Monday, June 28, 2010

Monday's workout

Nothing much going on in my boring life at the moment. I am quite happy with this though, I feel like I am focusing on my health.

Today's workout: shoulder and arms (biceps)

Warm up
-walking on the treadmill 3mph, incline 5 for 0.5mils
-running on the treadmill 4.5mph for 0.5 miles

- squat with the weight bar on my shoulders - 15 reps, then 30 walking lunges(3 sets)
-barbell 65 lbs 15 reps then pull downs 15 reps (3 sets)
-sitting barbell lifts - 15 reps then rowing maching 15 reps (3 sets)
-arm machine ( wish I knew what this was called - fly maybe) started off with heavy weigh and 15 reps(I cried doing this) then the weight came down and the #reps came down - This was fricken beyond hard, especially since my arms and shoulders were already tired from all the weights)
- 20, 20 20 20 cycle of sit ups.
- ab work on the swiss ball
-finally leg work(imagine a dog on all fours lifting its leg to pee on a hydrant - lol

I can honestly say the last 4 days I have pushed my body to the max with regard to working out, but I feel great..... This morning I had an osteopath appointment and a lovely accupuncture session. Ahhhhhhh I feel wonderful now....

Note: starting clothing size was 22 or some 24. My size 18 capris are falling off today, I am pretty solidly in a size 16 now. It feels great :)

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Gym Update

I managed to complete 26.2 miles on the stationary bike today - hurrah.... my time was 1hr 10 mins. The last 6.2 miles was tough, but there was no way I was going to quit when I was that close to the end.

By way of comparison, if anyone watched the Biggest Loser this season, they had a challenge to see who could do the 26.2 miles the fastest. The slowest person took 1 hr 41 minutes. The fastest took 1 hr 17 mins, so my time is pretty darn good, although they may have been riding at a higher level (I was pretty much at level 3).

After the bike I managed 375 meter swim, but I really was exhausted at that point. All in all a good weekend sweatfest :)

Saturday, June 26, 2010

workout log

Just wanted to make a note of todays workout.

- 5k run/walk on the treadmill, time 37 mins.
- swim - 50 laps (Approx 1200m) time 40 mins.

Not much else is going on, I have been watching coverage of the G20 summit and am very upset at the level of destruction in downtown Toronto! enough said.

Tomorrow, my goal is to do a 26mile ride on the stationary bike and another 50 lap swim. Wish me luck

Friday, June 25, 2010

Finally Friday - G20 edition

I took today off just to chill and relax a bit...... This morning I was at the gym. My workout was simply this:

warm up - run 0.5m on the treadmill

get my ass kicked doing Muay Thai for 45 mins - literally until I could barely stand.


cool down - 80 sit up cycle.

I love kick boxing......er well I love it once I am done :)


Getting ready for a dinner and movie date tonight- I think we are seeing - get him to the Greek.

Other than that I am just hoping and praying that the G20 summit here goes off with no major incidents. There certainly seems to be enough police presence so my fingers remain crossed.

oh and go ENGLAND! Not really a huge fan, but I like to be part of the cheering and since David Beckham is from the same place as my Mom and sister, I am cheering on England.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Shakey Wednesday - Earthquake edition

sitting at work this afternoon, minding my own business when all of a sudden my computer screen started to shake as well as the floor under me. I instictively knew what is was as I have felt an earthquake years ago, but for a quick second I thought I was going to faint, as I had that lightheaded feeling from the motion. Wow, can I just say, I am not very good in a crisis. My only thought was get outside. I grabbed my car keys and got up, but by then the tremor subsided. Seriously, my heart was pounding and my hands were trembling for a long time afterwards. I can just say thank goodness there was only slight damage in Ottawa and Quebec.

I think we here in Southern Ontario are slightly jittery because of the G20 this weekend. In fact today there were helicopters circling all day(the airport is very close to my building). Also, I work for a Bank, which is a target of the protesters and because of the closures in downtown toronto, there are a lot of Bank executives working in my building this week, which also makes me a bit nervous......

ok, on to my workout - It's Wednesday which means it is cardio day.... here is a rundown of my workout.
- warm up - run 0.5miles on the treadmill from 3.5mph to 6mph time 6 minutes
- running lines not sure of the distance but each one takes about 2 mins\
- running course where I run 20ft bounce a medicine ball 5 times, run back. Doing this 3 times is one rep. I did 3 reps.

- next one was to walk the 20ft but swinging a 15lb kettlebell,bouce the ball 5 times, run back and then run back to the ball, bouce 5 times, pick up the bell and go back to the start. doing this 3 times = 1 rep, I did 3 reps.

