ~Bill Persons

To a runner, a side stich is like a car alarm. It signifies something is wrong, but you ignore it until it goes away. ~Author Unknown

Do you have any exercise quotes or mantras that motivate you?

I love that a large number of my co-workers run. We discuss routes, trials, tribulations, races, and push each other to try harder. We discuss the running technology such as hydration belts, mapmyrun for the iphone, Nike+ sensors, and everything in between.

Missing Mini Eggs

2010-04-06T08:52:00.001-07:00

Easter at my house has always been non-conventional as my brother has a load of food allergies. We have had the meal revolve around salmon, seafood, elk, bison, tofu, and a slew of other options. This year, it was around sushi. Sadly, there are only 3 things that cause my significant allergy concerns: avocado, banana, and latex. My dad put avocade into sushi rolls more than three times and tried to serve them to me. Every time I reminded him that was on the SHORT list of things I couldn't eat. I guess I can't be too upset with him for this as I haven't lived with him in over 14yrs and it doesn't really come up. *Sigh*

My mom organize eggs that were brother-proof that myself and one of his friends hid around the house. We hid 82 of them. The boys found 59 of those. She had committed to picking up the one Easter candy I like "Mini Eggs" but instead picked up "Eggies." For the record, these are NOT the same. I didn't bother to eat any and I didn't take any home. I suppose this is a blessing in some regards, but I was still disappointed.

There is a lot of talk out there about cardio addiction and over training. I don't think I qualify for these as I do take one rest day per week and only commit to one long run every 5-7 days. I will be taking a week off after my half marathon in May and only doing fitness that is fun and unstructured for that period.

In other news, I didn't get to debute the running skirt this weekend as the weather did not agree with me. Also, snowboarding didn't happen because of gale force winds and a large volume of snow. My little car can't handle days that are not sunny and clear on the mountain.

How was your weekend? What are you training for?

This post from Mile Markers resonated with me. Here is an excerpt:

"As usual with our early morning sisterhood, we talk about everything under the sun. Our conversation dips and dives like hummingbirds on flowers; one second we land on shallow topics, the next sweetly intimate; flitting from one to the next with ease and grace. We never talk like this at parties, restaurants, school gatherings, community functions, football practice, or playdates. The blanket of darkness adds a shroud of privacy; the pounding footfalls, a buffer. If you saw us in passing, sometimes just a hasty nod or a wave out a car window, you might never guess the depth of our friendships. We don’t even have to bother with small talk anymore. Our pack has made peace with the silence of good company. These are the people I want to grow old with, puffing out miles side by side."

Quick Post

2010-04-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Today's Sunny Run > http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/ca/bc/oak%20bay/850127050502397078

New Goal for April is to drink 2L of water every day!

Allergy Debate

2010-04-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have a sensitivity to Latex. I also have sensitivities to som eof the cross-reaction foods listed below. The items in BOLD I cannot eat without reaction. The items in Italics I eat regularily without issue. The debate is whether I cut them all out and therefore decrease the over abundance of anti-bodies in my system?

Plants That Contain Proteins Found in Latex
Some plants contain the same proteins that are in natural rubber latex. According to a 2002 article in Nutrition Health Review: The Consumer’s Medical Journal entitled “Potential Dangers of Latex,” and an April 2007 article by C. Pereira et. al in Allergy entitled “Turnip and zucchini: new foods in the latex-fruit syndrome,” the following foods may produce a cross-reaction in those who suffer from a natural rubber latex allergy:

Bananas
Avocados
Kiwis
Plums
Peaches
Cherries
Apricots
Nectarines
Figs
Papayas
Mango
Passion Fruit
Tomatoes
Celery
Zucchini
Turnips
Potatoes
Chestnuts

Read more at Suite101: Latex Allergy? Foods May Cause Allergic Reaction: A Healthy Diet for People With Multiple Food Allergy Symptoms http://food-allergies.suite101.com/article.cfm/latex_allergy_foods_may_cause_allergic_reaction#ixzz0jsJMegvk

This may be an experiment for the future, but I would REALLY miss nectarines, cherries, and passion fruit.

