So thursday I had a laye client meeting. It was during their lunch break and so I was starving by the time I got back to the office. Here is where one needs to remember to watch whatvou eat before working out. I had a Kashi black bean mango dish. It is one of my favorites from them. However it is very fiberous. So later that evening when I found myself on the treadmill I was miserable.
I did 1 mile is 16 minutes - good for me. And stopped to use the loo. That didn't help. My stomache was just feeling off from the food. So I went back on the treadmill and started running again. But my form was all wrong. Somehow I unknowingly hit the belt off. Gawd my cadence is awful tonight - and then I realise oh it is just the belt stopping below me.
I eeked out all 3.3 miles in good time but yuck!
So I did another mile on the treadmill Friday. I did much better with it then.I also rode the stationary bike for a bit.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
1760 yards in a mile
I am always forgetting this and always going back to see this.
So I wasn't too far from completing a mile this evening
OK - I needed another 500 yards to go but that's not too bad
I think I want to work up to that sooner than later
So I wasn't too far from completing a mile this evening
OK - I needed another 500 yards to go but that's not too bad
I think I want to work up to that sooner than later
glub glub glub
Took Tuesday off. I was so tired. So I watched a movie and chilled instead.
This evening I went to the gym. I thought I would have some input from PH as to what to do but did not. It was a toss up - swim or run
So I swam
150 breast warm up
5 minute constant - ended up at 4:30 for 200
50 drills x 50 fast times 4
400 straight swim
100 cool down
For a total of 1250
Oh look that is longer than I thought
Tomorrow I guess I need to work in a run
This evening I went to the gym. I thought I would have some input from PH as to what to do but did not. It was a toss up - swim or run
So I swam
150 breast warm up
5 minute constant - ended up at 4:30 for 200
50 drills x 50 fast times 4
400 straight swim
100 cool down
For a total of 1250
Oh look that is longer than I thought
Tomorrow I guess I need to work in a run
what's the workout
I haven't been posting much out this way. I have been filling out a spreadsheet for my trainer instead. It has been pretty neat. Not as detailed in some respects as I can be.
So that was last week.
This week had been a little different. I have been a little slow on the training. Well I took Sunday off. I was going to take a slow leisurely walk around Freedom Park. But that didn't happen. I was just too tired.
Monday I met with the trainer and I was still tired. And she decided we should swim. UGH!
150 breast stroke warm up
50 kick board
Drills - but not too sure how many yards I did. Maybe 400 yards of drills? I guess I could rethink them but I truly am drawing a blank.
And then I did 5 minutes of straight swimming. I was impressed with myself I did just short of 300 yards in that time.
I came home to get a good nights sleep. But some crazy 4 hour thunder storm kept me from that.
Yuck for Tuesday
So tired
So that was last week.
This week had been a little different. I have been a little slow on the training. Well I took Sunday off. I was going to take a slow leisurely walk around Freedom Park. But that didn't happen. I was just too tired.
Monday I met with the trainer and I was still tired. And she decided we should swim. UGH!
150 breast stroke warm up
50 kick board
Drills - but not too sure how many yards I did. Maybe 400 yards of drills? I guess I could rethink them but I truly am drawing a blank.
And then I did 5 minutes of straight swimming. I was impressed with myself I did just short of 300 yards in that time.
I came home to get a good nights sleep. But some crazy 4 hour thunder storm kept me from that.
Yuck for Tuesday
So tired
Monday, July 13, 2009
Where did I leave off?
Oh yeah, my day of rest.. Well the Christening was wonderful. It was very personable and family oriented. Everyone at the church seemed so excited for Corbin.
The food at the brunch - GREAT! So when I saw the email from PH asking me to let her know if I got a ride in... I felt a little obligated to get my butt out there.
So I did 9 miles in 54 minutes at the park.
Tonight we met for 30 minutes and did strength training. I think I will feel it in the morning...
2 reps each.....
Balance ball squats
Balance ball push ups
Downward facing balance ball planks
Upward facing balance ball planks
Single arm rows with the body bar - wow that baby was heavier than I realised
Triceps presses with body bar while in the upward plank position on the balance bar... I am not too sure what will hurt from that tomorrow.
Biceps curls with the body bar off balance. Left arm, both arms, right arm, both arms
And then we tossed a 2 lbs ball around for a bit.
And went over some arm stretches. FUN STUFF!!!
