Deja Vu

So, I'm back on the bandwagon again everyone!  I know, deja vu, am I right?  After Tough Mudder I took a break for a few days because, well, hell, I deserved.  But a few days turned in to a few weeks and an additional 7lbs because I was eating like I was still working out every day.  Bad news bears.  So, I'm back.... again.

I backed up a bit in my running program to week 4, day 1 just to get myself slowly back in to things again and it felt fabulous!  After about a half an hour of the program, topped off with a speed 7.5 run segment tacked on at the end for good measure, I decided I wasn't done.  So I bumped my incline up to 15 and kept on going for another half a mile at a huge incline.  I had TacoBell for lunch today, so I decided I still wasn't done and went for 20 minutes/6.25 miles on the bike.  I was going to follow up with abs, but there was a very strong skinny girl in the groupx room where I do my core and resistance training and I really didn't feel like struggling next to her.  I know that everyone had to start somewhere and I shouldn't compare myself to her, but I did, and I will and I can't help it.  I'm a girl and I judge myself against those around me, along with 90% of the women out there.

I know I still didn't earn the calorie deficit required for weight loss today, but it felt really good to get back on the treadmill.  To top it all off, I didn't even have any back pain!  It's good to be back... again ;)

PS - Carey and I might have found a house!  We sent in our rental app today.  Icing on the cake - it's less than a mile from Liz :)  Hooray!

Tough Mudder!

Well my friends, I did it.  I have completed the Tough Mudder and have a sweat band, t-shirt, and enough cuts and bruises to prove that I did it with, not necessarily flair and definitely not grace, but certainly determination.  I completed the course in just over 4 hours - knocking my 6 hour goal out of the park!  I didn't complete all the obstacles because, after the Arctic Enema (jump in a trough of ice, swim halfway, have to go under a 1 foot deep board and then swim some more before you can get out the other side that has even more ice cubes in it) and another water obstacle right after it, I didn't think my body could handle the shock of another fall in ice cold water.  I also couldn't find my ear plug, so my ear was starting to hurt from all the weird shit that I was allowing to get in there.  So, that goal wasn't completed, but I'm still pretty darn proud of myself.  I know that I couldn't have done it without Andrew and Carey helping me over the climbing obstacles (and two random guys who pulled me up at the top of the half pipe).  I know I could have done better if I trained sufficiently, but I did it gosh darn it!

If I ever do this again, I'm definitely training better.  Even if I still have my back problems, I will continue to strength train, in spite of not being able to do cardio/running.  BTW - I didn't have any upper back problems!  My knees are totally f'd though.  They had us climb up the run, run all the way down it, only to climb directly back up it and then run down it again.  As much as the climb hurt, running down hill was pure hell on my knees.  I think every possible muscle in my body is screaming in pain every time I move - muscles I didn't even realize I had hurt!  Which of course makes sleeping difficult because I can't sleep in my normal side/tummy positions because of my knees and then every time I try to turn over, i wake up because my muscles are so upset about moving.

Don't let all this fool you - it was an awesome time!  The electric shocks hurt for sure and I lost my shoe in the mud on the last obstacle when I got a shock and was flipped sideways so I was limping in to the finish line but oh man - what a rush!  I kept myself from crying - I think the shoe loss was odd enough to throw me off of any tears.  I have never earned a beer more in my life.  I almost threw it up, but damn was it good going down :)

So, all in all, I did it.  I have mental grit.  I have stamina.  I am a Tough Mudder.

PS - someone else who ate it in the mud pit happened to land on my shoe and brought it back out with him.  Kathryn and Dad went to retrieve it while Carey and I enjoyed our beers.

New Kicking butt style

Hello all!

I've decided to change my work schedule to 7 - 4 so that way I can take a full hour for lunch.  What am I doing with so much time do you ask?  Why running of course!  Yesterday was my first day and it felt wonderful.  That break during the work day was so needed and I came back totally rejuvenated and in a much better mood than when I first started my run!  It was also nice because when I went to the gym last night, I only had to do weights/the TM work out.  It was the first time I've really tried to do it all the way through and oh my goodness - it's so hard!  It's just really stressing to my how much trouble I'm in...  I mean, I know circuit training is hard when you first start it, even if you're in great shape, but oh man!  Hopefully, doing this 3 - 4 times a week will really help boost me to the point where I'm not completely f'd - just mostly ;).

