I Choked!

Update:  Please go vote for my awesome friend Stephanie, HERE!  little yellow button, click it!  thank you!

Hello!!  Well, I bailed on the first workout of the week.  Sunday morning run club.  I couldn't get to sleep on Saturday night (still thinking about the creeper) and when I woke up Sunday morning, I just felt terrible and my stomach was bothering me.  Then I turned off my alarm clock and rolled over.  Well, that ends that!

In the afternoon, I had a home jewelry party to go to.  It was pretty cool, I got a simple necklace just for everyday when you don't have some specific bauble type stuff to wear and a pair of small square faux diamonds also just simple.  Now what's funny and scary about going to this party?  After the demo was over, I noticed a food spread untouched in the dining room.  No one had broken into it and I walked into the room and popped a strawberry in my mouth and turned to go back to where everyone was looking at the product and the strawberry slid right into my throat and just like that, I was CHOKING!!  It can't even really be called choking because i was making no sound, getting no air and I felt like my eyes were as huge as they could possibly get.  At that moment, a friend of mine walked around the corner and could tell something was wrong because I was just standing there with my hand on my throat.  "did you eat something? are you okay?  are you choking?"  I just nodded and then felt it move.  Grabbed a napkin, bent right over and coughed it out.  Then my eyes start watering immediately because it hurt!!  You'd think that would have stopped me from eating but come on, there was veggies & dip and cheese & crackers and cupcakes!!  I didn't have anymore strawberries though.  I've choked twice in my life before.  Once I was 11 and choked on a sliced carrot.  My mom did the heimlich and up came the carrot.  I cried my eyes out.  Then the next time was about ten years ago.  I was alone and driving and sucking on a hard Werther candy when it just slid down my throat and stopped.  I pulled onto a side street immediately and stopped the car and panicked for a second and then ever so slowly and painfully, it slid down.  My throat felt bruised for a day or two.  Always makes me think of that SATC episode where Miranda chokes.  I always think of that living alone.  Scary!!!  Haha - I searched youtube for it but it wasn't there!!  Whaaat???  So i popped in my dvd and recorded it with my phone so it's really good quality, hehe.

A few months ago, I backed a project on Kickstarter for the gps watch by bia.  At the price point I backed at, it gives me a watch & gps when they come out and a couple straps, plus the bia technical fabric shirt right away.  Apparently, the red shirt was so popular that they were backordered and just got sent out a couple weeks ago.  I kept seeing tweets of people getting theirs and I knew mine was taking a little longer because it had to go through customs and into Canada but Monday, it arrived!!!  I saw the package in my mailbox on my way out the door to running clinic.   So happy it's come and it fits perfectly!!  Love the red.  And I like the v-neck and I think the cut is quite flattering.  On the other sleeve it says "first".  Nice touch for all the people who were the first to back them and get them to their project goal.  I didn't want white because I figured it may be see-through and I didn't want bright pink.  That's not really me although I do like it on other people.

And once again, I came home from work, tired and really didn't feel like going to running clinic. I went though (thank goodness because that's when I got all happy from the package).  Although, I was huffing & puffing, I felt good.  I could keep going and i'm actually looking forward to Wednesday run club.  The leader asked if anyone was coming to club on Wednesday and about three people said yes so I'm assuming since she asked that only one or none showed up on Sunday morning.  Kind of annoying that others aren't going because she shows up for nothing otherwise.  I feel bad about that.  I've only missed two out twelve so far so i'm definitely doing my part.  What's got two thumbs and is super happy about going to run club??

Although, in all the dragging my butt I did, I was rushing around to get out the door in time and I forgot my garmin!  I was super pissed when I pulled up to the store and realized I'd forgotten it.  I just love having the numbers and being able to SEE my improvement because I can't always FEEL my improvement.  Oh, how I love the numbers.  I paid attention to how far we went down the street and then mapped it when I got home and I knew we did 4 sets of run 4 minutes, walk one minute and on the last set, I ran the last minute as well so 20 minutes total.  Hehe - I made my own, ahem, adjusted, watch picture.  Yes, I'm a dork and I like having pictures in my posts.

Tuesday lunchtime Sculpt class was good.  Another new instructor and I really liked her.  She is supposed to be doing our Core & More on Wednesdays for the reminder till Christmas so I'm happy about that!   Unfortunately, my condo annual board meeting fell on Tuesday night so I had to miss spin class tonight.  Waaaaah!!!  Gee, it's just so much fun waiting at the hall for at least 50% to show up so we can actually have the meeting and vote on stuff.  I don't understand the motivation to not come.  This is your money!  Come and have a say!  We JUST made it.  We had exactly half the people but we had to wait a half hour for enough people to show.  I could have done spin class and showed up at the same time as the latecomers.  I will definitely have to go Thursday night and Saturday morning now.  I'm finally getting to the point where my butt doesn't hurt anymore while doing it and my tailbone only hurts a little bit now.  I've been experimenting with where to position myself on the seat to not aggravate my tailbone.  

Hmmm what else . . . I made another recipe from Happy Herbivore.  Cauliflower-Pumpkin Curry.  I really liked it and since it's so much veg, it's calorie and point friendly.  I also added some chickpeas to kick up the protein and I wish I had some more sauce or put in a little less cauliflower to offset it.  Still good though and I've got lunch all week.

Well, that's all I've got!  Just occurred to me that run club is right when kids will be out nabbing candy. Oh boy.  I'll tell them that my costume is Finely Tuned Athlete.

