Dear diary, today I kicked butt...

179.2
30 minutes elliptical
25 minutes lifting/upper body (2 sets)
10 minutes steam room

Today was a ridiculously long day:  I worked 9 hours, then went to a community forum, and then put in a real workout at the gym.  No corners cut. Full energy.

I feel really good about my workout.  I did my best and was able to put in a lot more energy than I thought I even had to give.  By the end of the workout my quads, biceps and back had all taken their turns yelling at me, which means I must be doing something right.

The steam room has become my reward again.  I value those 10 minutes of quiet and rest.  So much of my day is spent on the move, with constant demands on my attention, and now with the weather change, I'm a little cold all day long.  But in the steam room I get to be alone and warm. Ahh.

Is that how you want to be remembered?

37:45, 3 miles on inside track
2 sets of leg machines
10:00 steam room
10:00 ice bath

Today at the gym my husband decided to walk on the track so he could be there to encourage me and to walk with me when I took my walking breaks.  I'm glad he did.

Running on the track can be challenging: I tend to go out faster and without scenery it is more of a mental challenge as well.  I was doing pretty well, but about about a half mile from my goal I pulled up beside Seth and said, "I think I am going to cheat and just walk this lap." Seth looked at me and said, "Is that how you want to be remembered?"  Grrr!  He knows me so well and knows just how to push my buttons!  I was mad enough to swear, but I used it to run again and finish my 3 miles strong.  He's right, I don't want to be remembered as someone who takes it easy, who quits when it hurts.  I am doing this for me, and I am the one who gets cheated when I do less than my best.

After exhausting myself on the track I went to the weight room and did the leg machines.  It was hard!  My legs had already been working for 38 minutes and they didn't want to do any more.  The leg extensions and glute workouts where especially hard, but I am glad that I did them.  It was a workout that I could feel proud of.

I headed to the steam room and enjoyed my reward of 10 warm minutes of relaxation.  But I could tell that my legs had pushed harder than I have in a while and so we picked up a couple bags of ice on the way home.  It had been quite a while since I have taken ice baths, but I climbed into the tub wearing my hoodie and read Runner's World while I tried to ignore the lower half of my body.  

Grumble grumble grumble

12:00 rowing machine
2 sets lifting

I had a bad morning- stressed about report cards, frustrated at finances, and angry that I couldn't find the pair of jeans I wanted to wear to work (which also cut into my workout time).

Generally a good upper body work out will burn off any aggression and leave me feeling stronger, but today it only seemed to amplify all that negativity.  I was even more frustrated because I was going to work mad, which is not fair to those around me.  But here's the thing, I like my job and I love my coworkers, and within 30 minutes they had completely lifted my spirits.

Dead leg running

181.4
21:47, 1.61 mile run
3 sets of leg machines

Today was long and I wore high heeled boots all day, so by the time I got home from work at a quarter till 7 my toes were crying and I was spent.  So after dinner I went to the gym.

There was no energy left in my legs, but I willed them to keep moving in a running like manner.  My pecs and biceps were sore from yesterday's workout so even my upper body was complaining at me.  I told them to shut up and let me run.  Despite my body's protestations, I enjoyed my run.  It was the first time I had ever done the outdoor running track at the Earlywine YMCA, and I could feel the changes coming in the weather.  I just enjoyed moving, feeling like I am going to make it somewhere.  And my brain seems to enjoy running too.  I don't know if it is the rhythm of it all, the solitude, the break from normal life, or just the happy work out chemicals, but running almost always leaves me feeling better than when I started (although euphoric "runner's high" is not usual for me).

After forcing my legs to run, I further continued my self torture/training by heading inside the gym for the leg machines.  The first 2 sets of each machine were not that hard, but man did I have to focus my will power to muscle through the 3rd set!

Part of what helped me about halfway through my run was imagining who/where I want to be.  Sometimes that backfires and I end up feeling more down because of how far it is and bemoan how I will never get there, etc.  But for some reason my optimism seems to have returned and I once again feel like I am moving in the right direction.  On the way home from the gym I decided to set a ridiculously big goal: I want to weigh 150 pounds on my 29th birthday.  That's just over 18 weeks to lose 31 pounds. Is that too crazy? Maybe, but I started this journey as I neared my 25th birthday with a goal of reaching 155, and its about time I got to where I am going.