My body is hurting today though!  Including, oddly enough, the top of my left foot.  My plan was to do another day in the program, but I may either repeat yesterday or just do a 15 minute tabatta to try not to push myself too hard.  I know I need to push, but I can not afford to get injured at this stage of the game!  Body pump is tonight, so that's exciting!  I'm so tired every night now, but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do.  Let's just see how long I can keep this up!  Most awkward part - I'm showering about 3 times a day now!  I'm going to go through a lot of soap...

Jubilation

I had an awesome run today!  Last night, C and I went out and spent about an hour finding me new running shoes, and when I went to test them out today, it was amazing.  I had no pain - other than the standard muscles hating me kind of stuff.  I thought I might be getting a twinge in my back so I slowed down my pace and focused on my form and it never manifested.  I even fit in 2 sprinting segments!  Nothing big, just sprinting a block, walking across the street, then sprinting the next block.  I am so excited by this morning's run though!  Hooray for my awesome new kicks :)

Body Pump on steroids

K, so last night I went to this class called Step and Strength.  Oh My Goodness!  This was ridiculous!  I was dripping sweat and I am already getting sore today.  It was a combo of body pump, pilates, and a step class.  I'm just so bummed it's only one day a week at 4:30pm - super hard to make it due to work schedule :(

After that, I got home and C wasn't feeling well, so we went on a walk to try to get him moving.  3 miles later, he's still feeling poopy, so that's no bueno.  That 3.5 miles took us for-ev-er!  It was like we were walking backwards.  It was the pace he needed to go at, but it was definitely unusual for us to just stroooooollllll like that.

During our walk, I realized how truly and completely screwed I am for Tough Mudder.  I am so scared guys!  I know I'm going to do it, and I know it's going to hurt like whoa, I just wish I knew I could do it in less than like, 6 hours!  I am no where near where I need to be.  I still can't run a mile without back pain, my breathing abilities are still amazingly limited, and my upper arm strength is nil.  I know I still have a month and a half - but this is going to be the hardest month and a half ever!

Let's try this again...

Yesterday I went for my first run outside since I started PT.  Sadly, it did not go well.  I really shouldn't have expected anything different since I fell down a flight of stairs on Thursday (I'm ok - Bert and I are no longer allowed to be on the stairs at the same time though!) and that definitely messed with my back...  I made it almost all the way through Week 3, Day 3 of the 0 to 10k program before it started hurting, so that's good I guess.

Today I did a Tabatta run on the treadmill after work and I made it through without back pain.  Shin splints started though and I'm realizing my shoes are pretty much doneski.  Darn!  But I wound up working out/stretching for about an hour and a half.  I'm pretty happy with myself!  Sadly, I know I can push myself harder -  I just have to figure out to tap in to those reserves!

Down to business

I had my last day of physical therapy today - hooray!  After PT, I cam home, got changed, and rode my bike to the gym.  I did week 3 day 2 and it was fantastic.  It felt awesome.  There was never a time when I was wishing it were over and I didn't hurt and I felt great when I was done.  Truly energized for the first time in days.  After running, I went and rowed 1,000 meters (a little more than half a mile for those of us who aren't conversion savvy).

I was buying some protein bars and such - they sell us the recently expired stuff at 60% off - and was talking to my service manager, Julie.  Julie is kind of my hero.  Just to look at the girl, you wouldn't think athlete, but not only is she an athlete, she's a triathelete and she's done an ironman!  But I was mentioning how I was kind of nervous about Tough Mudder and she's going to help train me and work with me on setting up a work out program that will have me ready in time.  Hooray!

Guys - I'm so stoked :)


PS - I've lost 5lbs!

Holy wind resistance Batman!

