When you learn what others say about you...

Craziest thing -- i was reading someone's blog - totally random. and i came across this comment that was made about me.

i usually ask any people, or friends that i may know if they're interested in running together. well, no one's really wanted to do so -- which is fine. I still run on my own, I'd love to have a dog to run with, but alas that's not possible.

the comments this person made about me - i'm kinda insulted - my first half was an all women's race - she found it obnoxious that i'm was doing an all women's race. her words is - we don't need an all women's race. aren't we equal? well you know what, I found it very intimidating to run with a whole flock of guys especially for my first race.  running in general was scary -- i work out on a regular basis, but running long distances is tough, so i thought a race like this would be a good stepping stone. 

so this is what she also had to say  "And you just know there will be women in running skorts eating chocolate GU. So not my scene." yeah - honestly nothing wrong with being a girl and wearing skorts. I wear them because they're just slightly more comfortable.

and her second reasoning - oh i love this (sarcastically)
"The friend is doing this for "motivation" or something. She has no plans to run a full. Which is fine. So is training for a half for "motivation." Seriously. Need motivation to work out? Sign up for a race, then see how many days you skip the gym. Very few, I'm sure." - i actually stuck with the gym for the entire duration!

and she hated how i was complaining about how do i make sure i'm properly hydrated -- and since I knew she had done races before, i asked her. and the other girl with us had apparently asked her what she did during her runs at lunch time in terms of eating, etc. she said she did nothing. and her words -  "The all-women's half-marathon participant-to-be didn't hear this exchange. I don't know what to tell her. I'd rather be thirsty than have to pee. I hydrate for days before. I stop at aid stations in races."

ok well she could've told me this kind of thing! the worst part - is I was literally still in the very first stages of relearning how to hear again, and I wasn't getting 20% of what was said. to say something like that is hurtful. she knew what i was going through. made me lose some respect for her. I don't even think i could deal with someone who's like that.

For me -- working out, running races is not about other people. Working out is for my own health. Doing races i do to challenge myself. I do to see what my body can do. I don't do it to be better than anyone else... sure sometimes I'm like man, I wish I could be faster. But you know what, I'll do it at my own pace, I do it the right way, I'll do it the healthy way -- not starve myself to oblivion - like this so called friend does.

and hell yes - she'd CRINGE if she knew i was running the all women's race again - i loved it last year. I think it'll be something I'll do most years. i enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than the baltimore one.

does running in the all women's race make me less of a runner? no.

does running in skorts make me less of a runner? nope. Though it is my goal to one day run in those hot shorts! =0

does wanting to run in a race to keep me motivated make me not a runner? no....

some people just don't think.

February 27, 2010 Work out

45 minutes on the treadmill -- got 4 miles in... WHEWWWW! i was a sweaty mess.

Then 1 hour in body pump. I was hurtin' today!!!

February 25, 2010 Work Out

let's just say I HURT. my ABS hurt. My back hurts. ugh.

I did abs this morning.

3 sets of the following -
on the stability ball with my feet on the wall, crunches (20)
On the stability ball, lying on the side, and did side crunches (15 each side)

Pike on the stability ball (these were sooo hard!) (12)
Bicycle crunches (30)
crunches (20)

Reverse crunches (20)
V-twist (30)

i started out on the treadmill -- 2 minute warm up at 3.5

then 5.6 mph at 1.0 incline... and my back was just hurting, and my feet were hurting too.

so i moved my ass over to the elliptical -- did 30 minutes - 4 forward, 2 backwards, at 7 resistance......the incline changed every minute....

and i just hurt.

February 24, 2010 Work Out

HOLY COWWWWWWWW!

i did fitnessista's winter shape up work out week 4! 

Winter Shape Up Week 4: SUPERSETS!

-Superset 1:

Overhead press (12 reps)

Saxon Side Bend (12 on each side)

*Cardio blast: Burpees (1 minute)

*Repeat two more times*

-Superset 2:

Plank (45 seconds. push yourself!)

Renegade Row (12 on each side) 

*Cardio blast: Mountain climbers (1 minute)

*Repeat Superset 2 two more times*

-Superset 3:

Incline Stability ball bicep curls (12) - just did it on the bench

Stability ball tricep extension (12)

*Cardio blast: High knees (1 minute)

*Repeat Superset 3 two more times*

-Superset 4:

-Lunge and Lift (12 on each side)

-Squats (int/adv used 10 lb weight in the middle - 12)

*Repeat Superset 4 two more times*

since i didn't follow her instructions in the first place, which was to do the cardio blasts once after the 3 sets of super sets. Oy. pays to read, but not at 630 in the morning! but it was a good work out in the end!

