Gotta love being a whippersnapper!

So this morning was Aqua Bootcamp.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the "bootcamp" bit put me in the mind of super intensity and maybe having to tread water for long periods of time and lots of water jogging and such.  Instead, I show up and I'm the youngest person there - by about 30 years.  It was actually a lot of fun though.  By keeping my weights and my noodle under the water during the exercises I could dramatically increase the resistance and make it challenging enough.  Still wasn't a hard workout by any means, but it got my heart rate going.  I stayed in the pool for an extra hour after the class to just make sure I got some good cardio in.  BTW - did you know water jogging burns about 600 calories an hour?  Pretty sweet... :)  Next step, buying a one piece because bikini bottoms are not conducive to all that jumping around!

Reaching goals

I did it!  I hit all the goals I had for my 10k: I finished, I wasn't last, and I finished in under 2 hours!  My back went in the first mile, but I still finished, I was 790 out of 799, and I finished in 1:22!  Hooray!

After that, I promptly decided to stop working out for a few days.  My body was hurting!  I went back tot he gym for the first time since the race last night and stuck to the elliptical and weights.  I've decided I'm going to build up my muscles a bit more before hitting the trails again.  I'm thinking in February I'll start back up with the 0 to 10k program and pick up where I left off.  My goal is to run the whole 10k, and then just keep on going!

Harder and Harder

So, last night I decided to go to a class instead of trying to slog it out on a treadmill.   I managed to get shin splints during TurboKick!!!  I was hobbling out of the class and was barely able to finish.  What the heck is wrong with me?!  So instead of being able to do some last minute training, I have to rest my shins to try to make sure I can get through Saturday in one piece.

a very bewildering day

So last night I tried to start the last phase of the Tabata run (run 20 seconds, rest 10 on an incline of 3 at a min speed of 8) and I only made it halfway through.  Halfway is only 2 minutes mind you!  I couldn't even go for 4 minutes.  I thought my legs and my lungs were just going to give up.  It didn't help that I did not want to work out last night at all.  Not even a smidge.  So, since I couldn't sprint, I tried a nice slow run, and went for a quarter of a mile before I got bored.  Like I said, my heart just wasn't in it.

I got home and just really wanted to cry (see Katie - I'm right there with you!).  I've been wanting to cry for 2 weeks now and I'm kind of sick of it.  I just feel like I'm not as far as I should be and I'm very aggravated with myself.  I know I'll be proud just for finishing this 10k - no matter how much I have to walk and no matter how long it takes me.  But I wish I'd been firmer with myself about really preparing for it.

Hopefully this will really hit home.  Seems like being in this situation for my 5k in September wasn't enough.  Seems like a broken record - not ready for the 5k, not ready for the 10k...  If I'm not ready for ToughMudder I'm screwed.  I can't just flub my way through that one.

Ladies, wherever has our motivation gone?!  It's almost race time and it's no where in sight...

Here's hoping tonight's workout goes much better!

still having issues...

I did not want to work out today.  I've been exhausted all week, added by the fact I was trying really hard not to cry all day because of the school shooting, and I just was not in the mood.  But the 10k is in days, and a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do.

So, went to the gym, started my sprints, got half way through, and there went my back.  Balls.  This is very very ungood.  Normally I would've given up at this point and gone home, but yesterday's insights were still fresh in my head, so I decided to push on.  Not on the treadmill - I didn't want to hurt myself, but I went to the basket ball court and did my circuits.  I got through 2 circuits and had to stop.  I probably should've gone on to finish at least 3 times on the ropes and the tire, but during my second session of abs I almost started throwing up, so I decided it was time to throw in the towel.  I added some extra abs the trainer didn't have me doing originally, but the consistent back pain has me kind of freaked out, so I figured I needed as much ab work as I could handle.  Apparently adding 50 diamond crunches, 24 wall bridges, 12 leg lifts, and 50 standard crunches for each circuit is enough to make me want to puke.  Go figure.

So I get home, hacking up a lung and coughing something fierce, and Carey is on the phone with a family member.  Not a smile or a how do you do, just a look to acknowledge I'm there and that's it.  I hop in the shower, just a bit miffed, and let the steam soothe my battered lungs.  I get out, trying to motivate myself to go make dinner, and Carey sneaks up behind me, scatters a few kisses along my neck, and tells me to get some real clothes on because he's taking me out to dinner!  Apparently you get bf rewards for working out that hard - hooray!  We went to Chili's and I got some pasta, a margarita, and a side of parmesan garlic sweet potato fries (omg - so good!).  I only ate a fraction of my food, but I'm back to the wanting to throw up stage.  *Sigh*  Oh well, at least I got my reward - which totally undid all the ab work I did.  Luckily, the gym will still be there tomorrow.

