Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Renewed purpose! (and a wordy post....I must be bored at work)

Since Southbay Girl and I are meeting New Orleans to run the Mardi Gras half marathon, I feel I have renewed purpose in my workout regime! Obviously that vague or perhaps just to broad goal of health, fitness, etc...just doesn't do it for me..although I am generally always working out..I like have an event goal. So this week I am starting my running plan. Monday was a strength and stretching day. I was at the gym on Monday morning doing strength and stretching. I am sore today. One move I was doing was pikes with a pushup on the exercise ball. Those are hard! I superset them with a dumbbell deadlift, row combo thing. I have worked up to 5 or6 pike/pushups and then 10 deadlift row things.... rest and then do another superset. I am feeling the hurt in all the right places. I, of course, did other exercises to round out my ~45 minute workout.
I find many of my strength and core work outs from Women's Health Magazine . I like that it is not the same old thing all the time and I am not using those machines that I hate! I also can tailor the work out timing to fit the time I have in the morning for the gym. My mornings have to be on almost a precision schedule...be at gym by 5:20 am, leave gym by 6:15 am, get home wake daughter, walk the dog, get coffee, eat, get in the shower, dress, etc, out the door by 8 am, drop daughter at school, get to work. Some mornings I am lucky as her Grandparents (my former in-laws) will take her to school, then I can just head to work at 8.
Tonight, I have a 3 mile run on my schedule. While the weather is nice out, I may do this on the deadmill at the fitness center here at work. Although I may change my mind by the time I get around to this. I don't have an outdoor run route planned and I hate running around here during rush hour.
My darling daughter set off this morning for a class trip for the remainder of the week. They were off to do some work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and then do a little backpacking/camping. They have been studying about the environment and specifically water quality issues in their science component. I am sure they will learn much from the folks at CBF. I love her school and am thankful that her Dad and I can afford (and give up a bit) to allow her to go there. The environment is so supportive and empowering, which is awesome for adolescents. They are treated with respect and they must also be respectful... which comes very easy to practically all of them because they are treated with respect. Funny how that works...
This weekend I am off to Amish Country. I am doing a weekend bike trip with some people I know from the hiking club. There are about 15 people going. I know a few of them as I have hiked with them, but I have not done any cycling with any of these people. I think it will be fun... as long as mother nature doesn't decide to rain on us all weekend...it is in the forecast.

I will check in again with my workout updates later in the week.

Friday, September 25, 2009

NEW ORLEANS ANYONE???

So as SouthBayGirl had put in my comments - why not the Mardi Gras half marathon in February as an event to train and plan for??? I looked it up. It is on my Birthday! I think that sounds like an awesome plan to usher in 45. I can have a bit o' fun in the Big Easy and run (if you can call my shuffle a run) a half marathon! I even have a voucher from Southwest Airlines that I need to use before May 2010 to cover my airfare! I think this is a hands down winner of an idea! I even printed out my Hal Higdon Half Marathon Training program sheet this morning in order to get me thinking about my training needs. I hate running until I get into it and settle into a pace. I think this will work well with my trim down and strengthen plan.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

MOVING IS A TIME SUCK!

Wow, how did it get to be September 22nd? Happy Autumn! I love Autumn! I want to be outside riding my bike, hiking, running, or something in the lovely Autumn weather. I love the word Autumn. I prefer it to Fall. I don't know why. I do use both though.

I have moved since my last post!!! I moved out of the house that I had bought with my now ex-husband when we were brand-spanking new newlyweds. It is officially the longest place I have ever lived in (14 years) and as of this Friday, Sept 25th, it will belong to someone else! SEE YA! With that milestone coming to a closure that means I can finally, finalize my divorce! After over 2 and half years of separation (with two of them legally separated!) IT IS TIME!
I like my new place. I am renting for a couple of years to figure out what I want to do, get my finances in order, plan and scheme..... and then my daughter will be out of private school too! That will help with the finances too. My animals have adjusted very well and my Mom came this past weekend and helped get me unpacked and organized! It was awesome! Thanks MOM! Having been the wife of a military man, this woman understands packing and unpacking!
She was a huge help. Now I am in decorating mode! I like that part!

Exercise has been sproadic. I did a 50 mile bike ride with my brother and some other friends Sept 5th. It was great and my bike adjustments that had been recently made worked because I had no pain or soreness anywhere! Yipee! I've made it to the gym a few times and the employee fitness center once. I am trying to get back on my regular routine. This weekend I am attending a women's ride clinic on Sunday morning at Conte's in Arlington, VA. That should be fun. Next weekend, I am joining up with some friends from Capital Hiking Club on a bike trip in Lancaster County, PA - - Amish country. I have heard from others that have done this weekend before that it is fun. I am looking forward to riding with some new people.
I have no runs, tris, or other competitive events on the horizon.... I miss not have a training goal. Need to start looking ahead and see what I want to do !!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Getting back into the routine

I finally went to the gym this morning. I don't remember exactly when I went last! Pretty bad for a person that is pretty good about the morning routine! I guess with school starting for child and such I am needing to get back into the routine! My move won't disrupt the routine too much either! YIPEE!
I have been looking for a fall triathlon nearby, but have not had much success, so I am focusing on Fall cycling events. Although I will still get some run and pool time in to keep those in shape. This weekend I have decided to do a 50 mile route being offered at the Bay Country Century which starts in Ownings Mills, Maryland. A lovely ride on the Chesapeake Bay's western shore. My brother is going to join me and I think I may have recruited a few others to join in the fun.

At the gym this morning, I left plenty of time after my regular stretching to meet with the foam roller. My IT band is a happy camper today. Rest and a foam roller are amazing! I will make sure t0 regularly schedule some foam roller time each week. Now that the IT band is feeling much better, I am hoping that I will be able to tell if my recent bike adjustments have made a difference!
Moving day is now 10 days away! Wow! Even though this move signifies an ending it is also so much a new beginning! I know I am only moving up the road, but I am very excited!

I had a full physical yesterday. Dr.'s report: Excellent health! Keep up the good work, but you really should lose about 10 lbs (more if you can). UGH! I know this! I am trying! So my Fall to Winter goals: strength and weight loss. As the colder weather comes, I will start to focus less on the triathlon training plan, but still maintain my toes in the water. Hopefully, I will get some of the pounds off and then towards the end of Winter I can start ramping up the tri-training for the Spring and Summer season - - as a lighter athlete - -2010 I go into a new age grouping, perhaps that will be good!