February 23, 2010 work out

20 minute abs--

3 sets of the following

Reverse abs on decline (12 x)
Crunches on ball (20 x)

Side bends (15 x each side)
u know those abs where you sit as a V and do a twist from side to side (30)

crunches on ground (15)
reverse frog leg crunches (15)

side plank (20 sec each side)
Plank (30 sec)

30 minutes 5.6 mph on 1.0 incline on treadmill
3 minute cool down.

I wasn't feeling too fast. I keep forgetting i have to chill with the lower body workouts! cuz then i can't run too fast or hard! blah.

February 22, 2010 workout

ok this is gonna be a WHOLE new week, a new month, a new everything. the first month really got messed up due to being sick, traveling and all that SNOW. Mr. Weatherman, are you listening, bring some warm weather and sunshine asap!

I also need to get serious miles in! my first race of 2010 is in 7 weeks. (ok i was thinking 5....) that's a 10 miler. No problems!

my workout this morning started with supersets - 3 sets each:

Dumbbell (10 lbs each arm) front lunges - 12 times each leg
Push Ups - 15
Jump rope (estimated 1 minute - I did 100 jumps)

Dumbbell (10 lbs each arm) bench squats - 12
Standing Cable Row - 10 each arm
Jump rope (estimated 1 minute - 100 jumps)

Dumbbell (10 lbs each arm) bench step up - 10 each leg
Wall sit with lateral raises (5 lbs each arm) - 12
Double Leg Stability Ball  - 12  (basically you lie on the floor and lift your hips and push and pull the ball away from you without dropping hips)
Jump rope (estimated 1 minute - 100 jumps)

for good measure
Triceps kick backs - 12 each arm (10 lbs)
Tricep Bench Dip - 12

15 minutes on ellipitcal at resistance level 6.

and i stretched!!!!!!!

one big thing I'm also doing is adding much more protein to my diet -- and by doing that means i have to drink 2 shakes a day. since i'm refusing to sacrifice my oatmeal in the morning, that's just WRONG. so i'm doing a shake at lunch and a shake for dessert - I use on whey - double rich chocolate, it tastes delicious! (so much for the no dessert thing, but i need protein and I'm not getting that much of it!)

I eat mostly vegetables and starches. beans on occasion, not that much fish -- but i just discovered a new section in my grocery store -- with fish that's frozen, but already packaged. usually the fish i see has been frozen, and thawed out... that just makes me cringe. either keep it fresh or frozen, not both!

Condo to do list!

We actually succeeded 2 things in the month of February.

First thing was hooks on the bathroom doors & entry closet! (seriously, having separate bathrooms is like the best thing ever. I don't tell him what to do with the bathroom, and I just do my own thing in mine! it's amazing! definitely one less thing to fight about!)

second thing - i ordered fabric online. had it shipped to my mom. She cut it & sewed it. Shipped it back up to me.

I just bought hooks and hung it up in place of those stupid, stupid (whoever invented vertical vinyl blinds, they're the ugliest thing ever!) and voila! gorgeous orange/red curtains, they actually go very well with our accent wall in our living room!

now all we need is a way better dining table and chairs! the ones we have now are 3 times hand me downs! but we should be glad we have a table and chairs. (i just fear one day the chair will just buckle!)

 

  

the curtains will probably stay open most of the time. the stained glass - oranges/red ones are the ones my mom made. the blue/purple is what my charlene made! 

February 20, 2010 workout

40 minutes on treadmill at 1 % incline - 3 sets of  2 minute walk at 4.0 mph, 8 minute run at 6.0 mph. minutes 30 - 32 - walked at 4.0 mph. then minutes 32 to 40 increased from 6.0 to 6.7 every minute. WHEW!

Then body pump class for 1 hour... ahhh I feel good!

February 18, 2010 Workout

Level 1 of 30 Day shred

February 17, 2010 Workout

ok -- so ive been traveling. and the snow has been impeding with my workout. but i shoveled at least once every day last week. i even helped my neighbors out!