Creepy Stalker

At the time I'm writing this, I'm not sure I'm going to post it.  I just wanted to write it while it was fresh and I'm still angry.  It's Saturday morning, I just got home from the Y.  I met Nikki (aka Nicole) there at 7:45 and we did some weights in the empty studio and then spin class (which was awesome as usual).  We were about 5 minutes into the class when this guy wearing a winter hat, winter coat and baggy pants with a big bushy beard was walking down the hall and stopped every few feet on the other side of the wall of windows.  He just stared us down, no expression.  We all thought it was kind of funny because lots of people stop and watch, it's a crazy class!!!  Where it gets creepy though, is he did this at least a dozen times.  He clearly wasn't there to work out, he simply walked back & forth and stopped and stared.  At one point, he came in to ask the instructor something right in the middle of class and then he left and resumed his walking back & forth.  Funny at first, ending up creepy.  Move on pal.  Then I leave and it is ridiculously slippery out.  The kind of slippery after freezing rain so that you can actually wear ice skates down the street (not kidding).  I pull out of my parking spot on the street and I go to pull into the parking lot to drive around the U and head in the other direction. I'm doing it slowly because if you move to fast, your wheels turn but your car actually doesn't.  Then a car waiting for me to finish the turn honks, so I look at the driver and it's the creeper!!  He glared at me the whole time I'm driving by.  The creepy guy, just got creepier.  Seriously why are you there???  You don't have kids with you, you didn't pick anyone up or drop anyone off, you simply stalked a spin class for an hour and then left.

Now this may not seem like a big deal but it brought up some stuff for me.  I was stalked and harassed when I was 15 and my parents & I never did figure out who it was.  Except that it was someone we knew and someone that could see our driveway/side door from where they were.  Every time both of my parents left together, the phone would ring, sometimes while they were still pulling out of the driveway.  The caller would breathe heavy, whisper that he wanted to have sex with me, sometimes he would meow and always always, I was either home alone or babysitting my two year old sister.  We figured out they could see our house because the phone would start ringing right when they left and if I ran out to stop them, the phone would instantly stop.  I also once called my best friends mom (who lived 10 houses down) to come over and the phone stopped ringing as soon as she walked up our driveway.  We played Monopoly until my parents got home and the phone didn't ring once.  Once, my parents drove away and then my mom let my stepdad out of the car around front and he came back in the front door and the phone rang.  He picked it up and didn't say anything and as soon the guy started whispering my stepdad started yelling at him.  Nope, still didn't stop.  And one time, the phone just wouldn't stop.  I was babysitting my sister and I just grabbed her and ran out the door and down the street to another lady's house who I babysat for.  I was more scared to take the phone off the hook because I knew that if it was ringing, then he was still in his house.  If it stops ringing, he could be anywhere.  This was also before cell phones so I could never really call my parents unless they were somewhere specific for a period of time.  It got to the point where I was never alone.  Ever.  We changed our phone number numerous times.  We called the police and they couldn't do anything unless he threatened my life to which my stepdad replied "HE'S THREATENED TO RAPE HER, ISN'T THAT F*CKING ENOUGH?!" and then he slammed down the phone.  My stepdad was also a black belt and instructor in Tae Kwon Do so I spent many hours in the basement with him learning self-defense moves and dirty self-defense moves. How or why the stalking ended, we don't know.  It lasted about 9 - 10 months and the only thing we could come up with was that there was two houses that sold during that time, one street over that both would have had a clear view of our door and driveway so maybe they moved or found someone else.

So leaving the Y this morning, even though the roads are a skating rink, I took the long way home.  The creeper was turning the same way I was, so I turned the opposite way.  By the time I got home, I was upset about this.  I cried.  I just kept thinking, how f*cking dare you.  How dare you, creepy bastard, ruin something that I'm loving so much and make me feel unsafe.  Because if you are actually harmless, your behaviour is NOT.  And in an age where women are assaulted or killed on early morning runs or bike rides or walks, this kind of behaviour is not okay.  I called the Y and spoke to a 16 year old boy at the front desk and he knew who I was talking about.  He said that he's not familiar to him and he came up to the desk and asked them some questions and that he seems weird but harmless and they would watch for him.  I plan on bringing this up again.  I don't really feel good about the kid working the desk really.  I would have preferred to talk to one of the girls.  Because a girl would know what I'm talking about.

Do It, You'll Feel Better

Well, my cold that smacked me on Saturday was still kicking around on Sunday and then Monday.  I didn't go to work on Monday because I'm lame and had a killer sinus headache and I am lucky to have sick time.  Monday night is run clinic night and I decided not to go, my headache made that a really easy decision.  Then at 8 pm I had a massage.  Oh it was so awesome.  I felt like everything just loosened up and with the help of some nighttime cold stuff, I was feeling better Tuesday morning.

Tuesday, I stopped at the Y on the way to work to reserve my spin bike for class as planned.  I did the Sculpt class at lunch and it was really good.  We had a substitute instructor and she was really upbeat and cheerful without crossing the line into annoying.  It's a fine line and she did great.  After work though, I did not feel like doing that spin class.  I just felt tired and blah and considered just dropping off my card and giving up the reservation.  Then I decided to go and just leave if I wasn't feeling well during the class.  Everyone gets in there 20 minutes early to grab their bike and we just sit and ride and chat until class starts.  By the time the class started, I was feeling awesome so I've decided that the illness that was plaguing me just one hour earlier was called LAZINESS.  I've felt it before but thought it was an actual illness.  It's not.  I pushed myself hard in that class and I had the sweat to prove it and I felt like a million bucks after.  Now I just have to keep reminding myself of this.  PROOF!

