It's the fourth Tuesday of the month, and as Stacy said, for ANYONE who misses that day we have to do double push-ups the next! I try to be gentle as newcomers ask "What's the big deal about today's workout? Why is everyone chatting nervously?". Just as I type this, the butterflies return. Fourth Tuesday is Cochise. For anyone who doesn't mind running a few hills, it's no big deal. So I respond with something benign like "Oh, you know, we're donig a little running today, and that's just not some people's favorite thing to do! Some people would rather do sprints, or lunges, or Bleacher Creatures, that's all!". The link says it all:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4046421
As Stacy said, if you hit the Player button, it's 'very entertaining' to watch the line go up and down Cochise about four times. ENTERTAINING.
When I finished the run, all I could do was lay down on the ground. At one point, in the fetal position. I think I finally joined the rest of the group for the cool down right around the last 30 seconds. I immediately got in my car, headed to Starbucks for an extra hot coffee, stopped at a gas station for two bags of ice, then home. For those of you who have never explored the healing qualities of an ice bath for muscle soreness, ICE IS YOUR FRIEND. I showered, then filled the tub with cold water (and Unwind bath salts - yum!) as I sat in it so I would acclimate (of course, hot coffee within reach and with a long-sleeved top on), then dumped in the two bags. Not content with the temperature, I ran downstairs and grabbed the entire ice container from the automatic ice maker in my freezer, ran back upstairs and threw it in. All of it. Ice baths rock!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Month 3 "Lite" - and psyllium husks
We are nearing the end of month 3, and nary an entry to the blog, so I thought I would catch you up on our whereabouts!
First of all, Mitzi is taking a break and doing some focused triathlon training. Also, a few months ago (actually, July!), Mitzi talked me into doing the Emerald Coast Triathlon in Panama City Beach on October 13th. It's been about 20 years since I did any swimming, but I thought, working out in Atlanta in July is a bit like swimming, so why not? :) So for September, I have been paring back the TrainStrong workouts so I can fit in swimming - from five days a week to three. I've also been cycling on the weekends, and this past Saturday did my first non-TrainStrong run in quite a while! After the cycling, it felt more like a "shuffle" - and a very slow one at that!
So one might guess that being in month 3, the soreness is beginning to wear off. Hmmm...well, it's not! As Stacy said in an email today: "Keep in mind that we want you to push yourself to 100% effort 100% of the time. Now, we know that's not physically possible, but that's what you should strive to do. Don't let your body quit!!!". Today's workout was 'Bring a Friend Day' - and I had THREE friends with me! Thanks to Katy Self and her friend Lauren, and John Carr for joining me! To accommodate a crowd of 50 or 100, the BAF workout consists of breaking into groups and doing an exercise for 1 - 2 minutes at one of five stations on a big soccer field, then SPRINTING around the field until you pass the station you started at and on to the next one (so around the field once plus a fifth). This morning we started out a little sluggish, so we had to be encouraged by Stacy to 'kick it in'. With the sun coming up later, it's a little harder to run with certainty, and so inevitably my legs begin to get behind/in front of my body, and then I look like a space shuttle about to internally combust - limbs flying in all directions, losing my balance, etc. It's not pretty.
So, there's something I've learned about this month that I need to share with you. This would be Psyllium husk powder. Now I know, I know, it's not pleasant or girly to discuss fiber beyond mentioning the great tortilla wraps and bran cereal (which can be high in carbs!), but I wouldn't be a true friend if I didn't share this with you - all of you! I had several analogies in my mind that I thought I would use, but probably the best description is found on Wikipedia:
"The characteristics of psyllium seed husks make them useful for any treatment that requires improvement or maintenance of transit time in the gastrointestinal tract, because the inert bulk of the husks helps provide a constant volume......."
That phrase 'transit time' cracks me up - I can't help it! Anyway, with most of my readers probably in their early 30's to mid-60's, it's something we can all relate to and desire to improve on. If you check out the ingredients of most fiber supplements, psyllium husks are typically near the top, so why not just go for the gold?????
First of all, Mitzi is taking a break and doing some focused triathlon training. Also, a few months ago (actually, July!), Mitzi talked me into doing the Emerald Coast Triathlon in Panama City Beach on October 13th. It's been about 20 years since I did any swimming, but I thought, working out in Atlanta in July is a bit like swimming, so why not? :) So for September, I have been paring back the TrainStrong workouts so I can fit in swimming - from five days a week to three. I've also been cycling on the weekends, and this past Saturday did my first non-TrainStrong run in quite a while! After the cycling, it felt more like a "shuffle" - and a very slow one at that!
So one might guess that being in month 3, the soreness is beginning to wear off. Hmmm...well, it's not! As Stacy said in an email today: "Keep in mind that we want you to push yourself to 100% effort 100% of the time. Now, we know that's not physically possible, but that's what you should strive to do. Don't let your body quit!!!". Today's workout was 'Bring a Friend Day' - and I had THREE friends with me! Thanks to Katy Self and her friend Lauren, and John Carr for joining me! To accommodate a crowd of 50 or 100, the BAF workout consists of breaking into groups and doing an exercise for 1 - 2 minutes at one of five stations on a big soccer field, then SPRINTING around the field until you pass the station you started at and on to the next one (so around the field once plus a fifth). This morning we started out a little sluggish, so we had to be encouraged by Stacy to 'kick it in'. With the sun coming up later, it's a little harder to run with certainty, and so inevitably my legs begin to get behind/in front of my body, and then I look like a space shuttle about to internally combust - limbs flying in all directions, losing my balance, etc. It's not pretty.
So, there's something I've learned about this month that I need to share with you. This would be Psyllium husk powder. Now I know, I know, it's not pleasant or girly to discuss fiber beyond mentioning the great tortilla wraps and bran cereal (which can be high in carbs!), but I wouldn't be a true friend if I didn't share this with you - all of you! I had several analogies in my mind that I thought I would use, but probably the best description is found on Wikipedia:
"The characteristics of psyllium seed husks make them useful for any treatment that requires improvement or maintenance of transit time in the gastrointestinal tract, because the inert bulk of the husks helps provide a constant volume......."
That phrase 'transit time' cracks me up - I can't help it! Anyway, with most of my readers probably in their early 30's to mid-60's, it's something we can all relate to and desire to improve on. If you check out the ingredients of most fiber supplements, psyllium husks are typically near the top, so why not just go for the gold?????
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Cochise - reloaded! (Jane)
Since today was a 'big run day', it seems like a good time to mention my dear friend Heather. She and I trained together for two marathons. We practiced the finer skills of British accents while pounding out long runs through the hills of Buckhead (Ridgewood ring a bell?) - you know, sometimes you just run out of things to talk about on a 4-hour run, so it helps to be able to repeat entire conversations in a proper Cockney accent (Nick, it was awful)! Okay, so we thought it was funny. And we amused ourselves with hand-puppets (that sometimes turned into dog-fights) whenever the sun hit our backs, and sometimes, just sometimes, we'd be running along, and all of the sudden realize we were 'in the zone', and get these silly grins on our faces. Sigh. Heather and her family moved to Dallas! I mean, there's NO COCHISE in DALLAS, not to mention Nuevo Laredo! But I digress, or regress...but I miss my friend. See us below at the start of the Marine Corps Marathon in 2003!
(Here is where I segue back into TrainStrong...Cochise!) Today was BIG RUN day. This is where being a first-timer really is good because you don't know what is coming, so you don't anticipate it. Whew. What a doosey! Nick, our volunteer instructor from the UK (picture is somewhere on the blog), who also happens to have at least two geek gadgets in motion when he is not, wore a handy little GPS on the run so we could share it with our friends! If you cut/paste this link, you can see how we blazed our trail (okay, so really Scott since he was the only one running with Nick the entire time! Everyone else ran somewhere between 2.8 - 5 miles) - check it out at http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3791559. You get a sense of the elevation change - and where the red line seems to scribble back and forth - well, we did! Since everyone has varying speeds, Stacy does a great job of basically keeping us all together by 'looping' us along the course. And just like last time, it was all I could do to keep putting one foot in front of t'other, gasping for breath as though I had never run before. (I was secretly hoping that by raising my core body temp that it would kill off whatever germ is persistently tickling my throat!) And like last time, the trainers encouraged everyone, every step of the way :). We did it!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The Home Stretch - Week 4! - Jane
Let's hear it for the friends who were brave enough to come on Bring a Friend day!!!! Cheri said she is still my friend (whew!) and Ben said it's woken up a few muscles :). Thanks for coming you guys - Stacy was beginning to wonder if Jen Overly was our only friend!!!!
One of the hazards of eating five times a day (besides the boost in your metabolism and...uhh...well, other things), I've bitten my tongue twice in the last week. It's not pleasant when you are eating something that has a wee bit of salt in it! I have to chalk it up to eater fatigue. But I persevere, eat a sugar-free fruit pop, and be done with it.
I've mentioned a few of my favorite new foods in various places on the blog, but thought I'd do the round up again:
1. Whole Foods Soy Chips (ranch and sea salt are favs) - high in protein, great crunch factor!
2. Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt (plain) - mix in berries and honey or Stevia, and you're golden. This packs 13g of protein in 80 calories, so for those of you looking to stay out of the pit on protein, take note!
3. Lo-carb Tortillas or Wraps - there are a couple of different brands (La Tortilla Factory is Sheila's favorite!) - you can make breakfast burritos, pizza (use two, put a little part skim mozzarella cheese on one, toast, put the other on top and put chopped tomato, chopped fresh basil, and a little more cheese - YUM!), a host of other yummy treats. 80 - 90 calories each depending on the brand, lots of protein and FIBER.
4. Pure Protein bars - Stacy recommends these, although the quantity that I eat them is not recommended. I have cut back. I happen to love the Blueberry Crumble and Strawberry Shortcake - Sheila was not a big fan of the blueberry, and she can eat blueberries all day long! Maybe get several different kinds and have a 'protein hour' with your friends to find out which ones you like! You can often find these on sale for $1 at Kroger.
5. Grilled Tilapia - wow, am I a believer! This stuff is great! Costco sells it in a jumbo pack, I separate into freezer ziplocs and pull a few out when I need them. I fire up the grill, put a little olive oil (a LITTLE), some seafood seasoning (I bought some from Costco that's good) , throw it on heavy foil and cook on the grill! It cooks QUICK - 4 - 5 minutes - so watch it!
6. My protein shakes - I use Arbonne's chocolate protein (1 serving), 1/2 serving of the Arbonne fiber (it's orange, tastes great!), 1/2 cup frozen berries, 1 T flaxseed, 1 scoop greens powder (I use Purity Products Triple Greens - only sold online, make sure you get a deal!). I have a shake every morning before I work out (yawn).
7. Costco's frozen asian vegetable mix - this is awesome! I found a low calorie ginger/soy marinade at Whole Foods (there are lots to choose from), so I just use 2 - 3 tablespoons of that, throw in a nonstick pan, heat it up, and eat with tilapia or grilled chicken.
