Thursday, July 31, 2008

Day 320...tRyiNg tO cOnQueR fRaN...

........................"FRAN" DONE BY "THE PROS".......................

It seems that there are hurdles in CrossFit workouts that I will never make it over. Funny...if one of my clients were to say that to me...I would disagree and go off on a pep talk of sorts...but for ME...it's different. Today I wanted to do "Fran". I haven't completed Fran since I've been able to do kipping pull ups. I had always done it with a 45 lb bar and with jumping pull ups before. Once I tried to do it with the prescribed weight...65 lbs and with kipping pull ups...it was hard and took so long that I aborted that mission halfway through. I decided today that I would do it with a 45 lb bar but with kipping pull ups instead of jumping. It seemed easy enough...piece of cake...WRONG!

J came up early to do it with me. Funny how once you warm up and stand in front of the bar...it doesn't seem so easy anymore. So we started the stopwatch and off we went. The thrusters were easy...I mean compared to my past experience using 65 lbs...but it was those freaking pull ups that got me! I want to do dead hangs so bad, but I can't. I learned to kip, but the rubbing motion of the kip just KILLS my hands and it slowed me down. In the end...it took me an embarrassing 7 minutes to complete the workout!!!...and my hands are STILL sore.

I wondered...will I ever conquer "Fran"??? But then again..I NEVER thought I do even 1 pullup...and eventhough I was slow...today I did 45!!! So, I guess, I just have to keep trying to conquer "Fran" because today..."SHE" conquered me!

WORKOUT
------------------
"FRAN"
21, 15, 9
THRUSTERS (45 LB BAR)
PULL UPS

TIME-7 MINUTES =(

CARDIO
--------------
45 MIN ELLIPTICAL (HILLS)

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Day 319...tHiS iS hOw iT bEgaN...

"So you're a jogger, huh?" "I don't jog, Mr Booker. I run." "Well, that's lucky for you. Grizzlies around here mostly go for joggers." -Tom Booker to Annie in "The Horse Whisperer"

THIS is how it began...It was about 8 years ago. I was in the process of trying to lose the rest of the "baby weight" from my second child. I was tired of walking on my treadmill...day after day after day. My husband came home with a book. I have no clue where it is now, but I believe the cover looked just like this one in the picture. He bought it off a sale rack at Barnes and Noble for me. I wasn't particularly interested in running, but I flipped through the pages and read a few pages. Days later...I was reading it...cover to cover. And so it began...I decided that I would become a runner...and I did. It was a slow process in the beginning, but within year...I ran my first 5K...the "Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure" on my 30th birthday. I was hooked.

I LOVE to run. I LOVE that it is always a challenge. I LOVE the feeling of control over my body. When my legs or lungs want to stop...I can choose to continue...to run faster even. I live for the runs where I feel like I could go forever. Those make the hard, crappy, slow runs worthwhile.

This morning I decided that I would run...but not through my neighborhood...I ran down highway 360. I do that from time to time. It freaks my neighbors out when they see me, but I do that run because it challenges me EVERY time. Today was no exception. It was so humid...I was POURING sweat. My butt and legs are sore from yesterday's workout...and I didn't get enough sleep. It was a hard run. I wanted to stop...but I didn't...I wouldn't. It was a run that I knew would not break any records...one that I just wanted to finish...and I did.

When I got home, I was wringing wet from head to toe...tired...thirsty. I needed to hurry and get ready so I could go up to the gym and train people. In spite of all that...I LOVED running this morning. I loved the pain...the wind on my face when 18 wheelers drove past...my feet pushing off the ground...muscles firing...sweat dripping. So, I'm glad that my husband bought that book for me...all those years ago. I'm glad I read it and tried...that I endured when it was hard...because now I reap the rewards every time I decide to run...even when it's hard.

RUN 5 MILES

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Day 318...taLkiNg mYseLf iNtO it...

I LOVE to workout. When I don't...I'm sluggish, sad, and regretful. It's a rare thing for me to miss a day. I work hard and fast...and I'm always pushing myself to the limit. Unfortunately, some days my body and my desire do not mix so well.

Today I was SLOOOW. I just didn't want to do anything, but I chose a tough workout (at least I thought so) and got to work. Try as I might...I felt like I spent most of my time in the gym talking myself into continuing on. I FINALLY finished what seemed to be the longest workout EVER...not because of the number of exercises...but because my will was lacking. I guess the good news is that I DID talk myself through it and I did each and every rep...to the best of my ability. I hope tomorrow I have a little more pep in my step!

WARMUP
------------
500 M ROW
STRETCHING
AIR SQUATS

WORKOUT
----------------
20 TRAVELING OVERHEAD LUNGES (15 LB BAR)
20 PUSH UPS
20 BENT DB ROWS (40 TOTAL/20 EACH ARM-30 LB DB)
20 BACK SQUATS (95 LBS)
20 GHD SIT UPS
20 SUMO DEAD LIFT HIGH PULLS (65 LBS)
RUN 400 M
3 ROUNDS

NO EXTRA CARDIO...YET...

Monday, July 28, 2008

Day 317...tHoSe dArN kEttLeBeLLs...

I needed to get some things done as soon as I was done training my clients today. I wanted to be able to shower and leave, so I decided to go in to the gym at 6AM and workout with those guys so my workout would be done for the day. I felt like crap during the warmup. It's hard to "deal with" the intensity of CrossFit THAT early. As usual, J had a workout ready that I wasn't expecting. It looked like it would be rough doing push jerks with 2 kettlebells instead of a bar, but I had no idea that I would still be feeling it now. I may have felt bad warming up, but I focused and finished ahead of the guys.

The squats were a little painful...the running was not so bad...the figure 8s were easy...the final KB swings and row were tiring...but really it was the push jerks that I struggled with the most. 30 push jerks...30 times those kettlebells knocked against my boney forearms...I KNOW if I would "control" the weight better, it would not be so bad. Now I have these awful bruises to remind me of the "fun" I had this morning. I can't complain. I am just grateful that I'm strong enough to lift them...even if it did hurt.

WARMUP
------------
400 M ROW
10 PULL UPS
10 PUSH UPS
10 GHD SITUPS
2 ROUNDS

WORKOUT
----------------
30 FRONT SQUATS (HOLDING 2-26LB KBS)
RUN 400 M
30 PUSH JERK (WITH 2-26LB KBS)
RUN 400 M
30 FIGURE 8s (26 LB KB-SWITCHED TO 35 LB)
RUN 800 M
THEN:
50 KB SWINGS (35 LBs)
1000 M ROW
(TIME = approx 27 MIN)

NO EXTRA CARDIO

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Saturday, July 26, 2008

DAY 315...hArD wOrK...gOOd tiMeS...

