Rest Days Suck

Rest day.... Agh!!  

I know I am old and two rest days work best. When I don't rest after and before my long weekend- I can't sleep, my knees start hurting and I eat... All... The .... Things. Two rest days is good. 

I am running a 5k on Thursday so switched my day off to Wednesday. I woke up with that (awesome) pinging feeling in my muscles. I worked hard yesterday with an hour ride on the trainer and over an hour in the pool. I felt it- but my brain does not want a rest. 

Rest days are much much harder than it would seem!!!

Recapping the Year... 2014

WOW!!  What a year I have had.  While my blogging for the physical changes have only been the last half of the year, my whole year has been pretty amazing.

• I walked a half marathon in June
• July and August I had some real good talks with my Ortho and decided to go through with the Euflexxa injections which have reduced my chronic knee pain to nearly zero most days
• I bought a bike in August.... So much I can say about this, but in short - it has and I believe will continue to change my life
• I picked up a 10+ year old bucket list goal to complete a triathlon.... and have viciously gone about the process of making a triathlete out of me
• Triathlon Training took over the last three months of the year: 2 swims, 2 runs, 2 bikes, 1 long (discipline of choice), 1 Core and 1 strength session a week.  I followed through with this far more weeks than I didn't.
• I walked a 5k for a charity near and dear to friend which led me to believe I could run one
• So... I ran a 5k.. the whole damn thing
• I signed up for a whole Training Vacation with Ironmen!!  Three whole days of swim/bike/run - repeat, with people just as obsessed as me!!

I am truly blessed with amazing friends who always know when to stand back and when to hold out a hand.  My beautiful children are becoming amazing adults of whom I am so very proud.  I became a Cookie (grandma) for the second time.
So yes, it has been a very good year...  I have loved, been hurt, won, lost and even surprised myself...
I am more than ready for a whole new year to begin.

Popsicle Stick Workout

I love Pinterest.... I have a serious Pinterest problem... that I intend to do NOTHING about!!
Mostly because it gives me so many great ideas... like this one!

We all waste time standing around, even if it is only a few seconds here and there.  I decided to make the popsicle workouts for two times - 1: in the kitchen.  We all wait one more minute for the oven time to ding, or the coffee to finish.  I am going to use these tiny little motivators to keep moving and hopefully make sure my metabolism gets a few tiny little bursts in the day.
I can also use them while on the sofa watching TV.  We all know those commercials are the best time to be moving and get an extra burn built into the day - I will use these for that purpose.
I decided to make four groups and ideally I will select one from a different group each time until they are all done.  Then start over.
Here are the groupings I made:


ARMS:
-25 Bicep Curls
-25 Kick Backs
-20 Overhead Press
-25 Tight Arm Circles (front and back)
-20 Pivoting Upper Cuts


LEGS:
-30 Calf Raises
-20 Plié Squats
-50 High Knees
-10 Squats
-30 Second Wall Sit


CORE:
-20 Oblique Crunches
-30 Second Bicycle
-20 Crunches
-20 Russian Twists
-30 Second Leg Scissor


WHOLE BODY:
-10 Burpees
-90 Seconds Jog In Place
-20 Lunges
-50 Jumping Jacks
-5 Jumping Squats

Why Wednesday

Why Wednesday…

This Wednesday I am feeling good, strong, and just about back to full health.  That dumb bronchitis takes me a full month to get over.  But since I have been home I can take an almost full breath and am so happy to be on a training plan again.  I have three good work outs in three days… one bike, one swim and one run – I can feel the changes in my mood already.

Not that I wasn’t in a good place on vacation – I was surrounded by my daughter’s family and able to nurture and coddle and love them… which was awesome.  But in a different way.

Being home means I eat better, sleep better and train harder… and the sense of peace I have within is truly notable.

So this Wednesday, this feeling of peace and strength and confidence and calm.. is why I have decided to make myself an athlete again.  When I train and eat well I feel better.

Is there a better reason???

I am not a very consistent blogger, but I like the idea of doing this topic for a while.  When I feel like it :)

Back in the Saddle

Travelling is so much fun – I love to be out of town… different food, different views.  This trip I got a new grandbaby, too!!  I was gone for two whole weeks… just about too long, honestly.  I am just as happy to be home.  And back on my training plan.  I am going to ease back into training as I didn’t get in as much as I would like due to being Cookie (our word for Grandma) on call and the lingering bronchitis. 