- next one was to pick up the bell and lift it to the side 3x with each arm. then run 20 ft, bounce the ball 5 times and run back, do this 3 x =1 rep. I did 3 reps

- next was sit ups - 20 crunches, 20 knees up, 20 full body and 20 bicycles.

phew, I am tired now just thinking about it..... Friday is BOXING!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Monday ramblings

Well decided to post something other than pictures. I have not been motivated to write very much lately. Last week was brutal with process changes at work, and my workouts with my trainer have definitely reached a new intensity level. The good news is my knees are feeling much better, although not perfect.

Just a note that yesterday I went to visit my Dad for Fathers day. Now he is 73 yrs old and I am 43 years old but somehow when it comes to your parents you will always feel like a kid around them. Anyway, I have always had this need to make my father proud, and when I was doing the tri a few weeks ago I decided not to invite him to come watch me because a: I wasn't 100% sure I could do it. b) I was afraid he would say no, he was too busy (which would have killed me) or c) that he would come and be embarrassed of me. So it really is with delight that I write that he actually shed a few tears when I was telling him stories from my tri. Love it! He will definitely be coming to my next one in August.

On another note, my friend Helen, who also trains with the same trainer as me, and who did the Tri with me, went back home on the weekend to see her ailing Grandpa. Now this is a 6 hr drive north. She wrote to me on the Saturday, totally upset that she went to see him in the hospital, and all he could say was that she looked like she was 6 mos pregnant and she should ask for her money back because the personal training was not working. How can people be soooooooo horrible. My heart broke for her.

Anyway on to other news. I think I need to keep a bit of a note of what I am doing at the gym these days, so I can come back and review later.

Today:
-warm up was 0.5 miles on the treadmill - speed from 3mph(walk) up to 6mph(run) time was 6 mins, which is down from 7.5mins last week. Goal is 4 mins.

- working out the legs today. So I was on a leg press 185lbs 15 reps, then to a calf press, 15 reps (not sure the weight), then a leg curl 15 reps (quads) leg curl (back of thigh) 15 reps. I did this 4 times each, then had a break for 2 minutes and then did another set 4 times. At the end of the first set I was actually crying because the pain was so intense (I know, big baby- lol) but by the second set I got into the grove, focused and shut out the pain.

next came mat work, on my hands and knees I did leg raises - lots of them (about 40 or 50 reps on each leg)

next was abs, 20 crunches, 20 with my knees up, 20 full body sit ups, and 20 bicycles. followed by plank position for 30 secs.

DONE :)

Tomorrows goal: run 1 mile, walk on an incline for 1 mile, swim for 30 minutes.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Pictures

Some pictures from the try a tri..... lol, can't believe I am posting the one wearing the swim cap(lol), but here they are....





Sunday, June 6, 2010

YAHOOOOO - Sucessful Tri

The miracle is not that you finished, the miracle is that you had the courage to begin - author unknown.

Here I am, back home,just out of a nice hot shower, and freaking happier than a pig in shit! What an emotional rollercoaster the last two weeks have been. I think I have changed my mind at least 3 times..... I'm doing it, nope can't do it......I'm doing it.....nope I can't do it ..... you get the picture. The drive out to Kelso was wet. the walk into the start area even worse, we were soaked to the bone. The worst part for me was the swim. When I got into the water before the race started, this sense of calm came over me, but when we started the race with people kicking etc I panicked about a 3rd of the way out. I grabbed onto a race official on a kayak and told him I can't do it, I am done!( I should really clarify, that this wasn't a random guy in a kayak.... he was there to help swimmers who were tired or in distress lol) He told me to just relax and catch my breath. I was thinking about all the hard work that has gone into this, and my family and friends who came out to cheer me on.....and then something just clicked inside my head and I was off..... I didn't stop until I emerged from the lake to the cheer of the crowd.....Off to the bike(which had 3 hills, which I am proud to say I didn't have to push up any of them- lol) and then I walked most of the 2.5k.....

I didn't win any awards, but I finished and that was the greatest achievement ever. My unofficial time was 1 hr 22 mins, but I am hoping the offical time will be around 1 hr 15 mins. Doesn't matter though.... I am so proud of myself today.

The best part for me was having a woman come up to me at the end to congratulate me. She was a bit heavier and came out to see what it was all about. She said she wants to compete in the event but is too scared..... I talked to her about my fears etc and said I hoped to see her out there next year.... and she said she thinks she just might try it. I think I inspired her, and that makes me feel great.

Also, I took the advice of a very smart Duathlete/Triathlete, who's blog I came across but accident and who has inspired me over the last few months. He said to have fun and talk with the crowd. I totally did that, exchanging laughs with the police out on the bike and with the crowd in the transition. It totally made for an amazing day. We enjoyed it so much we are planning to do another in July and a final one in August :)

Hmmmmmmm, stay tuned for my next adventure...

UPDATE: OFFICIAL TIME IS 1:16:22