I shook my legs out on the treadmill for a mile afterwards...
TOMORROW IS MY DAY OF REST!!!
The food at the brunch - GREAT! So when I saw the email from PH asking me to let her know if I got a ride in... I felt a little obligated to get my butt out there.
So I did 9 miles in 54 minutes at the park.
Tonight we met for 30 minutes and did strength training. I think I will feel it in the morning...
2 reps each.....
Balance ball squats
Balance ball push ups
Downward facing balance ball planks
Upward facing balance ball planks
Single arm rows with the body bar - wow that baby was heavier than I realised
Triceps presses with body bar while in the upward plank position on the balance bar... I am not too sure what will hurt from that tomorrow.
Biceps curls with the body bar off balance. Left arm, both arms, right arm, both arms
And then we tossed a 2 lbs ball around for a bit.
And went over some arm stretches. FUN STUFF!!!
I shook my legs out on the treadmill for a mile afterwards...
TOMORROW IS MY DAY OF REST!!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Day of rest
I am supposed to cycle today. But my rest days have been a bit buggered up. So I am toying with resting, cycling at the park or swimming some drills... But first Corbin's Christening.
So we shall see how I feel after all those festivities...
So we shall see how I feel after all those festivities...
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Expresso Fitness Bike
I wrote about this bike last year. This is my favourite stationary bike. And I have only seen it at the little Y. And one of them is broken. So I wonder what the odds of it sticking around are. I like it because you choose a course. And each course has a length and different hill grades. And then through the wonders of technology they add graphics to keep you entertained. And steering bars to follow the course. I did 1 round of some ruins maybe. It was 2.9miles and quite hilly. I figured, may as well get used to the hills here when I can't fall over and lose my balance than outside. Then I did 3 miles of a coastal ride. It is predominantly flat. I use this one to get some time and distance in. And to play with the various gears. Oh did I forget to mention you can shift through gears and tensions as well. And then I did the redwood forest ride of 3.3 miles. In 49 minutes I did 9.2 miles on various courses. It was a good trip.
Swim drills
Thursday we worked on some drills to help with the left side breathing. My trainer told me I should give myself more credit. That I am a good swimmer. I have a good stroke, a good flutter kick (I accredit that to snorkeling and SCUBA), and my breathing isn't bad. So what we worked on was the positioning of the body. I had read this in the tri book I bought. I was shocked to realise that my whole body is supposed to turn as I stroke and take a breath. So I worked with the kickboard under my arm and swam the length of the pool on my side. An interesting approach. But it did help to put the twist into perspective.
The next drill was to take a few strokes and then stay on my side with my head/mouth.nose above water and stay there. That was neat and awkward.
Then the last one for the day was the thumb drag. It is an accentuated stroke where you drag your thumb up your side as you are stroking forward. It is to force you to think about creating less drag in the water as that back arm comes around. That the stroke isn't some Don Quixote windmill. There is a little more form to it than that. It felt odd. But she reminded me that it is exaggerated to get you to think about more now and less during racng.
I swam a total of 800 yards that day.
The next drill was to take a few strokes and then stay on my side with my head/mouth.nose above water and stay there. That was neat and awkward.
Then the last one for the day was the thumb drag. It is an accentuated stroke where you drag your thumb up your side as you are stroking forward. It is to force you to think about creating less drag in the water as that back arm comes around. That the stroke isn't some Don Quixote windmill. There is a little more form to it than that. It felt odd. But she reminded me that it is exaggerated to get you to think about more now and less during racng.
I swam a total of 800 yards that day.
Wednesday
1/2 price martini night... and sushi...
does that count as a workout of any sort?
nah, i didn't think so...
does that count as a workout of any sort?
nah, i didn't think so...
Now onto that steam room story...
I took Monday off from the workout. I was feeling the effects of my efforts from the weekend and decided that was a good break day. So Tuesday it was suggested that I swim. Good deal. I can do that. But I also had this inkling to get a run in as well. The Y has a track outside that I wanted to check out. I hadn't run there before and thought that may be a neat way to check out my stamina for this run walk thing. Well luck should have it that my co-worker was planning on running outside that evening as well. She ran 2 laps (1 mile) for every one walk/run of mine. But it was great to get out there and give it a try.
From there I went into the lap pool. I was hoping to swim outside and do laps there. The Splash & Dash will take place in that pool so I thought it would be worth while. But the multipurpose pool was closed due to bodily fluids and the indoor water class looked like it was happening outside. So to the lap pool I went. I ended up swimming 700 yards.
