31 May 2008

Holy Crap!!!!

I just calculated my points for the lunch we had, remember I was veeeeerrrrryyyyyy hungry. The 1/2 of hamburger I had was 15 points!!! Oh my god!!! That means a very, very small dinner. Luckily I had a big lunch :)

Garmin - GRRRRRR!!!!

When I got my Garmin I absolutely adored it. I used it all the time and I loved it!! I stopped using it for some reason that escapes me now. Then, in April I rediscovered Garmin and rekindled my love affair with it. But apparently it's getting back at me for having strayed.

On my bike ride Thursday morning I stood in front of my house and waited for Garmin to get ready. Once he had his act together I hit start - I vividly remember this - and headed out. I always double check that I actually started it as I have gotten half way through a run and discovered I'd never hit start. So I got about 1/2 a block from my house and looked at Garmin to make sure I had started it and it was running. When I got to the turnaround point I looked at Garmin to check the time and it was off. Not stopped, but off completely. Hmmmm..... I figured I had hit it with my arm or something and accidentally turned it off. I turned it on and finished my ride.

The other day I could not get it to download to my computer. I would connect the USB cable and get the little bong indicating it was connected but then I'd get a message that the computer couldn't read the device. I had to play with it for 10 minutes or so before I got it to download. Annoying......

Then today. I head out to ride over to WW and start my 30 miles. I get near the meeting and realize I'm early so I head out in the other direction to get in some more miles before the meeting. I do a loop through a very expensive neighborhood and head off to my meeting. When I get to the meeting and notice I did a little over 12 miles in 59 minutes. I was pleased because that meant I had only 18 miles left to do. I go into the meeting and turn Garmin off since I don't want to waste the battery.

Now usually when I turn it back on again, unless I've downloaded it, it shows the last screen I was on. So if I had been biking, turned it off, then turned it back on it would show the time and distance of my last bike ride. I then could just hit start and pick up where I left off. Not today.

After my meeting I'm trying to figure out which way to go and I turn on Garmin and there's a screen I've never seen. It said BIKE with a time of 1:48 and miles of 14. I have never taken 1:48 to ride 14 miles so I have no idea what that was all about. I tried to switch back to the regular biking screen and got a message that it was in multi-sport mode and I needed to hit reset before switching modes. Huh!?!? So I had to reset and start over hoping that the first part of my ride was saved.

I just downloaded it and it was all there in 2 workouts. Why does this happen. I think it's time to read the instructions and maybe reset the device. I'll see what can be done. Maybe I should just trade the darn thing in for some gold cufflinks.

Meanwhile, my ride. As I said, I did 12 miles before my meeting. I got weighed in - down 2.8 lbs Woo Hoo!!! - and sat down in the meeting expecting to eat a banana and a granola bar before the meeting started. Notice I said expecting. I had forgotten to bring it with me. DOH!!!!

So let's recap. I had just ridden 12 miles and had 18 more to go with no food. Oh, this is not good. I then thought that I could ride to a 7-11 and grab a Power Bar or something only to discover I had forgotten my money too. Oh, this was not going well.

After the meeting when I started riding again I realized I was very hungry. I ended up doing 8 miles of rolling hills only to find myself totally spent and empty. I ended up going to my husbands work and waiting for him, he got off an hour later. So instead of 30 miles I got in 20 miles. Not bad but not as good as I'd hoped. The good thing is I'm fairly certain I won't forget my food again.

I hope your weekends are going better.

30 May 2008

Where I extoll the virtues of gum......

I have completed my first week on WW and I think it went pretty well. Tomorrow morning is weigh in so we'll see if I'm right. I feel really good though.

One thing that I have discovered, which just blows me away, is gum. I bought some when I was sick because my mouth felt yucky and gum helped. In general I hate gum and hate chewing it. But when using it while sick I noticed that I didn't hate it so much. Over the past week I've chewed it a couple of times and it hasn't pissed me off. Today I was really craving something sweet. I don't know why, I wasn't hungry, I just wanted something sweet. So I popped some gum and guess what?? The craving went away. Wow!! I've also found that if I'm not sure I'm really hungry, chewing a piece of gum will make the hunger go away if it's not real. Amazing. Did you guys know about this all along???

