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!