8. Chicken with Dale's or Moore's sauce/marinade - Marinate just about anything in this stuff. I'll grill a bunch of chicken at once, slice and put in single serving ziploc bags to bring to work for my salads. This seasoning is awesome! I hear it's great on steak, too!
This is our final week of round 2! How will we finish? Will we do it again? Who else will join us in this regimen which is quickly becoming a 'team mole' experience (start in the dark, end in the dark) as the days grow shorter, and our workouts begin with flashlight cones????? Mitzi and I are also training for the Emerald Coast Triathlon on October 13th! Stay tuned!
One of the hazards of eating five times a day (besides the boost in your metabolism and...uhh...well, other things), I've bitten my tongue twice in the last week. It's not pleasant when you are eating something that has a wee bit of salt in it! I have to chalk it up to eater fatigue. But I persevere, eat a sugar-free fruit pop, and be done with it.
I've mentioned a few of my favorite new foods in various places on the blog, but thought I'd do the round up again:
1. Whole Foods Soy Chips (ranch and sea salt are favs) - high in protein, great crunch factor!
2. Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt (plain) - mix in berries and honey or Stevia, and you're golden. This packs 13g of protein in 80 calories, so for those of you looking to stay out of the pit on protein, take note!
3. Lo-carb Tortillas or Wraps - there are a couple of different brands (La Tortilla Factory is Sheila's favorite!) - you can make breakfast burritos, pizza (use two, put a little part skim mozzarella cheese on one, toast, put the other on top and put chopped tomato, chopped fresh basil, and a little more cheese - YUM!), a host of other yummy treats. 80 - 90 calories each depending on the brand, lots of protein and FIBER.
4. Pure Protein bars - Stacy recommends these, although the quantity that I eat them is not recommended. I have cut back. I happen to love the Blueberry Crumble and Strawberry Shortcake - Sheila was not a big fan of the blueberry, and she can eat blueberries all day long! Maybe get several different kinds and have a 'protein hour' with your friends to find out which ones you like! You can often find these on sale for $1 at Kroger.
5. Grilled Tilapia - wow, am I a believer! This stuff is great! Costco sells it in a jumbo pack, I separate into freezer ziplocs and pull a few out when I need them. I fire up the grill, put a little olive oil (a LITTLE), some seafood seasoning (I bought some from Costco that's good) , throw it on heavy foil and cook on the grill! It cooks QUICK - 4 - 5 minutes - so watch it!
6. My protein shakes - I use Arbonne's chocolate protein (1 serving), 1/2 serving of the Arbonne fiber (it's orange, tastes great!), 1/2 cup frozen berries, 1 T flaxseed, 1 scoop greens powder (I use Purity Products Triple Greens - only sold online, make sure you get a deal!). I have a shake every morning before I work out (yawn).
7. Costco's frozen asian vegetable mix - this is awesome! I found a low calorie ginger/soy marinade at Whole Foods (there are lots to choose from), so I just use 2 - 3 tablespoons of that, throw in a nonstick pan, heat it up, and eat with tilapia or grilled chicken.
8. Chicken with Dale's or Moore's sauce/marinade - Marinate just about anything in this stuff. I'll grill a bunch of chicken at once, slice and put in single serving ziploc bags to bring to work for my salads. This seasoning is awesome! I hear it's great on steak, too!
This is our final week of round 2! How will we finish? Will we do it again? Who else will join us in this regimen which is quickly becoming a 'team mole' experience (start in the dark, end in the dark) as the days grow shorter, and our workouts begin with flashlight cones????? Mitzi and I are also training for the Emerald Coast Triathlon on October 13th! Stay tuned!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Bring a Friend Day - Mitzi
First of CONGRATULATIONS TO STACY AND WENDELL!!! Wendell asked Stacy to marry him at the end of the session. It was so sweet! So fun to see! We're all so happy for you!!
Secondly - apologies to Judd....apparently his name has TWO d's!!
Secondly - apologies to Judd....apparently his name has TWO d's!!
So, this Thursday was bring a friend day. Before I give props to Jane and I's friends that came on Thursday I must give some attention to my friend that came last month as I didn't do it then.
Jen was the sucker....cough cough...I mean willing participant that came last month. She's heard about it for years as a mutual friend, Barbara, has done this and her husband is on staff at Lovett. I didn't have a camera around to catch the after pose but here we are at a Triathlon we did a few weeks ago. So, she came, she did it and did it well! Jen, you rock girl!!
So, this past Thursday Jane and I had 3 friends that came along for the festivities. Cheri, Ben & Becky came along for the ride!! We were split up into teams so I really didn't get to see how Cheri and Ben did. Becky was in my group and I was thoroughly impressed!! Becky you rocked! Cheri and Ben were still breathing and soaked so know they must have worked HARD!There were 4 stations and at each we did a certain excercise for a minute or so. Then after the station we sprinted over to the next one. We did this about 3 times so we got in a good 12 different excercises and lots of running. I must admit that I would have LOVED to have seen Ben tackle the Mary Katherines with his fingers up in the air! hee hee!! Thanks for coming out dear friends!
Here they are! Becky, Ben & Cheri
And here we ALL are - plus our buddy Sheila (in the pink). These pictures show the reality of our morning....sweat, mud and grass!! Proof we work our tails off!! Ok, why do I have WAAAAY more mud on me then the rest of you?????? Interesting grin on your face Ben....are you holding your breath from the stink of all of us or just excited to be amidst such buff women?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Jen, Becks and Steve! - Mitzi
Jane mentioned earlier that we said goodbye to our Trainstrong buddy Jen Groff. She took the summer off and spent it down here in the durty durty......such a fun person!! Jen's moved up to Boston - where it's not so much death heat! We miss you sweet girl!! This is Jen, Jane and myself last Friday at Starbucks after our morning torchure....cough cough...workout!
Who knew that Football (or Soccer if you're American) icon David Beckham is Trainstrong Strong! Well...he at least stretches like we do. Look at Mr. LA Galaxy doing the toy soldier with a skip!
Oh yeah....Steve's in the blue. Along with him is Annie (one of our awesome instructors) and Judd (the dude Jane assumed was not a cheerleader in high school from a previous blog - I think you totally could have pulled that off Judd...ok, so maybe not...maybe the mascot!)
Who knew that Football (or Soccer if you're American) icon David Beckham is Trainstrong Strong! Well...he at least stretches like we do. Look at Mr. LA Galaxy doing the toy soldier with a skip!
Jane put it so eloquently as she said everything but her earlobes hurt. I too am in pain. I actually don't think that I hurt this much the first month. What's up with that? Man, Tuesday was a beast! Sprint is officially a four letter word!!!
TA-DA! Here he is folks! STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVE!!!
Oh yeah....Steve's in the blue. Along with him is Annie (one of our awesome instructors) and Judd (the dude Jane assumed was not a cheerleader in high school from a previous blog - I think you totally could have pulled that off Judd...ok, so maybe not...maybe the mascot!)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My ear lobes - Jane
(This blog entry brought to you by Steve! If he is up at 3am again, he needs something new and riveting to read!)
So it's true - right now, the only thing that doesn't hurt are my ear lobes (did you know you can spell that word 'ear lobes' or 'earlobes' - and they both pass spellcheck??? I digress.). This past Friday afternoon I drove to Augusta, GA, and surprised my mom at a party she attended with some friends! It was great - she really had no clue :). Also, I had one of her friends snap a few photos of us - those will go up here as soon as I get them, so I can once and for all give credit where it is due for any comment about where my arms come from. She's 69, and you won't believe her arms!
I spent the rest of the weekend in sunny (hot) Isle of Palms, South Carolina, with family! I decided to take Saturday off (from working out), so Sunday I found a pool at the Medical College of South Carolina, and spent almost an hour swimming laps. Sunday evening I felt as though I had run on my arms, and tonight - I hurt from my bellybutton to my toes. I mean, like, I could take an ice bath I'm so sore! (For those of you reading this and are training for a marathon, or regularly run over 12 miles in a single stretch, you should really consider ice baths! No, really! They ROCK! A few sites to read the details: http://cotuitrunner.com/2006/07/10/so-long-lactic-acid-i-am-now-an-ice-bath-junkie/ and I read on one site that this will reduce intra-muscular fluids and swelling and close down capillaries. It also reduces post-exercise soreness and eliminates delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS! We've heard about that before! If you want the low-down on how to do an ice bath RIGHT, let me know!). But it's 9:25pm - too late for an icebath tonight!
I missed 'Bleacher Creatures' yesterday - boo! This was the burn-your-calves-and-hamstrings-til-you-can't-go-anymore workout, and I know it is the one that finally cured my lower back problems - yep, it lined everything up! Instead, I spent my workout at 10am in the blazing sun, in running gear while everyone else was soaking up rays :). For those of you who are diehard Hootie fans, we cruised past the infamous Windjammer, where they played in the early days!
Today's workout was one big long sprint - I really think Stacy enjoyed this one :). As she always says, 'Don't leave anything out on the field!'. But I almost left something in the woods...
So it's true - right now, the only thing that doesn't hurt are my ear lobes (did you know you can spell that word 'ear lobes' or 'earlobes' - and they both pass spellcheck??? I digress.). This past Friday afternoon I drove to Augusta, GA, and surprised my mom at a party she attended with some friends! It was great - she really had no clue :). Also, I had one of her friends snap a few photos of us - those will go up here as soon as I get them, so I can once and for all give credit where it is due for any comment about where my arms come from. She's 69, and you won't believe her arms!
I spent the rest of the weekend in sunny (hot) Isle of Palms, South Carolina, with family! I decided to take Saturday off (from working out), so Sunday I found a pool at the Medical College of South Carolina, and spent almost an hour swimming laps. Sunday evening I felt as though I had run on my arms, and tonight - I hurt from my bellybutton to my toes. I mean, like, I could take an ice bath I'm so sore! (For those of you reading this and are training for a marathon, or regularly run over 12 miles in a single stretch, you should really consider ice baths! No, really! They ROCK! A few sites to read the details: http://cotuitrunner.com/2006/07/10/so-long-lactic-acid-i-am-now-an-ice-bath-junkie/ and I read on one site that this will reduce intra-muscular fluids and swelling and close down capillaries. It also reduces post-exercise soreness and eliminates delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS! We've heard about that before! If you want the low-down on how to do an ice bath RIGHT, let me know!). But it's 9:25pm - too late for an icebath tonight!
I missed 'Bleacher Creatures' yesterday - boo! This was the burn-your-calves-and-hamstrings-til-you-can't-go-anymore workout, and I know it is the one that finally cured my lower back problems - yep, it lined everything up! Instead, I spent my workout at 10am in the blazing sun, in running gear while everyone else was soaking up rays :). For those of you who are diehard Hootie fans, we cruised past the infamous Windjammer, where they played in the early days!
Today's workout was one big long sprint - I really think Stacy enjoyed this one :). As she always says, 'Don't leave anything out on the field!'. But I almost left something in the woods...