Then I went out of town! and i now have an official maid of honor. and we WALKED a lot! in heels, no less on Saturday. On sunday, we walked around the mall a LOT! she's a super walker, long long legs, I'm always lagging behind!

then i drove back on Monday... I was exhausted on Tuesday.

Wednesday came! and here's my workout. I love Fitnessista!

I used her winter shape up workout:

i did 2 sets of the following:

Circuit:
-Dumbbell frontal raise (12)
-Plie squat (12)
-Medicine ball twist (10 on each side)
-Jumping jacks (45 seconds)
-Chair squats (12)
-hammer curl (10 on each side)
-Chair dips (10)
-Good mornings (15- instead of holding a barbell, hold a medicine ball at your stomach)
-Bent knee leg raises (12)
-High knees (1 minutes)

Circuit:
-Lateral raise squats (15)
-Renegade row (12 on each side)
-Bicep curl Plie Squat (15)
-Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
-Stability ball back extension (12)
-Tricep dips (15- with straight legs makes it more challenging)
-Squat jumps (30 seconds)
-Weighted Ball crunch (light weight behind your head- 25)
-Calf raises with wall tap (15)
-Burpees (1 minute)

too many blogs to catch up with

agghhhhh i'm looking at my reader, and realizing how much i have to catch up with & that's just from 3 days!

February 9, 2010 workout

I did levels 1 and 2 of Jillian Michael's 30 day shred.

if we do infact get another 12 to 20 inches of snow overnight, shoot me please!

I don't know where we're going to put it!

but it won't stop me from going to rochester this weekend.

Snow, Superbowl....

We spent about 2 hours outside shoveling all the snow around our cars! but they're all clear.

we went from THIS!

to THIS!!!!

and then we had a bunch of neighbor friends over -- snow was not a problem because all anyone had to do was walk on over! Everyone brought a little something... and we watched the Saints come up from behind, not that it was worrysome at all, but they played BEAUTIFULLY!

That interception was perfect timing!

Snow, mr. weatherman, so you were kidding, but seriously bring summer back ASAP!

yep - there's a whole lotta snow. lovely. I'm staying in.

i will say it's a whole crazy experience compared with living out in the country. living out in the country, you basically are stuck home.

here since we're in the city, we can walk to places if we want to. Which is EXACTLY what my fiance is doing. i think he's crazy cuz that snow's deep! it's deep!

February 5 Workout

let's see i took a page out of the January or February 2010 Women's Health Magazine and did a work out from there. I do sometimes do workouts from the magazines, but half the time, I don't even understand how to do some of the exercises. I'll try to follow it step by step, but then I'm CLUELESS!

But this one I actually could follow, I just modified it to base it on what i had available to me

I did 3 sets of the following
Side to side hops - 20
Skater moves - 20
Reverse Lunge with front kick - 10 each leg
Squat and Row with 60 pound weights from the cable - 15
Chest Press with 40 pound weights on cable - 12 each arm.
Modified Bent Over L-I raise - 5 lbs, - 10 (this was tough!!)
Stability Ball Circle - 8 each direction (this was hard too, I don't even know if i did it correctly)
Ultimate Toe Raises - 20
Push Ups - 12
Crunches on Ball - 30

and rounded it off with 20 minutes on the ellipitical.

February 4 Workout

Yesterday didn't happen due to the snow. and work was delayed. and I was going to go after work, but a friend was in dire need. So I was there for her. and I'm glad i was there for her!

This morning, i got out of bed quickly. No hitting snooze!

40 minutes on the stair stepper, started at 5 then 6, then 7.

15 minutes of abs. then I had to rush to get ready for an appointment at 8.

Tomorrow I'll be at the gym despite the snow that's coming. That might put a crimp in my workout for the weekend. but I might still get a workout due to all the snow that's coming....aghh! snow go away. For real?!

*can't you tell, I really dislike winter!*

Still not 100 percent there

Still recovering. This sinus goes on and on and on. i think it's sort of transported itself to my throat. Meh.

Anyway I still got up this morning to go to the gym. I feel crappy when I don't go to the gym. So I went. but I didn't push myself too hard.

I did 40 minutes on the treadmill. 7.5 incline. 3.3 - 3.5 walking. It's tough maintaining that speed when you're at an incline.

Then i actually did 15 minutes of abs. All good.

I know there are usually 2 months out of the year that i hit my low - February and September. Those are the 2 months that I just go into a serious funk. I'm so not gonna let that happen this year. Time to change it up!