Friday, November 21, 2014

Week 7 Habits are Forming




What is that saying about XX days to a habit.  Training has truly become a habit for me.  Instead of looking for valid reasons I can’t work in a work out – I am rearrange things to make time for training.

Wednesday
A red day… I don’t know if it was having a post-race fall out or what.  But I did not work out and made bad food choices.  I am owning it and moving on.
Thursday
Determined to get back on track.  Since I blew off the plan Wednesday I ‘pretended’ like I was just swapping the rest day.  So…  I got an outdoor run and a stationary bike at the gym in.  Being outside for a run – not a walk/run was great!!  Even if it was very cold.  I am not run/walking anymore.  The Hot Chocolate proved to me I can run… so I do.  Just not too far/long.
Friday
Swam in the morning, run at lunch and a core work out before heading out for dinner with the girls… that is a GREAT DAY!!  Really happy I made time to get it all in
Saturday
Bike and elliptical block style at the gym.  I only did 30 minutes on each.  Next weekend I can up that to 45 minutes each.  I did… however, find a spin class style bike that isn’t in the spin room and that is a much better workout for me than the traditional stationary.
Sunday
I had a birthday part to attend right in the middle of the day.  It would have been very easy to have one too many mimosas and skip the workout… but I went to the gym at5pm to swim a half mile.  44 times I touched the wall and said… not done yet J
Monday
The brick style work outs on the weekends are leaving the joints a bit more creaky and unstable than I would like.  As much as I hate it, I think I need two rest days.  So I am going to make Mondays a core workout.  Not total rest, but no joint issues.  (The kind of arthritis I have makes even swimming hard on the knees)
Tuesday
Commuting in Chicago was BRUTAL!  After 90 minutes outdoors in 18 degree weather… I worked from home.  Which meant I could get my swim in at lunch time.  Another half mile, time to up that  - but I really need a longer pool.  Frankly – I get sooooo freaking bored.  Half a mile is 44 lengths.  43 times I touch the wall and come up with a reason to stop… and so far, a better one to go on.  I am hoping the new gym has a longer pool.  Which it almost has to.  I think 40 is as short as they get to still offer ‘laps’.  Regardless… I DID IT
The Knees: The left knee has not been super happy this week.  I wore heels one day, which I desperately miss… and I think that has cause the issues.  I am popping advil again and back in flats hoping it is working itself out.  The bike doesn’t aggravate it, so no excuse to sit on the couch.

Friday, November 14, 2014

First Cold Weather Run





I ran today… I completed the Hot Chocolate on Sunday and Friday(today) is the first time I got outside and ran on pavement since that time.  My knees were pretty tender Monday and Tuesday and Thursday I kept on the elliptical at the gym.  I am really worried about causing an injury, hence the nursing of the knees. But today I just wanted to get outside and  breath some fresh air! 
So I did.  I bundled up and told myself... 30 minutes, I can do anything but Rap Music for 30 minutes.  I have started listening to books on tape instead of music because they don’t have a 3 ½ minute switch.  I find that I play games with 'one more song then you can walk'.  But with the books, I get really into it and there is no logical stopping point... so I don't stop!
Today I didn’t want to get to far from home since I had to be on a conference call in 45 minutes so I just wove up and down the side streets off my road.  That worked out really well.  And I covered more ground that I would have thought. 
My pace was slow, but I didn’t hurt – not one single step.  And I felt great to be outside, listening to my book (Gone Girl right now) and working up a little sweat.  I had a rough day Wednesday and instead of letting that pull me down I am back at it and moving forward.
Life is good

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Winter Is coming and I am ranting...



Meh.. I had a bad day.  Only the second time in six weeks I have blown off my training plan for no good reason.  I might be coming down with a bug… but I might just be pissy over this CRAP weather that has come to Chicago.  I hate winter.  No…. I FUCKING HATE THE GOD DAMN COLD AND SNOW and shit and stuck in side and holidays (yeah, I said it) and darkness and boredom and confinement that comes with Chicago WINTER.  So I pouted, worked from home, ate crap and didn’t work out.  I am painting the day red on the training plan and owning it.
New day… Thursday is usually a rest day but since I ummmm rested yesterday, today I am going to get on track.  I have a good bike work out planned for lunch time and will make better food choices… at each meal!

Meanwhile, from the couch… I have convinced myself I am changing gyms.  The one closest to my home is dingy, really kind of yucky… but functional, eh.  I only go there to swim really in the good weather.  Now that it is cold and miserable I will have to hit the gym much much more.  I just can’t take that ugly dirty place this winter so I am going to spend some real coin and upgrade to the Fancy Gym…. And while I am throwing away disposable income… I am signing up for the TriMonsters program, too!  They have computrainers available alllll day!  I love the idea of being able to ride my own bike and not those miserable one size fits all gym beasts.
With the grandbaby due any day now, I will wait until I get back – but mid Dec at the latest I will be rockin the new gym… That is exciting.