My ‘Here’s Your Sign’ Moment

Yes, I’m referencing Bill Engvall.  Saw him live on a college Mom’s Weekend once, super funny, but I’ve always particularly loved the ‘Here’s Your Sign’ section of his standup!  Well, a couple weeks ago, I had mine.  I’ve been talking and talking and talking about change, and yet not always following through… and then BAM, Consequences!  I spent the night in the ER with some serious stomach pain.  It literally felt like someone was stabbing me right in between the ribs.  And without going into too much detail… turns out it is most likely all diet related.  Really?!  Worst pain of my life and it was because I drank too much coffee and ate a fatty dinner right before going to bed!  Yikes.  Total wake up call.  “Hello, Samantha.  This is your body speaking.  FEED ME RIGHT.”  Between that and the fact that I have been sick for basically the last month, proves to me that there is just no option anymore.  I have to treat my body well so that I can function and, oh yeah… not end up in the ER again.  J 

Oh and amidst this chaos… I had a side-note epiphany.  I want to have kids in a couple years… if I can’t take care of myself, how in the world am I going to take care of another little human whose life totally depends on me?!

In all honesty, since my trip to the ER, I have found it much easier to eat right.  I’m not on any sort of diet, but the fact that there are real, painful consequences if I don’t feed myself the right food keeps me in check.  Hopefully between that and some meds and some probiotics, my stomach can stay pain free for a very long time!  And benefit, without working out because I was sick… I’ve lost 2 pounds just from eating better!!  J

I did hit the gym today and am excited that I now have a workout buddy close to home as well, as a friend from work joined the Y too!!  Can’t wait to rock some Zumba tomorrow and try to get in a little better shape before Hawaii in less than two weeks!!!!!

I will be back soon, promise! 

Sam

A Peppy Post!

A quick little Wednesday update.  I’m super pumped right now after an awesome Zumba class at the gym!  I also did a good 20 min speed walking warm up, and my Jillian Michaels mini ab and arm workouts.  Tomorrow will be a week into Jamie’s and my workout plan.  We aren’t retaking stats until week the end of week 2, but I have a pretty good idea that I need to work harder to attain some progress by then.  I’ve done pretty good on everyday I’ve gone to work and been able to go to the gym.  And I’ve fit in a couple home workouts on days I couldn’t, but the long weekend kind of killed me. 

We went up to the family cabin on Saturday evening, ate decently and then I went for a brisk walk with my mother-in-law and puppy on his new ‘gentle leader’ collar.  I did my Jillian Michaels workouts earlier in the day.  Then Sunday came around… let’s just say snacks abounded, Dad’s smoked cheese called my name, and cards and wine completed the day.  I did get a short run in… as in chasing my dog down the road in bare feet and pajamas.  Adrenaline helps boost metabolism right?!  ;)  We stayed up late and I had to turn around at work early AM Monday morning.  After work I Just felt sick most of the day, so I was pretty lazy and did a lot of sleeping.  Tuesday and today I have felt much more energized and have done the workouts with gusto trying to make up for my lazy weekend. 

Note to self:  maybe snacking at canal is ok… just don’t sit next to the snack table while playing cards, you eat way too much!

As for the rest of life, things are starting to get a bit more organized, which just makes me feel good overall! 

See you soon!

Sam

Operation: Long Distance Workout Buddy!

Introducing my dear dear friend Jamie!

This is me and Jamie on a trip to the zoo with her kiddos last year!

Jamie and I are both in the ‘getting back into shape’ mindset and we have been chatting back and forth about our ideas and goals for doing this.  Recently she suggested we do this Jillian Michaels routine and compare/keep track of our stats.  And also make each other accountable for actually completing the workouts each day.  I have almost exactly 8 weeks to kick my butt into shape before going to Hawaii to visit family so this is long overdue!  I’m really super excited to have a workout buddy even though she lives an hour away.  In a sense it should be easier because we can each fit the workout into whatever time frame works for us and then compare notes later.  For our kickoff day today I texted her that our side goal should be to make sure we are drinking that 8 cups of water! 

The part we are doing the same of are the Jillian Michaels’s mini workout for abs, and mini ‘armed and dangerous’ workout.  Both of which can be found on youtube!  As for cardio we are each going to do what works for us.  She is going to be working on her treadmill and home machines, and I am going to continue taking my YMCA classes and swimming.  As for a day like today when I am not going to going to drive to the gym, I’m going to do a Kinect workout at home!  Or I’ve thought about looking up the P90x workouts too on youtube, but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for those yet! 

On the food note.  Busy is no longer an excuse for eating like crap!  I’m thinking I need to go grocery shopping more often and buy more fresh stuff to eat instead of falling back on the out of the freezer meals.  Also, hubby is having a weight competition with his Dad on who can lose the most weight before Hawaii.  But it is before they leave for Hawaii which is in one month, and it is by percentage.  Last night, Aaron decided he would track what he was eating with me so we downloaded the ‘myfitnesspal’ app on his phone and I think it will be quite the eye opener for him.  And here is to hoping we can spur each other on for eating better at home! 