Not there yet, but I like where I'm heading!

181.4
15:00 rowing machine
19 minutes lifting/upper body, 2 sets
13:00 steam room

I was sore today from the trail run, but not nearly as sore as I had feared.  Like a junkie I wanted more endorphins so I headed to the gym this evening for my next fix.  I had a great workout tonight in spite of my soreness.  I was able to find my rhythm on the rowing machine and probably could have rowed longer, but I wanted to make sure I get in some good weight lifting too. 

The weights were crowded this evening so I had to mix up my order based on what was available when.  I upped some of the weight and reps and did well.  I felt strong and pushed my arms just far enough.

Its been a while since I have been able to stay in the steam room very long, but tonight went better.  Its so warm and almost comforting at times.  I listened to opera and just tried to relax and do some light stretching.  I think some of the tightness that has been plaguing me lately loosened up a bit which would be excellent.

I am proud of tonight's workout and I genuinely enjoyed it.  It hurt just the right amount and I didn't take any soft excuses from myself.  If I can churn out more runs like yesterday and workouts like this evening (and turn away from the desserts!) then I can reach my goals and be who I want to be.  Such a nice change to feel like I am moving closer instead of getting farther from achievement.

Running slowly in the woods (with a camera)

181.4

1:56:27, 6.16 mile trail run




Map of Clear Bay trails

Today was my day off, so of course I started it like most days off- by going to work!  After a couple hours of taking care of business I was ready to blow off some steam and get sweaty so I headed out to Lake Thunderbird in the rain for a long run.  I always enjoy trail running so much, and I can never quite find the right words to do just to beauty around me so I decided to bring a camera this time. 


It was so rainy and humid that at first the lens kept fogging

It was perfect trail running weather- raining and breezy!  The rain cools the body, and you can almost feel it refreshing the woods around you.  The sound of the rain on the leaves is so soothing.

It's a mountain bike trail, so sometimes the incline is intense

 I ran part of Green to Yellow to Red to Blue loop , then retraced back on Red to Yellow and then completed Green loop.  Each trail is a little more difficult than the other, and since these are actually mountain bike trails they can be a bit steep and rough.  Most of it is doable on foot, but a few places are a bit scary/fun.


1st view of Lake Thunderbird on Blue Loop

Blue Loop

Today my legs were tired, and I lacked speed even more than usual.  But the upside to being slow is that you have more time to enjoy the scenery. 

Whitetails are hard to photograph without a zoom!

 During my run I was privileged to see lots of squirrels, butterflies, 2 doves, 2 cottontail rabbits and 11 whitetail does.  I always slow down when I see deer, this is their home and I respect that, even if they are super yummy!


About half way done, one of my favorite spots

Watching the clouds roll away



At about mile 3 the rain stopped and the clouds started to clear. Beautiful sight, but it made the day get hot and muggy, slowing me down a bit more.  But I was having a blast and had found that elusive and mythical "runner's high"- why else would I still be grinning like an idiot after running 5 miles up and down uneven terrain?!

Mile 5.3

 

The woods seem almost magical at times.  The light coming through the leaves amplifying the already beautiful colors. Today I had the woods entirely to myself, the most recent tracks on the trail were from deer.  For the whole 2 hours I was in the woods I didn't see or hear a single human being, and that feels so good in today's hectic world.

Following in the foot steps of the deer

 I didn't run fast, but I ran far.  And I stopped often to take pictures or to observe wildlife.  Sure, I wish I was faster or stronger, but I am so grateful for the health, freedom and access to be able to enjoy a run like this. I hope I never lose the ability or the desire to trail run.

Some stats from my Garmin Forerunner 305

I like charts too!

Garmin's Training Center is a bit confused, I don't actually run underwater

Leisurely weekend

181.4
Friday: walking and roller skating
Saturday: working 8 hours then walking
Sunday: working 6.5 hours then walking

"Just walking" is exhausting.

Friday we took the kids to the Science Museum Oklahoma and walked all over that place!  The kids had a blast and after 5 hours there, I was ready for a nap!  I didn't get a chance for one though because that evening was a friend's birthday party, which was also a blast.  We even went roller skating, which was extra exhausting because the kid's didn't know how, so we got a double workout just keeping them on their feet.  Crawled into bed and fell asleep as soon as we got home.