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Here I am!!! - Mitzi
There's something missing from this page.....something promised but never delivered. My before and after pictures. To be honest with you - there was not a whole lot of difference in the 4 weeks of Train Strong. Well, as far as my body is concerned. Now, my speed - THAT has changed. My strength - Yep, that too. But my body - well, I do have some muscles forming but they wouldn't have shown up in a picture. My roomie Sarah, took some of me tonight....but they are not playing nicely as they aren't fitting on the page. They are just too big. So I decided to put them here....TA-DA!
So....month two - week two with the group fitness. It's a lot easier this go around....well, "easier". As I said, I'm stronger now so burpies and Mary Katherine aren't as scary. I still feel like I might vomit when I run up hills tho. Yeah - I think I might have just overshared there - but we're all friends here! And besides - if I can put a picture of me partially nude (tee-hee!) surely I can share the rumbly in my tumbly!
Oh - about being faster - GET THIS! I raced the Acworth Women's Triathlon on Sunday. This is the 3rd year I've done this particular race. Last year I raced it in 1:47...this year 1:27!! Yes Gadies and Lentlemen - you read it right - 1:27! That's 1..2..3..20 minutes shaved off my time! THANKS TRAINSTRONG!!! This works people! Don't ever think that something like this is a waste of time, cuz it ain't!!!
Pics from the Tri.....these are my friends Jen and Shannon. They are first time Triathloners and they ROCKED!!! Jen is in the white shirt - and she came on Bring a Friend Day last month - and Jen was AWESOME! She kept up with the rest of us! The second one is the finish line...no, it's not raining in that one spot....it's the little fountain of water we dash through at the finish line!
Oh - about being faster - GET THIS! I raced the Acworth Women's Triathlon on Sunday. This is the 3rd year I've done this particular race. Last year I raced it in 1:47...this year 1:27!! Yes Gadies and Lentlemen - you read it right - 1:27! That's 1..2..3..20 minutes shaved off my time! THANKS TRAINSTRONG!!! This works people! Don't ever think that something like this is a waste of time, cuz it ain't!!!
Pics from the Tri.....these are my friends Jen and Shannon. They are first time Triathloners and they ROCKED!!! Jen is in the white shirt - and she came on Bring a Friend Day last month - and Jen was AWESOME! She kept up with the rest of us! The second one is the finish line...no, it's not raining in that one spot....it's the little fountain of water we dash through at the finish line!
1:26 baby!! Woop!
Row, row, row your boat - Jane
Mitzi, where are you? We all miss you, your fun pictures and your funny stories!
Many of you may have read the earlier blog regarding my attempts at rowboats - these exercises continue to taunt me! Yesterday was Grass Day - I honestly don't know if I have had another workout where I was so caked in it! After about four rounds of five exercises each (which included rowboats), Stacy had us do a gut check. This is where you sprint for all you are worth for fifteen seconds, then you turn around and see if you can get back to the start in the same amount of time! This we did twice. TWICE. Not sure who's gut she was checking, I hope she got the information she needed :)
Today was rubber band day. It's amazing what you can do with a stretchy piece of plastic. Or with none at all. One of the exercises is 'super jacks', where instead of a regular jack where you jump up and land with legs out/arms up, you do it all in one (smooth?) motion, so your feet are back together, and you land in a little bit of a hunched position, arms tucked by your side. Jen did a particularly nice job, as did Miller (girl, where did that come from???). Judd - well, let's just say he probably wasn't a cheerleader in college. But I digress. We did all sorts of band exercises, interspersed with things like running the bleacher steps or seats - lest we let our heart rates down a snoodge.
Mitzi and I are so sad that Jen Groff is moving! We're hoping she'll let us put a picture of her on our blog, so you can all meet her. She has been so fun to hang out with and get (train)strong with! She is heading to Boston (brrrr!) and leaves this weekend!
Shoes continue to be a bit problematic. I haven't tried the vinegar thing yet (in my car or my shoes), just because vinegar smells so foul on it's own that I have a hard time believing it's going to help. I just had a thought - maybe douse them in cocoa? But then I would have sweaty cocoa shoes, and that doesn't sound pleasant either, but at least I got a good laugh! I might have to double up on the sneaker balls. If anyone has suggestions, please comment and let us know!
Many of you may have read the earlier blog regarding my attempts at rowboats - these exercises continue to taunt me! Yesterday was Grass Day - I honestly don't know if I have had another workout where I was so caked in it! After about four rounds of five exercises each (which included rowboats), Stacy had us do a gut check. This is where you sprint for all you are worth for fifteen seconds, then you turn around and see if you can get back to the start in the same amount of time! This we did twice. TWICE. Not sure who's gut she was checking, I hope she got the information she needed :)
Today was rubber band day. It's amazing what you can do with a stretchy piece of plastic. Or with none at all. One of the exercises is 'super jacks', where instead of a regular jack where you jump up and land with legs out/arms up, you do it all in one (smooth?) motion, so your feet are back together, and you land in a little bit of a hunched position, arms tucked by your side. Jen did a particularly nice job, as did Miller (girl, where did that come from???). Judd - well, let's just say he probably wasn't a cheerleader in college. But I digress. We did all sorts of band exercises, interspersed with things like running the bleacher steps or seats - lest we let our heart rates down a snoodge.
Mitzi and I are so sad that Jen Groff is moving! We're hoping she'll let us put a picture of her on our blog, so you can all meet her. She has been so fun to hang out with and get (train)strong with! She is heading to Boston (brrrr!) and leaves this weekend!
Shoes continue to be a bit problematic. I haven't tried the vinegar thing yet (in my car or my shoes), just because vinegar smells so foul on it's own that I have a hard time believing it's going to help. I just had a thought - maybe douse them in cocoa? But then I would have sweaty cocoa shoes, and that doesn't sound pleasant either, but at least I got a good laugh! I might have to double up on the sneaker balls. If anyone has suggestions, please comment and let us know!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Return of the Mary Katherine's! - Jane
If you check out the SNL character Mary Katherine Gallagher on Wiki-pedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Katherine_Gallagher), you will get the gist of the exercise named after this (in)famous woman - I quote: "Ultimately, she would lose control of herself and end up destroying something. She would then jump up, extend her hands in the air, and proclaim herself a "Superstar!"." It is that last sentence I would like to draw your attention to - the only difference is that when we land, it is in the lunge position, and we just keep jumping up and down landing in a lunge position, hands in the air fingers in a peace sign, sometimes gasping 'Superstar!'. They're BAAAAA-AAAAACK! The name of our trainer who is the expert in Mary Katherine's is Laura, but I no longer call her that. Her name IS Mary Katherine :)
This morning I was about a quart low. I had a blood test/physical scheduled for 11am, which meant no food from midnight until the blood was drawn. I walked into the doctor's office with three protein bars in my purse, one of which didn't make it out alive. (By the way, both the Strawberry Shortcake AND the Blueberry Crumble Pure Protein bars ROCK!) As soon as the blood was drawn, I began to eat. I would take a few bites in between 'stations' - blood, ekg, etc. My doctor asked what I was doing for fun (he likes to have a 'conversation', and get the big picture - asks about family, exercise, outside work activities, etc!). So I told him about TrainStrong. He laughed, and said GOOD! I told him I'm usually eating my third meal at noon, so pardon the chewing. Looking forward to the blood test results - I'll keep you posted!
Muscles are definitely sore, but not quite as debilitating as last time - I can make it upstairs to brush my teeth in the morning :). It does get better! But they want to keep you out of your comfort zone, and do everything they can to make sure you do, no matter what. So I still have a little bit of a waddle.
Tomorrow we are on our own! It will be a run, then a 'personal mission', one of 15 options in the training book that we can do - the only trick is that you can't repeat any of them, so depending on how I feel, I opt for a harder one so I can save the easy ones for when I'm not feeling so (train) strong:)
More later!
This morning I was about a quart low. I had a blood test/physical scheduled for 11am, which meant no food from midnight until the blood was drawn. I walked into the doctor's office with three protein bars in my purse, one of which didn't make it out alive. (By the way, both the Strawberry Shortcake AND the Blueberry Crumble Pure Protein bars ROCK!) As soon as the blood was drawn, I began to eat. I would take a few bites in between 'stations' - blood, ekg, etc. My doctor asked what I was doing for fun (he likes to have a 'conversation', and get the big picture - asks about family, exercise, outside work activities, etc!). So I told him about TrainStrong. He laughed, and said GOOD! I told him I'm usually eating my third meal at noon, so pardon the chewing. Looking forward to the blood test results - I'll keep you posted!
Muscles are definitely sore, but not quite as debilitating as last time - I can make it upstairs to brush my teeth in the morning :). It does get better! But they want to keep you out of your comfort zone, and do everything they can to make sure you do, no matter what. So I still have a little bit of a waddle.
Tomorrow we are on our own! It will be a run, then a 'personal mission', one of 15 options in the training book that we can do - the only trick is that you can't repeat any of them, so depending on how I feel, I opt for a harder one so I can save the easy ones for when I'm not feeling so (train) strong:)
More later!
Monday, August 6, 2007
TrainStrong - Reloaded! - Jane
My feedbag was swallowed up by the matrix. Actually, I left it in the kitchen, but it may as well have been for all the good it did me at home! Bunny Love carrots, grapes, salad, yogurt (ewww...that's ripe!), protein bars...bummer! Well, at least I don't have to pack one for tomorrow! :)
So we did another fitness test today - a great way to see if Friday was a fluke or not! So here it is - Friday compared to today:
Timed run (.85 mile) -------------- 6:13 ----------- 6:15
Push-ups (real ones) --------------- 47 ----------- 47 (wow!)
Sit ups ----------------------------- 49 ----------- 49
Tricep dips (whoa! new!) ---------- n/a ----------- 55
And no sprint today! Woohooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today we have a whole new class of participants - it's great! They are all fired up, motivated, and, if they read this blog, relieved that they aren't the only ones in pain! But now Mitzi and I have to be the good example, hustling from exercise to exercise, keeping the boxer shuffle whenever we get to 'the next thing'. (Fyi, Sheila was already a great example!)
One of our fellow participants (okay, I need a new name for all these great people I work out with at 6am! Inmates? Recruits? OFP's? (Outdoor Fitness Participants?) but I digress) claimed he broke his toilet seat the first week (sorry, that was just too good not to include!). If you caught one of our previous blogs when I was describing my leg pain, he too empathized and was looking forward to the day when his hands did not automatically reach for the sides of the bathroom every time he restroomed - and one time, they didn't. Oops! Smack - just a little too hard. So, you have now heard it all! Don't hold back! Work those legs! And get shock absorbers for the toilet seat! :)
Since Mitzi and I don't want to repeat everything from the first month in this blog - we'd love to hear from you about any questions you have - really, anything! Okay, well, at least keep it G rated! I thought we might share some of our favorite snacks we have found in trying to 'eat clean' and still have fun, clothing tips, etc. And, well, if you don't suggest something, you know what will happen...