So we've all seen the "boot camp" classes at the park before. Some are legit...people working hard and sweating...others are mommies in cute clothes...not doing anything too difficult...but still they park their strollers and show up so they can feel like they are working hard. I'm NOT putting down "Mommies with strollers"...I was one...once. I mean...I still am...a Mom...but I'm past the stroller phase. The point of all this is that working out can take on different meanings for different people. For me...it's hard work...sweat in your eyes...wondering if you can finish...knowing you'll never just give up. It's about pain and perseverance. It's feeling a sense of accomplishment that I find no where else in my life.

Today, me, J, and some friends from the gym, went to the park to workout...to do a little "boot camp" if you will. Now, I haven't known most of these people all that long...I don't know much about them...but still I would call them friends...especially after a day "in the trenches" together. We hauled a ton of crap with us...a big tire...medicine balls...and kettle bells. We formulated a plan and got started. It was hot, but fun. K and I were the only girls so we teamed up. First thing we were supposed to do was flip a tire UP the steps of the little amphitheater area together. J said he didn't care how we got it back down for the next team. We got it up and decided to roll it down. It was just like the time I threw the medicine ball in the woods and J had to "fetch" it. We rolled it...laughing...and then we were like..."Oh crap! It's goin in the woods!"...and we followed it down the steps...and watched it roll into the brush. K and I went and stood on the edge...wondering how to get it out. We decided to let the "boys" get it. J was NOT surprised when I told him what I had done. They were nice and B (K's husband) and R (B's friend) recovered it from the brush. We moved on to the Med Ball toss and KB throws in the sand pit. By the time us girls finished...the other two teams of boys were already done and waiting on us. After we got done, recovered a bit, and drank some water...J said, "What's next?". I said, "Whatever you want...I'm game." We decided to run the trail to another park so we could do some pull ups and get a change of venue but stay outdoors at the park.

We wanted to take KBs with us. I said, "We'll just run the trail carrying them. It won't be too far. We can do it!" Me and my freakin ideas get me in more trouble. It sucked running with a KB, but we made it. The boys did pull ups on the burning hot bars of the playground. Children looked on in fear...and their parents looked confused. I wanted more leg work so I proposed a KB swing, goblet squat, sprint, lunge combo. No one was excited, but K and I started and the guys followed. After we WALKED back as we were all feelin pretty tired, and headed back to the gym.

There, the boys all showered...YES...it was the BOYS that we had to wait on. Then, we went to Chili's for lunch. S couldn't come, but all the rest of us did. OKay so I'm nervous to say this, because they may see it...BUUUT...when I first met B and R...I wasn't so sure what to think...wasn't sure if I would like them. Those two are competitive and I was still feeling inadequate as a trainer. I was worried that they would think I wasn't "good enough" to work there. Today I decided that I really like those guys. They are really funny and while they ARE competitive...they are also "team players". All three boys kept me laughing at lunch. I have to say that I don't have a lot of friends and I'm not really a social person in general...but I had a GREAT time.

J and I used to always plan long, hard, different workouts for Saturdays. I always looked forward to Saturdays with J as my trainer. Now that I'm not paying him to train me...we don't get to do that as much anymore. There is always other people around...and I have often missed those good times. It wasn't just J and I at the park today...but it was okay...I enjoyed each person there and I loved every minute of working out together. Today was full of hard work...laughter...sweat...and good times.

WORKOUT @ THE PARK
-----------------------------
TIRE FLIP UP THE STAIRS OF THE "AMPHITHEATER" (and a roll down-ha!)

THEN:
20 "BOX JUMPS" UP THE STEPS
20 DIPS (hands on edge of steps)

THEN:
MEDICINE BALL TOSS TO PARTNER (100 TOTAL/50 EACH PERSON)

THEN:
KB THROW ACROSS SANDY VOLLEYBALL AREA (10 X ACROSS-JUMPING JACKS WHILE PARTNER FETCHING & THROWING)

THEN:
RUN DOWN TRAIL AND BACK TO SAND

AFTER:
RUN .5 MILES (approx) ON TRAIL W/ 26 LB KB TO OTHER PARK
25 KB SWINGS (26 LB-varying weights for different people)
25 GOBLET SQUATS (holding 26 lb KB)
SPRINT 100 M
LUNGE ALL THE WAY BACK

WALK .5 MILES BACK TO CAR

CARDIO (included in workout)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Day 314..."jeReMy"...

I overslept...PANIC...my sister will be waiting for me to train her. I got to the gym about 5 minutes late. I put my shoes on...still not quite awake...and trained my sis. I ran with her at the end as my warm up, so that I could workout when she was done.

J was gonna leave, but he couldn't. CrossFit can be like a drug. Even when you are tired...hurting...know you shouldn't...don't have time...it beckons you. That's probably why a lot of Crossfitters refer to it as "drinking the Kool Aid". He went out to his car...then came back in to do the CF WOD (workout of the day) with me. I was glad he did.

I stink at Overhead Squats so I looked at this as a real opportunity to practice "under pressure". When the men's RX (prescribed) weight is 95lbs...usually the women's RX is 65lbs. I can do 65 lbs, but it would take a LONG time, so while it woulda been quicker to use a 45 lb bar...I chose a happy medium of 55 lbs. The first 21 were tough, but it was the next round that was bad. After doing 21 OH Squats and THEN doing 21 Burpees with good pushups in the middle...my shoulders were feelin it. The worst was that on the last round, I kept having to re clean the weight because I would drop it which would just drain more of my energy. I was slow, but I did it. That was a good WOD. I liked it and I was glad that I had someone to do it with me!

WARMUP
------------
800 M RUN

WORKOUT
---------------
"JEREMY"
21, 15, 9
OVER HEAD SQUATS (55 lbs)
BURPEES

TIME (17 MIN?)

CARDIO
-----------
30 MIN ELLIPTICAL


This workout was to honor a little boy named Jeremy. I didn't know him personally, but I would consider this one of CrossFit's "Heroes" WODS...very sad story. Copy and paste the link below for his story.

http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/001249.html

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Day 313..."oN yOuR mArK...gEt sEt...gO!...

I LOVE to run. I'm not super fast, but I enjoy it still the same. I've been lucky to have my friend back in town for the last few weeks, and I jump at any chance I get to run with him. I enjoy the conversation as much as I do the run. It always feels so easy...natural with him. Today was no exception.

He's doing some painting for me, so we stopped to run before we went to get "supplies" at Lowe's. For the very last lap, he suggested a race. I have better long distance endurance, but he has more speed. This would be interesting. He told me to "call it". We lined up and I said, "On your mark...get set...GO!!!" and we were off. I took off fast and hard...hoping I wouldn't tire out too quick. I knew he would "get me" at the end with his fast sprint if I let him get close enough. It was hard, but I won...barely.

