I think I'm Back! (Herpreet)

I guess the title says it all.

I am considering training for a half marathon. I need to kick myself in the butt to get active again. I need to do so because Austin is making me fat (I live within a half mile radius of the best cupcakes I have ever had in life and the best pie I have ever put in my mouth), and because not doing anything is making me moody and depressive. I need endorphins.

So. Maybe if I just start writing about the desire to exercise, I will finally actually just do it! Did I just give Nike a plug? Hmm.

We Be Lazy

I actually have given up on looking at my blog reader or anything else blog-related. However, I was doing quite well with staying active. Last week I pretty much failed at exercise, but I do walk the dogs 1/2 hour in the am and 1/2 hour in the evenings, which is at least doing something. I look forward to squeezing a run in this afternoon or tomorrow at lunch. Hope everyone is doing well-

I'm still here. (cristin)

Go Natalie!!

I have been working out for the most part but very lazy about posting. I guess it’s better that way than the other way of being lazy about working out. I even exercised 3 times during my 10 day Louisiana stay! I must say it is very hard to work out in Louisiana so I get where you are coming from, Natalie.

This summer I’ve been running and doing pilates and learning to play tennis! James and I are still trying to fit in some swimming time but it just doesn’t seem to work. I did go for a great swim in Lake Michigan last weekend and it was wonderful but hardly a workout. But I was on vacation until Monday and it was been hard to get back in to it as always.

But I’m going to the gym after work today. I swear.

Well, well, well... Look at me.

So I did nothing for the month of June, until today, June 30. I got off my ass and ran in the sweltering heat. I didn't get too far, but dammit, I did it. And I'm going to try and stick with it. The end.

End of the week, Cristin

I need to start writing down what exercise I did in my calendar each day-I am finding it extremely hard to remember what I did from day to day. Is that old age? I think it is.

On Tuesday, James and I went for a lunch time run by the lake. It was gorgeous outside so we took advantage of it. That’s what you do in Chicago-take advantage of the weather. It was short-about 20 minutes or so but it felt good.

Wednesday I actually got up when my alarm went of at 6:35! That is unheard of just so you know. I did 20 minutes of yoga and then a few minutes of meditation. I am trying to add these things into my life. Ideally, this is how I would start every morning. So far it was just Wednesday.

Thursday I walked to the gym (20 minutes) and then did 12 minutes on the elliptical and then about 15 minutes of weight lifting. I decided I couldn’t do 2 or 3 sets of everything due to the fact that I get kinda bored with it so I did one set of everything for as many reps as I could. I think I got a pretty good full body workout in. I might do this more often too since I feel like I should do more weights but I get so down thinking about lifting weights for 45 minutes.

I realize I am constantly changing my workout and what I want to focus on. I can’t decide if that is a good thing or not.

Happy Long Weekend!!!

Week Whuddever, Natalie

Last Thursday I basically did a lot of lifting, moving, running up and down stairs, running around like a crazy person for like 6 hours. Therefore, I took the rest of the week off. And the beginning of this week. Hopefully group exercise will start up again soon and have classes I want to take, because I'm not doing very well on my own. Today I mowed the lawn, weeded, and planted in my yard. THEN, I installed a dog door. One would not think that this would be too labor intensive, but my jigsaw is like 300 years old, and my door varies in thickness. Hopin' to do something fun and active tomorrow afternoon... not sure what yet.

Some of Week 19, some of week 20, Cristin

I can’t remember what I did last week. I know I took a few days off because my whole body was sore and I think I just needed some rest. Took a long walk on Thursday and did an hour and ten minutes of Pilates with my Denise Austin DVD. That lady is crazy. First, she’s old. Secondly, she talks to you as if she’s teaching a class of 4 year olds. It was slightly maddening. It was hard to get too mad because the DVD is actually pretty tough. Especially since I did the “customize” work out and accidentally added every single 10 minute segment to my personalized work out.

I woke up on Saturday with a raging headache and tried to go for a run but the pounding was so bad I had to stick to walking. I wasn’t hung-over. I did celebrate my birthday the night before but I was very grown up and didn’t get drunk. I think I had too many different types of wine. Word to the wise: stick with the same kind all night.

Sunday morning I was headache free and went for a 3-mile run that felt great! Later on, I walked about 2 miles, which was nice because in between the walking and the running I ate a ton of food. Not only was it my birthday weekend but two other friends’ as well. So I basically celebrated all weekend long. This is why on Monday I came home from work and took a nap instead of a run. “Just Do It” kept entering my mind but my body wasn’t on board.

Natalie-I don't think you have to start over!

Week 1? Day 1 Natalie

Do I have to start all over again? This afternoon I got over my fear of the rec center pool, and headed over for a swim. I didn't swim for a particularly long time, but man, i can already feel it in my muscles. All of those little muscles that don't get used running, biking, doing ballet, pilates, yoga... yowza. I hate to even think what it's going to feel like tomorrow. At any rate, it's good to be back. Missed y'all! Oh, and week 18 I did ride my bike once. ha!