Now that our re-siding project is almost done at home (all we have to do is finish caulking and paint!!!), getting reorganized in general is going to help a ton.  Managing time and making time to eat right and workout will help us get in the groove.  I bought a new planner with a great layout for a daily time schedule and I’m really excited to get my life more on a schedule so I can fit in more time for me! 

My personal challenge this weekend is going to be the fact that we are going to spend some time at the family cabin, and eating right and working out always seems to fly out the window.  But I’m not going to let that happen this time.  The weather is supposed to be nice so I am planning on swimming in Hood Canal for a workout, and I could also take the dog for a walk/run.  Cutting back on the alcohol intake wouldn’t hurt either, and paying attention to portion control and the snacks laying around will help as well!  I’m planning on posting a progress update after the long weekend so…

Happy Healthy Labor Day Weekend!!!

Sam

A Day of Rest

So I am still totally diggin on my YMCA membership.  I am also still totally in love with Zumba, and am trying to learn enough so I can groove on my own time as well!  I’ve been a member now for almost 3 weeks, and am completely comfortable with the facility and what they have to offer.  I also am continuing to try new classes.  On Thursday I tried a class called Define.  It was a fantastic mix of cardio and strength training, using a step, two sets of handweights, a bar weight, a mat…. and other days, other things are included.  I definitely have to get there early so I can grab my spot and all that equipment! 

Last week I went to the Y every single day, even on my day off (which was Wed, and the best zumba class… so of course, I HAD to go).  Then this weekend my husband and I worked on our house, which was definitely also a workout.  Lifting ladders, carrying huge sheets of OSB, climbing ladders and scaffolding, holding things in place while hubby loads nails into nail gun, awkwardly cutting back roofing in an 18 inch overhang (yes, I was squeezed into that area in the picture below.  Myself and a multi tool in very small slanted area makes for a very sweaty little workout.)

Anyway, after 7+ days of physical activity, today definitely called for, actually screamed for a rest day.  My body has never protested so loudly when getting out of bed at 4am for work.  Everything ached, and my arms and shins were very very sore!  So after work I came home, took some Aleve, and took a nap.  I’m feeling much better now as I write this in early evening, and am looking forward to another Define class tomorrow after work!

On another note, even though I have been doing so great in the exercise category, my eating has gone downhill.  So in order to force myself to pay more attention and not take the easy fast food option, I downloaded ‘myfitnesspal’ app today, and it seems like it is going to be a great little tool if I keep up on it.  Once I set my goals, it gave me a calorie goal, but also specific goals in terms of different kinds of fat, fiber, carbs, protein and the like.  And so far everything I have put in today food wise has been in their amazing vault of nutritional information, even down to my obscure costco brand pesto.  Neat feature too… I can scan barcodes and it will come up with the nutritional info.  Worked on my Fred Meyer brand shredded Parmesan.  Can you tell I had some pesto pasta for lunch?  It will also track my exercise, water consumption, and any notes I add.  And being that my phone is never more than an arms length away, I think I can enter food instead of check facebook a few times a day! 

Anyway, looks like I’m off to have cereal and fruit for dinner since I ate well the rest of the day!  J  See you soon!

Sam

can I get a “Y…M…C...A…”

I’m going to make this quick because in fact I am leaving in a half hour to go to the Y, and I am still in my PJ’s… but…  I LOVE THE YMCA!  Seriously.  I’ve only been a member for a week and a day, but I am in love with this facility.  I joined the Haselwood YMCA in Silverdale (http://www.ymcapkc.org/page.php?id=948)  and it is freakin amazing.  For one it is brand spankin new, so all the machines are top of the line, new and amazing.  They all have screens that you can either see your progress or watch cable of course!  Not to mention, every machine has an Ipod hookup so if you had videos on there you could watch those too!  But beyond the fact that it is a beautiful facility, what makes my membership worth it is the pool and the classes!! 

I get off work at around 10 every morning, and head straight over to the Y.  (It’s basically across the street from Michaels, so very convenient).  Go in, get changed and head upstairs to check the class schedule.  The classes that work for me best because of when I get off work start at 10:45 or 11, so I check to see what time and decide which class (because usually there are a couple to choose from) and then I head either to the elliptical for a warm up, or back downstairs to pump some iron.  Then at 11 I go take a class.  So far I have taken “have a cardio ball”(twice), zumba, and kickboxing.  And today, even though I don’t work I am going to take zumba again.  And all of the instructors I have had so far are AWESOME!!  I’ve taken workout classes before, but none like these ladies teach!