So, Liz, I'm not sure what the wind is like out there in AK, but it's been pretty crazy out here for the past week or so.  Apparently it's blowing in some more snow for us this weekend :)  Anywho, I was exhausted and just did not feel like fighting for a treadmill or for space in Body Pump, so I just went home.  I was sitting in front of my TV and started getting mad at myself for being such a bum (I haven't worked out once this week) so I changed in to my running clothes and decided to head out and run in the last afternoon of sun until Tuesday.  I opened the front door and got blasted by the wind and quickly changed my mind - I'm not a fan of wind running.  It steals my breath away too quickly and breathing is hard enough as it is.  Plus, I know I'm dehydrated as heck so if I tried to make a run happen today, it was not going to be pretty.  Instead, I pulled out my trusty bike and hit the road.

I've been riding my bike to my second job weather permitting - I've been able to do it about 3 times now.  I've discovered I have very little actual muscle on my butt to protect my derriere from the hard seat - because can we say bruuuuiiiiised the next day!  Not actual bruises, but it certainly felt like there should be one or two!  I've had to contend with the wind on the way home every time, but it's like a quarter of a mile, so no big deal.  The wind also wasn't blowing as hard as it was today.  I went 4.5 miles on my little bicycle and there were time I wasn't sure if I was actually moving forward or not!  Seriously - I know 4.5 miles on a bike is not that much, but holy cow!  You factor in the wind resistance and my legs feel rather jelly like!  It's like getting off the elliptical after an hour workout - your legs kind of forget what the walking is supposed to be like!

I came home and did some half hearted abs and then Carey got home so I decided to call it a night.  Ladies, I have got to figure out how to go balls to the wall because Tough Mudder is in less than 3 months!  Heaven help me....  Let me know if you have any tips!

PS - Liz, how's insanity going for you?

Oh jeebus....

So, I just got back from the doctor, and she thinks I may have pneumonia.  I'm not willing to pay for the chest xray right now, so I'm on antibiotics for the pneumonia, plus a prescription strength cough suppressant because it feels like my throat is bleeding.  If I'm not better by the end of the Z Pack, or if things get worse, I have to go back in and probably do the chest xray :(  Let's hope these little pink pills do the trick!

Sick.... Again

So, you may recall that almost exactly a month ago, I got the flu or a cold or something yucky where even my hair hurt.  Well ladies and gentlebugs, it's deja vu because I've got it again.  This time I'm quarantined to the couch so Carey can do the computer work he needs to do upstairs.  This is the only time I'm happy this crappy thing is a sleeper sofa!  This time I have a few extra symptoms:

•  some serious coughing - my throat tastes bloody and raw 
• serious sniffles - this symptom just started this morning and my nose is already raw and burny 
• a huge headache - of course it gets worse every time I cough 
• severe shivers - I just can't seem to get warm most of the time!  I do swing to sweaty hot sometimes though 
• fatigue
• sore muscles

Yup, the whole shebang.  Sounds fun, no?  I'm going to bed as early as I can today and working from home tomorrow in hopes I can kick it faster this time because second job start date is fast approaching!  Not sure when exactly, but as soon as background check is done!  I'm going to the doctor tomorrow, even though I've tried really hard to avoid them since Kathryn's adventure this past summer.  But I'm risking it because there is no reason I should have the same thing within the month.  Did I mention I start/ed my period the same weekend I get sick?  So awesome...

Nailed it!

Hello my friends!  You'll be happy to hear I am now a lady with 2 jobs!  I got the offer yesterday :)  So, first interview was Sunday morning, yes, during the blizzard.  That one went super well which led to the second interview, which was yesterday at 3:30.  After that interview, which also went really well, I hopped in to the pool to work out.  So I'm swimming and swimming and water jogging and doing my thing when I look up and Walter, the AM who did my second interview was standing at the side of the pool.  Apparently the manager wanted to interview me too, so he said as soon as I was done working out, to go back to the office to see him.  Awesome.  No makeup, mangy chlorinated hair - exactly how I want to go in to a final interview!  It still went well and I found out there's really a lot of room for advancement with 24hr fitness, so I'm pretty stoked.  I finished the 3rd interview around 6 or so and got the call with the job offer at 9 :)  Hooray!  Cool benefit - free membership!  Double yay!