Anyway, I'm riding my bike to WW again tomorrow. On the schedule is a 30 mile ride. Yikes!! I haven't ridden that far in a really long time. Yikes!!!! I hope my
life insurance is all up to date cuz 30 miles may just kill me :)

Friday, friday, friday......

{sung in a singsong voice while twirling around and smiling broadly}

So this morning was running and swimming again. 30 minute run - check; 1800 m swim - check.... I can't tell you how great it feels to be back and motivated and strong. Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Okay, in other news, I found this really great challenge through Pokey. It's called the Independence Weight Loss Challenge. It starts on Sunday, June 1 and runs through July 1. It's based on percent of weight lost and rumor has it they've lined up some kicking prizes. I've decided to join in the frivolity because I'm just getting going with WW and I really want to succeed. If I could be 10 lbs or so lighter by Tinman that would rock!!!! So if you interested in staying on track head on over to Viv's and join the fun.

Alrighty then. I think that's all I have to say. I should go get some work done - bleh!!

29 May 2008

Another fantastic workout

I am back completely and I can say that with confidence. I have returned to the point where I'm not really tired when I go to bed at night but fall asleep quickly. I wake a few minutes before the alarm and when it finally goes off am more than ready to get up.

This morning was another bike ride. I did the same route I did Tuesday. I love love love riding super early in the morning. The roosters are just starting to wake up when I leave. I took some cool photos of my ride as it was starting to get light but I'll have to post them later.

Right now I have got to get to work. I have so much to do and don't want to be here till 7 pm.....

Oh my God!!! You won't believe this!!! My drug-dealing, convicted murderer, neighbor is back!!! He was supposed to be gone for good but Hubby and I saw him this morning. I can't believe he's back. I'm calling the authorities and letting them know right away. Looks like maybe it's time to look into an ademco security system!!!

28 May 2008

Today I feel like an athlete

and I haven't for a long, long time (or so it seems ;).

Yesterday's bike ride was so awesome I was really looking forward to today's workout. On the books was a 30 minute run and a 2200 m swim. Check and check!!!

I know I'm back to normal because I'm waking up 5-10 minutes before the alarm goes off. I wake up and lay in bed in that half awake half asleep state. When the alarm goes off I'm ready to get up. So at 4:40 I popped out of bed like a jack-in-the-box and I was ready to go.

I brewed some coffee, got dressed, drank some water and by 5 was out the door for my 30 minute run. Running was hard. I don't know if it's because I didn't actually drink any coffee before I left. Or just not having run and being sick for 2 weeks. Whatever, it was tough. But I did it and felt like a rock star. I did not look at Garmin to see how far I went, that was not important this morning.

5:30 - Back home. Feed all the birds, put on my swimsuit, actually drink my coffee, pet the dogs, kiss the hubby. 6:00 out the door heading to the pool. Got hung up chatting with someone for about 15 minutes so was late getting started on my swim, but I was bound and determined to get my total yardage in even if I was a little late to work (I open so no one ever knows when I'm late :). 2200 m later I exit the pool. Yes, you read that right, 2200 m. Do I rock or what??? I haven't swum that far in a long time and it felt fantastic. I pushed some of the laps and took it easy some of the laps, but I did them all. I am pleased.

It's been easily 2 years since I've done 2 workouts in the morning. I used to do it all the time, swim then run, and I really think it helped my training. So it begins again. The first of many bricks (kind of). The best part is now my workout is done for the day and I am positively virtuous.

27 May 2008

I do believe that I am back!

On Friday I had some big plans for this weekend. None of them ended up happening due to one thing I was trying to ignore but would not go away. My deep fatigue. Ever since I was sick, I've had a profound fatigue that I just couldn't shake. I would go to bed early, sleep in a little, I was even taking short naps at lunch, I was still constantly tired. I woke up Saturday morning and felt that fatigue and just got pissed. I said enough is enough. I was determined to go on my bike ride and ride this last remnant of cold out of my system. I was tired of being sick and tired. As I wrote in a previous post Saturday was tough. Sunday was not that great either. I took it easy all day, a lot of reading and watching TV. Monday I felt a little better when I got up, but still not 100%. I did some cleaning and organizing that I wanted to get done while taking breaks and reading. It was relaxing and nice. By the end of the day I was going nuts. I was tired of reading, watching TV, and hanging around the house. I took this as a good sign. I went to bed early last night and slept really good.