Saturday I had to work a full day.  Unfortunately we were down a (wo)man due to illness so we had to work 50% harder to keep up with the load.  I spent half the day on my feet, bending and turning. I was bone weary by the time 5:00 came around.  After work I rushed home, scarfed down some spaghetti and took Annmarie with me to Light the Night.  It was such a nice night and I enjoyed the walk, but it sure felt longer than a mile!

I worked again today, and again we were a man down so 50% more.  I never even sat down at my desk!  This evening was really pleasant and we went to meet my parents at Bricktown for dinner.  We forgot about the mass inconvenience that is the OKC Thunder and ended up having to park on the far side of Bass Pro.  We walked to dinner then walked to get frozen yogurt for dessert then walked back along the canal to go home.  It was a really great evening and I enjoyed walking and visiting with my family.

Such a busy weekend with so much activity, no time for a formal workout, and yet utterly exhausting.  I am hoping that next week I can create and stick with a workout plan other than "just stand all day."

A little bit of restfulness

180.6
1.25 mile leisurely stroll
15:00 soak in hot tub

Took the family to explore a different part of Lake Thunderbird after tonight.  We strolled up and down Zoom Beach as the sun was setting.  The kids explored, finding tracks of deer, dogs, raccoons and geese.  They looked at rocks, shells, fish heads, turtle skeletons and flotsam that had washed ashore.  We heard deer calls and stopped to listen to the wind and waves.  It was the perfect evening and I could feel my stress just melting away.  On the way back through Norman we stopped at the YMCA and just enjoyed a nice soak in the hot tub.  Such a wonderful evening with my family, passing on what I value: curiosity, love of nature, and the simple joy of moving.

1/2 mile dog

15:07, .89 mile with Princess Betty
12:50, 1.02 mile run
35 sit ups
2 sets lifting

It was a beautiful evening so when Annmarie asked to go to the park, it was an easy yes.  I decided to take my dog, Princess Betty, with me.  This was the first time I ever ran with Betty, I always assumed that she was too short and too middle aged to want to run.  She was so excited and enthusiastic, pulling on the leash and sniffing like crazy.  It was great to have her energy by my side.  But then.... I hit the half mile and suddenly I realized that I was the one pulling on the leash, so I walked the rest of the loop and let her hang out with Seth while the kids played.  It was such a nice run.

One tired puppy!

fail

178.6
10:00 rowing
6:45 walking on the treadmill

I want to tell you about the awesome trail run that I planned for this morning.  Or about how when I didn't get the needed sleep, I instead worked a gym visit into my schedule and had an amazing workout just brimming with endorphins!

But that's not what I get to write about.  Instead I failed. I didn't go for the 6.5 mile glorious trail run.  While I did work in a gym visit, it was not good.

Truth is: my shoulders were tight so I only rowed 10 instead of 15.  And then I got on the treadmill to walk for 30 minutes, but I got fussy, tired, irritated and bored and just quit.  I started walking over to the weights, but then decided I didn't want to do that either.

I don't know why today's workout went sour, I just know it did.  I know my attitude sucked.  I know that I will never get where I want to be if I don't perform drastically differently.  But I also know that everyone has bad days.  We all fail now and then.  And I know that it will be OK.  Tomorrow I will pick myself back up and try again.  And I will keep trying until I either get where I want to be or until they bury me.

Running lost

32:43, 2.31 mile run
4:45, .23 mile cool down
35 situps
2 sets lifting at home

I just felt lost, without direction this morning.  Cranky and indecisive.  I hoped that working out would help, but I just found myself getting annoyed at how much traffic there was and having to listen to the car noise.  I found myself getting more stressed out and frustrated so I ended up switching my music to opera which seemed to help some.  I guess I've just had too much stress and not enough rest and relaxation lately. Or maybe its hormones, or the shorter days, or the cloudiness, or any number of things! 

Its not often that a good dose of sweat doesn't improve my mood, but today it just didn't help.  I mustered myself up and went to work anyway, determined to fake it so I wouldn't infect anyone else with my discontent.  Then I had a really good customer interaction, going beyond her expectations and surprising the customer with options she was not aware of.  Then, the sun came out and I seized the chance to soak it up on my break.  Then I had a very pleasant cup of coffee with a cookie.  Finally, my clouds were banished and I could get back to my normal cheerful nature.  So glad to get out of that funk!