I suck at self portraits.

Core & More class was today at lunch.  I've been complaining about this class because the class has only fit the class description I paid for ONCE.  Today we had a different substitute and she was hard fricking core.  She was a tiny little dynamo drill sergeant.  And the class should now be called Core & Nothing More.  My core was SCREAMING 20 minutes in to the 45 minute class.  I will likely not be able to laugh or sneeze tomorrow without weeping.  Awesome though.  We did exercises I'd never seen before.

LAZINESS struck again today after work in the form of "I don't want to go to Run Club".  And the following conversation ensued between Fit Mom in Training (aka Steph) and I.

So yes, I put on my run stuff and sat for 20 minutes drinking a big glass of water and ultimately left and went to run club.  A couple extra girls actually showed up and my old running clinic instructor did the half on Saturday so she just wanted a nice light easy run so she ran with me just like old times.  I felt awesome after.  Again, LAZINESS almost won, but dammut, I kicked its ass.  

On the weekend, I made a delicious soup.  It's from my Happy Herbivore cookbook.  I love this cookbook.  If you are trying to eat less meat or you are vegetarian or you're interested in having some vegan stuff, get it.  It's simple, fast, low fat, and delicious.  This was just what the doctor ordered when I was feeling all sad and stuffed up.  Oh, and I should mention that she has lots of delicious recipes (free) on her website.

I've mentioned before that the scale hasn't moved.  It actually went up a few pounds and then hasn't moved.  I did not log that gain because I don't really want to be ruled by the scale.  So I hadn't stepped on it lately.  I've been clinging to the fact that a few people have told me that I've lost weight and my clothes are fitting better.  Less snug, more comfortable.  Another co-worker today said "you look so skinny!".  While I'm definitely not skinny, I will take it.  This morning I decided to step on the scale.  202.8 pounds!!!  FINALLY!!!  My last logged weight on here was 204.  I was definitely 206 and above last week, so the scale has started showing it too.  So pleased.  

Also, I've decided to start counting my points again.  While I definitely don't want to go to meetings (I'd rather be in spin class), and I definitely don't have the money to spend in joining online, I decided that I would just use my calculator and pocket guide and track on paper.  Then it dawned on me that maybe some genius wanting to make some cash created a third party app for tracking.  I kind of think I'm a genius for thinking of it, but they are more genius for doing it.  $2.99 one time charge beats the hell out of the $100 I'd drop just signing up for the first three months.  I used the app today for the first time and it's pretty good.  There are probably some minor annoyances but definitely worth it.  It always takes a little while to get all of your personal favorites in there but I bet after a week it will be awesome.  Here's a screen shot followed by the app icon.  It actually tells you in the little red circle how many points you have left without even opening the app.

Well, I think that's it for now.  I will leave you with this . . . something I'm appalled exists and something I'm pretty much 100% sure that I will NEVER try.  Way to jump on the healthy bandwagon folks.  And yes, while I wasn't eating the healthiest stuff as my weight climbed, I definitely don't think I ate anything like this.

Oh, and I'd also like to add that I would not be doing as great on the working out side of things without some awesome people that are cheering their hearts out for me when I go go go and telling me to move when I say no no no.  It's so awesome to have these people daily in my life so Nikki and Steph (there are more, that's just who I'm naming now), this one's for you!!!  And I'll buy one or five sometime soon.  I wish I could buy my online cheerleaders an ale too!!

Now it's time for Survivor & Modern Family :)  What a great Wednesday.

CHECK, CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK :)

The Race

Whoop Whoop!  It's done!  To recap, this was my first race since a 10 km in May 2010.  I was pretty nervous about it just because I knew that I wanted a better time than I was capable of.  With the running clinics being cancelled in the summer, I just wasn't where I had intended to be.  I kept telling myself that it's okay to walk and it doesn't matter what my time is.  I wanted to be under 1:20 but ultimately I finished at 1:24:15.  Not too far off.  There was quite the bottleneck at first because the path was narrow, I wish I'd waited a little bit to cross the starting line because it was chip timed so it wouldn't have mattered.  I waited till I was all the way across the mat and past the photographer before I stopped the garmin, hehe.  Didn't want a picture where I was looking down at my watch baha!

I went to the get-together with my neighbours Friday night and as I promised myself, I had two glasses of wine and I only stayed there till 10pm.  I also drank two big glasses of water while I was there and stuck to the fruits and veggies.  When I got home, I was still wired so I decided to chug more water while I was getting everything completely ready so I could sleep longer in the morning.  I borrowed a spibelt from my friend Stephanie because she wasn't going to be using it.  Those things are great, I'm going to buy one for sure.  It held my iPhone, chapstick, and a couple other things I wish I wasn't carrying and it stayed in place.

I had a pretty crappy sleep the night before due the early arrival of my monthly visitor.  I couldn't believe it.  I woke up three times in the night because I was cramping.  Every time I woke up, instead of  just laying there and debating about getting up, I jumped up and took some ibuprofen and a melatonin and tried to get back to sleep as soon as possible.  Thank goodness this race wasn't a 7am start or anything!!  In my haste to get out the door, I forgot to take breakfast.  I was going to pack a peanut butter sandwich and a banana to eat on the way to the race and I forgot.  I stopped to pick up a friend and went up to her place because I had her race kit.  She fed me toast & peanut butter and a banana so I was back on track!!  