The thing I like best about swimming - well I really like the swimming. The pace of the stroke. The calmness of breathing. I find it very peaceful and almost therapeutic. Perhaps I don't swim fast enough but it is a good time. I also give myself some extra water time between the showers after the swim... I think it should be rinsing off the chlorine but in reality I don't think that's the case. And then I head into the steam room. I usually stretch some in the water in the pool. And then stretch some more in the steam room. Usually there is NO ONE in there. So this time imagine my surprise when I walk in and this woman instantly starts talking to me. I was flustered at first and then kind of shocked as I swear she was sitting there with the top of her bathing suit pulled down. WHY!? It's not like the steam isn't hot and thick enough in there. It will get through almost anything. And she continues to talk to me. I lie down on one of the benches to stare up at the ceiling. I don't want to have to look at this woman in the eye to converse with her. And why is she talking to me...??? Hello !!!! Anti-social introvert here!!! I just swam for 30 minutes because that's 30 additional minutes besides when I am asleep that I am pretty sure I won't need to talk to anybody.... And on she goes.... Finally she asks me the time and realises she needs to go. Her kids are in the Women's Family Locker and she needs to go find them. HAH!!! The Women's Family Locker - well we all know how that went for me last year... She's probably the mom of that naked boy that was running around there last year.
Of course Thursday I had the honor of listening to 2 women chat in an aisle down from mine. The one was hoping to be set up by a friend of a friend and the guy never called. So she called the friend of a friend and he pretty much told her it was a no go. And on she went about it. How wonderful and fun and easy going she was and outdoorsy and fun to be around and a good time and active and had a good job and..... I thought - thou doth protect oo much... I could see why it was a no go...
I shouldn't really venture out all that often.
From there I went into the lap pool. I was hoping to swim outside and do laps there. The Splash & Dash will take place in that pool so I thought it would be worth while. But the multipurpose pool was closed due to bodily fluids and the indoor water class looked like it was happening outside. So to the lap pool I went. I ended up swimming 700 yards.
The thing I like best about swimming - well I really like the swimming. The pace of the stroke. The calmness of breathing. I find it very peaceful and almost therapeutic. Perhaps I don't swim fast enough but it is a good time. I also give myself some extra water time between the showers after the swim... I think it should be rinsing off the chlorine but in reality I don't think that's the case. And then I head into the steam room. I usually stretch some in the water in the pool. And then stretch some more in the steam room. Usually there is NO ONE in there. So this time imagine my surprise when I walk in and this woman instantly starts talking to me. I was flustered at first and then kind of shocked as I swear she was sitting there with the top of her bathing suit pulled down. WHY!? It's not like the steam isn't hot and thick enough in there. It will get through almost anything. And she continues to talk to me. I lie down on one of the benches to stare up at the ceiling. I don't want to have to look at this woman in the eye to converse with her. And why is she talking to me...??? Hello !!!! Anti-social introvert here!!! I just swam for 30 minutes because that's 30 additional minutes besides when I am asleep that I am pretty sure I won't need to talk to anybody.... And on she goes.... Finally she asks me the time and realises she needs to go. Her kids are in the Women's Family Locker and she needs to go find them. HAH!!! The Women's Family Locker - well we all know how that went for me last year... She's probably the mom of that naked boy that was running around there last year.
Of course Thursday I had the honor of listening to 2 women chat in an aisle down from mine. The one was hoping to be set up by a friend of a friend and the guy never called. So she called the friend of a friend and he pretty much told her it was a no go. And on she went about it. How wonderful and fun and easy going she was and outdoorsy and fun to be around and a good time and active and had a good job and..... I thought - thou doth protect oo much... I could see why it was a no go...
I shouldn't really venture out all that often.
Back to the bike ride...
So Sunday I decided I would take the bike out for its maiden voyage of 2009. I went into the shed, yucked out the rack and the bike and the tire pump... First test - how the heck does this rack go on the car again? The general structure makes sense - the short bars go down the back of the trunk, the longer curved portion along the top, and the racks themselves stick out the back. But there are three sets of straps... where the heck do they go again? Nope, not that way. Oh, maybe that way. Hmm, is that supposed to be loose like that? And then a neighbor and her dog come by.... Always good for a chat and Bacchus likes the company... But where was I with these darned straps? I swear it took me an hour - but I am probably exaggerating - to figure it out.