I loved today's run. My friend will be gone again in a week. I thought that I was "okay with it"...that I was resolved...but I felt profound sadness today when he talked about leaving...it surprised me...but I pretended not to care. I'll miss him...which makes days...and runs...like today's...all the more special.

5K RUN

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Day 312...iT's aLL aBoUt tHe meDiciNe baLL...

I'm sleepy...4 hours of sleep...is NOT enough sleep for me...but that's how much sleep I got. I wanted to create a workout for my clients today that used the medicine ball and I wanted it to be different than anything that we've done before. I was up late planning, but I got up early anyway and got ready for the gym.

The workout turned out to be much harder than I expected. It really worked my first two clients hard! They both push themselves very hard every session, but they really gave me their all today. I had to modify it for my last client because her tailbone is sore and she did not want to do sit ups. When I was all done training, I thought, "I wonder how hard this would be for me?". I decided to try it out with different weights and modify it because I had no one to throw a ball to.

First off, I haven't done medicine ball cleans in a while. Wow...my legs were burning. Then instead of throwing the ball from my knees to another person, doing a pushup, and having them hand the ball back to me...I had to throw it from my knees, do a pushup, and then run to the ball and do it again and again...all over the gym. Lastly, I had no one to toss the ball to when I came up on my situps, so I would hold it over my head, touch the ground, come up raising the ball up and then go back down. It only took me about 16 minutes (NOT counting any rowing I did before or after), but I was sweating profusely.

My sister called to say she is already sore. She may not like me tomorrow if she's already sore now!



Anyways, today was a quick workout but it was also a good one. I hope I still have clients tomorrow when the real soreness sets in. Today turned out pretty good. Now I'm ready for a nap!

WARMUP
-------------
1000M ROW
ARM CIRCLES
HIP ROTATIONS
SAMSON STRETCH

WORKOUT
----------------
21, 15, 9
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN (20 LB DYNAMAX BALL)
MEDICINE BALL THROW FROM KNEES WITH A "MAN PUSHUP" AND BALL CHASE (25 LB D-BALL)
MEDICINE BALL SIT UPS (20 LB D-BALL)
THEN:
ANOTHER 1000 M ROW





TODAY'S SOUNDTRACK...
a compilation of The Strokes

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Day 311...nOt wHaT i wAs hOpiNg fOr...

I did my cardio first thing this morning...then later on I went to the gym to workout with A. I'm NOT sad in any way...and I'm NOT mad...disappointment is really NOT an appropriate word either. I'm not sure how to describe it....but I CAN say that my experience wasn't what I was hoping for in the end.

I felt kinda dumb today...like I was...being annoying and stupid. NO remarks were made...not really...no one was mean to me...it's just the way I felt. My good friend...my first trainer...W is A's big bro. I invited him to come up and workout with us. A and I talked while we waited...and waited for W to get there. A seemed kinda agitated...not at me or W...not just in that moment...just in general today...something was different. A was really hungry and the later it got...the more I knew this wasn't going to turn out that great.

W got there and we started all doing random warming up. I was excited to show W my kipping pull ups. He laughed and was less than impressed. "Ouch...Move on...Get over NEEDING approval from other people woman!!!" That's what I told myself...in my head. The workout was not hard and we finished quickly and cleaned up. We were talking and A said a word that I HATE...so I sprayed him with my water bottle. Now, I have to say that I do my fair sharing of cussing. It's NOT a ladylike attribute...I KNOW that. Still, the point is that I am very tolerant...but there's a name/word that refers to a woman's anatomy...and THAT...I can't stand. I was trying to playfully get him to stop...but he wasn't laughing...he was all wet...and I felt kinda bad in the end. He said he wasn't mad, but he left kind of abrupt. I didn't mean to make him feel awkward. W and I chatted for a bit then I went to meet my mom for lunch...feeling weird.

Today was okay...not bad...it just was not what I was hoping for.

WORKOUT
-------------
10 BOX JUMPS (26 IN BOX)
15 DEAD LIFTS (95 LBS)
20 GHD SIT UPS
3 ROUNDS

CARDIO
----------
40 MIN ELLIPTICAL

Monday, July 21, 2008

Day 310...gEttiNg fiLthY...

" A FIGHT IS WON OR LOST LONG BEFORE YOU GET UNDER THEM LIGHTS." - Mohammed Ali

I've always wanted to do the workout called "FILTHY FIFTY". Today I got my chance. I went up to the gym to help with the 6AM class. They were doing a scaled version...one that I personally would call the "TERRIBLE TWENTY FIVE"...I know...cheesy. Anyways, I was getting really excited to do this myself once they were done. My 7AM client, my sis, had to cancel, so I figured I'd get MY workout and then cardio done before my 9:30 client came in.

It was hard to do this alone. I struggled but stayed pretty strong throughout. I was satisfied with my time...but I was so worn out. I was shaking and hungry. I had no food so I stayed still and let myself "recover" for about 30 minutes. Then, once I was feeling normal...I headed to the park for a run. I didn't realize how hard it would be after all that, but I managed to finish my 4 miles...it was VERY slow...but I kept running. I was soaking wet and I had 15 minutes until my "9:30" came in. I tried to straighten my hair and spruce up as best I could before training her.

Once I got home a couple of hours later...I had a splitting headache. It's gotten better but never really left. I'm also pretty sleepy, but that may have more to do with the fact that my alarm clock went off at 4:45 AM this morning. So, all whining aside about the after effects...I have to say that I LOVED doing the "FILTHY FIFTY"! I felt a great sense of acomplishment. Another good day...

WARMUP
-------------
800 M RUN OUTSIDE
DYNAMIC STRETCHING

WORKOUT
----------------
"FILTHY FIFTY"
FOR TIME:
50 BOX JUMP (24 IN BOX)
50 JUMPING PULL UPS
50 KB SWINGS (36 LBS-1 POOD)
50 STEPS WALKING LUNGE
50 KNEES TO ELBOWS
50 PUSH PRESS (45 LBS)
50 BACK EXTENSIONS
50 WALL BALL SHOTS (16 LB BALL)
50 BURPEES
50 DOUBLE UNDERS (subbed TUCK JUMPS)
(TIME = 37:27)

CARDIO
------------
4.5 MILE RUN

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Day 309...tHeRe's fiNaLLy a nAMe...

"From my observation, the soldier is willing to serve despite his or her personal comfort or wishes, something many people are unwilling to do. They face terrible circumstances and situations, loneliness, and fear while the rest of us live our lives and go about our business.” ~J. L. FLECKENSTEIN (artist of this painting)

This whole" war thing" has been going on for a LONG time. Those of us without anyone close to us currently serving in the military don't give it much thought on a day to day basis. I know for me that I don't give much thought when I see or hear a story of another soldier that is killed...serving our country. I never think about the toll war takes on many of the men and women that survive. I think it's sad, but I've never shed a tear. I think it's unfair, but I know that someone has to do it. It's not that I don't care or think that it's okay. I think for me...I think of them as JUST soldiers...not as people...not as husbands or sons or brothers or friends. I see them all the same...it's almost like I see one of them as all of them...a group...not individuals. They are just a face without a name to me.