An interesting insight

So, as I slack off just days before the 10k, I've spent a bit of time looking back over my past endeavors. I've realized that I'm constantly "starting over".  I'm always doing things right -again.  I've never gone through with anything to the point where it's a good starting off point for the next phase.  I'm always coming up to the end of the contest, or the 5k, or the 10k or what not, realized I haven't gotten myself to where I should be, so I stop trying.  I give up before I can officially "fail".  When I don't finish it, it's because I "chose" to stop, not because I couldn't do it.  It's malarky, but I think that's what I'm telling myself.

Hence, the supreme laziness of the last several days.  I'm so aggravated with myself.  I'm not ready for the 10k, I've gained weight, and I'm in this wretched funk.  How do I get myself over this hump???

The next installment!

So, today I didn't work out.  I was at work from 6:30am until 5:00pm and then traffic sucked my ass and I didn't get home until 6:15pm.  After all that, all I wanted was to catch the end of Jeopardy and enjoy a glass of scotch - so I did.  BTW - Ardbegh is my dear friend.  It's $60 a bottle, but sooooooo gooooood!

I did hear back from the office though.  Maintenance Man - the Master of Mediocrity, came and replaced our drywall (I think I could've done better) and cleaned our bathrooms from the mess left by the "contractors" (I know I could've done better - and will do better soon - plus there's still the gap in the wall).  Our water heater is going to be replaced tomorrow (again by MM) and an environmentalist is coming to test our neighbor's air quality.  If there's time he'll test ours as well, but I'm honestly not too concerned because if they're clean, we'll be clean.  I would like to be there to watch, but I'm happy it's happening.

Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of passive aggressive-ness, a threat to call corporate, you neighbor talking to a lawyer, and telling them I want one thing done professionally and until that happens I'm not going away, to get your apartment complex to do the right thing.

Those mattresses - I just slammed Kim and the office in the face with them.

PS- working from home tomorrow as I still don't trust them any further then I can throw them.

To the mattresses

So this has nothing to do with working out, I just have to vent about my apartment complex. PS - this is kind of long so you might want to grab a wine/coffee/coco or whatever your bev of choice may be.

So, last Saturday (12/3) as I was doing laundry, I noticed a funky smell.  I thought it was the cat box, but C said he just emptied it.  I figured Bert had just done what he does and moved on.  Sunday, we notice a lot of water in the basement.  Our water heater has leaked before, so we assumed that was it again and called it in.  We also called in that the tiles in our shower were coming off.  Turns out, it wasn't the water heater.  At the time, we assumed it was water getting behind the shower tiles and and making its sweet way down two floors all the way to the basement to form some lovely puddles.  Maintenance Man comes by on Tuesday to fix the problem.  We put our own fans on the puddles in the basement and MM call the job done.  Please note - he does nothing to sop up the water or dry our basement.  Wednesday, we still have some large puddles and we still notice an active drip so we call it in.  Turns out, it's not our shower, it's our neighbor's and it's not the tiles, it's a whole friggin pipe.  I come home Wednesday night and there's a whole in both bathrooms - floor level in the upstairs and in our poweder room ceiling on the main level.  By looking up the hole in pwder room, we can see the wood in between the walls is completely saurated, actively dripping, and there's some lovely white stuff starting to form - aka, mold.  To be honest, it looks like the middle logs of our wood pile after a ton of rain when they don't get the chance to dry. 

Thursday or Friday, they send out "contractors" to patch up our holes.  The ceiling looks ok, but the patch job in the upstairs bathroom is horrendous - there's a 1-2" gap between the bottom of the patch and the floor.  They also left both bathrooms an absolute mess and I stepped on a screw hidden under our shower mat when stepping out of the shower Friday morning.  So, I'm a little concerned at this point, because I know that, other than the fan c & I put out and pointed up in to the ceiling, they haven't done a darn thing to dry things out other than fix the leak.  If they patch it up completely, shutting out any air circulation to aid in drying, I have a very strong hunch that mold will form.  C has mold allergies, our neighbor's toddler has repiratory issues, & our neighbor is pregnant.  Mold would be very bad indeed.  I've been reassured over and over that they sprayed bleach on the area, but according to the mold remediation company I contacted, that's not going to cut it - especially if they wall up the area before it's dry.  I speak with the neighbors to see if they're walling up their side, and, lo and behold, my fears are well founded because they're going to town patching things up with nary a fan in sight.  Neighbor tells me they've contacted a family lawyer, so C & I may have to jump on that wagon if it comes down to it. 