Second test - the bike... First the tires... The pump works a little different than the one I had for most years of my life. Sure I could tell that what I thought was the locked position was not the case. Everytime I thought I had it right you could easily HEAR the air escaping. That didn't take too long to figure out. Just added to the frustration.
Then getting her on the rack. Now this was a struggle last year even when I had full recall of how to get it to work. Lifting the bike and shimmying it up and over the pads to position it takes some skill. And there are certain pieces that fit just perfectly if I could just remember what they were....
Well I got the bike on there. Ultimately it was not the way I wanted it but it stayed put.
I was headed to the 12 mile round trip trail. Last year it wasn't completely open so I just did 8 miles round trip. I was kind of excited and a little nervous as to the full 12 miles. And then it started to drizzle. I try to push myself but let's be honest I am pretty good at giving myself an out every now and again as well.
So I stopped at the shorted trail - 2 miles round trip. It is flat and very little creek water near by. So I figured if it started to rain real hard it wouldn't be difficult to get back to my car. And there wasn't a fear of flash floods. Oh you laugh, but they do happen around here.
The rain never amounted to much so I did 8 miles on the trail.
Second test - the bike... First the tires... The pump works a little different than the one I had for most years of my life. Sure I could tell that what I thought was the locked position was not the case. Everytime I thought I had it right you could easily HEAR the air escaping. That didn't take too long to figure out. Just added to the frustration.
Then getting her on the rack. Now this was a struggle last year even when I had full recall of how to get it to work. Lifting the bike and shimmying it up and over the pads to position it takes some skill. And there are certain pieces that fit just perfectly if I could just remember what they were....
Well I got the bike on there. Ultimately it was not the way I wanted it but it stayed put.
I was headed to the 12 mile round trip trail. Last year it wasn't completely open so I just did 8 miles round trip. I was kind of excited and a little nervous as to the full 12 miles. And then it started to drizzle. I try to push myself but let's be honest I am pretty good at giving myself an out every now and again as well.
So I stopped at the shorted trail - 2 miles round trip. It is flat and very little creek water near by. So I figured if it started to rain real hard it wouldn't be difficult to get back to my car. And there wasn't a fear of flash floods. Oh you laugh, but they do happen around here.
The rain never amounted to much so I did 8 miles on the trail.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bike ride
I somewhat repeated Saturday's workout this evening after work. I am TIRED. And I'd like to share more about it but not tonight. I mean if not the workout the half naked lady in the steam room deserves honorable mention.
As does my battle with the bike rack. So maybe tomorrow I will work in a recap of Sunday and Tuesday.
As does my battle with the bike rack. So maybe tomorrow I will work in a recap of Sunday and Tuesday.
Crazy Y Day
So of course I had to do something with my Saturday to try out the Garmin. So what if it was Fourth of July. The Y was open and I was there. OK - laugh now - I went to 2 Ys on Saturday. The little Y that is in my comfort zone and the other large one that is NOT in my comfort zone. My instructions were to walk/run 5min/1min for 30 minutes. And to try to work in a swim over the weekend.
So the little Y is the most comfortable from a treadmill standpoint. There are lots of them and they don't really hold you to the 30 minute max deal. Plus it is close to home in case I whimp out. So I did the run.
5 minute warm up from 3mph to 3.8 mph
1 minute (sometimes a little over) run at 5mph 4 minute walk...
I was kind of fixated on 5 goes into 30 6 times. I hadn't put 2 and 2 together that 6 goes into 30 5 times. I know I do math for a good part of my day. But that's not what I was focused on.
So I ended up running 6 times instead of 5.
I did some squats and pushups.
Got in my car and rode to the other Y.
This is where the pool was. I had never been in this pool before. It was virtually empty. Thankfully not completely empty or else I would not have gone in. You do know the shrk story right? If not you may have to go through last year's history to find it. It's a whole James Bond shark tank over-active imagination thing. It sure gets the heart rate up that's for sure.
I ended up swimming 600 yards in 25 to 30 minutes.
As you can imagine I was BEAT by the time I got home.
I did make it our for some Fourth celebrating but not for too long.
So the little Y is the most comfortable from a treadmill standpoint. There are lots of them and they don't really hold you to the 30 minute max deal. Plus it is close to home in case I whimp out. So I did the run.
