How it goes.....

I have always exercised in some way. At times more than others. Lets just face it I am not physically fit at all. Even though I have swam two times a week for 4-5 years. Even though I have put alot of miles on my bike the last two years. I am out of shape. I have been on my base fitness schedule for almost a month now and I have been following it close, there has only been a couple of times that I have cut time short just because I physically couldnt go on. I am finally starting to notice slight changes. I have noticed that I have gotten alot stronger at swimming. I have noticed that my rpms on the bike are way up and I actually ran 4 miles the other night. They were not fast miles or pretty miles but I did them. I have noticed that I want to eat better, I am choosing fruit over candy. I drink alot of water however now I am drinking more. I have noticed my stomach muscles feeling tighter, my legs are shaping up and I am walking straighter. The down side is that I ache all of the time, I think that it is just the body rebelling against what I am forcing it to do a match of wills between the mind and the body. I am hoping that by the end of the second month some of the aching starts to fade. The first month has been tough and I have questioned my sanity many many times however I am not ready to hang it up.

PEACE

Another week down....

....and not much done!
When you work full-time and have to get deadline computer work done for the swimteam, it's really hard to find the time to exercise. Especially when you aren't truly done working until 10:00pm! Very frustrating!! Season is officially over the end of March and it will slow down considerably after Feb. 10th...then the hard work really will start...I promise. You are all reading it here!

Anyway, the only thing I got done last week was Tuesday after coaching. I headed up to the track at the Y. Completed a 5 minute warm-up...I'm guessing close to 1/2 mile...need to track that better. Ran 1/2 mile, walked 1/4 mile, ran 1/4 mile, walked 1/4 mile, ran 1/4 mile, finished with a 1/4 mile walk. So about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 miles down! Not too bad.

Then it was off to one of those fun little exercise bikes. Picked a 6.5 mile hilly course this time. FUN!! Took me about 18 minutes.

After that I did a round on the freemotion machines. I did all of the arms machines and picked my favorites on the legs. Love the freemotion at the Y. It gives the ease of the machine, but is designed to use more muscle control like freeweights. Very cool equipment.

So all in all, Tuesday was a great exercise day. I did random stretching throughout the week. I also played with Alexa and we worked on counting while I did some chest presses with her, some legs lifts, and some hip raises. She has fun and it adds a good 26lbs to my little exercises.

BRR on Saturday...hope I don't die!

Stretching

My training has been going well. I will admit that I am tired. I dont know if it is the increased exercise or maybe the weather. One thing that i have noticed is that I am stiff. I know that stretching is a very important part of a persons life. Not only an athlete but anyone. I am terrible about stretching. I hope to change that. My massage therapist told me about a dvd that she says works very well. It takes a different approach to stretching. Instead of holding the muscle stretch. The dvd has you hold the stretch for two seconds however you do the stretch at least 10 times. I will do the arm and finger portion of the dvd at work when I feel my arms tightening up because of using the keyboard so much. My goal is to try to do these stretches everyday or at least every other day.

The dvd called Stretch for Health was created by Michael Young.

In 1991, Michael Young, NCTMB, decided to change his lifestyle and his career. He and his wife moved to Colorado and settled in Evergreen. Michael enrolled in the Colorado School of Healing Arts where he studied to become a certified massage therapist. Michael had always loved massage. As he learned more about the benefits of massage therapy, he decided that was his new career choice. In school, Michael was trained in Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular Massage, Therapeutic Massage, and Relaxation Massage. Upon graduation, he opened up his business, Massage Works.

The DVD it is very cheaply made, there are not gorgeous girls in skimpy work out clothes. Michael narrates and has a slight stutter and his wife is the model. However if you can over look that there are some great stretches.

PEACE JG

A better Weekend

Got my butt moving on Saturday and did some needed catch-up!

I headed over to the Y and caught the 9:25 spin class. About 10 minutes late, but worked hard and then headed to the pool.