Sidenote…. If you like good music, high energy, and even remotely like dance I highly recommend zumba if you ever get the chance!  The hour long class flies by because it is so much fun!  And don’t get me wrong it is way fun, but you will definitely be sweating like a pig and sore the next day, or at least I was! 

On Fridays I tend to get off work later so it is perfect for the adult lap swim hours.  Last Friday I went and spent about 45 minutes in the pool doing various strokes just to start logging some swim time!  I’m very excited for this to become a weekly habit!

Anyway, so far my membership has been completely worth it, and I am so excited to keep it up!  Off I go…

Sam

'Samantha Plans'

Not sure if I have talked about ‘Samantha Plans’ before, but my Mom deemed my plan making by that name years ago.  The thing about a ‘Samantha Plan’ is that they never quite end up the way they were planned in the beginning, or they just fail miserably and I end up creating a new one.  They are good because I am always looking to the future and trying to better myself.  They are bad because they never seem to be quite attainable, hence them failing over and over again.

In that respect, this Triathlon goal turned out to be a ‘Samantha Plan.’  Don’t get me wrong, I still want to do a triathlon, I really really do.  But realistically it just isn’t going to happen in the 5 weeks I have until the Danskin Tri I was aiming at.  Even though I was never going to race for time, I still wanted to be prepared and race to the best of my abilities.  The best of my abilities at the moment might be able to finish the race, but it would take hours and I fear injury from not cross training enough to this point.  So instead of spending the money on the race, I joined the new YMCA in Silverdale.  It not only has an awesome workout facility, but has a pool too!  That way it will be much easier to cross train.

I haven’t picked a date for my next triathlon goal, but the furthest it will be is next year’s Danskin in Seattle.  I think the main issue in this ‘Samantha Plan’ was not breaking the goals down far enough.  I got so caught up in running that I completely ignored swimming and biking, and I think it hurt my running as well.  I was getting burned out, and my cardio was not improving the way I wanted it too. 

I work 3-4 days in Silverdale every week, and with the RARE exception, I will be going to work out at the Y every day right after I get off work.  Because of when the lap swim hours are as well, at least one if not two of those days I will have a longer workout consisting of weight training and then swimming.  There are also some great looking classes that are included in the membership that I really want to take advantage of.

Some miniature goals for now are:

-          Just get healthy.  Workout in multiple areas to increase fun and fitness.

-          Take some time to break down smaller goals for triathlon and figure out a good timeline to be fully prepared next time around.

-          Going to Hawaii at the end of October to visit BIL/SIL and niece!  …Hawaii=bathing suit.  Deal with hubby is if I get fit and nice tummy like I want by then I get to buy a new swimsuit!!  YAY! 

I’ll let you know more about the Y after I workout there for the first time TOMORROW!!

Sam

Back in the Groove

I promised it wouldn’t be a month between posts… it’s been a month and a half instead!  LOL.  Oh well, life has been so darn busy, when I got a free moment this blog honestly didn’t even cross my mind.  In fact, working out and eating super well hasn’t really crossed my mind either.  There are some good and bad things from that.  The good is that although I wasn’t really ‘dieting’ anymore I didn’t gain any weight.  I’ve become better at just thinking about what I’m putting in my mouth, and more importantly how much of it.  So I’m hoping when I get down to where I want to be weight wise, I will be able to maintain it without too much of a struggle.

The bad is that the Danskin triathlon is in 7 weeks!  7 weeks?!  Yikes.  Have I run in the last month?  Not really.  I have even really worked out in the last month, hmmm… well if you count the amount of exercise at work and now at the house since we are redoing our siding... then yes.  And I have gone on a couple of mountain bike rides, but it’s been a while since those too.  So running, biking, and swimming haven’t really been in the picture as much as they need to be.

Now I’m on a mission to get back in the groove.  My schedule is fairly regular.  I have the time.  And even though there is still a ton going on (residing the house, my new photography business, BIL/SIL/niece moving to Hawaii)… NO EXCUSES.  So today was the day, Mondays are always good to start things on.  I went running!!  Yay!  It was short, but I did an ab and arm workout when I got home too.  Back in the groove means that you will see me back on here weekly I believe as well.  J  but no promises, see how well that worked out last time.  :P

Sam

Please Excuse the Absence

It has been just about a month since I wrote last.  My computer went haywire and I FINALLY have a new working computer!  Yay for extended warranties that actually pay off!

To catch up, here are a few little anecdotes about my fitness journey in the last month:

-          My back pain has finally completely gone away so I have been working on building up my runs again.  The most recently completed full-run-with-no-walking was 28 minutes, and it was seven days ago.

-          I started trying to take Maverick with me on my runs… it became a back and arm workout instead of just a run. It also gave me something else to think about besides running.

