Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wednesday Workout Update

Sunday: Tried to get back to normal with my usual five mile run. Did.not.succeed. It started out ok - the sun wasn't quite up and it was fairly cool not that hot. I headed out around the soccer fields at my Sunday park and within the first half mile noticed two dogs running ahead of me. Wait a minute - those aren't dogs - they're deer! A baby and a mama...how cute! They ran in the grass on the side of the paved path for probably another 100 yards before leaping into the field that borders the park. Very cool - normally my wildlife sightings are limited to squirrels, jackrabbits and the occasional turtle. Anyway, the run went downhill from there...I ran down to the edge of the park, but the sun came up and I was running back into it - how can it be so blazing hot at 7:00 am?!? I think between remembering that my last long runs were with friends, and I am not a great runner when it's just me and my mind, I just wasn't feeling it. Cut it short at 3.1 miles (and that was with a couple minutes' break thrown in as well). Ah well - they can't all be winners. Also, note to self: Stop drinking coffee like it's water after the run! Perhaps more water and less coffee might help you avoid the jitters all.damn.day.

Monday: I really think Brad hates me. Why else would he have Tabatas scheduled in cardio and then negatives (I loathe these more than burpees) in the gym??? Seriously, the negatives killed me for the rest of the day. First up was the leg press - I pushed out on my own and then had to resist Ashley's power on the way back. Ashley, unfortunately, has been taking lessons from Brad and Linda on how to exert the most force when "helping" to do negative leg presses. Ouch. We switched places after five minutes (btw, this workout was called "Cry Uncle" because you did the negatives until...well, you know. I cried Uncle at 3:05) and I was much much nicer to Ashley. OK, she might have had more weight on the leg press, but still. ;) After that, we did T-bar rows. Fudgemonkeys, that was hard. I didn't even hit a minute before I cried Uncle, although we only got a 15 second break before resuming...on and on - it took for-EV-er for five minutes to be up! Went home, ate breakfast (Fage/nectarines/Fiber One) and then took a shower...I picked up my seemingly 10-pound shampoo bottle and though I was gonna die! Ended up going with hippie hair today as there was no way I could hold my hair dryer. Which may have been why I wasn't chosen for jury duty later on - no self-respecting lawyer is going to put a dirty hippie (ok I was clean-showered) on his panel!

Tuesday: I pretty much knew that I wouldn't be running on Tuesday. Wanna hear my excuses? Of course you do! First, y'all know how I hate to run alone. I did it on Friday and Sunday, but my motivation really starts to wane...and Jenny is on vacation this week - now she's at the beach, although it's South Padre and not Santa Cruz (we really need to coordinate our vacations better, Jenny!). Second, we are having a hell of a heatwave, and yes I know I live in Texas and it is August, but this is really hot - trust me. I didn't want to run at the crack of dawn when it was already 80 degrees. Call me crazy, call me lazy...but don't call me Shirley a runner today. Third, as I knew I would be, my muscles are beyond sore - my quads and glutes are killing me thanks to the negatives on the leg press, and my arms...let's just say that if my computer keyboard was any higher, I wouldn't be typing today. Ouch. Hate negatives. So there are my excuses.

Wednesday: Let me begin by thanking you, my blogger friends, for being here...because if I didn't have to be accountable to y'all with this update, I would not have gone to my workout today. I was still so sore when my alarm went off this morning! But I went. And we did more negatives. What I wanna know is, how many bad things have I done in my life that I am having to atone for by doing these terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad* exercises?!? Argh. We did negative bench presses, negative quad extensions, and just for fun, some ab work including leg throw downs and bosu ball crunches. I was shaking when I left the gym...and then we still had cardio! Teamwork - 200 calories burned on a machine. Tashia and I got the treadmill, and Brad ran us to burnout before we could switch. He had me at the minimum running at 7.0 - at one point it was up to 7.6 and I felt like a cartoon person whose legs are just spinning in a circle! Naturally, when we were off the treadmill we couldn't just rest, oh no...we got to do "active recovery" which included mountain climbers, jumping jacks, push ups, plank holds, calf raises...it was bad, people. Took us 21 minutes to reach 200 calories. As usual, I am glad that I went (now that it's over), but boy, this week has been a tough one for me.


*with apologies to Judith Viorst.

22 comments:

  1. OMG - I would be dead with that workout. Seriously, completely dead. And this heat is a real killer. I keep telling myself it will break next week, but I am struggling with walking across the parking lot, much less anything more strenuous.

    Running alone is much harder than running with someone, in my opinion. All I can think about is how much longer, how sore am I, how flipping hot is it? Not condusive to getting in a good run. You'll do better when it does finally cool off.

    I think you are to be commended for getting right back on the treadmill, so to speak.