 So this week just one work out a day.  But I am going to make it count!

Monday – Swim at least 45 min or ¾ of a mile which ever takes longer

Tuesday – Run 5k on elliptical

Wednesday – Weather looks like I might get in a ride outside… if not Run 5k on elliptical

Thursday – Rest Day

Friday – Hoping I can ease back in to two a days with a bike/swim

Saturday – Swim/Run

Sunday – Endurance Day… I pick one of the three and go longer in time or distance than I have before

 

Next Week : Two a days with a quiet work week and get the Core/Strength back on the schedule, too

 

Have I mentioned... I love this biking thing??

The Florida Komet is working out just fine while I stay with my kids on a military base and await grandbaby #2.  And I am so happy to be able to ride while I am visiting the kids.  I think they are happy for mom to GO AWAY for an hour, and I have desperately missed that endorphin rush I get from the bike.  Today on my ride I saw US Air Force planes lifting off and landing at the strip here on base, lots and lots of young (and some not so young) men and women going about the daily business of defending our country.  Regardless of politics, my heart swells with pride to see every single airman/woman I pass.
There is also a super cool aircraft museum that has a few dozen huge old AvGeek Eye Candy on display.  That will get your heart rate going... well mine!  I majored in Aviation and a plane does the same to me that Channing Tatum  does to other women.

I have been fighting my annual round of bronchitis for three weeks now and not much training has taken place.  Which is ok... I guess, because that is the right thing.  But I have been on such a roll I miss it... I miss the bike rides and especially the rush that comes from climbing a hill and tapping out speed (and dropping boys... though I am the only rider here).  But the decision to buy this inexpensive bike off craigs list has allowed me to get back it while the weather is SOOOOO Much nicer in Florida than Chicago :)
I climbed on the bike a couple times earlier this week but only for 10-15 minutes as it needed the chain lubed and I had to get an adapter to air one tire (One had a presta plug and one an old school one)  But both of those were resolved today.  So I hit it!!
I definitely go faster on this road bike, so fast I had to stop at one point because my bronchitis lungs were not... NOT happy.  Once I caught my breath and talked myself out of the personal race I really enjoyed a 12mph ride back to the kids' home.

Not great speed and only an hour... but I got the rush and was so happy to get even a short ride in :)

Next up... The new bike needs the shifters/derailleurs adjusted - and I have watched enough youtube videos I think I can do it tomorrow... If this cutie doesn't become a big brother over night - then we will have to go to plan b!!

Quasi Vacation Training Plan

Meet the Florida Komet :)

I am currently out of the winter weather and happy to be in Florida for a couple weeks.  I am not exactly on vacation as my job requires I check in a bit… but more importantly, my daughter is about to give birth to baby #2.  I am trying to be helpful to her around the house as waddling to the sofa is about all she can manage.  AND!  The best part… making sure grandbaby #1 is getting lots of fun and cuddles.  So it isn’t like I have buckets of time to train in this beautiful 70 degree weather.

But I am fitting it in.  I have been a bit quiet on the blog and twitter the last couple weeks due to my nasty annual go round with bronchitis.  It is mostly cleared up, but if I get moving too fast, laughing too hard or talking too much… all a risk with spending time with family – I get out of breath and the coughing starts again.  Regardless, I am determined to get out in this weather.

How am I going to fit in the Tri Training?

BIKE:  I found a road bike on craigs list for a whopping 50 bucks and picked it up yesterday.  It is just short enough for me with the seat all the way down so it will be just fine!!  It is a bit old and heavy, but my goal is time in the saddle and this will be great.  Besides – I can’t beat the price!  After my son-in-law lubed, aired and adjusted it for me I did manage a quick spin today which felt great!  Looking forward to a longer ride tonight.

SWIM: I also brought a wet suit to get some open water swimming logged while I am here.  My kids live on a military base and have a great little beach right here. I love swimming and being in the water so I am probably looking forward to this most of all!

RUN: The base has great running trails mapped out and even an app to navigate.  I have already been on a 3 mile brisk walk since I got in yesterday.  I am not sure the bronchitis laden lungs are going to allow a run, but I can do a good brisk walk for sure.

It is a bit difficult to make plans because my first priority is helping my daughter – but the goal is to get up early and ride then walk or swim in the evening when it gets quiet…. Until the baby comes and then we will have to revisit it all over again!!

I have really missed training/gym time while being so under the weather the last couple weeks and happy that I can be in sunny Florida!!