So we did another fitness test today - a great way to see if Friday was a fluke or not! So here it is - Friday compared to today:
Timed run (.85 mile) -------------- 6:13 ----------- 6:15
Push-ups (real ones) --------------- 47 ----------- 47 (wow!)
Sit ups ----------------------------- 49 ----------- 49
Tricep dips (whoa! new!) ---------- n/a ----------- 55
And no sprint today! Woohooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today we have a whole new class of participants - it's great! They are all fired up, motivated, and, if they read this blog, relieved that they aren't the only ones in pain! But now Mitzi and I have to be the good example, hustling from exercise to exercise, keeping the boxer shuffle whenever we get to 'the next thing'. (Fyi, Sheila was already a great example!)
One of our fellow participants (okay, I need a new name for all these great people I work out with at 6am! Inmates? Recruits? OFP's? (Outdoor Fitness Participants?) but I digress) claimed he broke his toilet seat the first week (sorry, that was just too good not to include!). If you caught one of our previous blogs when I was describing my leg pain, he too empathized and was looking forward to the day when his hands did not automatically reach for the sides of the bathroom every time he restroomed - and one time, they didn't. Oops! Smack - just a little too hard. So, you have now heard it all! Don't hold back! Work those legs! And get shock absorbers for the toilet seat! :)
Since Mitzi and I don't want to repeat everything from the first month in this blog - we'd love to hear from you about any questions you have - really, anything! Okay, well, at least keep it G rated! I thought we might share some of our favorite snacks we have found in trying to 'eat clean' and still have fun, clothing tips, etc. And, well, if you don't suggest something, you know what will happen...
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Second drum roll....only four weeks? - Jane
It's hard to believe it has already been four weeks! It seems like just yesterday I was standing in Sheila's driveway after 'Bring a friend day' just wondering how I was going to fit all this in to my already-overloaded schedule! As Sheila says - busy is a priority, and you make the time for the things that are important to you. Many people have asked me - why did you do it? The answer is simple - if my body is going to last until I'm one hundred, and it's only 43, it's time to start making wiser investments! Aches and pains and injuries were beginning to creep in that I just couldn't tolerate any longer, sidelining me from doing the things I love (like running!). While I've certainly had my share of aches and pains through this, they have not been long-lived and have been muscular - no joint issues or 'injuries'.
This past Friday was the fitness test - the same one we did on Day 1. In just four weeks, here are the improvements I made:
_____________________Day 1 _________Day 28
Timed run (.85 mile) -------- 6:48 -------------- 6:13
Push-ups (real ones) ----------15 ---------------- 47
Push-ups (using knees) ------- 12 ---------------- 0
(note: if you couldn't do 60 seconds worth of real pushups, you are supposed to go to knee pushups)
Sit-ups ----------------------- 41 --------------- 49
Sprint (100 yds) ----------- 18:09 ------------- 17:26
We will measure again on Monday before beginning the next four weeks! This fitness test was not a breeze for me - during the timed run I had a stomach full of adrenaline, I was so nervous, and all I could think about was getting rid of it! During the pushups, my body began all-out turbulence, arms and legs shaking, so several of the trainers started cheering me on - you don't want to let them down! :)
After the fitness test, we continued exercising until we had been at it for about forty minutes - then a cool down. Friday that evening, Stacy took us all out to dinner, complete with French fries and CARROT CAKE - YUM! Several of us then met at The Grape in Vinings for a glass of fermented grapes, which is not TrainStrong approved :). Woo hoo!
Stay tuned for more TrainStrong fun!
This past Friday was the fitness test - the same one we did on Day 1. In just four weeks, here are the improvements I made:
_____________________Day 1 _________Day 28
Timed run (.85 mile) -------- 6:48 -------------- 6:13
Push-ups (real ones) ----------15 ---------------- 47
Push-ups (using knees) ------- 12 ---------------- 0
(note: if you couldn't do 60 seconds worth of real pushups, you are supposed to go to knee pushups)
Sit-ups ----------------------- 41 --------------- 49
Sprint (100 yds) ----------- 18:09 ------------- 17:26
We will measure again on Monday before beginning the next four weeks! This fitness test was not a breeze for me - during the timed run I had a stomach full of adrenaline, I was so nervous, and all I could think about was getting rid of it! During the pushups, my body began all-out turbulence, arms and legs shaking, so several of the trainers started cheering me on - you don't want to let them down! :)
After the fitness test, we continued exercising until we had been at it for about forty minutes - then a cool down. Friday that evening, Stacy took us all out to dinner, complete with French fries and CARROT CAKE - YUM! Several of us then met at The Grape in Vinings for a glass of fermented grapes, which is not TrainStrong approved :). Woo hoo!
Stay tuned for more TrainStrong fun!
Friday, August 3, 2007
DRUMROLL PLEASE! - Mitzi
Ah, we come to the end of our month long adventure of boot camp. What a work out!! Actually, it's not the end....as Jane and I signed up to this AGAIN in August! It's addicting!!!!!! After 4 weeks of running, sprinting, push ups, burbies, bleachers, sit-ups I can honestly say that it was ALL worth it. It works! If you train...you become strong! It's about breaking that comfort zone. Now, I guess this means that next month I have to figure out how to break this new comfort zone I've acquired.
So today we took our Personal Fitness test.....to see how we've improved. Here are my before and after results:
DAY ONE......................................FOUR WEEKS LATER
Timed Run (almost one mile) - 7:09.................... 6:27
Push-ups 43 ..............................................................60
Sit-ups 33 ..................................................................48
100 yrs Sprint 19:01.............................................. 18:36 (I'm not a great sprinter! blech!)
Tonight our group is getting together to celebrate - WITH FRIES!! I'll post some pics of it....that is if I can raise my arms to hold the camera. Yeah, I'm sore! It's the only way to end!
I want to thank Stacy and all of our instructors! Their encouragement and training meant so much. It was great to have you by my side saying , "come on Mitzi....you can do it...stay on my hip....you've got it girl....go go go!"
Here are a few of those special people. This is Suzie, Brian and Nick. Nick, even though you are an Arsenal Football Club supporter I'm still going to put you on my blog. But just this once so don't get used to it! Go Chelsea!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
DODGEBALL.....NOT JUST FOR KIDS - Mitzi
Fun Day today! And Stacy meant it! What did we do today?? DODGEBALL DODGEBALL!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sheila gives the real skinny on TrainStrong :) - Jane
Hey girls – you are doing great!! I am thankful to Jane because I had been attending the 8 am session and have now migrated to the 6 am. She made me agree to that before she signed up. Once I realized Mitzi was on board, I knew I was a little off the hook for the 6 am but have enjoyed it anyway.
Girls – I LOVE your blog! There is one small thing. Methinks perhaps the best way to get your friends involved in TrainStrong is to tell them as little as possible. The details can be scary. I usually go with something like – “TrainStrong is a blast, you’ll love it. It will be fun to get fit together. You’ll love meeting all the new people and the camaraderie! It will be great.” If by chance, you are reading this blog, and I have said that to you about it, now, after reading Jane’s blog, you may realize that had I been in a court of law, I may have perjured myself. BUT, as the blog progresses, I assure you that Jane will attest that all of these things are indeed true.
The human irony – when we are out of shape, the thing we most need to do is get moving and do something like TrainStrong. Yet, it’s the last thing in the world we want to do – because we don’t possess the proverbial “eye of the tiger.” Irony is – this workout will give it to you and it will spill over into other parts of your life. Like much of life, there is some trust and a step of faith involved in pulling the trigger. Once we’ve made a decision, things typically begin to take shape. In this case, taking shape is literal, though painful. Janey – so glad you and Mitzi took the plunge. See you bright and early in the AM!
Girls – I LOVE your blog! There is one small thing. Methinks perhaps the best way to get your friends involved in TrainStrong is to tell them as little as possible. The details can be scary. I usually go with something like – “TrainStrong is a blast, you’ll love it. It will be fun to get fit together. You’ll love meeting all the new people and the camaraderie! It will be great.” If by chance, you are reading this blog, and I have said that to you about it, now, after reading Jane’s blog, you may realize that had I been in a court of law, I may have perjured myself. BUT, as the blog progresses, I assure you that Jane will attest that all of these things are indeed true.
The human irony – when we are out of shape, the thing we most need to do is get moving and do something like TrainStrong. Yet, it’s the last thing in the world we want to do – because we don’t possess the proverbial “eye of the tiger.” Irony is – this workout will give it to you and it will spill over into other parts of your life. Like much of life, there is some trust and a step of faith involved in pulling the trigger. Once we’ve made a decision, things typically begin to take shape. In this case, taking shape is literal, though painful. Janey – so glad you and Mitzi took the plunge. See you bright and early in the AM!
Bleacher Creatures and the Treadmill with Hills - Jane
Greetings, fans! :)
Sorry we were both out of pocket last week - as Mitzi said, we had camp coming out of our ears! I was banished from VBS (Vacation Bible School) because of my sudden eruption of fever blisters (which I still haven't determined if they were from stress, the amount of acid in my body because of all this exercise, or lack of sunscreen). So I managed to fill the days with lots of WORK (end of year review time), and sneaking in a last-minute dinner with David, Heather and Claire before their big move to Texas! But I digress.
Yesterday was a bleacher workout. We did EVERYTHING (including pushups) on the bleachers (except the Auburn something, which was basically sprinting around the track in between sets of running the bleachers). (Okay, I just had to remove my last comment - something about an ad for TrainStrong and bleachers!) And yes, it included more hopping. I realized during the workout that the step is probably only 14 inches, but by golly when you are trying to hop up the step and land on both feet, it feels like three feet! You wonder if you will slip, fall and ruin the thousands of dollars of dental work your parents paid for. I guess that is what motivates you to get your bum up the step!
Today was dubbed 'long run day', and we ran the famous (or infamous?) Cochise. For those of you unfamiliar with the Vinings area terrain, it is a LARGE HILL. Mind you, half the time I didn't see it because my head is down and all I can focus on is trying to breathe, and tell myself to ignore the signals my leg muscles are sending to my brain, and keep pushing my body out of the comfort zone. You know how after you run about a mile your oxygen/breathing equilibriates? So that NEVER happened. For just over 40 minutes. I would come down a hill, only to have the trainer tell me to go around them, and run back up. But I remember I'm paying them to do this, and I want my money's worth, so I do it. I haven't run that far (four miles? Maybe a little more?) since February. I'm sore all over, so it's hard to tell if my nagging injury is still there - see prior blog for 'orchestra' of pain.
Did I mention the odor that now pervades my car? Eau de locqeur reum - I got a good whiff of it this morning, as I had neglected to remove my workout clothes from the trunk. When I popped it open to grab my shoes - sort of the same reaction I had after eating those WOW potato chips (are those even still on the market?). I finally broke down and bought those sneaker balls to bring the stench of the shoes down a notch or two (and I think Sheila mentioned that she heard vinegar might do the trick?). I think I need to throw some in the trunk (sneaker balls, not vinegar).