The Count Is Complete

2010-04-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day of my sugar embargo. My mother showed up at 830pm with Easter treats for myself, CB, BF, and Mia. I gave mine to my roommate as he LOVES cookies and creme chocolate and I couldn't handle the temptation. Sadly, the candy embargo has left me significantly less excited for Easter. I've made it this far and I do miss candy in social settings (read: Poker) but generally don't want to fall off the wagon at this point. I am sure the siren call of Mini Eggs will bring me to my senses on Monday afternoon.

I've plateaued with my rock climbing. I am not longer pushing myself the way I was this time last year. I got scared when the tendons in my weaker ankle flared up on the wall and I'd involuntarily tap against it like a jack rabbit. I need to get past this and start aiming for the 5.9s again. I have mastered the 5.7s and the majority of the 5.8s, but have contented myself to just getting faster at them. I may add in additional back climbing to work on muscular endurance. I tried to find a good youtube video of this to clarify, but came up short.

Running skirt will debut this weekend!

D31: Review of Deep Water Running Class

2010-03-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of my self-imposed Lent equivalent. I made it the entire month without candy and sweets. I even baked cookies for BF and his landlords the second weekend of the effort. I'd love to say that I had a dramatic weight loss because of this, but its simply not true. I typically account for my candy calories in my daily plan and instead used those calories for yummy produce.

Yesterday, I decided to mix things up and consulted my "available workout" calendar that I created (via google calendars) and elected to go to "Deep Water Running" at the pool closest to my house. This is definitely a class where you get as much as you give. I was short of breath for a lot of the class because the instructor had us working at 70-80% for a solid 50 minutes. She led a short warm up and cool down. I enjoyed it MORE than a standard Aquafit class, but it certainly wasn't running. I may try the class again as a supplement to running. Example - I'd complete my scheduled run in the morning before work and then I'd go to this class in the evening as an additional workout without the high impact.

I'm sleeping again. I'm still waking up a few times a night, but I am logging 3-4hrs in a session and getting back to sleep significantly faster. This leads me to believe it might be a hormonal thing. Also, it happened during my taper, so the physical exercise and endorphins may be vital to my sleep management and the management of my chronic back pain.

I am VERY excited for my new running skirt. If the weather agrees with me this weekend I will try it out on Friday or Saturday. Otherwise, it will come to squash with me on Monday with the boss' boss again. Snowboarding is booked for Sunday! For the record I elected to get the black version instead of the white and teal version.

D30: T-1 Day

2010-03-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

This is a great quote I stumbled upon from The Happy Runner this morning:

"Few of us know what we are capable of doing . . . we have never pushed ourselves hard enough to find out." – Alfred A. Montapert

She has a lot of wonderful posts on running and her experience helping others embrace running for the first time. I too dislike walking as a form of exercise. It seems painfully inefficient by comparison to running.

I am officially signed up for a 10K with friends in April, a half marathon with BF in May, and a solo 10K in a few weeks. I haven't got to add a race number to my wall in ages. I am really excited for these events.

The weather here has been horrid of late. I have created a google calendar dedicated to "Available Workouts" at the local recreation center. This allows me to sub in XT sessions easily in the future. Snowboarding is scheduled for Sunday with BF and another couple.

D29: How XT sessions can kick your butt

2010-03-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

I consider myself to be pretty fit and active. A co-worker (my boss' boss) asked me last week to come try out squash with him. He started going 3-5 days a week about a month ago and figured my cardio level might enhance his workout. I loved it. I'd need to get goggles because the idea of my eye ball popping out of the socket is just nasty. We played for approximately an hour and the first 20 of that was drills and explaining the rules so I was up to speed. I was sweating like crazy by the end, but I was never out of breath.

This morning I woke up about an hour before I needed to get ready for work because of intense aching in my butt. The lunging and diving for that little rubber ball really focused on some muscles I apparently neglect with running. This is my lesson learned. There is running fit and then there is fit-fit. Apparently, I could stand to diversify my XT sessions more often and engage some of those neglected areas.

What will this include?
-Climbing
-Squash
-Step Classes
-Zumba
-Yoga
-Snowboarding
-Hiking

Over the month of April I hope to participate in all of these at least once. Wish me luck.

P.S. T-2 days before I get my running skirt. Can you tell I'm excited? I'm stoked and I don't miss my sugar sweets nearly as much as I originally projected.