-          I stopped trying to take Maverick with me on my runs… not only did it aggravate back problems but it caused both he and I to almost injure ourselves many times due to the fact that Maverick is a bird dog… and he wants to chase the birds anytime he sees/hears/thinks of one.

-          I was trying to mix up the runs so I went for one in Banner Forest which is close to our house.  I got lost.  My 25 minute run turned into 25 minutes running PLUS a two hour hike.  I swore I would never go running in Banner again.

-          Went running in Banner again.  Looked at map before going and did not stray from the main trail.  Much more successful. 

-          Because runs have increased in time and I’m getting a little faster, my typical running path dead ended, and I literally ran out of room to run.  Yay for a little accomplishment.  I have found a new route from home, much more scenic, but a few more hills… not sure how I feel about that yet.

-          I moved to replenishment shifts at work.  This means getting up at four AM most days of the week and WORKING for a solid 5 hours.  And by working I mean getting paid to work out… hauling freight, unloading semis, lifting heavy boxes, squatting to lift boxes, squatting to set planograms, climbing ladders… and the list goes on.  This is great in terms that I am getting paid to workout and I can feel some muscle building starting to occur… HOWEVER, this is not great in the fact that it is really hard to go for a run after having a five hour workout at work.  Cool little side note -- I received these samples of Playtex new Sport Body Wipes, and i've been using them after work so I can go run errands on my way home and not feel completely gross.  They are actually really great, makes me feel refreshed and not like I need a shower immediately.  Should be available in stores soon, watch for them!

This brings us up to this last week.  On one of my off days I did that 28 minute run with no walking.  I have since not been able to complete a whole run and it is really starting to frustrate me.  I’ve been running three times since that, and each time I have stopped and walked during the run.  On Friday, the most strenuous day at work… I came home and tried to run but my lower back hurt so bad that about 17 minutes in I just could not run anymore, and walked the rest of the way home. 

Today I tried again.  I think I ran about 25 minutes total, but it was really broken up.  I ran the first 15 minutes straight, and from then on I ran in spurts with a little walking.  I cant explain it really, I mean, yes… my back hurt, my shoulder was cramped, my hips hurt (which is new), and my left foot fell asleep… but I didn’t make a conscious decision to stop running, my jog would just slowly turn into a walk.  And try as I might to keep starting to jog again, it wouldn’t last very long.  So I don’t know what is up with that… but I’ve decided it really is time to start cross training some more and maybe my body will stop throwing a fit.

I’ve got a little over three months until the Danskin Triathlon, and I’ve done very little biking or swimming.  I’m not as worried about the events, but I still need to work up the distances a little.  So goal for this week: besides running a couple times, bike and swim at least once each!

I promise there won’t be a month lapse this time… see you soon!

Sam

PAIN!

The last couple weeks has been a whirlwind of activity!  A week leading up to the 5K, and a week being sidelined by Pain.  We will get to that in a minute, first a little back story…

Last time I wrote I still had a week until the “Run Like a Fool 5k.”  I had planned on running a couple times that week and then resting thurs/fri before the race Sat morning.  For whatever reason (I honestly can’t remember the excuses I probably made up), I didn’t end up running at all that week.  So come Saturday morning, I was supposed to run 3.1 miles having only run a max of 25 minutes straight equaling a little over 2 miles (and I had only done that once).  Ugh… but I was well rested! ;) 

It was a beautiful morning, sunny and a little windy… so glad the rain didn’t show up!

It was definitely motivating to run with a group, and my mother-in-law!  I knew she would be faster, since she had already worked up to the distance, and had run this exact run a couple of times… but it was nice to see her blue sweatshirt bobbing way out in front of me!  J

I finished.  Without stopping!  It was long… but not quite as hard as I thought it would be.  Definitely wore me out though!  I finished (not even close to last) with a time of 37minutes and 42 seconds.  Nowhere close to what I used to run in high school, but hey… I finished!  And now I have a time to improve upon!

We celebrated afterwards with a soak in the hot tub, and some mimosas!  So relaxing…

After that we enjoyed a lovely baby shower, and I got to get new running shoes!!  Check these puppies out…

I got them at South Sound Running in Olympia… and if you ever want to find the perfect running shoes… go there.  They check out your old running shoes and look at the wear pattern, they make you run in each set of shoes you try on, and they find the best fit for you.  And if for some reason they get it wrong, there is a 30-60 day (depending on the shoe) return policy… bring back the shoes, even if you have run in them, and they will find another one for you.  They are awesome!

Now to the pain… I was fine all day Saturday, felt like I might be a little sore from the run, but I felt pretty good.  Sunday morning at 4:30am I woke up in extreme pain across my back.  Now I have had some pretty awful back cramps in the past, so bad that I couldn’t really walk… but this was so much different.  Just pure pain and in a very specific band across my back, a 3-4 inch section right below my shoulder blades.  When I got hungry too, the pain radiated to that same area through my abdomen.  And it was so weird because I could differentiate between my sore muscles, and this area of pain. 

