19 April 2008

It begins

So today I start my new regime. I slept like crap last night, up and down, which tells me I need to workout. It's funny. When I was 225 lbs I felt like this all the time, tired, fat, not sleeping well and it didn't bother me at all. Once I started losing weight and working out I had tons more energy,felt better about myself, and slept like a log. Then I get to take this stuff for granted and I forget how it was before. Well, a week of food debauchery and sitting on my big butt has reminded me. And I don't like it. So it begins today. I'm off to strength train and then a 15 mile bike ride. I'm going to have to hurry, looks like we might get some rain.

18 April 2008

I've reached the end

You know you've reached the limits of 'resting' when you start having strange dreams and drooling all over your pillow :) I do not remember what the dream was about now but I do remember the alarm going off and me saying, in my dream, oh heck I'm getting up this is weird. When I did get up my pillow was wet where I'd been drooling. That's not good. That is the wrong kind of sleep for me. Time to start working out again. Luckily, that begins tomorrow. Actually, if it's not raining we may go play tennis tonight. Otherwise I'm going to dust off the fitness equipment and be ready to rumble tomorrow morning.

My general plan for the week will be:
  • 4 days of weights. Those are going to be the hardcore, sweat dripping, kick butt workouts with cardio intervals
  • 2 pool swims and 1 ocean swim
  • 3 bike rides, 2 shortish, 1 long
  • 3 runs
There is also room for some tennis with Hubby and some relaxing time. It's a tough schedule but I want to try it for a month and see what happens. I think if I really stick to something and follow through I will see results.

So that's the game plan. I'm off to get some work done and finalize the details.

17 April 2008

I'm tired

I have not done any physical activity in 4 days now. I feel like the Pillsbury doughboy and could nap at the drop of a hat. I do admit to eating more then normal due to it being my birthday. I've been out to lunch 2 times and out to dinner once this week. That's about 3 more meals out then I normally eat :) If I keep this up I'll be a huge couch potato who needs to take Botox for migraines I'll probably start getting. I may have to get up and do something tomorrow for my own sanity.

A plan is coming together

First off, I'm getting bored. I took this week off to rest, recover from the training I've been doing, and to kind of regroup and get ready for the next phase. But now I'm bored. Instead of starting my program on Monday, I think I'll start on Saturday. I'm trying to shift my thinking. For me Monday is the start of the week, but there's no reason why Saturday can't be the start. I generally take Thursday or Friday as a rest day, well if I start my week on Saturday this works perfectly. So I'm twisting the week around in my head :)

I'm working on a program that will totally kick my butt. 4 days a week will be hard, killer workouts. The other 3 are easier, not easy, just easier. I'm also going to work in the 2 a day workouts. I really sleep better if I do a little workout after I get home from work. So that's in the plan. It'll be fun. I have to make sure I have all my electronics charged or with new batteries so they are ready to go come Saturday morning. But right now I have to go to work :(

16 April 2008

The Biggest Loser


The Biggest Loser finale was last night and it rocked!!! I was so glad to see a girl win, especially Ali. She got voted off but then kept at it at home and got to go back into the house. It was awesome. Also, she beat out some really big guys who had lots and lots to lose. All women know that guys lose weight easier than girls. But she beat them all. Yea!!! for her!!!! I'm happy for her.
It almost makes me wish I was still really heavy so that I could apply for the show :) The first time in my life I've been too small for anything :P

But it got me to thinking. Maybe I'll start a Biggest Loser of my own. Maybe that will be my grand doing this year. Finally lose the weight, get buff, and have the body I want. A while back I totally gave up the weight loss effort and I have to say I feel better than ever. I'm happier with my body and in a much better place mentally. Because I shifted the focus off the scale, I haven't even stepped on one in weeks, and more on how I feel and look things have been going great. I focus on the progress I'm making; running, biking, swimming, etc; and how things are looking; arms are getting definition; instead of the number on the scale. Maybe I'll start my own little Biggest Loser and see what happens. If I weight myself at the beginning and the end only I won't be so focused on the scale. Crank up my workouts a bit to really push myself and see what happens in a month. Hmmm..... Not a bad idea.

I've actually been tossing around something along these lines in my head since Sunday. I loved how I felt during that tri. I was pushing myself beyond my limits and it kind of dawned on me, I need to do that more often. What if really stepped up my workouts and pushed myself once a week - hard? Or every other day? I would do a variety of things to avoid injury. I'm thinking this is the way to go. Make every workout my last chance workout :)

15 April 2008

49

Today I turn 49. Which means I've lived on this planet for 49 years. Or conversely, I'm beginning my 50th year on the planet. That's a long time. With any luck at all it will be a lot longer, but 50 years is a long time. I now understand so many things my mother told me. I wish I had understood them then. I wish I could make my daughter understand them now. But we each have to learn and experience in our own way I guess.

I look back on my life and think that I've made a lot of mistakes. But, in reality, my choices in life are what has made me the person I am today. While it would be nicer if I had turned out to be say, Bill Gates, I really, really like who I am. So I guess those choices in my past can't be viewed as mistakes because if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be me. There are good things about getting older. I sure don't have to worry about looking for a natural acne treatment anymore. It's definitely nice to have that kid stuff behind me.