I've asked to work the 6 - 10 shift so I can work out before work.  I know I'm going to be uber tired, but I'm so excited about this!  I can pay off my credit cards so much faster this way and I still get to work out.  Plus, I'll have absolutely no excuses!  I'll be at the gym at least 3 - 4 days a week and if you go to the gym but don't work out, that's just a whole new level of lazy :)

Here we go!

Fingers Crossed!

I've been needing a part time job for quite a while, and I decided that I really needed a part time job.  I've been hesitant because I was super concerned about still getting to the gym.  I know I need the money, but I still really need to train.  So, in light of this conundrum, I decided the only thing that made sense was to apply at 24hr fitness.  I applied online and heard... absolutely nothing.  After about a month, I took matters in to my own hands and went directly to the Assistant Manager.  Super convenient he's the one who signed me up, so we have a bit of a rapport.  Unfortunately that's not his field, but he gave me the name of the hiring manager and I had an interview this morning.  It was the shortest interview I've ever had.  She said she knew she wanted me for the team, but that we have to go through all the steps, so I have an interview with a manager tomorrow, just to finalize things!  Hooray!  Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well tomorrow!

Go old ladies go!

Last night I arrive at the pool fully intending to spend the next hour attempting a back stroke and, if the area was empty, attempting a freestyle stroke as well; follwed by a lot of water jogging and noodle resistance work, etc. etc.  I got goggles, so I can do those without losing contacts now!  Instead, I arrived to find a class had just started.  I obviously couldn't do what I had planned, so I just joined the water class.  Like the last one, I was the youngest person there.  Unlike the last one, I was challenged!  They did some biceps and triceps that got my arms buuuuuurning!  In my head, I was thinking, "Dang old ladies!  You go girls!"  At the very end we did this circuit that, for lack of a better description, was and alternating skip across the width of the pool one way, and a russian type dance the other.  For the Russian bit, we went across the pool kicking up our ankles and touching opposite arm and ankle so it looked kind of like that dance where they squat down really low and kick out their legs...  I hope you're following me on this one.  Either way, it was quite a workout.  My heart rate was going, my inner thighs were working hard, and I was pretty excited. 

Sadly, I got out of the pool, looked down, and my ring had oxidized.  Last time this happened, my suit got bleached or something from the amount of chlorine or chemicals in the pool and I had to buy a new suit.  I went and spoke to the manager so that, if it happens again, I can get a new suit out of them.  I can' go around spending $70 on a new suit every time i take a water class.  Grumble grumble grumble....  they were super cool about it though.  The manager was the guy who signed me up, and he actually remembered me!  He said that if the bleaching happens, just let them know and they'd take care of it.  Hooray for good management!  Now if they can only work on their pool techs...

2 in 1! Booyah!

I did not one, but 2 exercise classes today!  Woot!  I have to say, I prefer the instructor down in the HR area.  The routine up here just doesn't seem as intense as the ones I was going to down south....  I don't know if it would be different, or if there's particular choreography they all have to do, but this one feels more like that silly Hustle class I went to.  Brushing "lint" off my shoulders does nothing for getting my heart rate up!

Luckily Body Pump was awesome.  We did squat jumps so I definitely got my heart rate going there.  All my muscles were trembling by the end of class!

  I should've stayed and done more cardio after Zumba, but I'd been working out for two hours and my tummy was talking to me.  Tomorrow it's time to hit the pool again!  I went out and bought goggles, so I'll be able to do backstroke and to try freestyle.  Here's hoping I don't drown!

A fine line between swimming and drowning...

Ok, so I definitely swim like a 5 year old.  I got water up my nose today and thought I was going to die - no fun at all.  So after a few laps of a pitiful looking breast stroke, I just did water jogging and different water weight exercises.  I need to go get some goggles so I can do backstroke again.  I did pretty well at that for a few strokes until some droplets landed in my eyes and I almost lost a contact.  *Sigh*  Remember when you were a kid and swimming was as natural as breathing and anything but a workout?  I miss my childhood muscle mass!

Back to Body Pump

I finally hit up another body pump class again... plus, I went up on my weight!  Woot!  I realized just how easy I've been going on myself lately and decided that's got to stop.  I'm not going to get anywhere unless I push myself!  SO I upped the weight, which still isn't much, but it's more than I was doing, and let me tell you, I can feel it today! 