I woke this morning before the alarm went off, I haven't done that in almost 3 weeks. On the schedule was a 1 hour bike ride. I was looking forward to it. There is a loop on the back roads right by my house that is a 30 minute ride. I did that loop twice. When I was done I felt great. I did not feel exhausted. I did not want to take a nap. I felt energized and awesome. So I do believe I am back!! I'm not 100%, but I think I'm at 98.5% and that makes me happy. I hate being sick and I view sickness as a type of weakness. Since I started getting healthy I don't get sick much and I like it that way.

The bike ride was awesome. I left the house around 5:20. The sky was just starting to lighten up. There was no one else on the roads but me. I had forgotten how much I like riding at that time of the morning. I like being the only one out there and watch the world wake up. It's great.

26 May 2008

Memorial Day



I come from a long line of military. My grandfather lied about his age to join the Calvary when he was 15. That was when the Calvary still rode horses. He chased Pancho Villa down on the Mexican border. He also fought in WWI and WWII. He always bragged that he was 'regular Army.'

My father was in the Army during WWII. He stayed stateside. I think that had something to do with his having a bunch of little kids.

My mom worked in the ammunition factory during WWII. As did my grandmother and all my aunts.

My brother was in the Navy for 25 years. My other brother was in the Air Force, though not as long.

I myself did a stint in the Army. Though I served during peace time so it hardly counts.

I always felt, even as a little kid, that serving in the military was a very noble pursuit. I always thought that to serve in the military you had to think more of your country then you did of yourself. Knowing that at any moment you can be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for you country, and be willing to do that!! That to me has always given any military person a high place in my opinion of people.

We celebrate Memorial Day to honor those who made that ultimate sacrifice for us. It takes a special kind of person to be willing to do that. Going back all the way to the very beginning of this country, our history is filled with just such people. It fills me with sadness that so many have had to die. But it also fills me with a huge amount of pride, these are the people that make this country great. These are the people I am descended from. And that makes me damn proud to be an American.

With the war going on now, so many people are divided over the right and wrong of it. Today we need to forget that part. Who's right, who's wrong, who lied, who didn't doesn't matter. What matters is that we have young men and women who are willing to stand up and literally put their life on the line so you and I can have a day off and a nice BBQ.

So, regardless of your political point of view, remember these fine people today and realize that if it wasn't for them we may not have the rights and freedoms we do today.

Remember, all gave some. But some gave all.

25 May 2008

Once again my best intentions

were thwarted. I'm thinking this cold knocked me harder than I realized. I got up early yesterday to ride my bike to WW. I was really tired Friday night and was tired when I woke up yesterday. I just figured it was like release for the weekend and didn't pay it much mind. So I rode to WW and it darn near killed me. I thought I was going to die. Had the meeting, reconnected with some old friends, etc. Then it was time to ride back. I didn't think I was going to make it but I figured I'd give it a go. I made it but it was tough going. I got home showered and got ready to leave with hubby. When I got in his truck I was absolutely exhausted. I did not know how I was going to keep my eyes open. Seriously. And it was 10 am. I made it through the day but was utterly exhausted the entire time. When we got home I laid down and took a nap, I was wiped out. After my nap I felt okay and last night I felt fine but I think I'm still not completely recovered. This cold is horrible.

So today I decided to no train. Tomorrow is my day off (from work and training :) and I've decided to take it easy today. I have some cleaning I want to do and some rearranging of the bird cages but basically I'm going to take it easy. I have a couple of books I want to read and that sounds like a fantastic way to spend the heat of the day. If I had one of those walk in bathtubs I'd take a soak.

So there you have it. Too much too soon, the story of my life.

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...