To make a long painful story shorter… it was awful all day Sunday.  Tried painkillers, ice, heat, mom’s muscle relaxers, and Aaron tried to massage it… but nothing helped.  I laid in bed all day Monday, and it felt a Little better, so Aaron drove me to work for my four hour shift… and I about died by the time I got home.  Tuesday, feeling worse than Monday, I went to the doctor.  He poked around, decided I had probably just had a pretty severe muscle spasm in one of my muscles directly connected to that area of my spine (at least that is what I understood from what he said, lol).  He prescribed me some different muscle relaxers, and put me on a regimen of those and some different painkillers, and said if it didn’t ease up in a week or two, to come back for xrays.  The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday I took it pretty easy, went to work… but Aaron drove me so I could stay on the muscle relaxers which made my reactions pretty slow.  And it finally started to feel better. 

Thursday it was more of just an ache, so I took the day and went to see my niece.  Saturday and Sunday were a little more active with my Father-in-law’s bday party and a full shift on Sunday.  Today, Monday, I’m feeling much much better.  It is no longer a band of pain, but I can still tell exactly what muscle is in the spasm, and can pinpoint that tightness in my back.  Hopefully one of these days, it will let go completely so I can sleep better (I’m typically a side-sleeper, but that makes it worse, so I have had to sleep on my back which makes me not sleep as well) and feel like I’m not limited.

Needless to say, I did not go running all last week.  Today, feeling the best I have, I went for a run.  I went back to week 7 of the Cto5K, and did the first workout: Walk 5, run 25, cool down walk for 5.  In the middle of the workout I did stop a few times when I felt my back tighten up.  But after a good little stretch I would get going again.  I think I probably ran a total of 20 of the 25 minutes.  Hopefully, I can run the full thing next time!  And hopefully the next time I write, the aches and pains will have subsided completely!

Knock on wood!

Sam  J

The Birds and the Bees and the Smell of Fallen Trees

Oh Spring, how I LOVE you.  My run today was absolutely beautiful!  A perfect 56 degrees and the sun on my face!  <3

If I haven’t mentioned it before, I am training with no music.  I found out that I cannot wear my ipod or anything like it during the triathlon (makes sense… don’t want to get my ipod drowned in the first leg, lol).  And when I found that out I decided I needed to get used to running without good tunes to help me through.  It has been interesting, trying to come up with things to occupy my mind, especially as the runs have gotten longer.  Today the sounds of spring really did me good.  The birds were chirping, all the dogs were out barking (which I find adorable, as long as it’s not Maverick barking at the neighbors for the thousandth time), and the chainsaws were going.  Time for yardwork!  There was a huge fir being felled, and boy did it smell like spring to me!

All these things made my 25 minute run feel not as long as I thought it would feel.  Today finished off week 6 of Cto5K!  And I officially have no more runs that include any sort or recovery walk in the middle.  :/  Because my runs are now longer, I am going further and this is what I had to encounter halfway through my run today…

A hill!  And not a little one either.  And yes, I took this picture on my phone while I was running up it!  I definitely ran slower the second half because of this hill, but since my runs will go this long in the future, I am hesitantly looking forward to better results!

On another hesitant note… I’m going to do a 5K… in a week!!  So I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but my Mother-in-law found a 5K for us in Olympia that is perfect for beginners.  It is next Saturday at 8am, two loops around Capitol Lake.  I’m going to love the fact that there are no hills!!  It is all flat, and fairly scenic too!  Let’s hope it is a beautiful day like today!  I am really excited to see what kind of time I get from this first 5K.  And it is going to be really awesome to have a running partner for this race!  I’m a tiny bit worried about the fact that I won’t have run the distance before the race, but when I ran the half marathon I only ran 10 of the 13 miles before the race, so if I accommodate for the smaller race it might be ok.  Hopefully the adrenaline and excitement of Race Day will help… it better, ‘cause I’m running it either way!

Not sure if I will have time for another post before then, so wish me luck!  ;)

Sam

A Niece, a Nose, and a No-walk Run

This was an absolute whirlwind week!  Monday morning I started getting text messages from my SIL at about 4:30am… she was in labor!!  Yahoo!  I spent all day at the hospital waiting with family, and my new niece, Scarlette, was born at 11:31pm Monday night!  She is the most precious little girl!  Aaron and I didn’t get home that night until around 1am, and I was still pretty wired from the excitement so sleep was not easily come by.  But she is so worth it…

Tuesday morning, I had to go to work, and even though I was super tired, I went back to the hospital afterward so I could cuddle that little darling for a few hours!!

