Warrior Dash part 2 - Preparing for Battle

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunday 7/24 - wake up in a panic realizing the Warrior Dash is in 1 week and I am SO not ready!

Monday 7/25 - exchange real names & phone numbers with MATTERJT

Wednesday 7/27 - tell my running coach that if I am not at the track next week it is because I have sustained battle wounds. Coach Ken asks if I know that it will be in the 90s on Sunday and do I have a plan to stay hydrated? I lie and say of course. Once alone in my car I hurriedly check Weather Bug and verify it is going to be HOT! Oh crap, deep breaths, remind myself that I do better with heat than with cold.

Thursday 7/28 - receive my Battle Summons, which contains the note that the Mt. Morris exit from I-75 will be closed. Hone hand to hand combat skills in karate.

Friday 7/29 - go to the running store for replacement battle gear (ie new shoes) in case my current gear does not survive the day. Test new gear in a 5k run; gear is good and an acceptable replacement.

Saturday 7/30 - hone hand-to-hand combat skills in karate. Go to Target and obtain weight lifting gloves as recommended by fellow veteran Warriors and a new fanny pack with a carrying thing for a water bottle. Make sure battle dress is clean.

Sunday - Irish oatmeal for breakfast. Go grocery shopping to stock up so that my son may survive to avenge me should I fall in battle. Knock back a few shots of liquid courage (ie Starbucks chai tea latte with soy). Finish yesterday's strawberry chicken salad and add a white peach for lunch. Last gear run to the sporting goods store, looking for a waterproof carry bag. Change into battle dress and pack all gear.

We're off!

Jacq & me, I'm stylin' in my battle stripes LOL!

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Warrior Dash, part 1

Thursday, July 28, 2011

It is now really, truly official. I received my warrior summons in my e-mail this morning. I will be running the Warrior Dash on Sunday at 4:30 pm. My daughter is also running.

www.warriordash.com/info.php

MATTERJT is also running, at 4:00. We are going to try to meet either before or after the race. How cool is that?!

My mantra for the race: I will survive!

After all, how can I not when I now have my very own logo?

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A water nymph

Monday, July 25, 2011

I am not!

Tonight was my 2nd time in the pool and I remember why I never really liked swimming.

It is a boat load of hard work!

MCJULIEO says there are 2 kinds of people...floaters & sinkers. I am definitely a sinker. Or maybe a half breed...my top half floats but my bottom half sinks. It makes doing the breast stroke interesting when my lower half is mostly vertical and my upper half is horizontal.

I end up concentrating on trying to get my halves aligned and forget to pay attention to my breathing...and snort up water. So then I pay attention to timing my breathing...and half of me sinks to the bottom.

I never really "learned" to swim, I sort of made it up as I went along, so I am sure I am doing many things wrong that probably make it harder. I hate getting my face wet or being underwater so I'm always holding my head up or side to side to avoid the water. and I manage to get what seems like half the pool in my ears.

I did 500 meters (non-consecutive, I take a 60 second rest every 25 or 50 meters) today though and 30 minutes of (my made up version) of water jogging.

I can hear Crazy Me Becky dancing around in the back ground chanting "We're swimming! We can register for a triathlon now!". I can see where this swimming thing is headed and FANGFACEKITTY is not pleased.

I made my ortho knee doctor appointment today. 8/22 is the soonest I can get in, which is really pretty fast for this doctor. He is very good and has been written up as one of the top 5 or so doctors in the region. He's the one who replaced my ACL back in 2007.

I've been researching possible knee conditions and think I have, in my completely amateur opinion, narrowed it down to 2 possibilities - osteoarthritis or I forget the formal name of the second option but it may also be known as "runner's knee". Both sets of symptoms are consistent with what I experience and my preliminary research shows that while rest helps it won't solve the problem. I'm preparing myself mentally for the possibility of needing to have the knee scoped at some time in the near future. In the meantime I don't think starting to run again or do karate will have cause major additional problems, just more of the same (I get momentary "twinges" / pain in the front of the knee, right below the knee cap, that basically just hit & disappear. It's not like I'm trying to force myself through constant pain). I will see how it feels after tomorrow night's class, and Wednesday's run at the track with the coach.

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These boots are made for walkin' and that's just what they'll do

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Recent blogs from ALANNAYH and JOMAMA516 have gotten me thinking again about how I'm using SP and being a member of the community.