They don't do anything over the weekend, but, we figure, it's the weekend - let's see what happens Monday.  Monday comes and goes without anyone coming to clean up their mess in the bathrooms, or in the basement.  The damaged dry wall has also not been replaced.  BTW - you can't clean mold out of dry wall; it's too porous.  The whole piece needs to be replaced.  I call the office today, speak with the office manager and just avoid the front office monkeys all together, and offer my complaints.  For some reason, I'm still trying to be nice.  I tell her I want a professional mold remediation company to come out and do an air quality assessment.  If that comes back negative, I will shut up and everything will go away once they clean up their messes (and our water heater- turns out the fucker is leaking).  She lets me know she has to get it approved with the VP.  I let her know that's fine and give her both my work and my cell numbers so she can call me with updates on when/how they're going to go about fixing everything.  I also tell her I need to be present when this air test is going on, because I honestly don't trust them to hire an actual professional.  For all I know, they'll get some cheapo detector, hand it to Maintenance Man, and have him do it.  I don't care if he's been certified - he's not a pro.  I'm certified in CPR and First Aid, but does that mean I'm an EMT?  No!  I didn't say that because I was still trying to be nice, but I wish I had.  At the very end of the convo, I tell her that I will contact the VP if necessary, and her parting shot is this "Let me do my job first and we'll go from there".  She's lucky that was the end of the conversation because if she'd said that earlier and if I'd had time to process that, oooooh nelly would she have been in for it!  If she'd do her job, I wouldn't be on the phone with her asking her to!  We wouldn't need to be thinking about taking legal action, we wouldn't be wanting to call coporate, & I wouldn't be looking for new apartments if she'd been doing her job!  Let her do her job indeed.... BLERGH!  That's what I have to day about that!

This brings us up to date on our current saga.  Tune in tomorrow for our next episode.  If she doesn't call me back today, she'll be getting daily calls and they will be less and less friendly.

PS, did I mention that the first day this started, I found out I had a large crack in my radiator as well?  It was a wonderful week, let me tell you!

You say tomato, I say Tabata!

So, since I realized we have a scant 2 weeks to go til the 10k, I skipped to week 2 of the Tabata and put my incline at 1.5.  It was kind of rough, but I did it!  Even better - I did it after Zumba!  I don't know if it's just the teacher or if it's me, but Zumba's not quite the ass kicking I remember...  Maybe I just need to know the routines better so I can get into it more and really throw my hips around!

Tonight I'm going back to the 10k program after Body Pump.  Keep your fingers crossed there's no back pain!!

Playing catch up

Hello all!  It's been a while since I've posted anything, but I promise I've worked out since then!  I wasn't running though - sadly enough.  After that stupid Hustle class, the very bottom of my shins/ankle area stated hurting like crazy!  I took a day off to rest them, and then started walking on the treadmill to warm up, went to start a sprint, and promptly almost collapsed on the treadmill from the pain of it.  So I switched to the elliptical to still at least engage my glutes and did the rope and tire exercises from the trainer.  While I was in the gym, I did manage do do a few set of sprints, so that's good.  Maybe they just needed to warm up a bit... 

Funny story - while I was doing my first circuit in the gym, I was alone (very unusual) and pretty happy about it.  After a while, one guy came in to play basketball, but I ignored him and kept on going.  At one point while I was on the ropes, I was seriously getting tired, and I hear this, "You can do it!!  Keep going, you can do it!!"  I look around and the basketball guy was definitely watching me workout and I guess he really wanted me to finish that set :)  I thought it was pretty funny, but i guess you have to be there!

I didn't do anything over the weekend, but we had the Yule log, so I guess that counts as hiking.... right?  Kate and Drew both bailed this year - Drew because he was hungover and Kathryn because she's all upset about stupid Paul....  I have never met this guys but I do not like him one bit.  He needs to telll Kate is he's interested in dating or not - because I think she thinks they're dating, he thinks they're "hanging out" and I don't think he has any interest in moving beyond that.  *Sigh*....

So girls, we're T-2 weeks!  I'm pretty nervous, and I know I'm going to be super slow on this, if only because of my back, but no matter what, even if I"m walking alot - I am going to finish!

I hope you're hearing the Eye of the Tiger in the background, because I sure am ;)

Hustle! or not...

So last night I went to a class called Hustle, which I thought was going to be like Zumba, but more hip hop.  It kind of sucked.  Def not going back again.  I broke a sweat, but I think that's just because it was so hot in there!  We kept taking breaks to learn more of the routine and it was a lot of hand movements, so I definitely do not feel like I got a workout in there!  After that I tried to go do the routine from the trainer, but I went in the gym and there were these 3 guys in there throwing stuff around the entire length of the gym to the point where I did not feel safe and was pretty darn sure I was going to get beaned by a basketball or by the football they were trying to throw in the hoop!  After trying to deal with the hoodlums for 5 minutes, I got fed up and just went home.  I think the fastest I moved all evening was the sprint out to my car...

Holy Tabata!

Holy Tabata Batman!

So I tried the Tabata run for the first time - and it was pretty darn good.  I'm thinking I'm going to have some sore muscles tomorrow!  I got a really good sweat off of it, although I don't think I pushed myself as hard as I could.  Next time I'm going to run all the way at 8 on the treadmill, instead of 7.6 and see how well I can do that.  The time after that, I'll add an incline if I can.

My back started to hurt a wee bit, but I adjusted by posture and it went away!  Hooray!  Now I just have to make sure I can do that on the long runs and my life gets so much happier.  Joyous times.  I know there's no way I'll actually be ready for this 10k - and I'm fully aware it may take me 2+ hours - more if my back acts up - but gosh darn it!  I am going to do this!  I figure I'll just do that next day of the program and walk/run till I'm done.  Will you guys wait for me at the end?

