weights--run--swim

Crossfit. Raise your hand if you have heard of this...wow...because of a crossfit workout or two, I can barely lift my arms...even more cult that triathletes!! But how bad does your body HURT after one of their workouts?
I will tell you.
A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT!!!!!!!!!!
I looked into a membership but a)the torture chamber (gym) does not have any times that suit my schedule and b)they post the work out of the day on their website every morning by 5:00am.
A little bit of YouTube research on the excercises and voila...I have a (sometimes modified) Crossfit workout!!
Yesterday was a 30 minute run and a 20 minute strength workout. Let's just say it hurts to lift my arms today. I reached over to turn the alarm off beside the bed and holy hell... But today was a Wednesday swim, so I went to the leisure center, ran on the treadmill for about 30 minutes and then swam a whopping 1000 meters. Tired, tired, tired was my upper body but I made them go round and round.
Ready for bed tonight!!

Sunday Swim

Count 'em kids...thatta be 2 days and two workouts!

I'm on a roll.

Today's swim was a killer..for me, anyway, who ran 17 fricking kms yesterday basically on a whim and who is kinda crappy shape with extra poundage hangin around. Putting one foot in front of the other...I WILL be back to that fit, strong and tough gal I was!! I just know it!!

The swim was a warm-up that I don't remember...who cares about the warm up anyway? Nine times out of ten the coach literally pushes me in the water as I am usually chatting with someone and do very little warm up. Today I got about half of it in, ended up cutting the lane a few times as I saw something on the bottom that looked like a piece of jewellery and just had to dive down to have a look...but it was just a hair tie that had some glitter in it...

The Main Event was 3 sets of 3 x 200 meters (this is long course swimming folks). Decending time for each 200...and then between the sets. So the first 200 is the slowest...the 2nd a bit faster...the 3rd is the fastest. In the 2nd set...the first one should be about the same pace as the 2nd 200 in the first set...etc...etc. Get it?? The very last 200 out of the 9 should be the fastest of the day.

We did a similar set a few weeks ago and I had to keep taking breaks and ended up just leaving I was THAT out of shape. Shitty. Today, there were no excuses...I really mean it. I led the lane and just kept hammering out those 200s. I saw some of the guys fall out and leave...I was quietly satisfied...I am not by any means anywhere as fast as I have been in the past...but I think that I am off to a great start!!! And my kick was utterly useless...all I could manage was a wimpy 2 beat kick just to keep my legs floating...so all in all a very good swim!!!

Saturday run

Got a few runs in this week. Tuesday I went out with the 555 Gals...this is my name for them as we meet at 5:55am Tues/Thurs. Had a pretty good run. Tried to do 3 x 8 min intervals..holy, I was all over the map with pace and HR!!! I have some work to do in that department.

Saturday rolls around and most of the gals are doing the Hypo Half Marathon in February. They had planned a 14km run today. I have not ran further than about 7km in the past 3 months...yikes!! I had my exit strategy all worked out...we were meeting at the Farmer's Market and running along the river. We have many bridges in this city so I was planning to fake cold hands or a sore foot or just plain tired...take off across a bridge and make my way back to my vehicle. We get running and they start talking about coffee/breakfast after the run...we are running pretty good and it turns out to be a gorgeous morning...we take many walk breaks to circle back for a few and we get chatting and the time just flies by!!

Lo and behold, back at the Market, I check Garmin and I ran/walked 16.6km!!

Holy Shit.

And I felt amazing afterwards.

I love running again!!

Hello 2011!!!!

Welcome.

To my crazy life. Have not really been into blogging for awhile. Nothing really to tell you about...unless you want to hear me gripe about hockey parents...my work (financial professionals are not exactly the most exciting people on the planet...), or my lunatic relatives.

The long and the short, we have had a lot going on, things in general have been awesome. Busy. Crazy Busy. But with a new year....some new goals and a time to regroup and get organized on getting at those goals.

I have done no training. None. I really mean that. I have been to the pool a few times, but I never think that counts as I normally use swimming to RELAX. Or think. Or recover from a big workout. No one can talk to me when my head is under the water so I swim mainly to have some ME time.

Now that I think a bit more...I have done a few social runs. Do those count as training? I have met some awesome ladies who run on Tues/Thurs/Sat mornings. I just showed up a few weeks ago as they were kind enough to invite me to their private facebook page several months ago...I followed them all summer/fall...laughed at their advenures...finally I just showed up at one of their runs. They are a hoot! Lots of talking, walking, pee breaks, general bitching and giggling about this and that...its awesome!!

I have no race goals. This is really different for me. I have a TON of life goals and my world has only room for so much. I am signed up for the Great White Half...I can't decide if I want to do it. That's alot of work. I get so tired when I am training. I have really enjoyed NOT being tired. I have NOT enjoyed the weight I have gained....holy hell!!! THIS will be my motivation....to say GOOD BYE to the pounds who have come to live on my butt, chest and hips...

I said good bye to coach Justin. I just cannot justify the time OR money I was spending. I am leaning towards doing something really different athletically...I just don't know what...yet...talk to me Universe...I am open for suggestions!!

so...i ran...

Getting back at things. I ran today. It was a slow, dark run, but it is 45 minutes in the books. We have been so busy. I am beginning to hate that word...busy. I am being pulled in 100 different directions and it really does stress me out at times.
This has been my week:
Last Friday: Work late....go to meeting for Gold Medal Plates Gala. Get home at 10pm. Miss my kid's taekwondo and bathtime/bedtime. Feel guilty.
Saturday: Up early...like 5:00am early...make cupcakes and pack food and necessities for the day as we are in the budding metropolis of DUNDURN for a hockey tournament. I just want to say that you can smell the rink from up the block...apparently the folks in Dundurn have not read up on healthy eating habits and still fry EVERYTHING! Gross. Hence the packed lunch... Hang in Dundurn all day...take the entire hockey team out for a walk as it was a gorgeous day and bright and sunny and I just wanted to be outside. Was disappointed that not one other parent wanted to come with us...so me and Shaun and 12 little boys ages 7 and 8...oh the good times! Good thing my husband is super immature...he actually brought his ski gloves out to Dundurn in the anticipation of a snowball fight...yes...he had PLANNED for it...was super funny to watch. Left Dundurn in the middle of the 2nd game (missed the last game) and headed back to town for the Gold Medal Plates Gala. Very fun night. But feel guilty again.
Picture taken with lots of Olympic athletes. Met Alex Bilodeau...super nice and humble and polite kid. First gold medal ever on Canadian soil in Vancouver, in case you did not know. Met Catriona...only double gold medalist ever in Canada at a winter Olympics....and she is a home grown Saskatoon gal...and let me tell you...her ass and legs were STILL rock hard!!! She is a teeny girl but holy moly, just looks strong!! She was super intense...like really, really intense...And our men's 8 gold medal rowing team was there...three words...FUN...HOT...& FUN!!!
Sunday: Swimming for me...okay but very tired workout...skating for Luke....Halloween. Apparently the Halloween candy diet works for me as I have lost 2 pounds this week...I know...I know...let's see what the scale says in a few weeks from now...but f*ck it...one of the reasons for having children is the halloween candy...
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: Work...hockey...work...run kids around...hockey...work...I am afraid this is my life...oh...made a phone call I have been wanting to make for many months...to a real estate agent!! Not sure where this is going, but we have grown out of our house...I think it is time to move...but shall see what the Universe brings us...
Which brings me to Friday: Do you see any other workouts this week, other than the swim? No? So it is a really big deal that I got my ass out of bed, got my gear on, got out the door and ran....hoping to do better next week!!