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  2. I love running alone - until I get up over 10 miles and then I really wish I had company. Belive it or not, I don't even run with music...

    Are you thinking about making any adjustments in your other workouts while you're Half training? Because if I was that sore, I wouldn't want to run either. And to train well for your half, well, you need to run!

    I think some of your lethargy can be attributed to coming off vacation in addition to the sweltering heat. I feel for you - ran in 75 degree temps this morning, before sunup!

    Don't worry, you'll get back to it soon enough!

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  3. I dont know where you live but it is crazy hot here in NY this summer. Unbearable hot. Running outside in this heat is no fun...but its the thought that counts!!!!

    Jennifer
    http://wecanlosethepounds.blogspot.com/

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  4. I live in Mississippi and we are having 104 degree days here. So it is to hot to do anything outside, must less run. My hat is off to you for just trying..

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  5. That's fun that you saw deer on your run. I agree, it's SO much harder to run by yourself than with someone. I never would have finished the marathon, or even training with it, without people by my side. It's too easy to quit when you are by yourself!

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  6. And you did it! Even though it was a no good very bad attitude at first!
    YOU ARE A RUNNER even if you miss a day!!!

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  7. I'm exhausted for you :)I was sore this morning and didn't get up at 5:30 but decided to go at lunch instead. I sweat just as much walking into the gym as I did in the gym. It feels like a rain forest here. Can't wait until fall!!

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  8. I put this in a comment on Healthy Tipping Point:

    #513 Laurie
    on Aug 4th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
    I want to compliment, you, Caitlin for all of this amazingness.
    Wait can I do a second one, since you are kind of a given.
    I want to compliment Shelley at My Journey to Fit: A Forty-Something’s Weight Loss Journey for her awesome down to earth ways, and her honesty and being one of the first to reach out to me on my journey.

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  9. I don't know what negatives are but they sure sound awful...they should at least give them a nice name!

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  10. Oooo... something you loathe more than burpees? I shudder to think of what that move is.

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  11. I think both my Mom and MIL would prefer I use fudgemonkeys instead of fuck on my blog posts! :D

    And Shelley, after just describing your workouts, I am pooped! Glad you went - I know its tough, but I always tell myself when I am done working out "did you think that was a waste of time?" and the answers is always no!

    By next week you'll be back in the swing of things. How dare Jenny go on vacation and leave you hanging like that! :D

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  12. You make me feel like I need to go back to the gym! Awesome workout!! I'm trying to become a runner. Any tips you have on how you got started would be awesome! :-)

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  13. My last run was a dud too, but due to a knee injury flare-up. They can't all be good ones, but the great thing is that you get out there and try it!

    By the way, your blog has really inspired me so I nominated you for an award on my blog:

    http://soskinnyontheinside.blogspot.com/2010/08/sweet-award.html

    Look forward to reading more from you!
    ~Tara

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  14. You are such an athlete! I feel as if reading your activities should speed up my metabolism.

    Negatives sound like no fun at all.

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  15. You did and that's what counts!!! You're doing great!

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  16. you are a better woman than me. I don't like pain so avoid all personal trainers, bootcamp, ect....

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  17. I wouldn't run in that heat either. I don't mind rain, wind, even storm (without thunder and lightning that is) but the heat kills me so I wouldn't have gone either.

    What a tough workouts that were on Monday and Wednesday, I almost got sore just by reading it :lol:

    And your remark on your hair is so funny. It's 7.15 am here and I've already had to laugh so thank you for that.

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  18. hmmmmmmmm
    this comment may be the official retraction of my longing to exercise with you?

    pretty sure it is.

    yep.

    you are officially WAY MORE HARDER OF CORE THAN I THESE DAYS!!!

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  19. Like Carla said you are way more hardcore with your training than I am these days...hope your over being so sore.
    Like you I can't wait till fall:)Keep up the great work!

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  20. Like Carla said you are way more hardcore with your training than I am these days...hope your over being so sore.
    Like you I can't wait till fall:)Keep up the great work!

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  21. I can't decide if I would just walk out of one of your workouts, or if I would be inspired/challenged to see how far I could push myself. I am definitely a 'lone exerciser.' Both running/walking and weights workouts. And swimming. Taking classes is okay, but every time I do, I don't like it as much. I do like that they sometimes push me to use more/different muscles and teach me new techniques. Otherwise, I'm a loner. Noah doesn't count. He USUALLY is not trying to tell me what to do LOL!

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  22. You are still doing wonderful!

    My workout today was quickly moving some stuff out to the garbage to minimize the mosquito attacks we suddenly have here because of recent rains.

    That and maybe lifting my hand from the jug of trail mix to my mouth.

    And running? Umm...again...can't outrun those F1@#$!@#$ mosquitos...they are killers, seriously.

    Sigh...happy for you, though.

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