And just like Mitzi, I want to do this again. Watch out. You can get hooked on this stuff!
Sorry we were both out of pocket last week - as Mitzi said, we had camp coming out of our ears! I was banished from VBS (Vacation Bible School) because of my sudden eruption of fever blisters (which I still haven't determined if they were from stress, the amount of acid in my body because of all this exercise, or lack of sunscreen). So I managed to fill the days with lots of WORK (end of year review time), and sneaking in a last-minute dinner with David, Heather and Claire before their big move to Texas! But I digress.
Yesterday was a bleacher workout. We did EVERYTHING (including pushups) on the bleachers (except the Auburn something, which was basically sprinting around the track in between sets of running the bleachers). (Okay, I just had to remove my last comment - something about an ad for TrainStrong and bleachers!) And yes, it included more hopping. I realized during the workout that the step is probably only 14 inches, but by golly when you are trying to hop up the step and land on both feet, it feels like three feet! You wonder if you will slip, fall and ruin the thousands of dollars of dental work your parents paid for. I guess that is what motivates you to get your bum up the step!
Today was dubbed 'long run day', and we ran the famous (or infamous?) Cochise. For those of you unfamiliar with the Vinings area terrain, it is a LARGE HILL. Mind you, half the time I didn't see it because my head is down and all I can focus on is trying to breathe, and tell myself to ignore the signals my leg muscles are sending to my brain, and keep pushing my body out of the comfort zone. You know how after you run about a mile your oxygen/breathing equilibriates? So that NEVER happened. For just over 40 minutes. I would come down a hill, only to have the trainer tell me to go around them, and run back up. But I remember I'm paying them to do this, and I want my money's worth, so I do it. I haven't run that far (four miles? Maybe a little more?) since February. I'm sore all over, so it's hard to tell if my nagging injury is still there - see prior blog for 'orchestra' of pain.
Did I mention the odor that now pervades my car? Eau de locqeur reum - I got a good whiff of it this morning, as I had neglected to remove my workout clothes from the trunk. When I popped it open to grab my shoes - sort of the same reaction I had after eating those WOW potato chips (are those even still on the market?). I finally broke down and bought those sneaker balls to bring the stench of the shoes down a notch or two (and I think Sheila mentioned that she heard vinegar might do the trick?). I think I need to throw some in the trunk (sneaker balls, not vinegar).
And just like Mitzi, I want to do this again. Watch out. You can get hooked on this stuff!
Monday, July 30, 2007
THE LAST WEEK...or IS IT?? - Mitzi
Man oh man oh man.....where on earth have I been?? It was all about Camp last week.....Boot Camp and Kids Camp (aka VBS at church)...camp camp camp. I think CAMP stand for Cram- As- Much- as- Possible into one week!! It was so much work but so much fun. Then this weekend I had a Triathlon in Appling GA at the Mistletoe State Park.
The night before the race I was pumped....I was stocked....I was focused.....
HAHAHA! So my focus looks a little differently! It's called "taking your mind off of things in the hotel room the night before and fun with the camera and friend". That's my girl Katy.....she so gangsta! hee hee!
Ok, so the Triathlon turned into a Duathlon due to the weather.....i was a little worried as my best event is the swim but my work withTrainStrong came through!!! I was stronger and faster, that's for sure! I'm not a big runner...but apparently I could be thanks to all the early morning workouts!
So, today we worked our legs....like my legs didn't get enough over the weekend....but they say it's the largest muscle so you have to work on them. We did what Stacy coins the "Bleacher Creature". As you can imagine....we did lots o stuff on the bleachers. Calf raises, stair runs, lunges, leaps, weeeeeeee!!! All good stuff! I really really really want to do this in August....actually I would love to be an instructor....wait, did I say that out loud??? Yep! I did! It's public! This has been so incredible.....I could wake up at 5:00am and work out hard the rest of my life!! Hmmm....maybe my swim cap was on a little too tight??
Monday, July 23, 2007
Out of the box - Jane
Spending my childhood years in sweet South Carolina has taken me to a new milestone - today I startled the trainers with my strength, agility and coordination for the crab walk :). We had at least five people not email in yesterday to say they couldn't make it, so we started our workout with 50 pushups (I think - I lost count. See prior blog where numbers are not my thing.) Superman returned, turbulence and all (again, see previous blog), and sprints were the exercise du jour. I was in the pit (again) for indulgences - this time, it was my friend Michelle's "I'm moving to the purple section of the weather map" party, what else was I to do? We had to send her off in southern style - no, we had BAKED fried chicken, it was the CHOCOLATE CAKE (and red wine) that tipped the scales so to speak! Okay, so one word about the pit - if no one is in the pit, the instructors have to go in! So far, that has only been one day in 10.
Pictures went up today. Be kind, the camera is not. Oh, and you can definitely tell that I 'list' to one side :) the leg length difference seems to be more pronounced as I get older, just another reason to keep at this!
More later -
Pictures went up today. Be kind, the camera is not. Oh, and you can definitely tell that I 'list' to one side :) the leg length difference seems to be more pronounced as I get older, just another reason to keep at this!
More later -
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Finding a muscle to work - Jane
Our bodies really are amazing machines. God's incredible engineering design, and how all the parts work together to support the whole never ceases to amaze me. This week, as my muscles settle in to the fact that what is being imposed on them is not going away (at least soon), they are beginning to get into a rhythm. Not that I am no longer sore - far from it - but they are as Sheila says 'getting on board with the program" :). Prior to TrainStrong, any slight strain of a muscle would be magnified by the fact that the others didn't hurt at all (because I wasn't exercising!), whereas now, any slight soreness is just part of a larger orchestra at play!
Abdomination was incredible - I learned that just having a flat stomach doesn't mean it is strong. Oh, far from it! At one point we were supposed to be doing row-boats (in the midst of the primavera of abdominal workouts, a veritable medley - this was one of about 10 that we were doing) when the instructor looked at me and said "Oh, sweetheart, you're having trouble! Let me come help you!" My rowboat looked more like someone had sprayed me with a large can of silly string, and I was trying to get out, arms and legs flailing, no rhythm whatsoever, not even my legs moving together! Sigh. One thing you must leave at home when you start TrainStrong is your pride.
Thursday was another big quad day, burpees showed up again (jump up high with arms oustretched above you, come down into an all-four squat, jump legs out behind you as though prep'ing for a push-up, then jump them back underneath you). More fun with sprinting, too, and leg lifts - leg lifts? Yes - and the instructors walk around providing resistance to you (they are very generous). And Friday? On Thursday after the workout, Stacy said 'Friday will be FUN!'. (By the way, we hear from Stacy just about every day - always providing great tips on form, taking care of your shoes, tips for those who suffer from allergies, etc. It's great stuff!)
So what Stacy meant by 'Fun' was field day! We ran, then warmed up, then she split us into four teams of six, each with an instructor, and we did relay races - sprint suicides, crab walk, bear walk, etc. - and part of the rules were that we had to cheer each other on. What I lack in form/endurance I make up for in lung capacity (at least for the two minutes I wasn't recovering from having done it myself!). If you did well in field day when you were young, then this was probably a pleasant experience. It's amazing how quickly you can regress when you don't hold yourself back - flashbacks of three-legged races, 50-yard dash, etc., race through my head, and I push through, pumping my arms like a two year old who has just learned how to run.
Saturday I managed to get in a bike ride (woohoo! my fav!) and Sunday - REST...next week is crazy, I probably will not update until Saturday (we have Vacation Bible School every night from 6 - 9pm). I should be getting a couple of 'before' pics up tonight. No laughing. Oh, and the shot of Mitzi and I at the top is post-workout this week! Til next time....
Abdomination was incredible - I learned that just having a flat stomach doesn't mean it is strong. Oh, far from it! At one point we were supposed to be doing row-boats (in the midst of the primavera of abdominal workouts, a veritable medley - this was one of about 10 that we were doing) when the instructor looked at me and said "Oh, sweetheart, you're having trouble! Let me come help you!" My rowboat looked more like someone had sprayed me with a large can of silly string, and I was trying to get out, arms and legs flailing, no rhythm whatsoever, not even my legs moving together! Sigh. One thing you must leave at home when you start TrainStrong is your pride.
Thursday was another big quad day, burpees showed up again (jump up high with arms oustretched above you, come down into an all-four squat, jump legs out behind you as though prep'ing for a push-up, then jump them back underneath you). More fun with sprinting, too, and leg lifts - leg lifts? Yes - and the instructors walk around providing resistance to you (they are very generous). And Friday? On Thursday after the workout, Stacy said 'Friday will be FUN!'. (By the way, we hear from Stacy just about every day - always providing great tips on form, taking care of your shoes, tips for those who suffer from allergies, etc. It's great stuff!)
So what Stacy meant by 'Fun' was field day! We ran, then warmed up, then she split us into four teams of six, each with an instructor, and we did relay races - sprint suicides, crab walk, bear walk, etc. - and part of the rules were that we had to cheer each other on. What I lack in form/endurance I make up for in lung capacity (at least for the two minutes I wasn't recovering from having done it myself!). If you did well in field day when you were young, then this was probably a pleasant experience. It's amazing how quickly you can regress when you don't hold yourself back - flashbacks of three-legged races, 50-yard dash, etc., race through my head, and I push through, pumping my arms like a two year old who has just learned how to run.
Saturday I managed to get in a bike ride (woohoo! my fav!) and Sunday - REST...next week is crazy, I probably will not update until Saturday (we have Vacation Bible School every night from 6 - 9pm). I should be getting a couple of 'before' pics up tonight. No laughing. Oh, and the shot of Mitzi and I at the top is post-workout this week! Til next time....
Thursday, July 19, 2007
HEEEERE'S GROVER! - Mitzi
Remember on Sesame Street when Grover explained to us kiddos the difference between near and far? neeeeEEEAAR FAAAaaaarr neeeeeeEEEAAARRR FAAAAaaar.
That's what came going through my head this morning as we began our day with running the stadium stairs. uuuuUUUUUPPPPP DDOOOwwwnnnn uuuuuUUUPPPP DDDOOOOOOwwnnnn.......over and over and over. I have to say that Jane ROCKED on those stairs!! Flash Canniff! Zippy! The Rocket!
That's what came going through my head this morning as we began our day with running the stadium stairs. uuuuUUUUUPPPPP DDOOOwwwnnnn uuuuuUUUPPPP DDDOOOOOOwwnnnn.......over and over and over. I have to say that Jane ROCKED on those stairs!! Flash Canniff! Zippy! The Rocket!Today was "Quad Day"......wiggly jiggly ouchy! My obliques are so sore from yesterday that laughing is painful. Look out Janet Jackson.