I want to do something grand this year. Not today, but during my 50th year on the planet, I want to do something grand. I don't know what. My mind goes to doing a 70.3, but I don't know that I'll ever do one of those and whatever I do I want it to be fun not pressure. I would like to do a marathon in another state, I could look into that. I would definitely like to go somewhere I've never been before, I'm going to look into that. Maybe do something I've never done before, I can't think of anything right now but there must be something. I don't know. I have a whole year to work it out. I do want this to be a very active year. For the first time in a long time I'm physically healthy, no major injuries, and I'm getting stronger. So I foresee a lot of races in the next year.

Well, to start the year off I'm taking this week off. In looking over my training logs, I've been training/working out pretty consistently for the last few months. It's time for a break. So I'm off this week while I try to figure out what I want to do. Next week it starts back in again. Now, I'm off to work.

13 April 2008

Lanikai Sprint Triathlon

This was a very interesting day. In many ways it was a really great race and I find it amusing how many times I quit during this race :)

I was still a little concerned about the swim and when I got there this morning the wind was blowing and it was a bit choppy. Kind of like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride on half speed. Not too bad but a bit of a challenge. The water was also pretty cold due to lack of sun for a couple of days - brrrr!!! So the swim starts and, as always, I seed myself near the back of the pack. We head out to the first buoy is such a large group it was almost impossible to swim. I had to stop and do the breast stroke quite of few times. As we round the first buoy it is impossible to swim. We are all clumped together and just trying to get around the buoy. Once we clear the buoy the field immediately starts to open up. It was so choppy I was having a hard time getting a rhythm going. At one point I felt myself starting to panic and I talked myself down, I was very proud of myself. So between the chop and inhaling water and the goggles fogging up, I just kept plugging along trying to swim the best I could. At one point I decided that I really wasn't a very good swimmer and I was going to stop doing triathlons. I finally hit the shore and I was near the back of the pack but there were still people behind me. In spite of everything, I felt pretty good so I thought I'd have to work some more on my swimming :)

Head out on the bike and it's a flat, fast course. The bike I can do. Well. I ended up passing a few people and moving up a little. There was a problem with wind on some of the open stretches. The wind was gusting off the ocean pretty good sometimes. I could feel my legs and I didn't understand that. But I kept going pushing as much as I could. The turn around is at the top of a hill. I didn't know that!! I made it as far up the hill as I could but my legs were screaming. Since I still had the run I decided to swallow my pride and walk a little. I wasn't the only one :) Once at the top I remounted and flew back to transition. 2 or 3 times along the bike course I decided triathlon wasn't for me. I'm never going to be fast so why even do this. Spend the money to get in a race to be near the last??? Why???? Also, as I neared the transition it started to rain. That's when I started saying to myself, oh screw this!! This is just stupid!!! I'm not doing the run!!! When I get to transition I'll pack my stuff up and leave!! This is ridiculous. As I pulled into transition I was planning in my head what I'd do, rack the bike, take off helmet and gloves, sit down, change shoes, don't forget to grab visor I'll need it in this rain. Obviously, I wasn't quitting :)

Off on the run. My legs actually felt pretty good once I started running. I was slow but plugging along. About the halfway point of the run was an aid station where I learned there were 5 or 6 people behind me. I'm on the last mile of the run when suddenly.......intestinal distress hits. Oh God!!! We are running through a really expensive neighborhood. All the bushes that are available are in front of million dollar homes. I'm pretty sure they would frown on my using their bushes as an emergency stop. I even contemplated asking someone if I could use their bathroom but decided that wasn't a good idea. I walked a bit because of this problem but when I reached the top of the final hill I felt like I could run again. So I did. The final .4 miles was along the beach. I hate running in sand. I have bad knees and running in sand is way too dangerous. But I did it. I ran where the tide was hitting and the sand was firm. I ran as hard as I could on that freaking sand. I ran through a wave and got both shoes wet, UGH!!!! I think it was around here that I decided seriously, triathlons aren't for me at all. I really need to stick to just running and biking. I love those. I'll even swim but doing all 3 as a race is complete and total insanity and really, just not for me. Then the finish line was in sight and I found a little bit more in me and sprinted through the chutes!!! When I finished I was breathing very, very hard, I had a small stitch in my side, my legs hurt, and I was so happy to be done.

I realized that I had really given my all out there. That I had pushed through some really tough spots and I had kept going when I really wanted to just stop. I realized that I do have it in me to do triathlons. I knowthat I can get better at ocean swimming. I realized that I conquered some huge demons today. It was not a perfect race. It was not the fastest race I've ever done. But I think, at least mentally, it was the best race I've ever had. I surmounted some huge mental hurdles today. I felt so awesome when I crossed the finish line because I knew what I had done out on that course. No one else does. But I do.

Then on the way home I decided that the Honolulu Triathlon was out, too close and too long. My next race looks like the Tinman in July :)

Conversation with Hubby

 So yesterday morning I presented my idea of working out at home to the Hubby. Once I presented it to him, he said he was in. I told him I h...