We got to the race in time to see the last two waves of half marathon runners take off.  Then it was my turn to go for the 10km.  Like I said, the first mile was crowded and then it started to thin out.  It was a really pretty course too.  It was an out & back through a park so it was mostly narrow and forest.  I had just passed the 2 mile marker when the first person was headed on his way back passed me going the other way.  Holy sh*t.  He just ran four mile, in the time I ran 2.  Then a couple more people blew past, then my friend Nicole came running down and we high-fived each other.  She ended up being the 2nd place female and 12th overall.  INCREDIBLE.  And she was sick with a nasty cold all last weekend which carried over throughout the week.  As I got closer to the 3 mile turnaround, I was seeing lots of people I knew from the run club I attend so it was nice to get some cheering.  With the course being through trees, there wasn't really anyone out cheering like for many road races.  I turned around and then thought to myself that there was really no going back.  You have to finish at this point and it didn't matter that I was tired. 

There was a couple other girls that were doing a walk/run system too.  We kept leap-frogging each other and I started to get annoyed with constantly having to pull out to the left and then pass and then having them do the same thing so on the way back, my goal was to pass them and then not be passed again.  I waited till they both took a walk break and then RAN.  I ran faster than I normally run for about three minutes to put enough distance between us and then when I walked, I walked as fast as I could.  Then I saw three girls walking together in front of me and my new goal was to get ahead of them too.  I caught up and did the leap frog thing again.  Then in the last mile, I passed them and another couple.  The last mile was SO COLD.  The whole time had been pretty windy but the last 1/2 mile, we were running straight into it and there was nowhere to hide so I just put my head down and walked as fast as I could till the final bend and then I ran as fast as I could to the finish line.  AND DONE!!!! 

We grabbed our chocolate milk and snacks and ate really quick and then left.  We were freezing.  We stopped at Starbucks on the way home.  Once I got home, I just sat for a few minutes and then had a lovely shower.  I turned on the fireplace, grabbed my favorite blanket and a pillow from my bed and spent the afternoon on the couch like this.  The afternoon brought to you by ibuprofen and kleenex.  I am now very stuffed up and now have that cold that I've been fighting all week.  

Just a little note about the friend I picked up.  It was her first race ever and it was her goal to do a 5km this year.  As of last weekend, she was going to just not do it but I convinced her to do it and messaged her every day that it was going to be great.  She did so good!  And she had so much fun and she wants to do it again.  So funny!  She kept looking around and saying it was like a different world and it really is.  The running community is filled with some crazy awesome people.  

I really wish I'd taken more pictures but I was freezing so I mostly jumped around trying to keep warm till we started.  I'm not sure when the next race is, I'm thinking it will be the Santa Shuffle 5 km in early December and I've also heard about an I'm a Girl run in November sometime so I'll google that now.  

I'd love to do this one again next year except I'll be FASTER!! :)  I look forward to my running minutes  increasing and my walking minutes decreasing!

It Is Upon Me!

Well, it’s official.  It’s here.  Picked up my race kit yesterday afternoon.  I can’t believe I’m doing this.  I fluctuate between being excited about it and wanting to bail.  A friend of mine is signed up for the 5km.  She’s never done a race before and started getting really active over the last year and made it her goal to complete a 5km this year.  Last Sunday, she told me she wasn’t going to do it.  I gave my best sales pitch and she was back on.  She told me I had to email her every day and tell her that it’s okay to walk, she won’t be last, and that even if she was, that it would be okay.  I have emailed her and every single one of those things is true.  Truthfully, I have those same fears myself and I’ve been telling myself for months now that it’s really okay if I walk most of it.  And my goal is that when I have to walk, I’m going to haul ass doing so.  I’m really hoping it doesn’t rain.  It’s been rainy for the last couple days so on Wednesday night during run club, I was soaked and my feet were all squishy wet.  For 20 minutes or so it’s doable but I certainly don’t want that for my first race back in action for over an hour. 

I did the Monday run - no picture proof.  The leader set my watch to intervals and it didn't give me the same totals screen?  I need to learn more about the watch., 
I did the Tuesday sculpt class at lunch and the spin class in the evening.  That spin class room was so hot, it was hot yoga hot.  Everyone was pouring sweat, myself included.  It was the first time I had a little puddle under my bike starting.  I took a picture of my back, you can faintly see the outline of the sweat.  I wish I'd been wearing a colored tank!  Oh and fyi, i'm wearing a tank!!  I never do that.  It's reserved for spin class only so far. I sent this picture to my friend Tracie she called me swexy.  I'm totally using that.

I did the Wednesday run.  It rained, I was soaked with squishy feet.  She had us do a little speed work and although it was fun at the time, my shins hurt later that night and part of yesterday so I think speed work was a little too early in the game for people who are only up to running 20 minutes with a run/walk combo.

Didn’t do the Wednesday Core & More class because we have a substitute right now and she’s basically teaching it like she teaches the Sculpt class the day before but more awkwardly, so I’m not really enjoying it.  If I’m going to keep all this up, I need to be enjoying it.  I hear we have a new instructor next week so I’ll be going for it again.  

Thursday night I did spin and I gave myself a break on today’s boot camp.  My thighs were really sore and tired from the spin classes this week so I decided that Friday could be the rest day before the race.