End of week 18, beginning of week 19, Cristin

I didn’t feel well Friday but I did take a 20 minute walk because after I slept for a couple hours after work I felt kinda gross and needed to get out of the house. Luckily, by Saturday I felt fine and went for a run.

On Sunday I also ran and added in some push ups, tricep dips, step ups, and sprints. After that I did a few round offs, cartwheels and handstands just for fun. I watched the NCAA Gymnastics Championships earlier in the day and was feeling quite inspired! In case you didn’t know, I really wish I was an elite gymnast. Big time.

Monday was another run. I’ve been running a lot more because the weather is so nice it pains me to be inside a gym sometimes. I’ve really gotten back into it and I couldn’t be happier about it. For the most part, I’ve been running a little over two miles and on Saturday I ran 3. I am so excited to be a runner again! I’m not focusing on time so much although I am aware of it and it seems like I’m running right around a 10 minute mile which is A-OK with me.

Week 19, Herpreet

Everybody! This is my final week of training before my triathlon. I am a little terrified, a little excited, and on some level, calm. The calm part baffles me and makes me less calm. Inner voice: Why are you so calm? You shouldn't be so calm. What's wrong with you? You better get anxious. If you're too calm, you'll freak out on the day of the event.

Today, we went out to Lake Austin. There are infinite places to swim here, I'm finding. I drove way into the hills and then down toward the water. One of our instructors lives on the lake. Our task was to swim 1/4 mile out to some reed grass and then back in for a total of 800 meters - race distance. My instructor advised that I use fins. Part of me didn't want the fins because it's easier to swim with them. But I think Coach V was wise. She said that I have anxiety about the murkiness - so I should get the fins on and concentrate on building my confidence about swimming in the KIND of water, since I already know that I can do the distance. She was correct. This is the FIRST TIME EVER that I have SWAM in murky lake water. Not treaded or floated or done some incorrect version of breast stroke. No, I swam. Freestyle and Back stroke. Occasionally, I did tread and float a bit to reorient myself and make sure I was swimming fairly straight and not way out to the middle of the lake. I did great. After the swim, I took the fins off and dove in and swam in the murk, blind as could be under water. But I reminded myself that when I breathe, I can see, and I can check to make sure I'm following the course correctly. If I can stay this calm on Sunday, it will feel like a major major feet.

Week 18, Herpreet

Week 18 was last week, and suddenly, I'm feeling like I'm keeping track of a pregnancy. Only pregnant people speak in weeks, right? The birth of our fitter selves.

So last week, week 18. I had an amazing swim at Barton Springs. Amazing. It was amazing because I did not let myself tread one single time. I swam 4 lengths (1/2 mile) doing only free style and back stroke. I did stop at the end of each length and rest, BUT, I was calm and collected while I swam.

Wednesday, we did a 3 mile run. I did walk for part of it, and I was okay with that.

On Saturday, I went out to Walter E. Long Park, which is the site of my event this Sunday. We rode the bike course. I felt, well, not so great about my 12 mile ride. It is VERY VERY HILLY. The hilliest ride I've ever done, and I had to stop and walk my bike up one of the hills. ARG. I left feeling panicked - like - how the hell am I going to ride up all those hills after I've swam 1/2 mile???!!!! Negative, negative, negative thoughts.

Week 17 and 18 I think.

Agh! I haven't written in so long! But I have been exercising.

Last week I ran on Monday and Wednesday and I made it to Pilates on Friday AND ran in the evening too!

This week I ran on Sunday,went to the gym BEFORE work on Monday and ran on Tuesday. I took off Wednesday and Thursday due to some scheduling problems. And today I don't feel well so I am leaving work early and skipped Pilates. If I feel better later on I will try to get a run in.

So, yeah. I've been running a lot more. And they have been such good runs! I've stopped trying to go faster and started running just to run and it feels great. Sometimes I'm not even aware of which songs I have heard or how many times I have run around the park. SWEET!!

TGIF.

End of Week 17, Part 2, Herpreet

Friday's bike ride was a 3 mile warm up on a cycling loop and then a very scary 8 mile ride along the hilly highway. Yes. I said highway. I've never concentrated so hard on keeping my balance on a bike. Cars whizzing by at 75 miles an hour. Me riding on the shoulder. Who does that? Oh yeah, Ausinite cyclists.

Today, I met up with 2 women from my tri class. We swam 4 lengths of Barton Springs to practice for May 17. So, I completed an 800 swim today. I did free style, back stroke, and my weird treading/semi breast stroke... We stopped at the end of the pool, rested and swam back to the start. I admired the fish and the strange plants in the water. I didn't experience vertigo in quite the same way as the first time I swam in the springs. I now feel exhausted, but also less frightened about the event in a few weeks. I'm thinking of singing the theme song to Laverne and Shirley to myself as I swim the race.

Week 17, Fail. Natalie

I didn't do smack this week. I'm trying to get papers finished so I can be done with the semester.