I just have to say that I would LOOOVE to do this for longer than a month. I look forward to it every day. It's the most amazing feeling to know that every day I get a GREAT workout with some incredible instructors that encourage and support you the entire hour. That there are rewards at the end! Perhaps I could get Nike or Sesame Street to sponsor me for the next month. I mean I gave Grover props in this blog. You never know!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
ABDOMINATION - Mitzi
AH-HA! Monday we worked a lot on arms/chest.....Tuesday legs....go figure that WED is ABS! Yay! Today was actually on the "easy" side....or maybe I'm just getting stronger? When it was over I actually went, "THAT was an hour?". We did 12 different excercises for our Abs. Did you know there were so many different ways to strenghthen your abs? Oh yessireebob! We did planks, side planks, crunches, scissors, side crunches, push up holds and other stuff that's kinda hard to describe in writing. But you get the picture....AB DAY! Oh to have fit abs.... I'm on my way!!
Here's a little quiz for you! Can you guess which abs are mine??
uuurrrrnnnnn....if you guessed #3 you are wrong! Those are my friend Janet Jackson's abs....niiiice! Of course I think she removed a rib to look that way. I don't think I'll be going that route! Anyway - I feel good today.....sure, I'm sore from yesterdays Run/Leg/Hill Extravaganza but I feel like I'm getting stronger. We decided upon an arm wrestling challenge with the guys here in my office once this is all over with! Tickets will be on sale soon!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
RUN FOREST RUN - Mitzi
Jane's done a TERRIFIC job of explaining our last few days of torcher....*cough*...I mean fitness. I joke....we do really like it....when it's about 7:03 am!! This week I am pushing myself to work harder, run faster and squat lower! That was tough to do today as i wasn't prepared for all the leg work and running..and running...and running. It would have been fine if it weren't for all the hills (sounds of Psycho's eeee eee eeee eee in the background). Darn you Lovett and your hills! And what's funny is that Stacy (Stacy is our Instructor so keep up as you'll hear her name a lot!) called it our "Little Run". Oh Stacy....I just love you.
So, today I say a final goodbye to my shoes.....again. These shoes were my old running shoes. They didn't have a whole lot of life left in them but I thought I would wear them since I wasn't going to wear my brand new running shoes......as Jane said they get filthy stinky dirty from all the mud, sweat and tears! BLECH!
Oh yeah...just ask Joe Braun....he got a good wiff of them and my clothes when he drove in my car yesterday....sorry Joe...and sorry readers if that was a little overshare! . They were good shoes....they got me through the ING Half Marathon in March....they served their purpose. Let's all take a moment of silence for the Nike Structures................
So, today they've been replaced!!! And they are DARK so you can't see how dirty they get! WEEEE! Welcome to my feet sweet Mizuno Ascends!
Terrible Tuesday - Day 9 (I think) - Jane
If you have read my earlier blogs, you may have detected a note of confidence in my ability to run. Pride comes before the fall!
Today felt like someone had tied my feet together with a bungee cord. After warmup, we head for the bleachers - running, not hopping - ALOT. Then down to the track for...100 yards of lunges! Again, to ensure we receive the full effect of our exercise, the trainers are constantly monitoring form - so your knee almost touches the ground on these, and there should be no pause in between, just one lunge into the next - for 100 yards. We finally get to run it out, then...another 100 yards of lunges. No hands on your legs! Run it out again, then up to the bleachers for squats! We then run up, and up, and up, then up some more into a dirt path into the woods. It's Bad News Bears again, and my legs refuse to cooperate to allow me to get up the hill with anything more than a toe shuffle.
Stacy writes in her email today "Keep in mind that when you want to stop, that is your brain talking. I know I keep repeating that, but it really is a "learned thing" that it's okay to push your body past the point where it wants to stop. Again, that is where the results that we are all looking for will happen." Honestly, I'm not sure if I have pushed myself that hard. How will I know? Will I throw up? I mean, I keep moving, and I'm in alot of pain, but the only way I know I've pushed past all that is to either pass out or throw up (both of which I have done in the past - not here). I need to ask Stacy - I'll get back to you.
Now, the really interesting part, is that the ligament pain in my lower back is GONE. (I failed to mention this - I spent the weekend with an ice pack, stretching, Alieve, etc. This started BEFORE TrainStrong, and was not the result of the activity. I have been seeing a chiropractor about it.) And today? GONE. Not as in faint memory. I mean GONE. Woohoo! I'm wondering if all the hamstring exercises yesterday and today are finally balancing out what I affectionately call my thunder thighs - those 'well-developed' quad muscles!
Today felt like someone had tied my feet together with a bungee cord. After warmup, we head for the bleachers - running, not hopping - ALOT. Then down to the track for...100 yards of lunges! Again, to ensure we receive the full effect of our exercise, the trainers are constantly monitoring form - so your knee almost touches the ground on these, and there should be no pause in between, just one lunge into the next - for 100 yards. We finally get to run it out, then...another 100 yards of lunges. No hands on your legs! Run it out again, then up to the bleachers for squats! We then run up, and up, and up, then up some more into a dirt path into the woods. It's Bad News Bears again, and my legs refuse to cooperate to allow me to get up the hill with anything more than a toe shuffle.
Stacy writes in her email today "Keep in mind that when you want to stop, that is your brain talking. I know I keep repeating that, but it really is a "learned thing" that it's okay to push your body past the point where it wants to stop. Again, that is where the results that we are all looking for will happen." Honestly, I'm not sure if I have pushed myself that hard. How will I know? Will I throw up? I mean, I keep moving, and I'm in alot of pain, but the only way I know I've pushed past all that is to either pass out or throw up (both of which I have done in the past - not here). I need to ask Stacy - I'll get back to you.
Now, the really interesting part, is that the ligament pain in my lower back is GONE. (I failed to mention this - I spent the weekend with an ice pack, stretching, Alieve, etc. This started BEFORE TrainStrong, and was not the result of the activity. I have been seeing a chiropractor about it.) And today? GONE. Not as in faint memory. I mean GONE. Woohoo! I'm wondering if all the hamstring exercises yesterday and today are finally balancing out what I affectionately call my thunder thighs - those 'well-developed' quad muscles!
Monday, July 16th - Day 8 - Stacy's back! - Jane
A little background on the group:
There are on any given day 25 - 30 participants, and 5 - 8 instructors. Participant number varies because you can actually opt for 10 workouts in one month, vs. the full 18, which is what Mitzi, Sheila and I are doing. Also, the ratio of men to women is about 50/50. I think. (There is a good reason I'm not an actuary, and why it took me until this year to actually track my checking account online. Numbers are not my strong suit. But I digress.)
Our director, Stacy, has been in NY, presumably for a fitness event, for the last five days. She is back today. I'm also realizing that as muscle memory increases, the memory elsewhere in your body has to decrease, because I'm drawing a total blank on what we did on Monday. Maybe that is a good thing??? Ahhh...okay. It's coming back.
There's this hill. And we run it. Alot. But I feel strong on Monday, even with lack of sleep, and if there is one thing I can do, it is run. Once we are at the top, though, we are in the grass, this time for a game of '21'. It is actually a descent in multiples of 3 - so first we do 21 pushups, 21 crunches, 21 squats, 21 (here the memory is fading...I think we were doing 5 different exercises)...then another set of 18, then 15...etc., all the way down to 3. So, that was uh, EIGHTY FOUR of everything! And just to keep it interesting, the exercises varied - clapping between pushups, or legs extended at an angle for the crunches. Just so boredom doesn't set in!
Then we take a break in the gazebo, where we lean into the back of a bench, and do more pushups, along with squats (rear end must brush the bench to ensure you are getting the BEST workout!), then back to the Hill. Only this time, it is a timed run - from the bottom of the hill to the top and back down - as many times as you can until they tell you to stop. Again, I feel strong, so I manage to get in 5.25 (yes, I'm counting the .25). We will evidently be doing this again later, hopefully this number improves.
I am exhausted today, because I didn't go to sleep until after 11am. A four-hour meeting in the afternoon requires two cups of coffee, and even then I found myself 'pondering' - thoughtful expression on the face, looking towards the ground...let them think I'm pondering!
There are on any given day 25 - 30 participants, and 5 - 8 instructors. Participant number varies because you can actually opt for 10 workouts in one month, vs. the full 18, which is what Mitzi, Sheila and I are doing. Also, the ratio of men to women is about 50/50. I think. (There is a good reason I'm not an actuary, and why it took me until this year to actually track my checking account online. Numbers are not my strong suit. But I digress.)
Our director, Stacy, has been in NY, presumably for a fitness event, for the last five days. She is back today. I'm also realizing that as muscle memory increases, the memory elsewhere in your body has to decrease, because I'm drawing a total blank on what we did on Monday. Maybe that is a good thing??? Ahhh...okay. It's coming back.
There's this hill. And we run it. Alot. But I feel strong on Monday, even with lack of sleep, and if there is one thing I can do, it is run. Once we are at the top, though, we are in the grass, this time for a game of '21'. It is actually a descent in multiples of 3 - so first we do 21 pushups, 21 crunches, 21 squats, 21 (here the memory is fading...I think we were doing 5 different exercises)...then another set of 18, then 15...etc., all the way down to 3. So, that was uh, EIGHTY FOUR of everything! And just to keep it interesting, the exercises varied - clapping between pushups, or legs extended at an angle for the crunches. Just so boredom doesn't set in!
Then we take a break in the gazebo, where we lean into the back of a bench, and do more pushups, along with squats (rear end must brush the bench to ensure you are getting the BEST workout!), then back to the Hill. Only this time, it is a timed run - from the bottom of the hill to the top and back down - as many times as you can until they tell you to stop. Again, I feel strong, so I manage to get in 5.25 (yes, I'm counting the .25). We will evidently be doing this again later, hopefully this number improves.
I am exhausted today, because I didn't go to sleep until after 11am. A four-hour meeting in the afternoon requires two cups of coffee, and even then I found myself 'pondering' - thoughtful expression on the face, looking towards the ground...let them think I'm pondering!
Day 6 and 7 - Personal Mission and first day OFF! - Jane
So cycling has turned out to be great cross-training for this little gig, because of all the legwork we do. I rode my bike to the Silver Comet trailhead to meet Mitzi and a few other friends at 8am, and put in a total of 31 miles. Overall, I felt good, but was having technical difficulties with my rear end (I'll spare you the details, even if you ask).
However, that was only the cardio part of the personal mission - I still had 50 squats, 1 minute plank, 50 tricep dips, and another 1 minute plank. Planks don't look that bad til you try to do them. Try brushing your teeth after that PM. Go on, I dare you.