 

Here’s the dumb thing I did for my ‘rest day’.  About two weeks ago, one of my neighbours invited a few of us other girls in the condo complex for a wine & cheese tonight.  I replied right away with a big “YES”, all excited to have something on the social calendar and it wasn’t until a couple days later that I realized it was the night before the run.  I should have emailed back right then and said that I couldn’t go instead of just saying that I could still come but would be leaving early because I really don’t want to go but feel it’s too late at this point to bail.  I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up some veggies, crackers, & hummus.  And stopped to get a bottle of wine.  

Now I'm wondering what time people are heading over while writing this and thinking about what I'm playing to wear for the race tomorrow.  The temperature has been a little tricky lately.  Although it will be cool in the morning, my race distance starts at 9:35 so it will have started to warm up some and it's supposed to be sunny.  I'd rather start off cold and warm up, then start off comfy and get too hot.  It will be a game time decision I'm sure and I'll be cramming my jacket into my bag to check.  

I will leave you with this little girl who brings me endless joy and I can sit and look at pictures of her all day long.  ALL DAY.  

WISH ME LUCK!!!

I Don't Like Change

Every time I hear the girl who lives upstairs from me cleaning, I feel guilty.  No joke. Probably because while she's doing that, I'm sitting on my couch with my laptop while watching TV.  Every weekend, either Saturday or Sunday afternoon I hear her vacuuming, moving furniture and everything.  I look around my place as I sit and watch The Walking Dead marathon on Saturday and it is a DISASTER!  She got me up and I started cleaning on the commercial breaks.  Makes you speedy to see how much you can get done in three minutes, hehe.  Two loads of laundry and the kitchen got cleaned during the commercials. :) Proof of the mess.

Saturday morning spin class and barbell blast HAPPENED!  Set up my station in Barbell and then went to spin and left two minutes early and headed to barbell.  Now here is the change . . . My favorite class though is NOT pleasing me.  I loved the last three instructors.  Mike on Wednesdays which I miss now because of run club and on Saturdays, there were two girls that alternated.  Now on Saturday it's been the same woman and I'm not very fond of the way she talks to us (pretty much like she's the best thing to ever happen to weight-training) and she likes to talk a lot and we take way too many breaks.  I don't leave the 45 minute class feeling like I've worked every muscle like I used to.  Sad.  Next Saturday is the 10 km and the Saturday after, I'll give it one more go and if I still don't like it, I'll do my own arms and abs etc before spin from then on.  Oh and while on the topic of spin, there are some really funny spinning videos on youtube.  Spinning with Jimmy Fallon, ahahahaa!

Sunday morning Run club was good.  Only a couple of us showed up but it was a couple of regulars so we just chatted through the run.  Off and on that is, between gasps for air on my part.  Running first thing in the morning into a cold wind is tough on my breathing.  I feel like I'm dying.  As soon as we turned around to head back and the wind was at my back, my breathing was so much better and I felt like I could have kept going and before I knew it, we were back. I so wish I'd noticed that the watch was at 1.98 miles and waited till I ran across the street to stop it!

I hate that moment when you figure out there was something you were left out of.  That just happened this moment via facebook.  A wedding of a co-worker.  There were about 6 of us that ate lunch together every day for a number of years when we worked in the same department.  We've all moved around over the last 4 - 5 years and at times weren't even in the same building any more.  I probably haven't kept in touch as much as the others have I guess.  You know you suspect you're not in the thick of it anymore but when you just plain old don't get invited, then you know you're not.  And I think what bothers me more than not being invited, is the fact that I didn't even know she was getting married that day.  I knew she'd gotten engaged but I had no idea there was a date or that the others were going.  I've talked to these people, no one said boo about it so then I think there had to be a conversation like "i'm not inviting Michelle so maybe don't mention it".  That bothers me more than not being invited.  Ah well, just goes to show that you can get 20 years away from high school and still feel like the outsider.  Although, on the plus side, I didn't have to part with $75 for presentation.

I'm writing this on Sunday morning and I have to just say how much I love Sunday mornings.  I forgot that this is what Sunday mornings used to be like when I used to run. Get up at 7:45, quick smoothie, glass of water, toss on run clothes and out the door. Starbucks is right next to my Running Room so half the time I end up getting a fancy coffee (nonfat, no whip of course).  Head home, make a nice breakfast, have a cup of coffee and relax.  My relaxing is about to end now though because it's almost noon and I have to shower & get ready to meet a friend for coffee and to see a late afternoon showing of Argo. I had no idea what it was at first but when I realized it was the Ben Affleck/Bryan Cranston movie I knew.  I don't know why but I've seen that trailer on tv a million times and couldn't ever remember the title.  Can't wait!

I'm back!!  Argo was sooooo good!!!  Ben Affleck is great in it and he directed it.  Pretty awesome.  I was certainly proud to be Canadian. :)  

Once I got home I dove into the rest of the Walking Dead Marathon and finished in time to watch the Amazing Race and then . . . . THE SEASON PREMIERE OF THE WALKING DEAD!!  Oh man, it was so good and the last 30 seconds blew my mind.  

Thoughts on the episode:

- I think Carol is starting to get frisky.

- I think Carl is still going to be a pain in the ass.

- It still blows my mind that Rick Grimes has an English accent in real life.

- the last 30 seconds blew my mind.  When that prisoner said "holy shit", that's exactly what was going through my head!

- Maggie killing the walker in S.W.A.T gear and then popping all proud was hilarious!