Warm-up
200 Free 100 Breast 200 Free
Kick set 500 total - 100 increments w/flippers - different kicks each increment
Alternate 6 x 100's
Free and Breast
1 mile total in about 45 minutes. A swimmer's mile is 1600yds. Short breaks between sets and a pee break in there too! Too much water during spin class!

Sunday was finishing cleaning and relaxing.

Monday night I got on the bike trainer for 45 minutes. Put some minute sprints in every now and again and did some 2 minute hills also.

Bad week!

Well, I didn't get my Sunday workout in on Sunday or Monday.

Tuesday - see post about New Fun!

Wednesday - was going to ride the trainer, but ended up being up until 11:00pm trying to finalize swim meet entries for the meet on Saturday....very frustrating!

Thursday - went to bed early, Wed night was to bed at 11:00, fell asleep around 11:45, up at 3:00 with Alexa, up at 5:00 with Alexa again!! Lack of sleep created a big headache by the time I got home!

Tonight - was going to ride the trainer again - Alexa didn't get down until 9:00 and then low and behold a call from the head coach - needed a new email with the team database as the first one I sent didn't work....aauugghhh.....at least I get paid every time she calls and takes up my time!!

Tomorrow - spin class at 9:15am, then it's off to swim laps. have to get back into it somehow!

Very frustrating week, work wise, both jobs, and with lack of exercise.....I feel HORRIBLE!!

WHY?

I have been doing this schedule for 2 weeks and there have been many times I ask myself , WHY! am i doing this. If I were to just stop no one would care. It has always been a dream of mine to do a tri well I did that last summer. WHY, part of the reason is that i like to challenge myself, I like to see how far I can push me. I believe that a bigger reason is that for some reason I feel I need to prove to myself and others that I can do this. Why do I need to prove myself.....sometimes I just feel lost in the crowd. I get tired of hearing how everyone else is so great. I know that If I do this it will be the same I will still be lost in the crowd but I will have an olympic tri under my belt to go along with my marathon. If no one else cares I still know that I did it and gave it my all. That is why.

PEACE JG

New Fun!

The YMCA has a new fun exercise bike. The handles move and you ride a course on a little screen in front of you. Kind of like a video game. It has a shifter knob and tells you the % grade, how fast you're going, and tracks your time.
I did the "campus tour" tonight. A 2 mile bike ride around a scenic college campus. It took me just over 8 minutes.
Before I found these fun new bikes I did a walk/run on the track.
5 minute warm-up, 1/2 mile run, 5 minute cool-down.
Total of about 15 minutes....not real sure of the time. I also did some leg exercises on the freemotion machines.

I just started with a new website to help me track my nutrition and fitness.
It's FREE and I hope it will help me find some better ways to eat and help with what I need to buy for groceries and also keep me on track for my fitness. Thanks for pointing it out Suzie!!

Update

Friday...Rest Day, YIPPIE!!

Saturday was a bike day, was suppose to do a long ride in low heart rate zone. I rode for 45 minutes. I am having issues with my right hamstring, It might be a stretching issue. I will have to work on that more.

Sunday was a run day...the run like a kenyan. Well they will just have to put up with a plow horse. I ran for 45 minutes and it was not bad, not the best that I have ever done but I have done worse.

Today is biking again working on the one leg at a time. I am glad people are not watching me they would think that i have lost it.

Not much else to say...PEACE JG

My week

This week went pretty good. Still not quite up to par from the surgery, but at least I'm doing some things and getting some small workouts in.

Tuesday - coached for an hour and then headed up to the treadmill. I got a good 35 minutes in, but when I tried to run, it didn't work...so it was only walking.

Wednesday - sat on the trainer for 45 minutes. Everyone tells me how boring it is, but I didn't realize it could be that boring! Did the same routine of a good spin during my show and fast, hard spin during the commercials.

Thursday - I had to go do some computer work at the Y for team. After I was done, I started my swimming. Got a good 1/2 mile in before the pool closed.