I've never really thought about this until yesterday. When we were finished with our workout, we were sitting...talking...recovering. At one point, I looked over at B...talking with excitement about leaving for Marine boot camp today...and for a moment...I was a little sad. I looked at those big blue eyes and that great big smile, and I thought about how much he will change...how hard the next 13 weeks will be for him...how dangerous the job he chose is. It's funny, because I don't even know him that well, but I can tell that he's a good kid and I really like him.

I think from now on...I will be more aware. I have always been grateful...but I will be a little more grateful for the sacrifice that soldiers make so that I can live my life without evening thinking about the war. From now on...I will pray for the soldiers fighting for my freedom...and I will think of B the next time I see a casualty of war on the news...and I will hope he's okay. There's finally a name for me to put on the face of a soldier.

SUNDAY = REST DAY

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Day 308..."Eleanor"...

"STRONG PEOPLE ARE HARDER TO KILL THAN WEAK PEOPLE, AND MORE USEFUL IN GENERAL." -Coach Mark Rippetoe

CrossFit has lots of "benchmark" workouts and they all have womens' names as titles. We affectionately refer to them as "the girls". When I do one that I've never done before...I say that I have "met" one of the girls. Today...I met Eleanor, but you won't find her on the CF main page. She's special.

I went up to CrossFit Mansfield to do a group workout. There's a kid that trains there named B. He's leaving for Marine boot camp tomorrow. He made up his own workout for us to do, and it was a killer...especially in the heat...but it was also a lot of fun! He named it "Eleanor". I asked if it was named after his grandma...sounds like a grandma name to me. He said it was named after his favorite car. Either which way, he came up with a great workout. I LOVE to run...and there was MORE than enough running in this one! I wanted to complete it faster, but I'm satisfied with how I did.

It was fun working out with the rest of the "gang" up there. I don't get to do that too often these days. Honestly, I wasn't that excited to get up early...again...but I really enjoyed myself. Today was fast and hard...just the way I like it!

WARMUP
-----------
50 JUMPING JACKS
ARM CIRCLES
HIP ROTATIONS

WORKOUT (CARDIO INCLUDED)
-------------------------------------
"ELEANOR"
5 PULLUPS
400 M RUN
10 PUSHUPS
400 M RUN
15 SQUATS
400 M RUN
20 SIT UPS
400 M RUN
25 PULLUPS
400 M RUN
30 PUSHUPS
400 M RUN
35 SQUATS
400 M RUN
40 SITUPS
400 M RUN

TIME = 26:16

Friday, July 18, 2008

Day 307...tHe bAsiCs...

I love unconventional...long...really hard workouts. The kind that make people think..."WHAT is she DOING?!?". I've talked before about some of the looks I get at gyms I've gone to in the past...these days that's not an issue because I go to a gym where everyone works out like I do. My endurance is pretty darn good, but I feel my strength is lacking a bit...as well as the definition of my muscles. I'm not complaining...just looking to improve and refine what I got. No one's perfect...we can all ALWAYS find SOMETHING to make better...right?

I decided to do a few more traditional exercise days than I have been doing lately. It was weird not to be racing the stopwatch or gasping for breath. In fact, my makeup stayed on and my hair stayed down...and looked fine when I was done. I think that maybe I've felt like I'm "above" doing bicep curls, but I believe everything has it's place. Sometimes, I get so involved in looking for more and better and I neglect the basics. Today I focused on the basics. My arms and shoulders were tired when I was done, but I feel good about what I did today.

WARMUP
------------
JUMPING JACKS
10 OVERHEAD SQUATS W/ PVC PIPE
10 PUSHUPS
10 HIP ROTATION
10 BIG ARM CIRCLES (FORWARD & BACK)
INCHWORM ACROSS GYM AND BACK

WORKOUT
--------------
12 OVERHEAD SQUATS (45 LB BAR)
12 STIFF LEGGED DEAD LIFTS (95 LBS)
12 OVERHEAD LUNGES EA LEG (24 TOTAL)
3 ROUNDS

THEN:
12 SINGLE ARM DB ROWS (BENT ON BENCH W/ 30 LB DB-24 TOTAL)
1 MIN SCISSOR KICKS (1ST ROUND)-FLUTTER KICKS (2ND ROUND)-FROGGIES (3RD ROUND)
12 LAT PULLS W/BAND (KNEELING WITH WIDE PULL)
3 ROUNDS

THEN:
12 LATERAL/FRONT RAISES (8 LB DBs)
12 HAMMER CURLS (25 LB DBs)
12 SKULL CRUSHERS (35 LB BAR)
3 ROUNDS

CARDIO
-----------
30 MIN ELLIPTICAL

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Day 306...tAkiN a bReAtHer...


I got pretty good sleep last night and I was so tired and sore yesterday that I was ruined...so I decided to rest today. I HATE resting, but sometimes you gotta "take a breather".....(exhale)

REST DAY

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Day 305...RuNNiNg oN SoRe LeGs...

My legs don't get sore often, but today they are SORE! I planned on doing the same workout that I am going to put my first two clients through...but I know it's gonna be tough on these legs. There was a time that I did 450 squats in a day and ran a mile and a half and wasn't sore...not so these days. After 400 squats in 2 days and about 7 miles of running, I'm definitely feeling it.

So my first client, my sister came in and took a look at her workout. Her response..."Burpees? I HATE Burpees!!!". I SAID, "OKAY, that's what we'll call this workout...'I hate burpees'." She worked so hard. I was proud. I decided that I would do the same workout with heavier weights before my next client came in. Oh...it was NOT fun! I was glad that I didn't have much time before I had to train again, because it motivated me to hurry up and keep going. The bench presses were not even that heavy, but they were the worst part for me. After all those burpees with pushups, I struggled. It surprised me, but I finished in time to train my next "victim"...ha! She was awesome too. I was proud of those girls!

I had one more person to train and then a running "date" with my good friend. I knew it would hurt, but I never turn down the chance to run with him. My quads were so fatigued. They were just aching, but I was fine and I couldn't wait to eat when I got homed. I've been really sleepy today, but I can't complain. Every time I hurt like this...I feel like I've really worked hard, so that's good.

WARMUP
------------
750 M ROW
DYNAMIC STRETCHING

WORKOUT
---------------
"I HATE BURPEES"
15 DEAD LIFTS (95 LBS)
15 PUSH PRESS (55 LBS)
5 BURPEES (W/ PUSH UPS)
15 GHD BACK EXTENSIONS
15 RING DIPS (ASSISTED-FEET ON BOX)
5 BURPEES (W/ PUSH UPS)
15 GHD SITUPS
15 BENCH PRESS (65 LBS)
5 BURPEES (W/ PUSH UPS)
3 ROUNDS FOR TIME (31:36)

CARDIO
----------
3.5 MILE (?) RUN

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Day 304...wOrKoUt bUddiEs aRe gOOd...