End of Week 17, Herpreet

I had to look at a calendar to figure out the week... Are we all slacking off a little? We need some motivational kicks in the butt, don't we? That's my feeling.

Last weekend was my first triathlon. I did the 300 meter swim mostly on my back, and also...treading water. That may seem ridiculous, but free style in the open water just isn't working for me right now. I'm trying to figure something out for May 17 when I have to do 800 m. For now, I'm also a lot scared. Why, why, why can't the swim be in a pool, is what I'd like to know. I would do SUCH a good job if it was.

The rest of it was okay, some mishaps along the way. I had to pee the entire race, and by the time I got to the run, I ended up having to run off course to relieve myself. Dropped my water bottle again on the bike ride. Lessons learned: Pee in the water. Bring a cheap water bottle on your bike and don't stop to pick it up if you drop it.

This week, we had a swim on Monday. It was a nice "recovery" swim. Wednesday we ran, but I mostly walked. I put yankz in my shoes, and I think they were too tight and just not feeling right. My foot started hurting. So I'm switching back to my old laces. We ride bikes today. Tomorrow I'm going to practice my swimming.

Later ladies and Kevin.

Last week, this week, the week before last

Lots of things have been going on to make it hard to blog. I’ll see what I can remember.

I do know that on that horrible hungover Friday I actually did make it to the gym. I decided I needed to sweat my toxins out and I did 15 minutes on the elliptical, 10 minutes in the steam room followed by a hot shower. I felt almost as good as new. I felt even better when I started drinking again.

I’m not sure what I did last week. I know I took a short walk/run on Easter and then I think I made it to the gym several times during lunch. But I could be wrong. I know I made it to my Friday Pilates class. I think it was a pretty good work-out week.

This week started with an hour of cardio on Sunday and a 30 minute walk on Monday. The rest of the week has been out of my control. I plan to make it to the gym sometime today even if it is only for 20 minutes.

James and I are going to work with a trainer on our swimming! Herpreet, I need all your swimming advice. Specifically, where can I get a good swimsuit? You know, one, that, um, supports me in my swimming endeavors.

Week 16!!! Days 1 & 2

Yesterday I attended ballet again, and I loved it again. I'm not sure what I'm going to do once the semester is over and they don't offer it anymore... for at least a month or so. Then there's the question if they'll even bring it back! But I have grown to also enjoy the PiYo class, and plan to continue with that. And I want to try out the butts & guts class too.

Today I went for a nice, long bike ride. The weather is beautiful, and I wanted to get outside. I'm still here, Herpreet. I'm just avoiding all of the posts in my reader that I have yet to read. I think I'm just going to go ahead and delete all of them. In other news, the end of the semester is looming. I have 3 fairly significant papers to get out of the way, a presentation tomorrow, and I took a final earlier today. I hate that I have given up on blogging, but I love that I've been exercising. I think they both do a little of the same thing for me, but exercise is good for me physically as well as mentally. This summer should see an uptick in blog posting. Nice rambling! The end!

Week 16! Herpreet

Four Months - Where is everyone!?

On Monday, I swam for the second time at Barton Springs. I panicked a little bit. I am working on getting over my fears. One of my classmates walked to the end of the pool with me and we got in and swam the length from the end to the start. Somehow it feels less daunting to begin in the deep end and work your way to the shallow end.


Today we are doing a bike/run brick, and on Friday, we are doing an easy run.

On Saturday, I do my first event of the season - 300 m swim, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run. I am SO nervous about the swim. It is in Lake Travis. I am considering trying to take one last swim in Barton Springs as practice, but I haven't made up my mind whether I'll do that or not. Technically, the week before an event, we are supposed to "taper" so that our bodies are good and ready for event day.

I also have a big shopping day planned - I'm getting a new tri-suit, new goggles, Some electrolyte powders. I think that's it.

Okay guys, send my a lot of good thoughts leading up to Saturday, but especially on Saturday morning.

Week 15, Day 2, Herpreet

Wednesday we did strength training. Where we run a quarter mile lap, do some exercises and run again. The strength training included step ups, squats, push ups, bicycle crunches, oblique crunches, super mans, squats. I think that's it. I'm apporpriately sore in my abs and butt and thighs.

Skipped my bike ride today because it's rainy and my last full day hanging with my old roomie. She heads back to NY tomorrow.

Week Whatever, Day 3 Natalie

I went to PiYo again this afternoon, and really enjoyed it despite the fact that I heard at least two unmistakable farts during certain stretches. I was not bowled over by any noxious fumes, so I was able to contain my teenage sensibilities and keep from commenting (though I did notice a couple of other people holding in their giggles).

Today I had lunch at Subway because I didn't bring my lunch. Honey Oat bread does not have milk, nor does turkey (as far as I know...) The Veggie Patty does have dairy, which was a bit surprising and very disappointing, though the turkey wasn't bad. Actually, it was quite good.

For dinner I had salmon and asparagus. The hard part might be dessert. I heart cookies and milk!