Friday was off as I drove to my parents house so I could go watch my nephew play basketball one last time.

Saturday - walked on the treadmill during the first half of the Packers game....GO PACKERS!!! I even got a few jogging sets in during the commercials.

Today - decided to do an off day as I had to drive home from my parents. I'll do today's swim/run tomorrow night after Alexa goes to bed.

Eating went great until I got back to my parents....mmmm.....Pizza Ranch pizza, cookies, and doughnuts! I did good all last week so I know I can get back into the good eating this week.

JG talked about doubt...my doubt is...can I really give myself more time like I say I'm going to? Working full time I feel so guilty not being around Alexa at night and I know that I have to take time away from her to do the running and swimming. Biking I can pull her and get a harder workout in. So my doubt is that I'll be able to get past the guilt of leaving her at night too!

Tues, Wed, Thurs

Swim, Run, Swim.

Tuesdays swim went very well it was alot of drills. I really enjoy the drills helps keep the mind from getting bord.

Workout # 1: Swim, Planned duration: 0:40, Planned distance: 0
WU: 500 easy. 4 x 100 free/50 kick on back, 10" rest between. 4 x 100 kickboard (free/breast kick mix). 10" rest. 500 pull easy straight into 200 non-free mix.

Wed was running. Not so good Houdini was up to his old tricks so I was running on the treadmill trying not to step on kittens and trying not to break something. I was very tired.

Thur was more swimming. I was very tired today. I also was having issues with goggles and swimcap. Can someone tell me what is a good pair of goggles. They either hurt my eyes(the eye socket), to close to my eyes(lashes rubbing) or do not seal. I dont know how many goggles I have and I have not found a pair that really works. Same goes for swimcap. They keep sliding off my head. I know fat head.

Workout # 1: Swim, Planned duration: 1:00, Planned distance: 0
WU: 10 minutes alternating slow-fast pacing. Play with different strokes while warming up. MS: 30-minute steady swim. Swim without stopping. Count your strokes on the first 25 of each 100. Are they staying constant? CD: 5 minutes very easy. Choice of strokes or floating on your back and sculling. Total: 45 minutes

I have been having doubt issues it is only January and I am questioning my sanity can I really do this. I get this way when I am tired and have to much to do which is usually most of the time. Eating was bad today. I dont know if you have had your work computer just go blitzo on you but mine went KABOOM. So they reprofiled it and it takes about a day to get everything back, so I spent most of the day yesterday and today pulling things off and putting them on other computers so that they could reprofile mine. I am all for paper and pencil. :). So chocolate was my comfort food. I just need to take deep breaths and keep going.

Until Next time...PEACE..JG

I'm here...

This weekend didn't work out like I wanted. Sunday became a lazy day, so I forced myself to go sit on the trainer at 8:30pm after Alexa went to bed. I ended up doing 45 minutes. Nice and steady during my show and fast spin during the commercials.

I found a little triathlon workout in my Fitness magazine. I am going to follow it as a guide for what I should do each day. It is for beginner and some of the distances are not much at all. So I will bump it up to fit me more.

Monday is rest day, so I didn't do anything last night.
Tonight is supposed to be biking. But since I am at the Y coaching I will switch and do Wed. walk/run/strength. I will do the biking Wed night at home.

Eating has still been going good.
Sunday was a bowl of cereal for breakfast, leftover mexican lasagna for lunch, Pork roast and veggies for supper. Snack was a cookie.

Monday was small baggie cereal and banana for breakfast, leftover pork roast and veggies for lunch, carrots and celery w/peanut butter for snack, breaded fish/veggies/tator tots for supper.

It's amazing when you don't eat as many carbs how fatigued your body feels. I don't know how anyone can do an Atkins diet! I would not be able to handle it!!!