"...IN PAIN AND SUFFERING WE MAY DISCOVER THE BRIGHT AND RAGGED DOORS OF PERCEPTION. THE EXHAUSTED MIND CANOT MAINTAIN IT'S PREDJUDICE OR RESIST PURE, HUMAN EXPERIENCE. AND THROUGH THIS WE DRAW CLOSER TO OURSELVES AND OUR FELLOW MAN..." -Mark Twight - "GYM JONES" website

I hate working out alone. I think sometimes during the time I trained with trainers, I was paying for companionship just as much as I was paying for guidance. Makes me sound ridiculously pathetic, huh? I could go on and on about that, but I won't. So, now that I'm flying solo, I love the opportunities that I have to workout with a buddy. Workout buddies are the best! They help you keep going when you wanna stop, they don't charge you, and they are fun to eat lunch with afterwards too!

I went in to the gym today to workout with my friend, A. He works at the gym too, but I knew him a little before since he is my good friend W's brother. A is like a burst of energy. Being with him, is like having a Red Bull without the calories or the crash afterwards. I nearly died when he wrote the workout down and I saw that it included 200 squats! I love squats...but I had done 200 yesterday...no matter..it looked like a fun workout and I was excited to get to work. It was hard. I KNOW that if he had not been there beside me, I would've rested more. I couldn't rest when he was lifting so much heavier than me and he wasn't stopping. I had to push to keep up with him, but it was a great workout and a lot of fun.

After, we were hungry so we went to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Mariano's, and ate lunch with my mom and sister. It was just what I needed. A laughed at me when we were driving back and I said, "That was great! I needed me some red meat!". It was nice not to be alone and being with A was a bonus. A makes me smile and he makes me feel like I'm okay just the way I am. He is also honest though and knows when to "set me straight".

After we were done, and went our own ways, I went to the park and ran for cardio. It was hard after all those squats, but I felt good when I was done. Now...I'm TIRED...but I'm happy too...and I'm glad that today I had a workout buddy.

WARMUP
-----------
1000 M ROW
10 CROSSOVERS W/ PVC TO LOOSEN UP SHOULDERS
10 OH SQUATS
10 LATERAL SQUATS
10 REVERSE LUNGES
10 HANG SNATCH
10 SCOTS PRESS
(ALL DONE WITH PVC)

WORKOUT
-------------
50 AIR SQUATS
5 BURPEE PULL UPS (WITH PUSH UP-A DID MUSCLE UPS)
5 POWER CLEANS (75 LBS FOR ME-135 FOR A)
4 ROUNDS (TIME 12:57)

CARDIO
-----------
RUN FROM TOWN PARK TO McKNIGHT PARK AND BACK (about 4 MILES)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Day 303...doUbLe tHe fUn...doUbLe tHe pAiN...

I could NOT go to sleep last night. I was tired, but my body wouldn't cooperate. It was miserable physically and frustrating emotionally knowing I had to get up at 5 AM. No sooner did I fall asleep and my alarm went off...ugh. I went to the gym and figured I'd do a quick workout before my sister came in to be trained, but I didn't get there in enough time. After she worked out, I warmed up and decided to do a different workout..the one that the 6AM crew at the gym did. It was hard and I was grunting and yelling and all kinda miserable by the time it was over.

I had about 20 minutes of recovery and then my 9:30 client came in and I trained her. Afterwards, I trained my 10:30 client. She seemed like she didn't really want to be there and struggled and I felt like I couldn't help or motivate her. We got done, she left, and I decided that I would do a second workout...the one I originally planned on doing. J was there on his lunch break I guess with a couple of other firemen to work out. I put on head phones and went to work. As soon as I took off on the first of 4 runs...I knew this wasn't gonna be easy...but I knew I would finish...no quitting. It was hard, but short so it wasn't too bad. I'm really tired now. Today I felt like I was never gonna get out of the gym, but it was still a good workout day for me..twice.

WARMUP
-----------
JJs, ARM ROTATIONS, HIP ROTATIONS, HIGH KNEES, BEAR CRAWLS, etc

WORKOUTS
-------------
1ST:
10 SUMO DEAD LIFT HIGH PULLS (55 lbs)
10 LEG LIFTS (from floor/both legs)
10 MEDICINE BALL TOSS (16 lb ball)
10 RENEGADE ROWS (15 lb DBs)

MAX ROUNDS IN 20 MINUTES (10 ROUNDS IN 19:39)

2ND:
RUN 400 M
50 SQUATS

4 ROUNDS FOR TIME (12:07)

STRETCH

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Day 302...i'M bAcK...

I'm back home...back to real life...back to responsibility. I wonder if I really love Hilton Head Island itself or if I love the way I feel when I am there...free...relaxed...safe. There is nothing to be afraid of there. No one knows me. No one expects anything from me. It doesn't take much courage to live on the beach...and courage is one thing that I am almost always short on.Fortunately, I may be lacking in the courage department, but I am blessed with the strength to keep trying. So here goes a new week...

SUNDAY = REST DAY

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Day 301...oNe LaSt rUn...

The alarm went off at 5:30 A.M....so NOT right on vacation. It's the last day in one of my favorite places. It's always bittersweet. I miss sleeping in my own bed...driving my own car...my extended family and friends...I miss all the parts of my "REAL" life that I love...but it's also hard to leave the beach...the constant sound of the waves...having nothing more important to do than play in the sand, feel the sun on my face, and spend time with my family. We got up early to workout because we had to check out at 10:30 A.M. and still had to get ready and pack a few things. We had planned on doing cardio at the gym but realized they don't open that early, so my husband and I headed for the beach...for one last run.

I never run with my husband because he is a foot taller than me and has a stride that doubles mine. I find it hard to "stay even", but we were fine. It wasn't especially hot, but it was terribly humid. The sweat was flowing and the air was heavy! We decided to do intervals...to run for 3 minutes and walk for 3 minutes...all the way down the beach and back. We had a good time and I even outran him a few times.

Now it's back to packing...breaking up fights between the kids...and traveling on 2 different planes all day to get home. I will SO miss the beach...
WORKOUT
----------------
RUNNING INTERVALS ON THE BEACH (3.5 MILES)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Day 300...iN a fiShbOwL...

Many times, I feel like I'm in a "fishbowl" when I'm at the gym. It's not that I'm impressive by any means...I know that...but I also know that I'm...different...unusual compared to MOST women. I don't do classes or read magazines. I like to lift weights and I like to always try to do more than I think I can do. Today was no different.