New training program!

I got a personal training session when I signed up for 24hr fitness and it was awesome!  She really took the time to sit with me and discuss my goals and how to get there from where I'm at.  She also gave me a new Tabata running routine to help me get ready for the 10k faster.  It's a sprinting regimen, rather than distance and she said it will significantly help my cardio lung capacity and get me ready that way.  I'm excited!  I'm still sticking with the 0 to 10k though, and hopefully, with the Tabata and the program, I'll be ready to go!  I'm also really hoping that all the new stretches and exercises will help with my back pain.

Here's to getting motivated again!!  Huzzah!

Light on the horizon

I joined 24 hr fitness today!  Hooray!  For today and tomorrow - it's $29.99 a month and they wave the initiation fees at sign up.  You still have to pay 1st and last month, so it was $56 today, as opposed to the $115 - $200 it would normally be!  Hooray!  And as I was signing up, we got on the topic of my back and they think it's just my scapula muscles are out of whack so they showed me some stretched to try to get everything back to normal.  I haven't tried them yet, but I will before my fitness orientation workout tonight and I am really hopeful this will help!  I'm not expecting a turn around in one day, but hopefully by December for certain!

Week 5, Day 1

So, I did Week 5 Day 1 on Sunday on my parent's treadmill.  I was super hopeful that my back wouldn't hurt due to the extreme bouncy nature of this treadmill (it's like you have springs in your shoes!  It's awesome) but alas, I still had the back pain.  I was able to finish the whole program - but I am seriously concerned at this point.  So, I'm going to back off the running a bit I think - just 3 days a week, including weekends, and work the heck out of my back and my core.  I looked up the back issue thing on runner blogs and they mentioned muscle fatigue as a possible source and it def sounds like a possibility.  I went to the running store and had my gait analyzed and I'm actually wearing the right kind of shoes - go figure!  So it's got to be the muscle thing. I hope it's the muscle thing and that I can fix it, otherwise this 10k is going to hurt way more than I thought...

Random Awesomeness!

Ok, so, this weekend was not a total bust due to the complete awesomeness of Saturday night.  I know you guys aren't necessarily big football fans, but, Notre Dame is currently number 1 in the BCS standings!  All that's between us and the championship is the USC game this weekend...

Also, did one of the workouts I pinned on pinterest after my disastrous run yesterday and omgeezy am I sore!  The Victoria's Secret workout - it's really all legs, but I'm feeling it!

Well that could've gone better

So, today I was back outside for Week 4, Day 3....  guess who's back started hurting again and thus couldn't finish.  I am so disheartened.  So, I'm going to stick to the treadmill where I can run without injury and then on weekends, Carey said he would drive with me to a gravel trail so I can run outside and still train on the elevation changes without killing my back.  I also think I'm going to go to a professional running store to get fitted for new shoes.  I know the shoes I have are good - but I'm thinking they just don't fit the way they need to.

Carey said he'd help me with more of the cooking and stuff so I can do more strength training on my off running days.  I'm also trying to get Drew to add me as a family member so I don't have to pay the extra dues at sign up and such.  After last night's 4:30am phone call - I think that's the least he could do!  Yeah, a drunk call at 4:30 asking me for a ride.  He had his bike and he was at Alameda and Broadway.  I told him it would take me about 45 minutes to get to him, by which time he could make it home on his own.  I asked if he had a flat or anything on his bike and he said no - he had a headache and it was cold out so he didn't feel like riding his bike.  I was thiiiiis close to hanging up on him!  He calls me, the furthest one away, because he doesn't feel like riding his bike home in the cold?!  He's so lucky I love him....  Needless to say, I did not go get him, but I was tempted to call Dad and send him out to get him.  I decided to let him suffer his way home though.  You'll neve learn if there's always someone there to bail you out and I really didn't feel like being that night's push over.  Sorry buddy, time to figure out how to call a cab!

Week 4, Day 2

Done!  Today was pretty rough... I had to try to overcome my grumpiness and that was a huge hurdle in and of itself.  Trying to run through that and run through my foot/ankle/calf tightness and the growing cramp in my side was really really difficult - but I did it!  I'm nervous about the 10k, but whatever I'm at that day, I'm doing it.  I paid for the damn thing so I'm doing it!  It just may hurt me a bit...

I'm still grumpy, the lower half of my body is still tight, but I feel just a bit better about myself because I ran.  I'm still fat, but damn it, I am going to do something about it!  Crying doesn't shed the pounds - wouldn't it be great if it did though?  Maybe not crying - but I think laughing and doing what you do should definitely have a more significant calorie contribution!

A very sad day...

