Hard Core

I am working today, Saturday, and I knew I would miss Boot Camp. I usually go on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday morning. So that I wouldn't miss out on 3 sessions this week, I went Wednesday night, and then got up and went to the 5:30 am Thursday session. And it hurt. Oh, how it hurt. I skipped Body Pump yesterday morning because I was still sore.

The good news is that there were only 2 of us Thursday morning and it was more like a personal training session than usual. The bad news is we did a lot-- threw the medicine ball back and forth, carried the medicine ball up and down the stairs (taken 2 at a time), ran, ran some more, ran tied together pulling the trainer (this was abandoned due to the rope squeezing us cruelly round the middle), ran backwards(!) up the steep little hill (I openly rebelled at this-- I was afraid I would fall, and yep, I did fall, but I also ran up the bleepity hill), walked backwards on the treadmill, and then topped it all off with some of the weight machines. Oh, and the jumping. Leo (the trainer) is a fan of the jumping-- I am emphatically not a fan of the jumping. My ankles have been sore for days. I did actually feel energized by starting the day with such a tough workout, but I think that was due to the fact that I am not a morning person and I think I was mostly asleep.

I will be back on schedule next week, with Boot Camp on the regular days, and maybe a few other workouts mixed in. The EP5K is next Sunday, and I am very excited about that. I am going to try to make sure I have enough energy to do well in the race. I am going to head down to the expo either Friday or Saturday-- running stuff to ogle and a goodie bag to pick up! Yay!

Why, hello...

...my cutey-baby running gadget! My Garmin is here! I can't wait to try it out. I think I am going to take a super-short run tomorrow, just to see my baby in action, even though Sunday is usually my rest day.

Boot Camp started today, and it went well. We ran to start, just like usual, and then did some more running to set PRs to beat at the end of the month. I did decent in the long run, but was slow in the sprint. I am apparently not a sprinter, even though it *felt* like I was running fast. Oh well....

We went inside afterwards, and did pushup and crunch tests-- 22 pushups, and 40 crunches in the time allotted. Considering I could hardly do 5 push-ups when I started Body Pump in July, it's quite an improvement. Then we were on to circuit training--cardio, free weights, and the weight machines. I actually liked it, even though I started to have that funny "My heart is beating way too fast!!!!!" feeling I've had before when we push through multiple exercises without a lot of rest. My funny feeling subsided, though, and I made it through upright. The cardio was tough-- we used the SciFit machines, and I was on the one that you pedal with your feet AND your hands. Jenna set the resistance high, and on a big hill program-- I did some groaning at the peak of the hills. I was supposed to switch with my partner, but I had some serious doh! with the machine and missed out.

We also were told that we better keep moving the whole time, or we would have to do 10 Burpees if they caught us standing still. I hate Burpees-- they should be called Barfees, for all that down, up, jump(!) jiggling-ness. So I was careful to keep running in place, or squatting, or *something*, for the love of all that is holy. The weight machine work felt good, except for the hamstring kick-back thing. I whimpered by the time I got to the end of my 15 reps. And the free weight stuff felt familiar, even though the bicep curls shredded me a little, on the heels of yesterday's Body Pump. I felt exhausted but exhilarated by the end of the session. It was much less scary this time around, although I might be speaking too quickly... We'll see how it goes Monday night.

There are also some new accountability/point-earning things for this Boot Camp session. We will earn points for everything we do-- the weekly challenge (drink 64oz of water everyday, for this week), workouts other than Boot Camp, keeping a food journal, the Amazing Race, and overall weight loss. Who ever has the most points at the end will win something good-- it was cash gift-cards last time. With the new rules, I think I have a chance! Ooh, and I got my T-shirt from the last session-- I am very proud.

Hello, 2009!

The first run of 2009? Not so great. I ran outside in a friend's neighborhood, and I just wasn't feeling it. It was cool, even though I didn't get started until 10am. My lungs complained through most of the "back" on my out-and-back. It was 2.25 miles, and I finished in about 30 minutes, I think. I walked more than I would have liked, but I did have some nice moments while I was running when it felt like it was all working and I could tell that I had picked up the pace.

My right knee is still hurty and my IT bands are achy, so I am going to see the doctor in a week, to get a referral for physical therapy/sports massage. Hopefully that will help. My deepest fear is that my knee will give out or become so painful that I am unable to run, so I am trying to be proactive. I realized that I have not been icing my knee regularly, like I was before, so I will have to do a better job of being consistent with the ice.

I ordered a Garmin 305! I am very excited to get it, and start seeing what it can do. I really want to run outside more in the coming months, and I love being able to see how far I have gone, and my pace, so I bit the bullet and ordered one. Squees of excitement!

The EP 5k is only 2 weeks away-- I am hoping to come in under 40 minutes this time. The chances seem good! Boot Camp starts tomorrow-- that should help!