Yes, I went back to this part to take a picture of my tv.

The workout plans this week:

Monday - run club

Tuesday - Sculpt at lunch, Spin 

Wednesday - Core & More at lunch, run club

Thursday - Spin

Friday - boot camp

Saturday - 10 freaking km race.  I could barf.

Sunday - run club (we'll see how I feel after that 10 km but I'll probably go because I haven't missed one yet and I'm kind of proud of that)

I bet if zombies chased me I could run faster.  Maybe.  Nah, forget it, I'd just be the next walker.  

Can't Stop Now!

UPDATE!!  Just adding this at the top of this post in case you read it this weekend!  30% off everything in Old Navy this weekend if you print this page or show it to them on your smartphone.  They will not tell you about it in the store.  I just showed them a screen shot and she said okay, and 30% came off the bill.  I've been washing my same two workout outfits every day.  Such a waste!  I was desperate for more clothes.  I got 4 tanks, 2 t-shirts, 2 pairs of yoga pants, 1 long sleeved running shirt, and a pair of pjs for $80.  Get there this weekend!!  This is the screen shot I showed them, feel free to take it.  Oh and the yoga pants?  Between the sale price and the 30% off of that, they were $9.80.  Take that lulu.  Also, the sizes were fantastic.  They had everything from XS to XXL.  Depending on the top, I was a Large or an XL.  

Start of original post :)

Hey Peeps!  In my last post, I introduced you to ↓this↓ and dedicated my week's workouts to it.

Which is a good thing because now it looks like ↓this↓. SO WORTH IT. 

On my way home from spin class tonight I was thinking about how much I loved it and how it would be really cool if an audio workout existed so that it would give you cues to crank it and get up and sit down and so on so that you could do a spin workout on a bike even when there isn't a class.  I will be googling.  If you know of such a thing, let me know!

Here was my plan for this week and so far it's looking good!  

Monday - Run (moving up to 2 & 1's x7) -- NOPE

Tuesday - Sculpt at lunch, Spin in the evening. DONE!

Wednesday - Core & More at lunch, run club in the evening DONE!

Thursday - Spin in the evening  JUST DONE!

Friday - boot camp at lunch, run in the evening (if not, it's Sat am)

Saturday - Barbell Blast in the morning, there is a spin class right before and one right after but I'm not sure how the timing will work since people arrive early for all three of these classes for a spot)

Sunday - Run Club

Monday's run didn't happen because it was Thanksgiving here in Canada and our run clinic was cancelled.  I was going to head out on my own and then ended up washing my bathroom and kitchen floors on my hands and knees and I was actually sweating.  And oh man, I cannot let that much time pass.  I don't even want to discuss my bathroom floor.  Hairspray, shower steam and hair create cement apparently!  My other change to the schedule will be tomorrow (Friday).  I didn't realize till yesterday that I'm off tomorrow (nice surprise) so I won't be at work to do the boot camp.  I'm going to check the Y schedule after this and see if there's any day classes.  If not, I'll just do the run on my own.  

Run Proof!

I don't know what the hell I'm doing but judging by the new little bruises, I keep doing it.  I'm sure the big ones are from holding weights on my legs during Sculpt class for inner leg lifts.  I think the little ones are from bumping my bike seat during spin class when we are doing the "hover".  I noticed tonight that I brushed it a few times.  Maybe once my legs are thinner, I won't do that anymore!

I love that after spin class I am totally wiped.  As soon as I got home, I peeled off my clothes, showered, put on my pj's and cracked open this.  I swear a beer has never tasted so good.

Serious problem with all this exercise. My PVR is getting full.  I'm pretty much behind on my shows by Tuesday.  I know the solution for normal people would be to watch less shows but no, that is not an option for this girl.  I like my shows.  I catch up on the weekends.  Although, it really does show me which ones I go for first and if a show starts to build up, I should just let it go.   One this may be happening to is the Mob Doctor.  I really liked the first two episodes and now the third & fourth one has just been sitting in my PVR.  And the other is Revolution.  I think I might just record them until I find out if they are being kept.  Parenthood, as always, I try to watch the night it's on.  I love that show and it makes me cry buckets, especially the story line happening now.  Wow.  Even the preview for this past episode made me cry.  I'm not loving Grey's Anatomy but feel the need to stick with it.  I really hope this is the last season.

Loving Survivor and I feel so bad for the tribe that keeps losing!  It's awful!  So glad Russell is gone, dude was getting on my nerves.  I really hope poor Denise and Malcolm can pull out a win.  If they do, I'm betting they fall to their knees and cry tears of joy.  I would.  I just might if they win!  Loving the Amazing Race.  One of the best reality shows out there really.  And I've actually started watching Bachelor Canada.  Seriously, I had to.  I can't very well watch all the US ones and then not watch the Canadian one.  It's like the US with a poor man's Chris Harrison and "eh".  Baha!  

Good thing I'm off tomorrow -- it's like bonus day for catchup!!  Gotta get that PVR % down!  I'm also determined to cook some stuff this weekend.  Still having trouble with speedy suppers so I stopped at Safeway and bought a few Lean Cuisines and a few bagged salads.  I so love the Pear Gorgonzola one.  Yum!!

Well, I think that's all that's happening.  Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

Just a couple more days!!

On a Roll

First of all, let me just say that all my workouts this coming week are dedicated to this particular container of Pumpkin Pie ice cream. It doesn't say "pie" on the label but it did on the big sign in the ice cream store window and oh-my-goodness is it delicious.  I almost wish I'd never heard of its existence.