Needless to say, by the time I got home Tuesday night, I was so exhausted… there was no way I was going running!  Wednesday I was supposed to work, but that morning between the exhaustion, some dehydration, and a small head cold (can we say congestion and runny NOSE)… I could hardly stand up.  So I spent Wed and Thur recovering! 

Finally, Friday… today!  I worked this morning and then went for my final Cto5K Week 5 workout.  And I did it… 20 minutes straight of jogging!!  It was so not as bad as I thought it was going to be, especially after a few days off!  Don’t get me wrong, I can already tell my hamstrings are going to feel it, but I finished!  This may sound weird, but to keep myself in motion today I concentrated completely on my breathing.  In fact, I counted… all 685 breaths of my 20 minute run.  And knowing that I take 4-5 steps per breath (in and out as one) I ran around 3000 steps!  And estimating from that I think I ran a little under 2 miles… kind of fun, huh?  I am probably going to take the car one of these days and find out how far I really am running.  See if I really might hit 3 miles in 30 minutes when I get there.

Now I am going to go watch some Cake Boss, and dream about eating cake ;)

Sam

The Ominous Week

Ok, besides the fact that this last week has actually been ominous for the world (earthquakes and tsunamis and such)… I was dreading getting to this week as far as running!  Week 5 of the Cto5K plan starts to change, so every single workout is different and they start ramping up to continuous running!  I’m going to miss my recovery walks!!!  Week 5 workouts are as follows:

Week 5, Day 1 – Brisk 5 minute warmup walk.  Jog 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 5 minutes.  5 minute cool down walk.

Week 5, Day 2 – Brisk 5 minute warmup walk.  Jog 8 minutes, walk 5 minutes, jog 8 minutes.  5 minute cool down walk.

Week 5, Day 3 – Brisk 5 minute warmup walk.  Jog 20 minutes.  5 minute cool down walk.

Today I finished the Day 2 workout… in the very brief time it didn’t rain.  It was hard.  The first 8 minute jog wasn’t so bad, but the second one was painful, there was definitely some wheezing in the lungs at the end of that run… but I pushed the last minute.  Had to finish strong!  I am so scared for my run on Tuesday… 20 minutes straight?!  That will be the longest period of time I have run in years!  I know I am still young, but I can’t imagine how I ran that half marathon in high school.  It does not seem possible.  Oh well, I’ll take what I can accomplish now!

On another note of accomplishment… I am proudly down 3.5 pounds since a week and a half ago… a better diet and working out consistently is finally making a little bit of pay off!  Yahoo!  That is encouragement enough to keep on going!  Soon, I am going to start adding in the other aspects of the triathlon, slowly… but I’m excited!

Have to go guard my knees now… husband and dog are playing rambunctiously on the floor and keep running into my knees!  Gotta save them for runnin ;)

Sam

Dodge the Puddles!

There was no way around running in the rain today.  It was absolutely pouring rain this morning, so the first little break I saw, I changed my clothes, put the dog in the crate, and off I went!  Today was awesome.  I know it might not be huge, but this was the third workout of week 4, and I saw improvement in the distance I was running since I went the first time on Saturday.  I turned around at the same place, but the end of my last run was almost all of the way up the huge hill that is usually the beginning of my cool down walk.  Talk about an exhausting end to a workout, but the signs of improvement were all there.  J

I think my favorite part of today was actually dodging the puddles.  I get bored really easily when I run, so I try to figure out things to think about to keep myself from thinking about the running itself.  Since it was pouring rain, there were lots and lots of puddles!  I spent pretty much my whole run trying to not step in one... which meant that today I spent a lot of time varying my stride length!  In the end, I think my legs got more of a workout today than they have just with normal running.  Who knew the Washington rain would improve my workout?!

However, I’m still wishing spring would come sooner!!!!

Sam

Hope and Hail

Finally back on track!  I didn’t go on my run the morning after my last post as planned… I woke up with a hacking cough, and round two of my cold.  After resting a few more days I finally did my last Week 3 work out of the Cto5k series on Thursday the 3^rd.  It was painful!!  Let me tell you, this system only works because you go running every other day or so… not every week!  Since Thursday, I have run every other day.  And today I completed the Week 4, Day 2 Workout which is:

Brisk five minute warmup walk; jog for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes.  Then a 5 minute cool down walk.

And thankfully I finally have some hope in the fact that I might really be able to do this!  I ran further than I have in a long time, and I didn’t totally die at the end of the workout!  Yahoo!  Seems kind of amazing to me since in Week 3 you are running a total of 9 minutes, and then it jumps up to 16 minutes, I was skeptical, but I did it!  Also, I think the weather has actually really helped me get back into the groove.  Every time I have gone running this week it has been sunny, but still with a breeze to keep me cool!  Such a mood booster!  Today it started out sunny, but the clouds moved in quickly… and I was worried because I wore a sweatshirt today, and they get heavy when drowned in rain.  It didn’t rain though… it hailed!  Definitely gave me something funny to think about… something along the lines of out-running the rain.