Ok, so this is not my workout blog for the day, but I just weighed myself at work for Hold the Holidays program (we get points if we don't gain weight between now and Jan 11) and I have gained 7lbs!!!  I am almost 170lbs girls and I'm not gonna lie - I almost cried when that 167 showed up on the scale.  So, all this running, and nothing has been happening...  Argh!  I'm getting my 24hr fitness membership today and serious changes are going to have to happen.  This is not ok.  I know the number doesn't technically matter - but for me, that number definitely does!  We're getting serious now - I do not want to be the fat one and I have decided I won't be anymore!

So, i found out just how fat I am, plus my nemesis has returned to work.  She was working from home because she was living in Pueblo for a while.  They've moved back up here, so now she's back in the office.  This is too much bad news for one day....

Ta Da!

Week 4, Day 1 - conquered!  I felt pretty darn good today!  I kept at a steady 4.5 while running, 3.5 when walking - only at level 1 incline, but I felt pretty good about myself when I was done.  I had some muscle issues earlier on, but by the end I really wasn't ready to be done.  So when it said cool down, I boosted my speed up to 5 and kept going for another song.  Then I realized I really did need to cool down and get on the road before traffic got horrendous.  Stupid traffic.  I'm looking forward to this weekend when I can run however long I want to!  I never ever ever thought those words would be coming from me.

Girls, I would just like to take a minute to step back and take a look at what we're doing.  I already know I'm not going to be running the entire 10k, I just took much time off, but I do know I'm going to be running at least half to 2/3 of it and I am so proud of myself!  We've all made such awesome progress.  We decided we were going to something, and we're actually doing it!  We went from fairly inactive people to wanting to run or do yoga/pilates.  Once we're all together again - I think we definitely deserve a pizza and some beer :)  Especially since we know we'll work it off the next day!

Rewind back to Friday :)

So I failed at posting Friday night, but I did in fact run.  Week 3, Day 3, accomplished!  I skipped my breaks at work so I could "leave" at 4 and go running.  I did the first half outside, and then, oh man oh man, did I have to pee!  Luckily, the first half took my in a circle and I was right back by the gym at work.  So there was a quick unscheduled break, and then I wrapped things up on the treadmill.

I haven't run on a treadmill for a long time and oh man, in some ways, it was so much easier, and in some ways, so much harder!  For example, if I run like a drunken duck while running outside, no one cares.  It doesn't matter I can't stick to a straight line to save my life.  When running on a treadmill, this wobbly tendency poses a problem.  There were times I had to put my hands on the rail to keep myself from completely biffing it.  I was willing to deal with this though, because the run itself just felt so much easier!

Outside, it was nice because the scenery changed and I had distance goals and such.  The wind was going though and it kind of sucked the breath right out of my body.  That part was not so cool.  So, I'm going to let myself do some treadmill runs, but I'm going to try to do at least one or 2 outdoor runs each week.

PS - I went shopping!  Outdoor runs will be much easier once my cold weather running gear arrives :)  Hooray!

Recovery

So last night was supposed to be weights, but my back was still super sore, so I decided to giv emy body an extra day to heal.  I have no interest in hurting like that again!  I'm all about being sore - that makes me feel good in a masochistic kind of way, but sharp stabby pains - no way!

So tonight will be Week 3, Day 3 and I'm going to have to do it inside on a treadmill at work.  I really don't like doing it that way, but beggars can't be choosers and I can't afford my 24 hour fitness membership until my extra paycheck at the end of November.  I may decide to brave it and run outside, regardless of who may see me, but we'll see how brave I'm feeling when we get to that point :)

Not so hot...

So, yesterday was just no bueno.  I was in this horrid funk and I just wanted to sit in a bubble bath and watch a sad movie for cathartic tears, and then on the other hand, I wanted to run, but it was dark already so I couldn't.  So I'm complaining to C, and he says, "That's it - get your stuff on.  We're going!"  So C goes with me on my run last night.  Both good and bad.  Good, because I pushed myself harder than I would have on my own and I had a pretty quick pace during my run segments.  Bad, because I pushed myself harder than I normally would have and hurt myself. 

So, someone at work told me that, when running long distances, you want most of your weight to fall on the middle part of your foot, rather than running on the ball of your foot like I'd been doing.  So, last night, I tried the new running style.  BAD idea!  While I was running I felt really good.  We ran a full 5k last night, obviously with walking thrown in, but somewhere about half way through, my middle back, right below my shoulder blades started to twinge every time I started running.  By the time we got home, all I could do was collapse on the floor and cry.  I freaked the hell out of C beacuse as soon as we walked in the door, I started sobbing.  So I had to lay there for 30 minutes while he massaged my back, trying to get me back in shape before I could hit the shower.  It was no bueno.  I'm def going back to running on the balls of my feet again.  That's still going to be difficult though, because last night restarted both of my blister spots something fierce (I get a blister on each foot, right behind the ball of the foot at the very front of the instep). 

Today is going to have to be weights, because I think my poor body needs a break!