We went back to the gym here this morning. I had a plan that included dead lifts and front squats. I have to say...I LOVE dead lifts and any kind of squats. There were a few guys that were paying CLOSE attention while I did my dead lifts...but I noticed one in particular. He had a "what the...???" kinda look on his face...not in a bad way...in a surprised kinda way. The thing is that I guess you don't see a lot of women doing dead lifts and I never see many people do front squats. People do the squat machine or back squats, but front squats are different. My husband has never done a front squat so I was teaching him how to hold the bar correctly in the rack position and coaching him on his form. An older man was watching and listening to every word. I could see that he was going to say something...he did. He said, "That looks REALLY complicated." My husband agreed. That was weird to me...I'm so used to it that I never think about it being "complicated"...but it retrospect...I guess it is. There was a lady. She was probably my age...really good bod...you could definitely see muscles...she had long black hair. She glared at me without any reservations. When I would catch her eye and she would see me seeing her...she didn't look away. Yikes. Then the muscley trainer from the other day came in and gawked at me while I did my cardio. Does it ever end?!? The gym is such a strange world with it's own little rules and societies and culture.

I worked pretty hard. I probably should've gone a little heavier on the front squats and at least 10 to 15 lbs heavier on the bench press, but I was still tired when we got done with our workout and cardio. Today was a pretty good day, but it was definitely a day in a fishbowl kinda day. Now...we are headed to play miniature golf with the kids in the steamy South Carolina heat and then...as you could guess...back to the beach!
WARMUP
-----------
5 MIN RUN/WALK TREADMILL

WORKOUT
--------------
15 DEAD LIFT (115 LBS)
15 FRONT SQUATS (65 LBS)
15 LEG CURLS (60 LBS)
15 BACK EXTENSIONS (HOLDING 25 LB PLATE)
15 BENCH PRESS (25 LB DBs)
15 HAMMER CURLS (20 LB DBs)
15 "SKULL CRUSHERS" (40 LB BAR)
3 ROUNDS

CARDIO
----------
1000 M ROW
20 MINUTES ELLIPTICAL

STRETCH

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Day 299...aN aFteRnOOn rUn oN tHe bEaCh...

We got up...late...again...and my husband and I were thinking about going up to the most awesome gym ever..."Breakthrough"....not...but it was so sunny and we figured we should go to the beach early because we had a reservation to eat at our favorite "fancy" restaurant here...Stellini. That means we have to come in from the beach early and get fixed up and look "presentable". After a little thought...we gladly blew off Breakthrough for the beach. As a side note...I have to say that the name "Breakthrough" cracks me up! I'm such a nerd...I can never just say Breakthrough in a normal voice. I say Brrr-AKE-thruuu!!!! I say it all loud and crazy and explosive and then I proceed to hysterically laugh at my own LAME joke. I know..I'm crazy. Scary....so moving on...

South Carolina is hot...very hot...and very humid. I usually get up early if I'm gonna run, but I haven't been so good at gettin up early this trip. I realized around 3:30 this afternoon that I wasn't going to get to do cardio...which is all I had planned to do today. I was thinking that I wished I woulda just gone to the gym and gotten it over with. Then...it hit me. I need a little intensity...and I'm tough...I can take a little pain and a lotta heat. So, why not just go down to the beach and run. Yeah...it's a little crazy to go out in the dead heat of the afternoon in South Carolina to run...but as I previously stated...I AM crazy, so why not...I'll give it a try.

I headed out...people staring like I'm crazy to run in such oppressive heat with the sun radiating off the water...and I'm thinking..."not bad"..."this is pretty easy"..."why was I worried?"...etc etc etc. I kept waiting for it to be unbearable...but it wasn't. Then...I turned around and it was like a WHOLE NEW RUN...but NOT in a good way. The wind was now in my face. I'm not talking a nice breeze that gently cools you down and blows your hair back like a fan. I'm talking hard wind...wind that feels like a big bully pushing you backward...at first you think it's manageable...not so bad...then it becomes annoying...and later...painful. It hurt to run...I could feel my feet digging hard and deep into the wet sand...but I never wanted to stop because I wanted to be done...as soon as possible...and eventhough I felt like a cartoon character running in place...I knew I was making steady progress towards my villa.

I was so glad to be done with that run. I was SO hot and I just wanted cold water and lots of fans blowing on me. The strange part is that I still considered it a good run overall...enjoyed it even. I'm not sure if I feel a sense of accomplishment or what...and I don't plan on doing that again anytime soon...but I'm glad that I took an afternoon run on the beach.

RUN-3.5 MILES

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Day 298...aNotHeR dAy...

I had the greatest morning ever with my little boy at the beach. I won't go into the details because I already wrote about it on my other blog...but it was great and I am happy. We went back to the lame gym here called "Breakthrough". I'm doing more "traditional" workouts this week. I wanted to mix it up a bit and see what I thought. I NEVER like to do one day of arms...one day of legs...etc etc. I like to do full body, because I'm a super set kinda gal and I find that resting my upper body while I work on my lower body gives me the ability to do more...not necessarily the best or right way...just my preference.

A muscle head trainer with really blonde highlights struck up a conversation with me while me and my husband were working out. He was showing me all kind of "cool" alternatives to exercises...that I already know...I was polite and acted interested...and dumb...so he would go be "cool" and "smart" somewhere else. He knew right where I was the entire time...ugh... I felt bad for the guy that was actually paying for his time and WANTED his opinions. He had to wait while his trainer chatted me up and did "impressive" demonstrations. Too funny!

The pullups were really hard because their pullup bar was really rough and hurt my hands...still I won't use the assisted pullup machine...it feels like cheating...like a demotion. So anyways..today was a "shoulders/arms/back" kinda day. It was okay...not the best...not bad. It was just another day at another gym. Now...back to the beach!

~"SHOULDERS/ARMS/BACK"~

WARMUP
-----------
5 MIN ELLIPTICAL

WORKOUT
--------------
15 SHOULDER PRESS (50 LBS)
15 PULL UPS (KIPPING)
15 LAT PULL DOWNS (70 LBS)
15 CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS (50 LBS-too light-should've bumped up 10 lbs)
15 LATERAL RAISE (5 LB DBs)
15 FRONT RAISE (5 LB DBs)
15 CABLE BICEP CURLS (15 LBS)
3 ROUNDS

CARDIO
----------
30 MIN ELLIPTICAL

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Day 297...iT's hArD wOrK LaYiN oN tHe bEaCh...

I woke up around 8:30 and made some eggs. My kids were still asleep. Me and my husband went to get a week long workout pass at a local gym (different than the one we went to on Saturday). We paid up and then started looking around. It was small and had a weird layout. I hated it. I felt out of my element and very unproductive. People were staring because we are different...new. We got finished and headed home. As usual...I was not satisfied. I wasn't limping to the car or feeling nauseous so I felt like I had not done enough.