In my non-running days this week I have been doing a lot of Kinect workouts!  I’m loving the “Your Shape” Program.  Once you get past the demos for each exercise, it seems like an effective personal training program.  I know I have definitely had some sore muscles from it this week! 

As far as food, I know I said I wasn’t a fan of “crazy diets”, but I did start on the Special K diet this week.  I felt like my food in moderation wasn’t cutting it.  Even though I’m not in this specifically for the weight loss, I haven’t lost anything since Christmas… bleh.  I like this diet because it is easy, and it doesn’t get rid of anything completely.  Cereal for breakfast, cereal for lunch, and a normal dinner!  Plus, all the fruit and veggies I can handle.  J  Last night for our normal dinner… Pulled Pork Nachos with Crimson Fire Cheese and black beans!  Yummmmm.  (In moderation of course).  ;) 

Enough for today… I think I used enough exclamation points to keep me happy for a few days!

Sam

To run, or not to run?

That is the question of this week… I was sick!  And not just sniffly nose sick, but sore throat - lots of congestion - chest felt like it was caving in at times - wake up in the middle of the night coughing – feverish feeling kind of sick.  Let’s just sum it up and say it was awful.  But I kept feeling guilty among all this sickness that I wasn’t working out.  L  I had been doing so good at keeping with my workouts!

So here is the research:

Question: to workout or not to workout?

Answer:  Use the “neck” rule.  If you have symptoms above the neck, like runny nose, stuffiness, or sneezing, working out won’t really put you at risk of being sicker.  (In fact, I’ve found from my chronic sinus problems due to allergies, that sometimes a good workout actually clears out some stuffy nose issues!)  But if you are sick below the neck, like chest congestion, coughing, and body aches it is probably a good idea to skip the workout and let your body recover.  A fever is also a telling tale… if it is over 100, definitely skip the workout. 

If you are feeling iffy about whether you should workout or not, take it easy and do a light workout, nothing that would over-exert yourself.  And who can ever express the importance of drinking enough water and taking your vitamins!!

As for me, I was definitely glad that I skipped the workouts.  Between lots of rest, lots of water, and lots of Tylenol am/pm cold meds… I’m just about feeling whole again in less than a week!  Tomorrow will be the true test, I haven’t run since Tuesday, and I need to finish off the Week 3 workouts in Cto5K so I can keep progressing.  I plan to take it fairly easy, make sure I complete the runs time-wise, but I’m definitely not going to push the pace.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  If you want more info on whether or not you should workout, check out the web pages below!

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--9082-0,00.html

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick

Sam

Lazy Chicken!

FOOD!  I love food, all food, especially comfort food, and I also have a HUGE sweet tooth.  So eating healthy has always been a challenge, as soon as I do well eating for a couple days, I melt at the sight of some mac n cheese, and ice cream!  I think the key for me is everything in moderation… none of these crazy diets!  I know that I do not have the self control to stay away from some comfort food occasionally.  So I need to find recipes that give me some comfort and health at the same time!

Last night I made “Lazy Baked Greek Chicken” from Rachael Ray.  If you get here food emails, this one came yesterday morning.  I did a quick look through the ingredients, had Aaron stop for the feta cheese on the way home from work and we were good to go.  I cut the recipe in half since it was just for the two of us, and sometime leftovers do not get eaten.  It was super easy to make (hence the Lazy part) and was very tasty!  Served with some steamed broccoli, this was a pretty healthy and delicious meal!

Lazy Baked Greek Chicken

• 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• One 10-ounce box organic chopped spinach, thawed
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (about 1/2 palmful)
• 4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup crumbled greek feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the spinach to the same bowl and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Melt the butter in the same pan used to cook the onion, turn off the heat and add the panko, oregano and remaining garlic; toss.
   
   Drizzle a baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO. Split each chicken breast across (but not all the way through) and open like a book. Stuff with the spinach mixture and feta, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the juices run clear, about 20-25 minutes.

This will definitely be a make-again recipe! Hope it works for you!

Sam

No Excuses!

This has been a BUSY week!  A great example early on of something I have always struggled with… time management!  And making time for working out is the worst!  Who wants to go running after a long day of work, errands, and cleaning house?  This last week I worked a full 38 hours (side-thought: I thought I was supposed to be part-time?), plus I was preparing for a three day weekend in Pullman to celebrate my sister’s 21^st bday, and I have also been doing a TON of stuff to get ready for my sister-in-law’s baby shower this Sunday!  To fit in workouts this week I had quite a few adventures…

Couch to 5k, Week 2, Day 2… Aaron went running before I got home because he thought I was not going to have a chance to fit in a workout that night.  Little did he know, I was determined to go!  He didn’t feel comfortable letting me go by myself because there are no streetlights around our house… so, instead of running again he rode his bike beside me.  It was perfect!!  He wore his hunting headlamp on his head so we could both see where we were going and cars could see us.  And he also had the red flashing light on the back of his bike so cars could see us from behind too.  He was a great motivator because it was SO cold and dark outside!