5 minute warm up from 3mph to 3.8 mph
1 minute (sometimes a little over) run at 5mph 4 minute walk...
I was kind of fixated on 5 goes into 30 6 times. I hadn't put 2 and 2 together that 6 goes into 30 5 times. I know I do math for a good part of my day. But that's not what I was focused on.
So I ended up running 6 times instead of 5.
I did some squats and pushups.
Got in my car and rode to the other Y.
This is where the pool was. I had never been in this pool before. It was virtually empty. Thankfully not completely empty or else I would not have gone in. You do know the shrk story right? If not you may have to go through last year's history to find it. It's a whole James Bond shark tank over-active imagination thing. It sure gets the heart rate up that's for sure.
I ended up swimming 600 yards in 25 to 30 minutes.
As you can imagine I was BEAT by the time I got home.
I did make it our for some Fourth celebrating but not for too long.
Friday afternoon - GARMIN
After washing all the toxins off of me I contemplated heading to the Y to swim. I had it in my head that I just wanted to go swimming. I printed out the calendars and everything to convince myself to go. Instead I headed to the mall to get some replacement batteries for the Nike HRM I borrowed from a friend. Well it turns out it wasn't just the batteries that were not working properly. So I headed over to REI. One of my favourite stores. I really wished I could have justified purchasing some fun warm weather clothes while I was there. BUT that was not my purpose. My purpose was to check out the Timex heart rate monitors the web-site claimed they carried. Well I did not see any when I got there. They did have some Polars but somehow the non-techy that I am walked out of there with a Garmin. NO, not the $300+ version. I think it should do the workout for you at that cost. This does have a wireless upload feature that enables you to store workouts on-line. It's the FR60.
Of course I was nervous to do anything with it. So I spent the remainder of Friday tinkering with it, reading the quick start guide, and the on-line manual. It is now officially up and running.
Of course I was nervous to do anything with it. So I spent the remainder of Friday tinkering with it, reading the quick start guide, and the on-line manual. It is now officially up and running.
Brattonsville Trail
So we went back to Brattonsville on Friday to try out the 4 mile trail. The brochure called it a moderate to strenuous trail and at an even pace would take 3 or 4 hours to complete. I was really curious as to how strenuous it really was as that even pace was about a mile an hour. I was very curious. Well it turned out to take us 95 minutes to complete the course. So I'd say the brochure was a little off. It was a good trail. It was the BLUE trail.
A real trail. Not this multiple people wide thing. It was pretty close to single file most of the way. There were some hills but nothing too crazy. Sure you felt them but that had more to do with the distance than the grade of the hill. It wasn't too hot, which was nice. And the 98% deet left over from Belize did a good job of keeping the bugs off. They did swarm/hover/gather around my head. I only noticed as we walked through rays of sun - they got caught in the angle of the light. And at one poine - eewww - I could hear them buzzing my ears. But in comparison to Belize it was nothing! Probably the worst part of it were the unsuspecting spider webs we disturbed as we walked through them. The initial shock is one thing. The lingering webs that you can't seem to get off were worse. So next time - bug spray again, hat and my long sleeve Columbia sun shirt... And maybe wait for cooler weather. I did get some pics. The green and blue were pleasant changes from the day to day blue green strip mall view of my every day.
Eventually you came out into this clearing. I haven't seen this much open land and open sky in a really long time. I just take a picture. 
A real trail. Not this multiple people wide thing. It was pretty close to single file most of the way. There were some hills but nothing too crazy. Sure you felt them but that had more to do with the distance than the grade of the hill. It wasn't too hot, which was nice. And the 98% deet left over from Belize did a good job of keeping the bugs off. They did swarm/hover/gather around my head. I only noticed as we walked through rays of sun - they got caught in the angle of the light. And at one poine - eewww - I could hear them buzzing my ears. But in comparison to Belize it was nothing! Probably the worst part of it were the unsuspecting spider webs we disturbed as we walked through them. The initial shock is one thing. The lingering webs that you can't seem to get off were worse. So next time - bug spray again, hat and my long sleeve Columbia sun shirt... And maybe wait for cooler weather. I did get some pics. The green and blue were pleasant changes from the day to day blue green strip mall view of my every day.
Eventually you came out into this clearing. I haven't seen this much open land and open sky in a really long time. I just take a picture. 
And this? Well this just reminded me of my dad. 
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)