We made lunch and then got ready to go to the beach. It's so strange how sleepy I feel. Every time we go to the beach, I get out my book and within 5 minutes, I'm asleep on my towel. Today was no different. I slept hard for about 45 minutes. It's funny how I do nothing but sit in a chair or lie on a towel, but I feel so tired at the beach. It's hard work layin on the beach...but someone's gotta do it!

...The view from the dining room table in the villa we stay in...

WARMUP
------------
5 MIN TREADMILL
STRETCHING

WORKOUT
--------------
"LEGS"
25 BACK SQUAT (65 LBS)
25 STEP UPS (EA LEG-50 TOTAL)
25 LUNGE
25 ROMANIAN DEAD LIFT (85 LBS)
3 ROUNDS

CARDIO
-----------
10 MIN ROWING MACHINE
20 MIN ELLIPTICAL

Monday, July 7, 2008

Day 296...aT tHe LasT miNuTe...

We woke up later than we expected. Last year...I was up EVERY day at 6 or 7 to run. This year...I'm a sleepy head. I woke up around 9:30 but it was 10 before we got out of bed. We were planning on going to Art Cafe at 10...woops! Our kids love to go there and paint something every year. They paint, then we go back a few days later after it has been fired. They love seeing their creations turn shiny and come to "life". We hurried up and left by 11. It turned out to be perfect, because no sooner did we get there...and the rain started to fall. The kids had fun and then we ate at The Frosty Frog...the place that we HAVE to eat at every year after we paint.The sun came out and we headed to the beach. I get stressed at the beach when I think people are staring at me. I feel SO self conscious and I start picking myself apart. Do I look fat? Are my legs jiggly? Is my butt up high enough? Do I look okay??? There is always a group of guys that sit in a circle...all day...and stare...and comment as though I can't hear...every year...it's always different men...but the same story. We tend to see the same people all week. It's funny how people stake out "their spot" and return to it everyday. So, I'll have to contend with the stares...and smiles...and seeing them jab each other when I walk by...and the comments all week. My husband reminds me that it is not because I look bad. I TRY to remember that. Still...I kept thinking...I shoulda worked out today! We meant to go check out a gym down the street, but time never allowed. We stayed at the beach until later than normal because we decided that we would stay in to eat tonight. That gave us more freedom with our time because we didn't have anywhere that we had to be at any certain time. I know..I never cook at home yet I willingly offered to cook on vacation...strange, but true. So..to ease my worry over not working out...I decided to go run before dinner. I went home and changed into shorts and running shoes and went right back to the beach. It was a tough run with the wind blowing against me, but I'm glad that I went. Just when I thought I wasn't going to make it...I got a run in at the last minute.

3.5 MILE RUN ON THE BEACH

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Day 295...oVeRcAsT rUn...

I woke up at 9...ahhhh!...rest! Wait!...I'm supposed to run...on the beach...and it gets really hot so I usually go around 6:30 A.M. I hopped up and threw on some shorts, a tank, and my running shoes. I grabbed my ipod and headed out. Luckily, it's overcast today...or at least is was. I had a good run...not the best run of my life...but a good run. It always amazes me the first day I go out to run. It's not like the beach in California...hot, dry sand...low humidity...cold water. It's just the opposite...wet sand...very humid...warm water. I like to run just close enough to the water that it's right there with me, but not close enough to get my shoes wet. I've done that and it seems cool, but it's very uncomfortable by the end of a long run. It's always a bit of a shock when I first take off running. It takes a minute or two to adjust because it is uncomfortable to breathe. I always say that it is so humid and the air is so heavy that it feels like I'm breathing liquid oxygen...but like most things in life...if I relax and "live in it" rather than fighting it...soon I hardly notice it and I adjust. Easy then?...no...bearable...even enjoyable if I let it be.
I always reward myself with a long, easy walk after I run. I take off my shoes and I walk in the water...my toes squishing the sand...the wind blowing my hair...recovering...watching for jellyfish that have died and washed up on shore overnight...music in my ears. I love watching the toddlers with chubby little legs running to the water...parents trying to capture the perfect picture...boys trying to "catch a wave" on boogie boards...teenagers throwing footballs...families riding bikes...heaven. It's the epitome of a relaxing summer vacation to me. This morning, the clouds were my friend. It was nice to have relief from the heat of the sun beating down on me during my run.

Now...the sun has come out. It was perfect timing. I'm headed back to the beach, but this time it's not to run. It's to lie in the sun and play in the waves and build sand castles with my kids.

BEACH RUN/WALK
----------------------
3.5 MILE RUN
1 MILE WALK

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Day 294...nO nEEd fOr tHe beLt!!!...

Well, I woke up this morning...looked at the clock...Dang it!...7:30 A.M. I was hoping to sleep later than that. I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep...no use. I got up and put on workout clothes. I figured if I can't sleep...I'll workout. We can only rent our beach villa from Saturday to Saturday. Everyone is trying to get on the island on Saturdays...so for the last couple of years...we've traveled on Friday...we stay in a hotel Friday night then we get up and go waste a few hours until we can check in to our villa Saturday afternoon. I tried to be quiet and sneak out so I didn't wake anyone else up. I went to the workout room...it sucks. It only has 3 pieces of cardio equipment, but it's better than nothing. It was hot...really hot...when I opened the door...abnormally hot. I wasn't deterred. I mean come on...I've worked out in an un air-conditioned warehouse space in the summer before! I checked the air conditioner. It was broken...still I got on the elliptical. After 30 min I was drenched. I went back to the room where my husband told me that I could use the little gym next to the hotel for free as part of our stay. I usually just run on the beach the week we are here in Hilton Head, so I thought that I would take advantage of the opportunity to use some weights while I can.

This place was small...kinda cheesy...but clean and very cool...temperature wise that is. I decided to do a more "traditional" workout than normal...one of W's from my book...as best I could from memory. First I showed my husband how my kipping pull ups are coming along. I'm still not very good, but I'm getting better. That got a few looks. There wasn't many people there. One lady was so funny...early 50s...thin, but she looked her age in her face and her body...what was funny was that she was wearing big heavy duty gloves and a leather lifting belt while she did curls with 5 lb dumb bells...too funny. She kept watching me...following me...I wanted to scream "TAKE OFF THAT RIDICULOUS BELT!!!"...but I just tried to ignore her. I was the only person without gloves in the entire gym. Anyways...people were staring at me because they've never seen me...at least that's what I kept telling myself.

I felt good when I was done. It's so weird how when I did machines...my endurance suffered...now I can endure...a lot...but I feel weak on machines. It's a constant struggle to balance the teeter totter. That's why I think it is so important to constantly change what I'm doing. I need to be better about that in the future. For now...I'm looking forward to running on the beach tomorrow...I can't wait .