I do believe I have become too proud...which has led to complacency...which is but a short nudge over the cliff edge to all the unhealthy habits (and lots of extra weight) I started with.

Here I am encouraging members to take and post before & after pictures to show their progress even when the scale gremlins don't show good numbers...yet I don't have my own progress pics posted.

Here I am encouraging members to stay strong and avoid the mindless night-time snacking...yet 3 days ago I'm opening a package of brownies to eat without thinking late at night (90 calorie Fiber One brownies but still...eating a few of those kind of defeats the point, ya think?).

Here I am encouraging members to track everything they eat so they can get control of their calories...yet I have not been recording everything I eat in the evening.

Here I am encouraging members to take a break from certain exercises when injured so as not to make it worse...yet I have continued running & karate knowing there is something not right with my left knee.

And so the scale gremlins have returned and I am under siege. I have gained & lost the same few pounds this last month, inches are not budging...and it is scary how easy it is to slide back into old habits.



OK, maybe not that bad, but still...I've only been talkin' the talk to an extent.

I want to hit my goal weight...and then see how much more I can lose (while staying at a healthy BMI, I have no intention of developing an eating disorder).

I want to earn my black belt...and then see what else I can accomplish.

I want to stop procrastinating and get things done, whatever they may be.

I want my kids' friends to say "Dude, THAT'S your Mom!?" in complete awe and for my kids to be able to say, "Yep, that's my Mom!"

OK, I admit to being vain but who doesn't get a thrill by having someone think they're hot?

I want to be a good example for my kids so they finish growing with healthy habits. I want to inspire my friends & acquaintances to adopt healthier lifestyles.

I want to have fun and enjoy life, to kick ass and take names and when I die have a eulogy of only 4 words...Damn, what a woman!

Not that I plan to die anytime soon, like Chuck Norris I quite simply won't allow it until I've accomplished everything I want to do LOL!

So...time to walk the walk in earnest again.

Progress pics are going on my Spark Page tonight, in all their glory.

No more late night mindless eating. Daily calories will stay within range. EVERYTHING I put in my mouth gets tracked.

I have taken a week off karate & running to give my knee a rest. Tomorrow I schedule an appointment with the ortho doc who did my right knee ACL replacement to find out what is going on. I suspect wear, not an injury since the symptoms started long before I started exercising, but the workouts haven't helped. I don't believe any amount of rest will correct whatever the problem turns out to be. And if the doc says no more running or karate......well I will have to weigh my options & possible consequences and see if I agree and what I will do.

Hey, I never said I could follow orders. There are zombies to outrun in Baltimore in October and a black belt to earn. I have a reputation to establish as a bad ass take no prisoners warrior babe!

Although the bunnies that treat my garden as a salad bar have been allowed to live and keep their home under my deck. See, I'm really a softie waaaaayyyy down deep inside LOL!

So, just like Nancy said..."These boots are made for walkin', and that's just what they'll do, one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you" (fat, unhealthy habits, your days are numbered!)


www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww

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DIY Challenge - proof in pics

Sunday, July 24, 2011

The Proving Grounds DIY Challenge assignment

Our assignment for this week is to post proof of exercise and healthy eating.

On the exercise bike Friday after work before heading to the Rob Zombie concert. Because I didn't have time to go home first (I live in the opposite direction from Pine Knob) I drove around until I found a local to work gym that had a day pass at a reasonable price so I could do my exercise and not break my streak.


Today I got my daughter 3 month membership at a local hotel gym so she can use the pool to start getting ready for her youth triathlon next month. I came as her guest and went swimming too. I haven't been swimming in 2 years but am pleased that I was able to swim 400 meters today (with rest breaks between every 25 meters).


I haven't actually cooked anything yet this weekend so I have pictures of my shopping trips.

The first shopping expedition today was into my garden. Luscious red ripe raspberries and various veggie & herb goodness.



In the basket I have zucchini, an eggplant, 2 chocolate bell peppers, my first tomato!, green peppers, mustard greens. On the plate is cilantro, green beans, jalapenos & chile peppers, & parsley. The little pile of white is chamomile flowers to dry for tea. The green container in back has lemon basil, tarragon, purple basil, marjoram, sage and thyme. The salad spinner has various types of lettuce & greens.

My second shopping trip was to the farmer's market to supplement what I don't have ready yet myself.

I have fresh mushroom ravioli and vodka sauce, brown eggs, new potatoes, a red onion, kohlrabi, garlic & shiitake mushrooms.

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