In my last post, I'd highlighted what my workouts had been and what I'd planned them to be for the rest of the week.  I left off at Wednesday.  So here's the rest of it!!

Thursday was spin class in the evening only.  No lunch time work out!  I like to have one or two days free to eat lunch in a relaxed way or to go out for lunch with friends.  I was a little nervous about the Thursday class because I obviously hadn't done a class with Bruce yet and I'd heard he was hard.  After having done the class, I can assure you that he's hard but he's not any harder than Tuesdays with Rob.  They just have different styles.  I love taking the same class with people who have different styles because I feel like you end up focussing on different things and end up with a balance.  So we're climbing hills with resistance and then lowering it and sprinting it out.  A little about Bruce -- he showed up with little Grandpa glasses and in full bike racing clothes.  Like he could have been Lance's peloton and when he was cycling, he would tilt his head up and look at us over his glasses.  My guess at his age is 55 but he's probably older and I just don't know it because he takes amazing care of himself.  He's super into using the music for cadence which is awesome and he loves the late 70's and 80's.  Then when a song changed, he would yell your name and say who is this?!  We had some Mamas & Papas, Hall & Oates, Tina Turner, then at the end there was some Rihanna.

The class went to hell when he yelled "if you've done my class before, SADDLES OFF!".  Um whaaat???  Everyone jumped off and took off their seat and we did the next 7 - 10 minutes with NO SEAT.  We had to "sit" back as far as we could and hold the handles underhand and keep increasing the resistance.  OH MAN!  We did get to put our seats back on.  Phew!  Then 1 minute before the class was supposed to be OVER, he says "how about one more song?"  Everyone cheers.  Crazy people.  Then three minutes in, he looks up and says "did I mention the song is 9 minutes?"  I just laughed.  What can you do but keep pedaling???  It was awesome and again, the amount of sweat was astounding.

On Friday, I did the boot camp at lunch.  That was just normal and hard.  I had said that I may do an extra run on Friday after work but I was exhausted so I decided that was happening Saturday morning instead.  Here is proof of my workouts.  In the Sculpt class on Tuesday and the Core & More class on Wednesday, we did some leg lifts with resistance so we just held a weight on the inside of our thigh close to the knee.  So here is proof that I used heavy weights and that my iron still isn't where it should be.  Each end of the weight left a bruise on my leg.  My right leg is worse than my left.

On Saturday morning, my plan was to get in my extra run (and do 2 & 1's since that's what we switch to for clinic on Monday) and then meet my friend Nicole at the gym for 9:15am which was regular time for the Barbell class but being the Thanksgiving weekend, the classes are cancelled.  We were just going to do our own.  To start with, I woke up to ↓↓THIS↓↓ on Saturday morning and it was -3 (26F).  It got cold fast!  Also, my Garmin 305 arrived on Thursday so I was excited to try it out.  It was so much simpler than the 405!  Loved it.  

I go for my run and after it was done, I stopped at the corner store to pick up some half & half for the coffee I was so looking forward to and while I was there, I heard a text come in.  It was Nicole that I was meeting at the Y for 9:15.  She was there earlier.  Then I went home and was just about to start making a coffee when she texted again that Rob, the tuesday spin instructor was there and doing a spin class even though it was cancelled!!!

What followed this text was nothing short of impressive.  I ran down the hall peeling off my wet run clothes and throwing on my bike shorts and a fresh shirt and deodorant.  Grabbed two water bottles and my Y card and out the door I went.  That's where I met my frosty car.  It was sort of a sleet and freezing rain the night before so my door was actually stuck closed.  Took me a few minutes but I scraped enough window to see as I raced down the street.  I ran into the room while taking off my coat and dumped my stuff in the corner.  Then Rob yells "C'MON MICHELLE, YOU CAN CATCH UP!"  It gets scary when the instructor knows your name.  I hopped on the bike and I was still warm and sweaty from the run so I jumped in right where they were, heading up a hill!  I missed the first ten minutes and he did another 20 or so, then I just rode for another 5 minutes to cool down.  After that, Nicole and I headed into the studio to do our weights.  I didn't do legs, by then they were jello.  I just did arms and abs.  

After that, I went home and as I pulled into my parking lot, I noticed that none of the other cars had been moved or cleaned off.  It's somewhat satisfying to think about all I'd already done that morning. I relaxed for the rest of the day, did some laundry, tidied up the disaster that is my condo.  In the evening, I was watching some TV in front of the fireplace and though, "oooh, I should make a nice cup of tea!"  I went to the kitchen and came back with this.  Hehe.

Sunday morning, I did run club.  There were only four people there from my clinic, the two leaders, me, and one other girl.  I hit the snooze button and didn't want to go.  I wanted to stay cozy and get up and make coffee and toast.  But the thought of bailing on the VERY LAST DAY of my goals for the week got me out of bed.  

Not gonna lie, I"m pretty worried about my 10km coming up on October 20th.  I just have to keep reminding myself that it is okay to walk a lot of it.  I'm finding with the iron deficiency that my breathing is where I suffer the most.  Around the 20 minute mark, it starts to become very labored and I really just have to keep pushing so to think that that's happening at 2.5 km and I have to go 10km sucks.  So I'm just going to walk as fast as I can when I need to take breaks to catch my breath.  