CARDIO
----------
30 MIN ELLIPTICAL

WORKOUT
--------------
21, 18, 15
(supposed to do 12, 9, 6, 3 also, but I did not have time)
SHOULDER PRESS (15 LB DBS)
BICEP CURLS (SEATED-ALTERNATING-15 LB DBS)
PUSH UPS
SEATED ROW (60 LBS)
TRICEP PRESS (50 LBS)
LEG EXTENSION (60 LBS)
LEG CURL-HAMSTRING (60 LBS)
BACK EXTENSION (HOLDING 10 LB PLATE)

extras...playing around...
10 KIPPING PULLUPS
20 LAT PULLDOWNS (80 LBS)

Friday, July 4, 2008

Day 293...gOnE tO CaRoLiNa...

FINALLY!!!!! We are off on vacation to our favorite spot that we go EVERY year...Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I am SO ready for some rest and relaxation on the beach!

REST DAY

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Day 292...fAdiNg DesiRe...

My desire to workout has completely faded. I've NEVER had this problem. Maybe it's because now that I am spending so much time at the gym with other people...I don't want to be there myself. It's like the saying that the house keeper's house needs to be clean and the mechanic's car is broken...once you're done doing it for other people...it's hard to get motivated to do it yourself. Crap! That scares me...

I went and ran first, then I went in to workout. I was unmotivated...tired...and had NO desire to even be there, much less to workout. I did a little before my sister came in to train, but I didn't feel like I really worked...I wasn't satisfied. I was so excited when my previous trainer, my friend, W called about working out. I thought, "This is just what I need!" I was really looking forward to it. There have been a couple of other times that he was gonna workout, but it seems like something always comes up. I got home from picking my girls up and hurried to gather my stuff...excited. Then...I saw the flashing blue light on my phone...a text message. W stepped on a nail, so he had to cancel. I felt really bad for him, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. It was like deflating a balloon. It seems that we will never workout together again.

I was tired, so I took a short nap and then started packing to go to the beach tomorrow. I don't know if I'll workout tomorrow...

CARDIO
-----------
RUN 3.42 MILES

WORKOUT
---------------
10 PULL UPS
20 PUSH UPS
30 LUNGES
40 DIPS
30 BACK SQUATS (45# LBS)
20 PUSH UPS
10 PULLUPS

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Day 291..wHaT hAppEnEd???...

I don't know what happened or where the day went, but it felt like a blur. I trained my sister and then I had about 45 minutes before my next client came in. I decided to do what A calls "vanity" work...you know stuff that doesn't necessarily make you faster or stronger...but stuff that makes your muscles look prettier...bicep curls etc. I did some stuff and then it was time to train again. L did great in her session. She works hard and I like her, but I was glad to be done. I had been at the gym for a LONG time and wanted a change of venue. I decided that I would go and do my cardio later. Well, it got later...but I never did cardio. I'm exhausted and I have no clue where this day or this week has gone...

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Days 289...290...fEaR aNd reDeMpTioN...

Wow...the last two days have been full...full of many emotions...excitement...anticipation...fear...relief...sadness...and comfort.

DAY 289...MONDAY...
This day was a "mess" from the start. My car was not acting right so my husband left me his car so I wouldn't have to worry about getting everywhere I needed to be. I went out to go to the gym to train my first client...my sis...and to my shock...HIS car would not start!!! I was so worried. I tried 2 times and went inside to get my phone to call my sister. I tried the car again...it started...relief. I trained my sis and then I worked out between her and my next client, L. It was a good workout...one of my favorites. I completed it and sat nervously waiting for L. This was my first session with a paying customer. I had a lot of nervous anticipation. She came and was so much stronger than I expected. We did her assessments and decided to do a short workout. She really wants to do Crossfit workouts, so I decided to scale the WOD from yesterday. Again she surprised me with her ability. I was LOVING her! We finished and I did my cardio on the rowing machine and left. When I got home to record what she had done, I realized that she did a very high number of exercises and started to worry that it was too much. I felt so stupid...so panicked. I told J...knowing he would be mad...he was. I was so upset and I had to meet J to talk about this before meeting my 3rd client of the day. My son and I went to lunch...ordered and when I went to pay, I realized that my wallet was at home. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! Luckily I had a stash of cash and it was just enough. We got back home and I was depressed and wanted to sleep but I knew that wasn't best so I decided to try and relax with a pedicure. I got in the car and once again...it wouldn't start! After 3 tries...bingo! It started. I got a great pedicure and went to face an angry J. He felt no pity and told me all the ways I messed up...all the things I had already been thinking all day. I was miserable but had to be "normal" for my next client. That went well and I headed home...my mind still spinning and my heart still heavy. I fell asleep watching TV. I got an email from the client I was worried about, L...she seemed fine. I felt a few moments of relief. I was excited to tell J...he didn't care...still told me what could happen if I over worked her. Depressed...I went to sleep.

WARMUP
-----------
ROW
DYNAMIC WARMUP

WORKOUT
--------------
SQUAT 80, 64, 48, 32, 24, 12
KB SWING (26 LBS) 40, 32, 24, 16, 12, 6
JUMPING PULL UP 20, 16, 12, 8, 6, 3

TIME=19:03

CARDIO
----------
20 MIN ROWING MACHINE

DAY 290...TUESDAY (today)...

I slept in. I couldn't go up to the gym to watch the 6AM class. I needed rest...and a break. A called to say I could watch his sessions. I went and tanned and went up to the gym. The sessions went well. I worked out with his client, K. It was a whoopin! I couldn't finish. I don't know if that's ever happened before. I was so nauseous and dizzy, but it was great. When I was done I went to run with my friend, W (A's bro). We had a great run and an even better talk. W always calms me...always helps make the most complicated situation seem simple...clear. He is my friend because I leave better when I see him. I was proud. His running has come so far since he left. It was just what I needed. I stopped to eat and headed home. I called L to see how she was. She was happy and fine. What a relief. I called J to report. Ahhhh...I felt a little relief...a little redemption. I went to a class at the gym this evening and it went well. J doesn't seem so mad at me anymore. Today was so much better than yesterday. Thank heavens...I can step away from the edge of the proverbial building I wanted to jump off of yesterday! W said today..."you're always dramatic, but..." Ha! It was so funny. Funny, because I can't deny it...I AM dramatic...but I like to call it passionate. Passion is drama with a cause...right? Now it's time for more rest before an early day tomorrow...

WARMUP
-----------
A'S DYNAMIC WARMUP

WORKOUT
-------------
10 DEAD LIFTS (95 LBS)
20 BOX JUMPS (18 IN BOX)
30 GHD SITUPS

5 ROUNDS!!!

CARDIO
-----------
45 MIN RUN