Boosting morale through self-discipline

180.5
5:30, .26 mile warm up walk
26:23, 1.98 mile run
6:03, .29 mile cool down walk

Today was a rough day. I had two employees out sick, was greeted by a massive jam, and I managed to hit my head on the machinery while trying to get caught up on the backlog of work.  I don't know what I would have done without the support, help and encouragement of my fantastic coworkers, but by the end of the day I was spent.

I became more and more fussy as the evening wore on, just dissatisfied, but without a real clear focus to this ill content.  Finally I had enough of my bad attitude and made myself put on my running gear and head out the door.  I knew with this kind of mood I needed a change of scenery, and a path that would not allow me to cut thing short when it got uncomfortable, so I struck out on a new loop.

My goal tonight was not a particular speed or distance, but rather to run until I could come home happy.  I met that goal.  But now I smell almost as bad as my attitude stank earlier, so time for a bath!

Finisher's medal without racing

178.4
2.5 hours of hunting runners
2 miles of walking

This morning I woke up at 3:45, ate my toast, poured coffee into my travel mug, and was on the road at 4:20 AM.  It was still dark and cold when I parked alone in the field next a prison in Hinton, Oklahoma.  Why would a mild mannered librarian behave so oddly?  Zombies! 

Yes, that's right, I joined the zombie horde terrorizing runners at the Dirty 30 Zombie Edition obstacle course race.  I hunted with a pack of 4 other "fast" zombies, stealing life flags from every runner we could.  I made grown men scream like little girls, and put fear into many who passed my way. 

Being a Zombie isn't easy.  First, we needed to report in at 6 so the makeup artists could infect us and complete our transformations.  At one point we had to evacuate the make up tent because one of the rented water trucks caught on fire about 30 yards away.  The cold temperatures made it difficult to transform us as it dramatically affected the drying time on the latex make up and the fake blood.

Once we were all ready, we went outside and filmed a short video of our ambling horde for the race to use in future promos.  Then we split up and walked out to our kill zones along the course.  It was quite a hike, and I was surprised by how difficult the terrain was in comparison so previous Dirty 30s.  After about 25 minutes walking/hiking our group was put in place and we started planning our tactics.

Chasing runners may just be harder than actually running the race.  So much sprinting, dodging and turning, it was downright exhausting.  I took lots of blocking blows on my wrists, arms and other various body parts.  At one point my prey went in an unexpected direction and neither of us could stop in time, resulting in her shoulder connecting with my throat rather hard.  And the whole time I was hunting I was growling, moaning and making all other threatening manner of zombie noises, resulting in a very sore throat! I also found that prolonged Zombie shuffling (when moving back to my ambush spot or lulling the runners into complacency) is hard on the lower back.  But I collected a huge pile of flags, potential bruising, and a great time.

By the time I was done and made it back to the Zombie tent, I decided I had enough adventure for one Saturday (and not enough food, sleep or warmth) so I decided not to run the race I had just worked.  All Zombies received the same shirt and finisher's medal as the runners.  After 2.5 hours of chasing the runners, I earned.

Stinks like success

178.4!!!
15:00 rowing machine
15:00, 1.08 miles on treadmill
20:00 lifting
35 sit ups

I stink right now, and I couldn't be happier.  I smell like stinky achievement! 

My morning started out with me blearily staring at my scale trying to figure out why the last number had jumped from a 1 to an 8... then I realized in my sleepy haze that 178.4 is less than 181 and that this was a good thing! My day was off to a great start.  After Seth dropped the kids off at school we headed to the gym and got to it. 

My rowing was stronger today, but I never quite found my rhythm.  Next I chose a treadmill next to Seth so I could work out the tightness that creeps into my posture when I use the rowing machine. The weight lifting went great and today I really like what I am starting to see.  My arms are really looking stronger, I am feeling confident again, and by golly I can work up a good stink!  After I lifted we needed to leave so Seth could pick our kindergartner up in time so he just dropped me off at the house on the way.  It felt good to do sit ups while my muscles were still twitchy and I smelt like hard work.  Its gonna be a great day.