Sunday was our first day OFF. It is also a day of food prep for me - time to take stock of the refrigerator (there is more air space now!), figure out if I have enough for lunches and snacks, and usually grill a few chicken breasts. Typical day of eating looks like this:
Breakfast - 4:50am - the protein/fiber shake (chocolate protein, orange fiber, 1/2c frozen berries, 1 scoop super greens, 1 tblsp ground flaxseed, water, ice), a few sips of that cup of coffee
Snack - Fage (pronounced 'fah-yay') Greek yogurt with handful of blackberries/blueberries, and honey or a little Stevia (it's not sweetened); Coffee
Lunch - Wild field greens salad with grilled chicken, blueberries, almonds, a tablespoon of craisins, maybe cheese - and a lo-fat or no-fat dressing (love raspberry balsamic!); carrots (baby, raw) and another fruit (apple, or cup of cherries)
Snack - protein bar of some description, and usually another serving of fruit - after eliminating desserts, I'm desperate!
Dinner - Fixed an Asian stirfry with chicken a few nights ago - frozen veggies from Costco, and one of the chicken breasts I had grilled earlier - very tasty and filling!
And alot of water throughout the day.
However, that was only the cardio part of the personal mission - I still had 50 squats, 1 minute plank, 50 tricep dips, and another 1 minute plank. Planks don't look that bad til you try to do them. Try brushing your teeth after that PM. Go on, I dare you.
Sunday was our first day OFF. It is also a day of food prep for me - time to take stock of the refrigerator (there is more air space now!), figure out if I have enough for lunches and snacks, and usually grill a few chicken breasts. Typical day of eating looks like this:
Breakfast - 4:50am - the protein/fiber shake (chocolate protein, orange fiber, 1/2c frozen berries, 1 scoop super greens, 1 tblsp ground flaxseed, water, ice), a few sips of that cup of coffee
Snack - Fage (pronounced 'fah-yay') Greek yogurt with handful of blackberries/blueberries, and honey or a little Stevia (it's not sweetened); Coffee
Lunch - Wild field greens salad with grilled chicken, blueberries, almonds, a tablespoon of craisins, maybe cheese - and a lo-fat or no-fat dressing (love raspberry balsamic!); carrots (baby, raw) and another fruit (apple, or cup of cherries)
Snack - protein bar of some description, and usually another serving of fruit - after eliminating desserts, I'm desperate!
Dinner - Fixed an Asian stirfry with chicken a few nights ago - frozen veggies from Costco, and one of the chicken breasts I had grilled earlier - very tasty and filling!
And alot of water throughout the day.
Friday, July 13, 2007
It's a bird, it's a plane...it's SUPERMAN! (Day 4, 5) - Jane
I"m a little slow on the uptake for blogging - Mitzi's done a great job! Her descriptions of 'Tour de Lovett' and 'Plyo-what' days were accurate - both days were tough on the legs/buttocks. I'm still experiencing that 'my muscles aren't going where I send them' sensation (again, example to follow), but I'm told that as long as I keep sending the message, eventually they will get it! My body is reacting as though it's morse code in sign language?!
I look forward to the day when my hands don't instinctively reach for the sides of the stall every time I go to the bathroom (refer to Jane's previous blog - I feel like I'm eating all the time, ergo...). (Just realized that the previous sentence could be mis-interpreted - the reference is because my legs are so sore (I really need to improve my use of the English language - I find I am having to explain myself...often)).
So Friday the 'Mary Katherine's' re-surfaced, and since the sprints were eliminated, we did side-to-side knee-to-elbow lunges that resembled Elaine's dancing spree on Seinfeld. Towards the end...Superman did indeed appear. This exercise involves laying on the ground on your stomach (did I mention how much rain we have had?) and extending arms/legs straight out, and UP. My Superman had so much turbulence that one of my buddies nearby yelled "Hang in there, Jane!" (Readers: The word turbulence was used because my legs were shaking so badly. I did not use the word flatulence, lest you mis-interpret.)
A typical day:
4:50am - Wake, fix protein/fiber shake immediately, drink it while preparing a cup of coffee, change into workout clothes (still sipping protein shake), back downstairs (slowly) for a few sips of coffee -
5:30a - make sure I have towels, water and my training log, head out the door.
5:45a - Arrive at Lovett parking deck, drop keys in basket and hand log to a trainer, compare notes with other fellow outdoor fitness enthusiasts
6:00a - GO! Usually involves running to a field, or, if they are too wet, to parking lot to warm up - jumping jacks, lunges, toy soldier kicks, etc. Followed by 10 pushups for each person that forgot to email Stacy and let her know they weren't coming! Ouch!
6:55a - STOP! 5 minute cool-down, followed by the Pit if you have an infraction
7:00-7:15a - Collect keys and water I left in parking deck, say goodbyes, walk with Mitzi up to the top of the deck
7:30a - Drive home, rinse shoes (covered with grass, mud), race to shower, every other day throw stinky clothes/towels in wash
8:30a - leave home for work
I look forward to the day when my hands don't instinctively reach for the sides of the stall every time I go to the bathroom (refer to Jane's previous blog - I feel like I'm eating all the time, ergo...). (Just realized that the previous sentence could be mis-interpreted - the reference is because my legs are so sore (I really need to improve my use of the English language - I find I am having to explain myself...often)).
So Friday the 'Mary Katherine's' re-surfaced, and since the sprints were eliminated, we did side-to-side knee-to-elbow lunges that resembled Elaine's dancing spree on Seinfeld. Towards the end...Superman did indeed appear. This exercise involves laying on the ground on your stomach (did I mention how much rain we have had?) and extending arms/legs straight out, and UP. My Superman had so much turbulence that one of my buddies nearby yelled "Hang in there, Jane!" (Readers: The word turbulence was used because my legs were shaking so badly. I did not use the word flatulence, lest you mis-interpret.)
A typical day:
4:50am - Wake, fix protein/fiber shake immediately, drink it while preparing a cup of coffee, change into workout clothes (still sipping protein shake), back downstairs (slowly) for a few sips of coffee -
5:30a - make sure I have towels, water and my training log, head out the door.
5:45a - Arrive at Lovett parking deck, drop keys in basket and hand log to a trainer, compare notes with other fellow outdoor fitness enthusiasts
6:00a - GO! Usually involves running to a field, or, if they are too wet, to parking lot to warm up - jumping jacks, lunges, toy soldier kicks, etc. Followed by 10 pushups for each person that forgot to email Stacy and let her know they weren't coming! Ouch!
6:55a - STOP! 5 minute cool-down, followed by the Pit if you have an infraction
7:00-7:15a - Collect keys and water I left in parking deck, say goodbyes, walk with Mitzi up to the top of the deck
7:30a - Drive home, rinse shoes (covered with grass, mud), race to shower, every other day throw stinky clothes/towels in wash
8:30a - leave home for work
PLYOS -Mitzi
We did Plyos today. Ply-whats? Well, according to Wikipedia....the end all be all of online knowledge, it says that Plyometrics is a type of exercise that uses explosive movements to develop muscular power, the ability to generate a large amount of force quickly. It may be used, for example, to improve the effectiveness of a boxer's punch, or to quicken the throwing ability of a baseball pitcher. Plyometric training acts on both the musculotendinous and neurological levels to increase an athlete's power output without necessarily increasing their maximum strength output.
Here are some illustrations of things we did...lots of jumping, hurdles, basketball shooting, jump roping and apparently we had imaginary cones too.
I felt strong today! I had lots of energy afterwards. It was my day off....so I went home and walked the dog, washed clothes and cleaned the kitchen. It was kinda a bummer to have to wake up so early on my day off....but hey, it's only 4 Fridays....and it's worth it! The weekend is here...we have a personal mission to accomplish tomorrow...that is after I go on a bike ride with Jane and Diane! I'm crazy in the head!!
Here are some illustrations of things we did...lots of jumping, hurdles, basketball shooting, jump roping and apparently we had imaginary cones too.
I felt strong today! I had lots of energy afterwards. It was my day off....so I went home and walked the dog, washed clothes and cleaned the kitchen. It was kinda a bummer to have to wake up so early on my day off....but hey, it's only 4 Fridays....and it's worth it! The weekend is here...we have a personal mission to accomplish tomorrow...that is after I go on a bike ride with Jane and Diane! I'm crazy in the head!!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
TOUR DE LOVETT & RALPH - Mitzi
Day 3
Sore. Everyone seemed to be sore. But not too sore to tackle Day Three!! Today we did the tour of The Lovett School where we meet. We leisurely walked the campus and took pictures of the the library and the bridge and bought Lovett Lion magnets for our fridges. HA HA! NOT! We ran to one spot of campus, did planks, ran to another spot, did push ups, ran to another spot, did leg extensions, ran to another spot...ok, you catch my drift - that's what Train Strong calls the Tour! Lots of running today. I was not doing so well with that since I had my very heavy water bottle in hand. Wasn't aware of all the 'traveling' we were going to do. Every day is so different then the day before. I use my hands to run so being single handed slowed me down....weird. No water bottle tomorrow...nosiree!Ok, so a part of campus we stopped at were these stone benches....well, it looked more like a very tiny amphitheatre....oh I don't know what it was....I was trying to catch my breath. Anyway, the portion of the stone seat I was doing my step up leg pull extension do-hicky's had a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson.
I don't recall the quote because I was focused on pulling my 20 pound legs up one after another. My left foot continually planted itself on the 'rson' part of his last name. It was my focal point.Ralphy DOES have another quote that says "He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear." Powerful words Waldo! (Ok, the man has the funniest first 2 names don't you think!) I think that daily I am surmounting fears in this program....fears of not making it...fears of only being able to accomplish little. Thank you Train Strong for helping me make it! Helping me accomplish more than I thought I could!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Intro and first few days - Jane
So how in the world did I hear about TrainStrong's Group Outdoor fitness? Sheila Howard, of course! She invited me to 'Bring a Friend Day' in late June. The faint taste of bile in my throat after the workout should have been a warning sign, but after having seen how much she enjoyed the training (or should I say the results?) and after much egging on from her about how great it would be, and a really weak moment, I decided to do it. I also thought it would be a great way to get some things to stop jiggling, and to get into better eating habits. (To learn more about the program, visit http://www.trainstrong.com/. Stacy Cowen is our fearless-leave-no-fat-on-your-behind instructor!)
TWO aspects of the program that Mitzi didn't mention are the FOOD DIARY and THE PIT. We have to eat (and document...what we ate) five meals a day, and every meal must have protein or else you go into the pit. Other infractions that will land you in the pit include alcohol (oops, forgot to mention that to Mitzi before she signed up! Sorry!), dessert, fried food, etc., not bringing your training book, and a poor attitude (unsportsmanlike behavior). For the first week, we have a reprieve on the pit.
Day 1
As Mitzi mentioned, the PT test. I've been gearing up a little for the battle of mind-over-body I'm about to have, but nothing can quite prepare you like... actually doing it. Here are my beginning stats:
.85 mile timed run: 6:48
Push-ups: 15
Facilitated push-ups: 12
Sit-ups: 41
Sprint (100 meters): 18:09
And those stadium steps Mitzi mentioned? We had to HOP them - yes, folks, the steps were as deep as from your knee to your foot, and we had to HOP the steps up, then run down! This was no casual 'run the stadium steps', but instructors watching you like a hawk every moment! Even after this assault on my shocked body, I felt pretty good - like I had a hard workout. Maybe I can do this after all?
