Monday, January 30, 2012

Consistency

This past week has been a good one for activity. Thursday I did a spinning class...another hard one. Melanie is so good! Friday I ran 3 miles. I took my phone with me to figure out what pace I was going, but the app fizzled out both coming and going. Saturday we played broomball (our first loss...boo). Sunday I ran 6 miles with Greg and Casey. Heart Mini training is officially underway.

Today it's supposed to be near 50...and tomorrow near 60! I have a bit itch to get on my road bike. I have been trying to figure out how to do a bike race in the spring. It is so challenging to figure this out. All I can think of is to go to a bike shop and ask someone. It may be too late to join any teams, and it seems like you have to be with a team to race. I am pretty frustrated with the unsuccessful research I've had. I just want some dates, and to know how it works and what I have to do to prepare. I think it would be fun to try. But maybe you have to be really really good and it's not for just anyone.

I think I'll stop by Swallow Bike Works, the new shop in Loveland that replaced Cycle Sport, and see if someone there can tell me anything to guide me in the right direction.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

They Gym

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Spinning and Yoga Tuesday

Spinning was pretty hard. I was already a bit sore from broomball still, and then the 5 miles took more out of my legs than I thought it would. Probably because I couldn't just run them at a steady pace. I blame the treadmill.

Anyway, it was a new playlist. Stinky perfume woman was there, and I learned her superfluous application of L'eau de Urban bothers others as well as me. We did mostly speedy stuff. Lots of pickups, jumps, and "100 yard dashes". Not much for hills. It was a nice change up. We heard they've added another class on Wednesdays, so that will be nice to have another option. I like the Tuesday - Thursday line up, but options are good. Plus, if it will help getting into classes before they fill up, all the better.

I did yoga in the evening. This is the third class. I'm starting to do the plank without my knees down. Other than that, not much has changed in that world. I noticed a guy in class that had a "Swallow Bike Works" shirt on. That is the new bike shop in Loveland that replaced Cycle Sport. It just recently opened, and this guy's daughter and son-in-law run the shop. I asked him about it, trying to get a feel for what kind of shop it is. He asked me if I was a cyclist and told me about some of the races he does. Didn't get much of a feel for the shop, but he was fun to talk to and I got some ideas about road racing...

Today I'm taking a day off. I feel a bit beat. I can tell my body is acclimating to the workouts, which is great. I hope the weather is decent this weekend so I can get a run in outside.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

5 Miles on the 'mill

I went to the gym last night to get in the 5 miles that I was supposed to run over the weekend but couldn't. 5 miles on the dreadmill...how was I going to make it? I had new headphones and Pandora, so I wasn't too worried.

Until my headphones stopped working.

I sweat. A LOT. And the headphones tried and tried to stay in my ears (with the help of me pushing on them about every 10 steps). But, they wouldn't. I took a break and switched out the size nubbies, thinking the smaller ones would go in further and stay put. But those were worse, nothing to grab onto. So, after a mile of fighting with them, and probably entertaining the person next to me, I gave up.

4 more miles...tempo for 3 and 1 cool-down...all without music on a treadmill.

It wasn't helping that the new guy next to me after his warmup decided to start scuffing his feet. Each step produced a squeak.

I did quarter mile repeats at one tempo, then ran a quarter mile at a slower tempo, until I got sick of that. Then I just ran. Then finally I was done.

5...miles...on...a...treadmill. I know there are people who do entire marathon training on treadmills and I have no clue how they make that happen. Though, I must say, if my headphones had stayed in my ears, I would have probably been a lot happier.

Monday, January 23, 2012

8 weeks to go

Today officially kicks off 8 weeks to go until the Heart Mini. Last week went pretty well. I did a 4 mile run mid-week and two spins. Friday I lifted. Saturday's broomball game was cancelled because of the ice but rescheduled for Sunday. We won again... we're 3 and 0!

Tonight's plan is to run at the gym on the 'mill. This will require Pandora big time. It seemed to stop working in my car. I just tried to make it work on the phone by itself and something got screwed up with my sign-in, but now it is working!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Yoga is fun

I took my second yoga class in a long time last night. It was great. I liked it better than the first class. I'm not sure if it was because of doing some different positions or just the better familiarity overall.

One thing I realized last night: Comparing the two sides of my body, I am severely imbalanced! I'm glad I've discovered this, as it means a lot with running. We did some poses that I could do pretty easily on one side of my body, but struggled with on the other. Good stuff to know! Maybe I'll talk to the teacher next class and ask what I can do about that.

Also, I fell asleep at the end in the relaxation poses. Tee hee :)  I woke up thinking about muffins. Go yoga!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Spinning and a Little Run

I'm feeling pretty good recently with the workouts. I think part of it is the holiday food is gone, and the holiday bloat is also subsiding. Geesh.

Today I went to the gym with the hopes of running 3 miles easy before spinning. But Mother Nature poured buckets down onto rush hour traffic. I made it there in time to sign up and get a mile in before class.

I saw Erin and we chatted about running a little bit. She used to race. I'm not sure what that means, but she said she raced 5Ks with some kind of club. So I was telling her about how we're planning to do the Heart Mini and the Pig Half, but that I like 5Ks too, I'm just not fast. I don't know, looks like we might do some in the future which would be awesome!

Spinning had a nice break from pop music overload. It was older One Hit Wonder type songs. Mmmm Bop, Tubthumping, Ice Ice Baby, Rapper's Delight, the Macarena, I'm Too Sexy.... That's all I can remember. It was fun. Each new song brought a giggle and smile.

I definitely feel like I'm in training mode now which is nice. I need to adjust my schedule plan and get to work.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Spinning in the New Year

Yesterday I went spinning for the first time in the new year...and since I was off between Christmas and New Year's. It was insane. Melanie tried to kill us. She is so awesome though. Her classes are hard, and they're also a bit disorganized. But you walk out of there feeling trained and like you just spent your 45 minutes very well. She somehow makes herself more than just a class leader/instructor. It feels more like she's my trainer.

We did a lot of interval stuff. I have been trying to visualize about actually being on a bike when I'm in her class. She throws out some visualizations: surging up hills passing people, etc. I wonder how applicable spinning is for bike training. I barely got out last year on the road. I am curious how I'll do once spring hits.

I need to do more drawings again! Soon soon!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The New Year: here is 2012

What's a running blog without a new year post? It's the 10th already, so I had better get this one underway!

I have a lot of goals for fitness and my life activities this year. I have been reading about the Olympic marathon trials going on in Houston and it has been nothing but inspiring. One of the common interview prompts for the runners is: "Tell us about a typical day of your life." Reading about the dedication these people have to their full time jobs, families and running is amazing and humbling. I'm only a recreational runner, but the lesson is applicable to everything: You get out of it what you put into it.

When I started my own company, I quickly enjoyed the freedom of schedule. And just as instantly, I was introduced to the burdon of balance. Keeping my drive in check didn't happen this year. I forgot that no one is going to put limits on anything except me. And so, I have been operating like a go-kart with its governor removed.

Looking back on 2011, it is apparent that the many activities and hobbies I love to do have been left dusty in a closet, lonely on a shelf or waiting for me while I sleep off exhaustion. But, I think there is a shockingly simple solution to this problem. I need to work less. Then, with the right balance, which I let go so wrong these past months, I will enjoy the activities I love to do and live the life I'd like to live.