Nada Nada Enchilada... :(

So, after breaking in to Week 3 on Monday, I have since failed to do anything else productive.  I didn't run Tuesday to ward off the dreaded shin splints, which apparently the only thing I can do to avoid them is stop running - not an option - or find some gravel or grass to run on.  Problem!  I'm hoping just running every other day will do it...  We'll have to see.  Anywho, didn't run Wednesday either since it was Halloween and I was in zombie makeup and I didn't feel like it.  I was planning on running Thursday during the day before my flight, but the best laid plans of mice and men aft gan aglay.  Another plan that went astray - running while back in the Bend.  Took all my gear, even had the opportunity, but instead chose to watch C's older brother work out, rather than doing it myself.  3 deer were along the back of the property and had the same idea.  I think they were watching him run stairs and hop the retaining wall for at least 5 minutes!  Then, I was going to run today since our flight got in mid-afternoon and I'd have plenty of time.  Things just did not work out that way.  C is sick - caught a cold or something in the Bend - and trying to get out of the airport was a trip.  C & one of his brothers got stuck in an elevator and I was left with 5 bags and a crazy 4, almost 5 year old who still acts like she's 3.  She also decided that she had to pee while it was still just the two of us.  Girls, I have to tell you, it was a sight!  I'm rolling/pushing/pulling 5 large rollie bags with this obnoxious little whiny child dancing alongside going "Peeeeeeeeeeee!" and me reassuring her by chanting, "You can do it!  you can make!  Just hold it!" over and over and over.  Did I mention I like this niece least?  She would be the same one that pooped on the floor when C and I first started dating...

So, long story short - I was a lazy bum.  I didn't even do the 4 minute power workout from Pinterest.  Grade for this week - solid F.  Sad day.

On a better note - we woooooooooon!  We are 9-0 baby!  Can we say luck?  Yeah, that's all we had on Saturday....

Week 3, Day 1 - Racing the dark

So, as winter gets closer and closer, it become harder and harder to get in my run before nightfall.  I want to keep running outside so my body can get used to running in the cold and the small changes in elevation that I'm sure will happen in the race, but if I can barely get home before dark, how am I supposed to run before dark?

So, yesterday was pretty tough.  I wasn't in the running mood, and I knew that if I didn't go right after I got home from work, it would be too dark to go at all, so I had no down time.  The 2.5 minute run was pretty tough as well.  As I work and work and work at this, I wonder how the heck I managed to do the 5k this summer.  I've already done a 3 mile obstacle course!  Why starting over like this so hard??

All I know is it's kicking my butt, hopefully right in to shape!  I just have to keep myself motivated through these times right now when it's really hard...  I know I can do it!

Week 2, Day 3

Week 2, Day 3 - complete!

Does anyone else have problems getting in to "the groove"?  I've noticed that I don't have a good running gait until about the 3rd run segment.  The first two have really short, quick strides and just feel really disjointed...  It def takes me a while to remember what I'm supposed to be doing!

I'm also afraid I may be developing shin splints... I was going to double do today and run the same day twice, but it felt like my left shin was bruised or something and kind of hurt when I run.  It's not extreme pain yet or anything, but it's certainly distracting.  I really don't want to have to go out and buy compression sleeves, but it may be in my future.  Like I said yesterday, running is expensive.  You think it's just you, the shoes, and the road - only to get started and realize you need better socks to keep those blisters at bay (I get them right on my instep!), a better sports bra to keep bouncing to a minimum, better shirts to wick away moisture for layering, better tights to keep you from freezing your buns off, compression sleeves to hold off shin splints, & a face mask to make the air breathable.  *Sigh*

Anywho, so I finally get in to a groove today and all the sudden I feel like I'm training for hurdles rather than a race!  I'm going, I'm going, I'm going, and then WHOA!  Poop in the trail!  Leap over the poo!  Not once, but three times!  And then the same three piles on the way back.  People - take the dog over to the side!  For the love....

PS - watching ducks trying to swim in about 3inces of water in the drainage canal is very entertaining!  Rather than a swim, it's much more of a gliding waddle :)

Boo Ya! Week 2, Day 2

So, I know it's not a milestone, but today I'd really like to lead off with a "Boohoohooooo Yah!!".  I felt great during my run, and more importantly - I did it and I did it all.  I left work with a headache and a bit of a grump and was totally ready to just sit on the couch and not do a damn thing.  I'm not quite sure how I got myself in to my running clothes, but I'm sure glad I did.  I also realized, I need some actual cold weather running clothes.  I think the leggings I wore are from 8th grade...  high school at the very latest.  And I definitely need my face-masky-scarfy thing.

I expected to be hurting from the start since it's only 37 degrees outside, without including the windchill factor, so I knew my lungs would not be happy with me.  They did surprisingly well!  I was about 3/4 of the way through before I started getting the unhappy blood tasting cough.  I know things are only going to get colder, so I'm going to need that scarf ASAP.  I also need to figure out what kind of coat I'm supposed to wear....  It's all about the accessories - am I right? :)

So, anybody else feel like the program knows when a hill is coming and plans for you to start running right before you hit it?  I swear, I wind up running every hill!  I guess that's good for endurance and such, and I'm sure there will be hills on the 10k course, but for right now, jeebus man!