I need to start having a plan for going to the gym every day.  If I don't, I just get on a cardio machine for a half an hour and then wander aimlessly and wind up going home.  Before my back went, I was working out hard every day, and now, nothing but fluff.

Good bye fluff!  Hello muscles!...  I hope ;)

Bada BING!

I ran!  Yup, you heard me - today I ran.  Granted, I went back to week 2, Day 1, which, if you recall is something like, run 1.5 minutes, walk 1.5 minutes, but I did the whole program without my back hurting!  Hooray!!!!  So, I'm just going to go from here and try build up a stronger foundation and hopefully do it without the back pain.

I am so excited you guys!  I'm running again!

Just keep swimming

Last night was my first night back at the gym since contracting the plague last Wednesday.  Sad to say, all I did was swim for a bit.  I only made it a half an hour before my little iPod died, and went that went, so did my motivation.  When I have music on I can ignore the fact that everyone can see me in a swim suit and that I swim like a 5 year old.  But without it...  I just don't have the mental barrier anymore.  I was thinking about changing into my normal workout clothes and hitting the stair master, but one of the clubs (the club I normally go to) has been closed for renovations and the club I hit up last night is the closest one, so it looks  like it got all of the "homeless" athletes.  It was packed!  It was difficult to walk around even!  I decided to call it a night and not push things too quickly.  But at least I got active again.  The first step is the hardest :)

Quarantine

Tuesday night, my throat started feeling a little odd, but I figured it was just allergies and went on with my life.  Wednesday morning, I woke up and the throat was a bit worse and I had the achy burny eyes feeling.  Again, I figured it was just my body trying to talk me out of going in to the office that day.  So I put on my big girl panties and ignored it.  By 10am I knew I was out for the count.  At that point I was just trying to get the shit off my desk so I could go home.  Stuff kept popping up so I didn't get out of the office until 2:30pm and by this time my throat was on fire.  I had to constantly sip water to get relief from the burning sandpaper feeling.  To make life better - there was a huge accident at I-70 and Havanna.  It took me 45 minutes to get from I-70 and Chambers to I-70 and Havanna - some 3 to 5 miles or something like that.  By the time I finally got home, I was so groggy and miserable I was on the verge of tears.

I go straight up to bed and pass out until Carey gets home.  And that's where I've been ever since.  I worked from home yesterday and got to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher during my counselings.  All from the comfy-ness of my own bed.  But let me tell you, after 48 hours, that bed gets pretty boring.  We're trying to limit the spread of contaminants, so I'm quarantined to the bedroom and Carey is sleeping on the couch.  It's pretty lonely, I'll tell you that much.  I only go downstairs to warm my cornbags and rustle up some food.  I feel unclean because Carey's not coming near me in hopes he can avoid getting whatever this is.  I don't blame him - I definitely dont want him to get this grossness - but I'm really wanting a hug these days....

Can I be healthy again please?

a climbing contradiction

So I'm at the gym today, the pool is still closed for unknown reasons, and I'm at a loss as to how to get in my cardio.  Running and I are still not friends, I get bored on the bikes, and, let's be honest, those little seats are just not comfy, and I lose feeling in my feet when I'm on the elliptical.  So, by default, it looked like the stair treadmill thingy was my machine for the day.  So I'm climbing and climbing and climbing and I notice the guy next to me has two water bottles.  My first thought, was whoa - way to stay hydrated!  But then, as I continued to covertly observe my climbing buddy, I realized he was not the epitome of hydration, but rather a climbing contradiction.  The second water bottle was in fact his spit cup!  Can we say gross?!  I was just floored by the fact that someone who'd been climbing for as long as he had been, and at that pace, was actively polluting his body with chew....  I mean, really?  You can't wait an hour until you're done in the gym?  The rest of us have to see it and smell it too?  It was a particularly nasty experience, plus pretty soon I was grossing myself out as I started dripping sweat.  They must turn the heat up higher over by those things because whoooo Nelly - I was kind nasty.  But, nasty in a oh yeah! kind of way :)

PUMP you up!