It begins....24 weeks until Hy-Vee Triathlon

If my calculations are correct 24 weeks from yesterday It will be Hy-Vee Triathlon time. Today i began my 12 week base fitness schedule. It was biking and running However I ran into some issues and didnt get the running in. I did do the first workout. I felt really good. I wish that I would of had time for the running workout. I understand what they are trying to do and I need all of the running help that I can get.

It is great TrainingPeaks sends me my workouts every day.

Your workouts for Monday 1/7/2008:

Workout # 1: Bike, Planned duration: 0:45, Planned distance: 0
WU: 10' - CD: 10'. These are with your shoes clipped in, and the idea is to focus on one leg at a time. 90 right leg, then 90" left leg. Next is: 45 right, 45" left, vice versa 2x. Next: 30 left, 30" right increase cadence each 5 to maximum. Next: 20 right, 20 left for 2. 15 right, 15 left for 1, 10 right, 10 left, for 40, 5right, 5 left for 20. 34 x 1 at max cadence, RI 1. 34 x 15 at max cadence to spinout, RI 45


Workout # 2: Run, Planned duration: 0:40, Planned distance: 0

40' run with 6x30" strides. These are best if done on a slight downhill on a dirt path. Warm up for at least 10' before the first stride. For your recovery, you can walk back to the starting point. Strides are quick bursts that are as fast as 5k pace. You are looking to get in about 45 left foot strikes per 26-28". Stretch when done and add in Core 1, 2 or 3.

3D Multisport has some great core/weight training etc. work outs

The Issue I ran into was Mr Thomas. For those of you who do not know me. We had an influx of felines last year. In fact we have 10 now. Mr Thomas is 7 months old and has become a Houdini, no matter what I do he gets into the room where my bike and treadmill are set up. So I held him for my cool down and he loved it. I told him not to get use to it because If I have to lock him in a closet I will. I dont want him or any of the others getting hurt.

That is all for now. I can feel my core workout working. I am going to be sore tomorrow, but just think of how fit I will be...yah right...:)

PEACE JG

Run Day

Friday was run day. I hate running inside so out I went. I was trying to decide if is needed to put my little spiky things on my shoes. Bill said yes, but they make me sound like a horse clomping down the road I said. Want a broken leg was Bill's reply. So off I went sounding like a horse clomping down the road. Now when I run out side in the dark, I wear many flashing lights. There are lights on my ankles, around my knees, My reflective vest flashes. All that I am missing is a star on my head then I would look like a running Christmas Tree. Oh well as long as people can see me I really don't care what I look like. My schedule said to think of running smooth like a Kenyan. Yeah right how many Kenyan are going to be out in 30 degree weather looking and sounding like a horse clomping Christmas tree.

I didnt go for mileage. I just want to get time on the legs right now that is what they are needing.

JS good job on the eating. I am trying. I have come to the conclusion that I need to eat smaller meals through out the day. It is just planning these meals so I don't have the urge to hit the vending machines.

Well that is all for now.....Peace JG.

Eating better

After my candy episode, I decided that I needed to eat better!

Friday - small baggie of cereal for breakfast, Salad bar to go from Jason's for lunch, about 5 Hershey bells (they are gone now!!!), and for supper some pasta salad, green beans, ceasar salad, and fruit. We were at a coaches meeting for supper and Kim made a roast with a bunch of sides. WELL....I haven't been able to eat roast for a while now...my stomach doesn't like it and well....I won't go any further! So that is why the weird mix for supper.

Saturday - forgot breakfast, I was kind of busy getting laundry ready and then had to go out and get some stuff from the Y for team and get groceries. Lunch was some California brand frozen pizza. It is supposed to be the gourmet type. One was margherita and the other cheese and spinach, not too bad, thin crust. A whole pizza is 900 calories and I had about a half of one. For supper I made Mexican lasagna - ground turkey breast instead of beef, whole wheat tortillas, fat free refried beans, salsa, and cheese. Layer like a lasagna, bake and serve with a dallop of low-fat sour cream. Sorry I can't do fat free sour cream, it taste horrid!