PS - I have found two of my power songs - Firework by Katie Perry and St. Elmo's Fire by John Parr.  Odd combo, I know, but Katy Perry kind of started this whole running thing for me, and Firework is pretty motivational.  I put St. Elmo's Fire on the playlist I made for myself and when it came on today I felt awesome!  I felt like I was running across the finish line with my hands in the air, friends and family cheering me on.  Obviously, not the case, probably won't be the case at the race either because I'm sure my family won't come for that since they didn't even remember I was doing it in the first place, but whatever.  They weren't there for the Devil Dash either and I still made it!

It's off to a nice steamy bubble bath to try to convince my lungs to breathe again without hacking violently and to convince my muscles there's really no reason to cramp up...  Tune in tomorrow for our next installment! :)

Fail...

So, I was all set to try my first run in the snow last night, and guess who left her gym bag at work?  This girl!  So that means I haven't done diddly for the last 3 days and I feel it and it feels gross.  That also means I will have to run both Saturday and Sunday and I usually like to take weekends off...  I guess that's the price I pay for being forgetful!  I know I'm also running pretty behind on where I wanted to be for this 10 k, so I'm really gonna have to boogy!  Time is running out and I really want to be able to run/jog the whole race - even if it's just  "wogging" (walk/jogging).  BTW - for my race buddies, I run about an average of 4mph right now.  I don't know if we want to try to stick together on actual race day, but if so, I'm thinking we need to try to train to the same speed:)

Rain, rain, go away!

So, we have another day of rest today due to inclement weather.  I'm all about training in the colder weather, but I still have a wheeze in my chest and random coughing bouts, so I'm thinking a frolic in the cold rain/snow/sleety grossness outside is not my best laid plan.  We're gonna have to put the pedal to the medal tomorrow!

Rest day

So, I wasn't planning on resting today since it's the last sunny day we'll be having this week, but it was getting dark by the time I got home, so it was kind of forced.  I did the 4 minute workout I found on Pintrest and that actually had me huffing and puffing like whoa!  I don't believe for one second I burned as many calories as I did on my runs, but I got my heart rate up, so that's better than nothing!  Tomorrow will be my first workout in inclement weather... Let's do this!

"curfews" suck!

So, we're on week 2, day 1 of the program and it went pretty well.  There were def some points when I was sucking air, wondering when I got to walk again, but other than that, life was good.  I had some nice Zen moments when I just totally zoned out and realized, oh hey, this is actually fun!  Who knew?  I was ready to do 2 days in one, but then I noticed the sun was getting pretty close to set, so I had to get on home.  Which brings me to the title of this blog.

Dear bad guys, go away!  I should be able to run until just after dark if I want to without worrying about being abducted and cut in to bits.  This is not Detroit, this is not downtown NY, this is not Gary, IN.  I should be safe running around my own neighborhood!  But nooo!  The CO creepers have to step it up a notch these days and try to abduct everyone from little boys, to little girls, to 20-30 something women, making sure no one is safe!  How can I train outside in the winter time if I can't run outside without looking over my shoulder every 5 minutes?!  I am almost 30, I should not have a dusk curfew!  So thank you Creeper McCreeperson for ruining my Zen moments.  I blame you, I shame you, and I hope they pull out your toenails when they catch you.

Day - unknown

Ok, I have gotten so discombobulated with this program.  Did you know that if you don't hit "complete" at the end of a run, it doesn't show that it's done?  Also, did you know that you have to progress to the next run manually, it doesn't just jump to the next one for you?  Yeah, didn't know these things.  So the other day, I did 2 again, and 3.  Last night, rather than moving on to week 2, day 1, I repeated w1, d3.  *sigh* 

Either way, I ran last night, for which, I am proud.  I was at work for 11 hours yesterday and all I wanted to do was go home, but I still went to the little gym at my work and ran.  I've discovered since my cold/flu/plague thing, my balance is worse than usual.  I almost fell like 3 times!  Not a problem, except there were 4 other people in there!  Nothing quite like being not only the fattest person in the gym, but the least coordinated as well.  Someday, that will change!  I need to track down a tape measurer so I can start tracking weight loss, not in lbs, but where it actually matters - in inches!  Hopefully we get to inches...

I still haven't gone to 24hr fitness yet.  I don't know what I'm waiting for, but I just haven't gone.  I'm always nervous about going to the gym and classes and such.  Oh wait, yes I do!  Please see above :)  Anywho, I need to just do it!

C's dad paid for my ticket to South Bend the first weekend of November for the football game cand C's new niece's baptism.  I'm not quite sure why he wanted me to be there so badly he's willing to shell out $200, but whatevs!  So, for C's last relative's baptism, he commented that he was a fat hairy guy, and he thinks it's going to be the same for this one.  So now I'm working not only for me, but to encourage C to get up and lose some weight and diet!  I think i'm going to go to Sprouts and get all the south beach week 1 stuff and just make a ton of food and freeze it so we can just grab and go.  I'll keep you posted

Back to Day 2.