So, I'm remembering how much I love Body Pump.  I really feel like I accomplish something after the class which is such a nice feeling!  I wish there was more core, but a girl can't have everything! 

I had another realization last night - going to Body Pump right after Physical Therapy is not such a hot idea - can we say fatigue? 

So, on Tuesday at PT, we discovered my right thigh is a full 2 inches larger than my left, and my left calf is 1 cm larger than my right.  My physical therapist was shocked.  She said anything over 7 cm for my thighs is extreme.  Apparently it means my left leg is lazy as sin and my right is beating the crap out of it and taking over.  My left calf is trying to keep up and is working harder than the right calf, but the right leg as a whole is still dominating.  The uneve leg thing is definitely part of what's screwing up my back.  Upon this discovery, I am no longer allowed to work out my right leg until my left decides to catch up.  That being said, PT is a lot of left leg exercises.  That means, when I go to Body Pump, I only do lunges on my left side.  When everyone switches legs, I take a bit of a break and then keep on going on the left side.  Doing that many lunges, right after doing left leg workouts at PT, left my leg quivering so hard I could barely do squats later on!  I went to get out of bed today and my muscles were (and still are) screeeaaaaming!   It's a hurt so good, but the hurt is definitely on!

Have you seen my motivation lately??

So, I have had zero motivation to go the gym.  Yesterday I was parked in the parking lot after physical therapy, ready to go in, only to discover I forgot my headphones.  I turned around and went home.  today, I worked from home.  I had no reason not to go.  I did video workouts instead.  Now, I'm glad I worked out, and I worked up a sweat, but I should have gone to the gym.  Tough Mudder is a mere 4 months away.  If I don't start getting my rear in gear I am screeeeeewed!  I haven't tried running again, but my goal is to do it Friday.  Hopefully after having 2 days of PT this week, it will go ok.

So, now that I've beaten myself up, I have to say, I am a big fan of FitSugar.com.  You play one video and if you leave it, it will start another one right after!  You have just enough time to pee real quick or go refill your water bottle and then it gets you started again.  They're all about 10 minute videos so it's totally doable and next thing you know, an hour has gone by!  They do get kind of repetitive, but it's splitting up similar motions over several videos so you get to make sure you really work those muscles. There was one, the runner's crunch - holy cow!!!  There's also this leg video I have pinned and it kills!  It's definitely a hurt so good.

Katie, if I can run in July, I will totally do the color run with you :)  We should do a sleep over and a carb fest the night before!  Make it a bit more of a group thing then the Christmas Carol Classic was.  I was we'd seen more of you!  Liz saved my but during that run...  It would be fun to do one with the three of us really together.

Physical Therapy

Last night I did't work out, which puts my gym time at just above nil this week :{  I went to a physical therapist instead.  I know she said they weren't going to do a lot of work that night and it was going to be be more intro, but I expected something!  She wiggled my ankles and did this thing where she put her hand under my back as I was laying down and moved my arm around.  But I didn't really feel like we got anywhere.  Then she and her assistant are telling me to avoid treadmills so I don't undo the progress we made.  Wait, there was progress?!  I mean, I should hope so at $70 a pop until I meet my deductible, but still!  I wasn't given any stretched, no workouts to do, nothing but the ankle wiggle and the hand under my back...

I'm allowed to workout tonight and they said I can even run over the weekend, but to stop as soon as I feel pain.  Well duh!

Let's hope Tuesday goes a bit better and is a bit more productive!  I really really want this to work, and work quickly since I'm broke!  I'm just so scared of not being able to run that I'm willing to shell out this kind of cash.  The way I see it, if I don't pay now, then I wasted the $100+ I paid for Tough Mudder...  I also won't be able to run again, because this is not going away on it's own :(

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Same old Song

So I tried to run yesterday, and yet again, by the end of the 1st mile - there went my back.  I'm going to the doctor tonight and I'm going to ask them to refer me to a sports dr. or something.  I have got to get this fixed!

I've found my workout drive is still so super small - ungood for the losing 10lbs by my bday goal...  I just want to run and my body won't let me!!!  Rargh!