Day 2
Oh, one other thing about the program - they are dedicated to moving everyone out of their comfort zone. In the email we received last night after the PT test, Stacy said "I have to say, the instructors all left the workout very impressed with this group's fitness level! However, we can't be satisfied!!!! Plan to work really hard this month - it's going to be a great one!" The bottom line is, our bodies don't like change, and once you step out of your comfort zone, your body will desperately want to return. I will have several examples to share.
The word for day 2 is pyramid - everything. The gauntlet Mitzi mentioned was a series of hopping lunges (nick-named "Mary Katherine's" after the SNL character, because with each one you land in the lunge with your arms up in the air and hands doing a peace sign) and a series of crunches and 'burpees': jump up in the air with arms extended, drop to a squat, jump your legs back behind you into a push-up position, and then feet back to your hands. All this interlaced with sprints! At one point, my legs wouldn't go back. I mean, they just wouldn't. I had hopped up and then squatted on the ground, and thought I was pushing them back, but I looked down, and sure enough, they were still there folded up under me!
The good news is, we won't do that workout again this month! Every day is different! If you don't like the workout - you don't have to do it again! Woohoo!
I have now officially joined the Bad News Bears - I'm pulling up the rear with one or two others! And I am in pain. In fact, after breakfast, I can't even walk back up the stairs to brush my teeth before work. Maybe I'll get an extra one and keep it in the downstairs bathroom! (Sorry, Mom, this is no reflection on your career as a dental hygienist!) Tonight I really do feel the pain. Alot. AND we are supposed to do a personal mission tomorrow!
Day 3
The alarm goes off at 6:15, and I schlep on my shoes and clothes. What normally takes me about 45 minutes took an hour. I'm not exactly sure what I was doing - it was too early and too dark. I think it was loping, not running. And eight walk breaks for a minute each. This is close to marathon pain, only the hip flexors don't hurt as much.
The food part is actually going pretty well - except for the noises my freezer was making this morning (alot of water dripping, and a wheezing sound). I don't know if there is any air space left in the fridge or freezer - in lieu of making multiple trips to the grocery store, I just brought Costco home! I'm taking my sack of food in every day, and try to prep on the weekend. Ziploc bags rock! I feel like all I do is eat, and it's only day three (actually, since I had my book and orientation, I had to start last Friday with the food diary and personal missions!)
I come home tonight and get Marla, my roommate, to take 'before' pictures (sorry, no swimsuit, just athletic gear!), as six chicken breasts sizzle on the grill. They will get sliced and ziploc'd (the chicken, that is). Once I get the pictures developed, I will post.
TWO aspects of the program that Mitzi didn't mention are the FOOD DIARY and THE PIT. We have to eat (and document...what we ate) five meals a day, and every meal must have protein or else you go into the pit. Other infractions that will land you in the pit include alcohol (oops, forgot to mention that to Mitzi before she signed up! Sorry!), dessert, fried food, etc., not bringing your training book, and a poor attitude (unsportsmanlike behavior). For the first week, we have a reprieve on the pit.
Day 1
As Mitzi mentioned, the PT test. I've been gearing up a little for the battle of mind-over-body I'm about to have, but nothing can quite prepare you like... actually doing it. Here are my beginning stats:
.85 mile timed run: 6:48
Push-ups: 15
Facilitated push-ups: 12
Sit-ups: 41
Sprint (100 meters): 18:09
And those stadium steps Mitzi mentioned? We had to HOP them - yes, folks, the steps were as deep as from your knee to your foot, and we had to HOP the steps up, then run down! This was no casual 'run the stadium steps', but instructors watching you like a hawk every moment! Even after this assault on my shocked body, I felt pretty good - like I had a hard workout. Maybe I can do this after all?
Day 2
Oh, one other thing about the program - they are dedicated to moving everyone out of their comfort zone. In the email we received last night after the PT test, Stacy said "I have to say, the instructors all left the workout very impressed with this group's fitness level! However, we can't be satisfied!!!! Plan to work really hard this month - it's going to be a great one!" The bottom line is, our bodies don't like change, and once you step out of your comfort zone, your body will desperately want to return. I will have several examples to share.
The word for day 2 is pyramid - everything. The gauntlet Mitzi mentioned was a series of hopping lunges (nick-named "Mary Katherine's" after the SNL character, because with each one you land in the lunge with your arms up in the air and hands doing a peace sign) and a series of crunches and 'burpees': jump up in the air with arms extended, drop to a squat, jump your legs back behind you into a push-up position, and then feet back to your hands. All this interlaced with sprints! At one point, my legs wouldn't go back. I mean, they just wouldn't. I had hopped up and then squatted on the ground, and thought I was pushing them back, but I looked down, and sure enough, they were still there folded up under me!
The good news is, we won't do that workout again this month! Every day is different! If you don't like the workout - you don't have to do it again! Woohoo!
I have now officially joined the Bad News Bears - I'm pulling up the rear with one or two others! And I am in pain. In fact, after breakfast, I can't even walk back up the stairs to brush my teeth before work. Maybe I'll get an extra one and keep it in the downstairs bathroom! (Sorry, Mom, this is no reflection on your career as a dental hygienist!) Tonight I really do feel the pain. Alot. AND we are supposed to do a personal mission tomorrow!
Day 3
The alarm goes off at 6:15, and I schlep on my shoes and clothes. What normally takes me about 45 minutes took an hour. I'm not exactly sure what I was doing - it was too early and too dark. I think it was loping, not running. And eight walk breaks for a minute each. This is close to marathon pain, only the hip flexors don't hurt as much.
The food part is actually going pretty well - except for the noises my freezer was making this morning (alot of water dripping, and a wheezing sound). I don't know if there is any air space left in the fridge or freezer - in lieu of making multiple trips to the grocery store, I just brought Costco home! I'm taking my sack of food in every day, and try to prep on the weekend. Ziploc bags rock! I feel like all I do is eat, and it's only day three (actually, since I had my book and orientation, I had to start last Friday with the food diary and personal missions!)
I come home tonight and get Marla, my roommate, to take 'before' pictures (sorry, no swimsuit, just athletic gear!), as six chicken breasts sizzle on the grill. They will get sliced and ziploc'd (the chicken, that is). Once I get the pictures developed, I will post.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN - Mitzi
Sorry this entry is so long....but we decided to blog this yesterday so we have a few days of catching up to do....other days will be shorter....we'll even have pictures soon...oooo...aaa!
So, Jane told me one day of this Group Outdoor Fitness with Train Strong that she visited. Said she was signing up. Thought she was hitting the whiskey a little too much. Who would want to put their body through that every day? But then it dawned on me…DING (did you know that the sound of dawning sounds a lot like a microwave ding? I digress…) …I DO! So I forked over the moola and signed up literally 2 days before it started….there was no turning back!
Day One July 9:
“Holy Crap!!” “Can I get a refund?” “I’m already tired and we just did the warm ups”! Those were some of the thoughts that were racing through my head this here first day-o-camp. I woke up nice and early…too early as I sat in the parking deck for 15 minutes.
This day was our physical fitness test day….the “how many of these can you do in a minute and how fast can you run” day. We do this today and we’ll do it at the end to see how we improved. Here’s how I did….don’t laugh!
Run .82 Mile: 7:19
Push Ups: 43
Sit Ups: 31
50/100 yard? Sprint: 19:01
I’m strong….but not fast. Felt good that night….was excited that I signed up after the initial shock of doing stadium runs….FOUR OF THEM!!
Day Two: July 10
I’M ALMOST DIED ON MY BIRTHDAY!! (Many of you are now going….oh man, I missed her birthday! That’s ok…just send me a present to make up for it!)
Ok so it wasn’t that bad….but it was hard….of course. DUH! 110 push ups, 110 lunges on each leg, 110 mountain climbers (which I actually like….my abs are in mucho paino tho but I likey!), 110 side leg raises on each leg, running a lap in between each exercise and then….THEN….I don’t know what this was called….The Gauntlet of Madness? It involved a lot of sprinting, a lot of sit ups, a lot of jumping, and a lot of plopping to the wet wet ground. I don’t want to do that ever again….but I bet we do….dang.
So, that’s Day Two….near death experience on my birthday….but it’s all worth it! Right?
Day Three: TODAY
WE'RE OFF TODAY! Wooo! I slept in a little....woke up and ran 4 miles and stretched for 10 minutes. You'd think it's something I'd normally do...but NOPE....we can't escape the program even on days we don't have it! Nope, they give us personal missions on these days....13 or so to choose from and I ....after taking about 15 minutes to rise from the bed and walk to the bathroom because I was so sore, chose the easiest mission! Yeah, uh-huh....starting out strong! ha!
So, Jane told me one day of this Group Outdoor Fitness with Train Strong that she visited. Said she was signing up. Thought she was hitting the whiskey a little too much. Who would want to put their body through that every day? But then it dawned on me…DING (did you know that the sound of dawning sounds a lot like a microwave ding? I digress…) …I DO! So I forked over the moola and signed up literally 2 days before it started….there was no turning back!
Day One July 9:
“Holy Crap!!” “Can I get a refund?” “I’m already tired and we just did the warm ups”! Those were some of the thoughts that were racing through my head this here first day-o-camp. I woke up nice and early…too early as I sat in the parking deck for 15 minutes.
This day was our physical fitness test day….the “how many of these can you do in a minute and how fast can you run” day. We do this today and we’ll do it at the end to see how we improved. Here’s how I did….don’t laugh!
Run .82 Mile: 7:19
Push Ups: 43
Sit Ups: 31
50/100 yard? Sprint: 19:01
I’m strong….but not fast. Felt good that night….was excited that I signed up after the initial shock of doing stadium runs….FOUR OF THEM!!
Day Two: July 10
I’M ALMOST DIED ON MY BIRTHDAY!! (Many of you are now going….oh man, I missed her birthday! That’s ok…just send me a present to make up for it!)
Ok so it wasn’t that bad….but it was hard….of course. DUH! 110 push ups, 110 lunges on each leg, 110 mountain climbers (which I actually like….my abs are in mucho paino tho but I likey!), 110 side leg raises on each leg, running a lap in between each exercise and then….THEN….I don’t know what this was called….The Gauntlet of Madness? It involved a lot of sprinting, a lot of sit ups, a lot of jumping, and a lot of plopping to the wet wet ground. I don’t want to do that ever again….but I bet we do….dang.
So, that’s Day Two….near death experience on my birthday….but it’s all worth it! Right?
Day Three: TODAY
WE'RE OFF TODAY! Wooo! I slept in a little....woke up and ran 4 miles and stretched for 10 minutes. You'd think it's something I'd normally do...but NOPE....we can't escape the program even on days we don't have it! Nope, they give us personal missions on these days....13 or so to choose from and I ....after taking about 15 minutes to rise from the bed and walk to the bathroom because I was so sore, chose the easiest mission! Yeah, uh-huh....starting out strong! ha!
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