D26: Sleep I LOVE You

2010-03-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

Modern medicine intervened last night and I got 8-9hrs of much needed sleep. Unfortunate side effect, work requires you to wake up from this wonderful utopia and you spend the rest of the day with a metallic taste in your mouth.

In other news, I touched base with my CEO yesterday and announced that I had officially signed up for the half marathon happening in May. He immediately told me about the course and how he'd run it last weekend and what to watch out for. I believe he is signed up for it too. Nothing like some sweat and tears to forge positive working relationships.

I am playing squash for the first time ever on Sunday with my boss' boss. My cardio is pretty good and he's promised to bring me up to speed on the rules.

Also, I've decided that I will forge ahead with the outlines of a marathon training plan. I've done the half. I'm signed up for a half that is 7-8 weeks out and I don't want to just do the same items over again. I promise not to be hard on myself if my long-long runs get shortened slightly, but I prefer to have a schedule and a roadmap for success.

The long awaited running skirt photo will appear next Wednesday. BF is hiding the garment from me until the month without candy has been completed.

D25: Perseverance

2010-03-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Results are in. Refraining from caffeine did not help me sleep. I got a total of 3-5 broken hours last night. Unfortunately, BF could not sleep much either. Neither of us is operating at 100% today and we have a fundraiser to attend (we're volunteering) this evening.

I just read a wonderful guest post on the MizFit site. Here's an excerpt, but you should read the full post:

"Did you know you are capable of more than you think? You are.

I never used to think I was capable of much. I knew I was good in school and things like that, but never set many lofty goals for myself. I always viewed myself as no one special from nowhere special.

I guess it was about the time I married my husband I began to realize there was more to me than I had ever given myself credit for. Little by little I started stretching, reaching, stepping out of my comfort zone a little.

Running was the first area I experimented with. I was NEVER a runner. In school when they had us run the mile I had to walk most of it. I just never thought I could. It wasn’t me, it wasn’t included in how I viewed myself..."

I never thought I could run either. Actually, 4 years ago I attempted to go for a run and went out to fast and went until I made myself vomit. Not pretty. My mother promptly told me that running just wasn't meant for everyone. I reminded her of this a few days ago and she had to admit she might have been mistaken.

D24: Summers Around the Corner

2010-03-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

I know that I am a very all or nothing type of personality. I have been working to find more contentment in the gray areas of my life. It has not been without its struggles. The ban on all candy/sweet imports to my body has worked well since I got over the first 4 or 5 days. I don't know that at the end of the month I can re-introduce these items back into my diet without going overboard.

It is taking less willpower to avoid candy/sweets at this point as my cravings for them have subsided. This morning I purchased my sugar-free energy drink and managed not to open it. I am tired. I was busy this morning and by the time noon rolled around it didn't make sense to drink it anymore. I am hoping that this change will help get my sleep schedule back on track. I'll try to post an update tomorrow morning with my results.

Beyond that, I have started to incorporate core strength exercises before or after my runs 3 days a week. Research shows that increasing your core strength can increase your endurance and your speed when tackling hills. Your core helps keep you up right and this allows your lungs to expand properly. An article about this correlation is available here from Runner's World. I must admit at this point I only do the bridge at home, not the gym because I feel a tad ridiculous doing it in front of strangers.

Also, with the metronome I bend my knees to a chair position in order to not put additional strain on my lower back. The other option is to do a 'V' and use a weighted medicine ball in your hands going side to side across your core. I LOVE this modification and can feel the effects really quickly.

D23: Sleep Deprivation

2010-03-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

No, I don't want to be a size 2, but I found this picture amusing. I need one that shows my new running skirt.

My insomnia is running full steam ahead once more. Not only is this frustrating, but it means I have limited patience. My willpower is still holding strong and it helps that BF picked up my black lululemon running skirt on Sunday, but won't give it to me until the end of the month.

I went for a run yesterday solo because I was cranky. I forgot my iPod at home, but took it in stride and did 5-6K on the trails with my breathing for company. It was very yoga-esq actually as I haven't run solo, let alone without music for ages. It was nice and I felt strong at the end despite having very little sleep over the last 4 days.

Here's a great article on the inflation of distance running and how marathons aren't as impressive as they once were.

D17: Motivation?

2010-03-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

We once ran because we had to, not for health. I think after the next half I may focus on speed for a while instead.