But I finished it the week and now for this week, I was 7 FOR 7!!!  I left every morning with my coffee, my smoothie, and my lunch.  And I did every workout I set out to do and I fell in love with spin class.  True, my ass hurt badly after the first class and for the first ten minutes of the second class, but I assure you, it goes away.  Your inner butt toughens up!!

The scale isn't showing my hard work but I've had two unrelated people tell me in the past couple weeks that I've lost weight.  I ran into my neighbor in the parking lot when I was in my workout clothes and she said "OMG you look amazing!!"  I was shocked.  She said that she can tell I've lost weight and she can see it in my face too.  I thanked her but later shrugged it off because I didn't think so.  Then a few days later  a friend from work said the same thing.  Okay, I'll accept it!!  I do FEEL smaller.  My clothes fit better and honestly, I feel like I"m walking a bit taller these last few days.  I'm not going to put much into the scale because I do know that I'm working hard and I'm feeling strong.

So for this week, here are the workout goals:

Monday - Run (moving up to 2 & 1's x7) 

Tuesday - Sculpt at lunch, Spin in the evening.

Wednesday - Core & More at lunch, run club in the evening

Thursday - Spin in the evening

Friday - boot camp at lunch, run in the evening (if not, it's Sat am)

Saturday - Barbell Blast in the morning, there is a spin class right before and one right after but I'm not sure how the timing will work since people arrive early for all three of these classes for a spot)

Sunday - Run Club

Other goals:

Out the door every day with coffee, smoothie and lunch.  Except Thursday - I get to go out for lunch that day!

Bed early!  9:30 or 10 and read some to relax, hopefully that will help me fall asleep.  

I probably have more goals, but I can't think of them just now. :)

I Feel Like a Rockstar

It's been over a week since I posted!  I'd feel bad except that I haven't posted in a week because I've been so busy WORKING OUT!  I'm not even kidding.  I feel like a rockstar.  And I'm going to keep it up as long as a I can.  I just kept adding one thing at a time.  Classes, run club, more classes.  I love classes!!!  So long as it's not aerobics.  Aerobics plus coordination, EW.

At the end of August, I started with one class a week at lunch, boot camp on Fridays.  Then the new session of lunch classes at work started up and I signed up for Core & More on Wednesdays and boot camp on Fridays.  Then my running clinic started on the 24th.  Clinic is Monday evening and the group runs are Wed and Sun.  Then the Y started up with their new session of classes so the awesomeness that is Barbell Blast is back on Saturdays.  Because I was away for a week and I will be leaving for BC at Christmas a week before the session ends, I will end up with extra tickets for my lunch classes at the end of the session so I picked up a Tuesday Sculpt class yesterday.

Last night, I grabbed some courage and decided to try spin class again.  I tried it once in May of 2010 and I kept up with the class the whole time and destroyed myself for a solid week.  I could feel every single tiny muscle tear in my thighs.  When I even took one or two steps down, it felt like my knees were going to collapse.  I even took my car to work for a week and paid for downtown parking because I couldn't walk down the bus steps or stand on the bus when it was standing room only without wincing in pain.  In preparation for the class, I went to MEC and bought myself some super sexy padded liner shorts.   I really wanted to like this class!!  Good news -  I LOVED IT!!!  I kept to my own resistance, the instructor was awesome and really made sure that newbies didn't overdo it.  My goal was to work hard and still be able to do my workouts for the rest of the week.  Mission accomplished!!  Honestly, I've never sweat so much in my life.  It was dripping into my eyes, off my forehead, off the tip of my nose, off the end of my ponytail!!  It was amazing.  I was going to get my friend to take a picture of me and then I chickened out, hehe.  It's Tues & Thurs at 6 pm which fits nicely into my schedule.  There is also two classes on Saturday morning but I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a bike because Barbell Blast is right before and ends the minute spin starts.  We'll see!!!  Hehe - my instructor was more like Dwight than like the instructor below.  Baha!!!

The only downside to all this working out??  My condo looks like a bomb hit it.  Every surface needs a cleaning and I've just dropped stuff everywhere.  I almost bailed on the group run tonight because I should clean and then I decided that was ridiculous.  I live alone.  My cat Sophie loves me so long as we still sleep, there's food & water, and fresh litter.  So if I'm getting in the activity and loving it then all this crap can wait till Saturday.  And this Sunday, I'll get a little more organized with meals.  I'm having trouble with supper because I get home from work with enough time to change, eat a banana, and get out the door.  By the time I get home it's 7 - 7:30 and I don't want to take forever cooking dinner!! I'd take a picture to prove the messiness and jazz up this post but it's THAT embarrassing.

My food goal this week was to get out the door every morning with coffee (made at home), a fruit & veggie smoothie, and lunch.  So far I'm three for three!!  Last weekend, I made an awesome veggie chili and cornbread from my new cookbook Appetite for Reduction.  This has been lunch this week.  Tasty!

My workout goals this week:

Monday - run clinic DONE!!
Tuesday - Sculpt at lunch, Spin class evening.  DONE & DONE!!
Wednesday - Core & More at lunch, run club  DONE & DONE!!
Thursday - Spin class evening
Friday - boot camp at lunch, run by myself after work (I'm not committed to this, it's just an idea to get an extra run in)
Saturday - I wanted barbell blast but it's cancelled for Canadian thanksgiving so I may just use the empty studio and run through it on my own.
Sunday - morning run club.

And now I must go.  I've been having trouble falling asleep.  Lots of trouble.  So I'm shutting down, dimming lights, and drinking sleepytime tea.

Good Night!!