Couch to 5k, Week 2, Day 3… Pullman Weekend Away!  Normal on a mini-vacation I would totally skip workouts completely, who wants to workout on vacation?  That is a foreign concept to me.  But no more excuses!  Saturday needed to be my run day!  Thankfully my Mother-in-Law is also doing this workout plan and she went with me to Pullman, so we got up and went Saturday morning.  She is a few weeks ahead of me, so we went to the track to run.  She lapped me twice because she was running 20 straight minutes and I was still doing intervals.  We both rocked it though.  J  Took a quick pic post-workout as proof and headed to Starbucks!

Couch to 5K, Week 3, Day 1… This was yesterday’s workout.  Description: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then do two repetitions of the following: jog for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 3 minutes, walk for 3 minutes.  End with a five minute cool down walk.  My plan for yesterday was to work 9-1, drive down to Olympia to my Mom’s (an hour away), and finish my sister-in-law’s baby shower present on my Mom’s sewing machine.  Then I was going to go running there and drive back home.  Sewing of course, took longer than expected, and at ten o’clock I was tired and ready to go home with no running.  But no excuses!  Guilted my little brother into going with me and was so glad!  Turned out the run woke me up and stretched out my stiff muscles that had been sitting in front of a sewing machine for hours.  It was also nice to catch up with my baby brother!

Lessons this week:  Do it anyway!  If you plan to workout that day, DO IT.  No excuses.  I think that will be the only way this will work for me.  Next week I want to focus a little more on the eating better part… stay tuned for some recipes!

Sam

Kinect!

What to do with a non-running day?  I still work a full 8 hour day today and I had to take Maverick to the vet, so whatever workout I chose needed to be fairly quick.  Today’s option (and something I hope to continue taking advantage of) our XBOX Kinect!!  We just got the “Your Shape” game and it is actually very cool so far.  I really ENJOYED my half hour workout this morning, right in my own living room.

After taking all of my stats (height, weight, arm span, and a whole bunch of other things) it had me do a fitness test and then the game came up with a training program somewhat tailored to my fitness level.  I have my own personal trainer in the game who does the exercises with me, and if you aren’t hitting the moves quite right it tells you!  I definitely had some issues getting my squats low enough this morning!

After doing a short cardio session with my trainer, I did two 5-minute Zen workout sessions.  These were based on Tai-Chi and the movements were much more focused and slower.  I think it was a good balance after the high energy cardio session.  What I love about this game so far?  It does a great job of tracking my movements correctly, and it will continue to keep track of my stats as I progress!  Also, nothing beats the convenience of not leaving the house… I did these workouts in my pajamas this morning!  J

Off to work…

Sam

Couch to 5K

I have about seven months until the actual race, so it is time to get in motion.  I have plenty of time, but if I start early, hopefully it won’t be as hard to overcome the speed bumps that always seem to pop up.  I’m starting with the running training first.  Eventually I hope to be doing swim, bike, and running training all within the weeks… but for now I just want to get my cardio up and start working toward what for me, is the hardest event. 

I really wanted to start to work up the running distance slowly, because I have really terrible knees!!  After some research on training plans I decided to go with the “Couch to 5K” version.  It seems like a fairly popular plan for people like me, who currently can’t run for more than a few minutes at a time.  In the beginning it alternates running and walking, gradually increasing the running stages over a 9 week period until you are basically running a 5K.  (which is about the 3.1 miles I will have to run for the triathlon). 

There are three workouts per week, and you are supposed to give yourself at least one day in between them.  Week 1 workout was: Brisk five minute warm-up walk.  Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Five minute cool down walk.

Today I completed week 2’s first workout:  Brisk five minute warm-up walk.  Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.  Five minute cool down walk.

Today’s workout was definitely harder than last week, especially because my last run of today was all uphill!!  Talk about being winded!  I’m not worrying about speed at all, just the fact that I am actually jogging for the full length when I am supposed to be.  My new favorite tool for accomplishing this:  my cell phone!  J  I downloaded an app for the Couch to 5k plan, and it tells me when to run and when to walk.  It is perfect!  Makes it easier for me so I don’t have to constantly be looking at my watch and timing myself, the app does it for me! 

Another positive this week… my husband Aaron has been running with me!  And even when we can’t go together (due to my crazy work schedules), Aaron plans on doing the plan on his own.  It is definitely nice to have a running partner!

It was a good start this week, and I’m looking forward to finding some new ways of becoming more active on a daily basis!  ‘Til next time…

Sam