Ok, I'm back on the wagon.  Today I redid Day 1 on accident, so I did Day 2 as well.  I'm thinking that may not have been my best plan since I'm def still recovering from being sick.  I still have this nasty cough that makes me taste blood in the back of my throat every time I cough.  Add that to the wind that was blowing, and the muscle lethargy that's developed during my off time, and it was a really rough run today.  I'm glad I did it, but I'm going to be huuurrrting!  I'm really glad I got Carey that foam roller so I can massage out my leg muscles.  BTW girls, you might want to look in to one of these - they're great for rolling out sore backs as well!

As for my other "fitness aspect", I've stopped Boot Camp.  It was time for me to send in my next payment and realized I was paying $40 a month for only 2 classes a week.  Not smart when 24 hr Fitness is only $25 a month!  I'm going to go back to 24 hr and get back in to classes.  I'm actually pretty excited.  I am going to wait to do that until I'm completely healthy again though.

South Beach also isn't going well.  You really do need to prep a lot of food and I just don't have the time.  It's also hard when Carey doesn't want to 100% commit so there's still booze and bread and such in the house.  Also, carbs just taste better than veggies!  We are trying to at least commit to phase 2 since Carey has decided he's gotten fat.  Hopefully we'll help each other through our cravings!

I think the wagon is running me over...

Ok, so I have developed a cold.  This should not be the end of the world, but it's certainly throwing a wrench in my running plan.  That wagon?  I think it just smushed my face in the mud....

Day 3...ish

Ok, so, you may have noticed Day 3 has been a long time coming.  I've fallen off the wagon a bit.  With the wedding (which was awesome!) it has been a bit hard to work out.  Monday I just was not feeling it, Tuesday was softball (watching, not playing), and today I'm working on what threatens to be a pretty nasty cold.  Liz brought to my attention that we only have 10 weeks left, and that was a bit of a shock to me.  December is so far away, in a not really kind of way I guess.  So, like i've said a million times, tomorrow is when it really starts.  Girls, I am really gonna need your help...

Day 2

So today was Boot Camp - no running, just boot camp.  And today, boot camp was brought to you by the letter k, as in kickboxing.  It was awesome!  I boxed way back in the day in college and apparently I've still got it ;)  It was so much fun and I just felt amazing afterwards.  I can already feel myself getting sore, so tomorrow will be fun.  But it'll be a good sore - the kind you earn by kicking ass and making progress!

Day 1...ish

So, today was technically day 1 of the 0 to 10k app on my iPod.  Now, to be fair, I did do an obstacle 5k on 9/2, but it wasn't really all that impressive.  I was "wogging" (walk/jogging) for most of it and I'd really like to get to a much faster gait for the 10k and not want to hack up a lung at the end of it.  So, in an effort to "do it right" I'm starting from the beginning and trying to work my way up to a solid 10k in December, and then keep on going to half marathon/Tough Mudder in June.  I'm also trying to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle, and so I have a 3 part process right now: Running, Boot Camp, & South Beach.

Running: Today's "run" went really well.  It was only a 25 workout with a 15 minute mile, but I felt really good afterwards.  I never felt like I was pushing myself to the limits of my endurance, but I still worked up a good sweat and was breathing pretty heavily.  I'm actually looking forward to the next run and seeing how much harder I can push myself now that I know the format of the program.

Boot Camp:  I didn't have boot camp today (it's Tuesdays and Thursdays through work), but I've been to a total of 4 classes thus far.  I've missed 2, including last Thursday, and so I'm pretty nervous for tomorrow.  Last Tuesday, the instructor said that last week was the end of the acclamation period and that this week we'd start really working at it.  Seeing as last week's cardio "warm up" had me gasping, I'm definitely scared for what tomorrow will bring.

South Beach:  So I'm supposed to be doing Phase 1 of South Beach starting this week, however, it's Customer Service appreciation week and all week our bosses are giving us treats and such.  My will power is just not strong enough to resist that!

I'm hoping to lose at least a few pounds by this weekend for one of my best friend's wedding.  I'm in the bridal party and right now, I can fit in my dress in the morning before I eat, but not at night.  So, I know I'm going to have to invest in a pretty solid gut-sucker, aka "shapewear", and I am not excited about it.  I'm so aggravated with myself that I let my body deteriorate to this point and that I left actually getting in shape for so late in the game.  I've had this darn dress for months!  I just was never as aggressive as I need to be.  My biggest challenge is that I'm going to need to be balls to the wall for the next 9 months until Tough Mudder.  That kind of endurance and "stick to itness" is really not my strong point.  Staying with it is going to be tough and I'm going to need all the help I can get!

Well, the longest journey begins with a single step.  Here goes...