Tomorrow I plan on getting out for a bike ride. We'll see how it goes!

Coaching and Treadmill day

Yep...too much candy today! Once it is gone it is going to be healthy snacks at work...fruit, veggies, pretzels, popcorn....you get the picture. I did really good and had an orange and a small bag of cereal for breakfast. Lunch was a Smart Ones meal...they are really good.

But then I started trying to figure how to do W2's for our clients and all hell broke loose! I think I ate about 10 or more Hershey bells. Funny thing is it really didn't taste good, just had to have something as I was trying to figure out what the heck I was doing! I finally just gave up on the W2's and waited for my boss to get out of his meeting and started sucking down water every time I wanted a bell!!

Tonight I had to coach at the Y. Think 2 1/2 hours of kids...all by yourself! I had 11 ten and unders the first group and 30 eleven and older the second group! AAUUGGHH
Yep, I ended up being the only coach...so walking back and forth, squatting down to get to their level, and yelling at kids for 2 1/2 hours was part of my workout. After practice I headed up to the treadmill. I walked for 30 minutes to relax and made it 1.25 miles.
I didn't jog as after biking, sit-ups, and yoga yesterday I had a few pains in my abdomen.

Maybe a little too much too soon after surgery....it has only been 4 weeks, they say the internal healing can take up to 3 months. Guess I need to keep that in perspective.

Swim day

I get an e-mail today that says "I need to quit eating this candy" or something to that effect. It was from JS, little did she know that I had also been eating candy. You cannot waste it now can you?. I am having trouble getting going on eating well. I really do not know what to eat. You hear this is good for you then the next week it is bad. I think I would be happier if I didnt have to eat at all. I need a dietician badly. I have thought about going over to the Carmichael site they have a preplanned 9 week eating program for endurance. I might just have to check it out.

In the mean time it was a swim day. I try to get in at least a mile. I am rushed for time so sometimes I cannot get in all that I want. I am going the route that doing drills over the winter will help me in the long run so you will be seeing alot of stuff like fists, kickboard, right hand, left hand etc. I figure it can't hurt.. to much at least.

WU 200 free
main set, each with 10 secs rest.
5x50 breast fists/free back,
5x50 breast/free fists back,
5x50 breast/free,
5x50 free
5x100 free keeping same pace.
CD 100 free

Then I tried a pilates cd that used bands. Was interesting. I had to keep the kittens from eating the bands. That is an exercise in itself.

Until next time...Peace...JG

My start

Well...I didn't start off like I wanted to. A little too much to drink and up too late New Year's Eve.

My progress started New Year's Day going through all my Fitness magazines and cutting out exercises that I can do at home. From strength to Yoga. My plan is to do a 1/2 hour (or more) of these each night after Alexa goes to bed. Maybe if I can get my butt to bed in time I'll get up in the morning and do some too. I found some really yummy looking recipes too!

I started tonight with 50 sit-ups and then I sat on the trainer for 35 minutes. I haven't been on a bike since the first weekend in November and haven't done a thing since my surgery on Nov 30th. It was tough, but felt good at the same time. I did a nice steady pace during my show and then a hard pedal through the commercials.
After the trainer I came upstairs and did about 30 minutes of the fun Yoga poses I found....definitely need to work on my balance!!

Tomorrow night I'll be at the Y coaching...more than likely will go walk/jog on the treadmill after I'm done coaching.

Happy Exercising!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, I hope that you had a great New Years Eve and Day.

I got my lazy butt on the bike again today. I did a Chris Carmichael dvd today. I thinks the dvd's are great however I feel like I am in cheerleading camp...spin fast spin slow stand up sit down go go go...It was a good 40 minute work out. I did yell at the tv a time or two good thing they cannot hear what you are saying. Tomorrow I hope to get some running in.

I put in 1300 miles last year on my bike. Not what I had hoped for but I was doing alot of cross training with swimming and running so I can live with it.

until next time..peace