4 Reasons I Like D1

Tonight was my fourth time at D1 in 2 days. I earned a free week of training at the Josh Byers Memorial Day 5K back in May that was expiring this week, so I am taking advantage of it.

In honor of the 4 workouts, here are 4 things I like about D1:

1. Even though you are inside, it feels like you are outside because it is so hot in there and the doors/windows are all open the whole time.
2. I sweat, a lot, and it feels like I am getting a good workout. And the shower area is air-conditioned.
3. I met Will, my current coach, there. I would not be where I am today were it not for his coaching.
4. The harder you work, the more little black pellets get everywhere, including all over you and in your shoes and hair and really everywhere. But then you know you’ve worked super hard!

So far, the coach this week has been Dan, and we have done two hard workouts.

Monday’s workouts:

• Laps around the field and warm-ups
• 3 times through the following:
  
  • 1×10 front raise (5lb plates)
  • 1×10 lateral raise (5lb plates)
  • 1×10 bentover triceps extension
  • 1 half-lap with stairs
• 8×4 bench press (65lb)
• 8×4 flye (25lb)
• 8×4 shoulder press
• 8×4 overhead triceps extension
• 30 each of the following:
• sit-ups
• leg lifts
• side crunches
• Olympic crunches
• bicycle kicks

Tuesday’s workouts (in no particular order):

• Laps around the field and warm-ups
• 1-minute cross-cone shuffles
• 1-minute side throws with 8-lb medicine ball
• 1-minute lunges
• 1-minute side throws with 8-lb med ball
• 4×100 on 1 minute
• 1-minute rest
• 1-minute box jumps
• 1-minute square skips/shuffles/back-pedals/shuffles
• 1-minute leg lifts
• 1-minute square skips/shuffles/back-pedals/shuffles
• 4×100 on 1 minute
• 1-minute rest
• 1-minute med ball toss-ups
• 1-minute med ball throw-downs
• 1-minute sit-ups
• 1-minute of something else
• 1-minute rest
• 1-minute planks
• 1-minute side planks
• 1-minute mountain-climbers
• 1-minute side planks
• 4×100 on 1 minute

Tuesday morning, we did 6×100 and I missed the final set. Tuesday afternoon, we did 4×100 and finished 5 minutes early. Both were equally hard, but the sets of 4 seemed so much more manageable than the sets of 6. Now I am exhausted and ready for some foam roller action and dinner!

NC.com Crit #4 and Avery Trace/Cookeville RR Course

My herb garden is growing! Well, just the marjoram so far.

AJ and me after Saturday's race

Saturday's race was a very hard race. Not sure what made the first 20 minutes some of the hardest 20 minutes of a crit, but they definitely were. I wanted to drop off the main group at minute 19 (at the time, it was me [Belladium]; AJ [Treehouse]; Jes, Kathy, and Katie [SVMIC]; and Paula and Shannon [Vantaggio]). Right around then, we caught Valerie, who motivated me to get back up and stay with the group. I did, and eventually it slowed down a little, but it still was hard. We averaged 23 mph over that 0.6-mile, 6-turn course, so you know we were riding fast!

(front to back) Katie, AJ, Paula, me mid-race

(L to R) Me, Paula, Katie, Shannon, AJ, Jes mid-race

This was where I decided to make my move—but it really looks
like we just couldn't get organized or no one wanted to lead

Besides making sure that AJ and Jes didn't get away, I didn't have to do too much work, so I didn't. I just sat back, plotting when I'd have to make my move in order to win. I made it at the right spot, and I won the race. Woohoo! Definitely thanks to Valerie for the motivation, Will for the coaching (even though I had a workout before and after the race), and Todd for telling me to stand up and sprint because AJ was coming for me at the line!

Stats: 40:18, 15.36 miles (~26 laps), 23 mph, 186 bpm

Cat 4 start line

Cat 4 race (Shelly in the mix)

Val and Jess having fun on the podium

On Sunday, Anna, Parri, Val, Kiki, Todd, and I headed east to ride the Cookeville/Avery Trace road race course. I didn't know anything about it and am glad I went to ride it. It was much more challenging than I'd thought! The day and the company ended up being wonderful, though, so I was happy to get in a good hard 50+ miles! Not that my day ended there, though, as I had to go to the Y and do a workout still (I ended up combining the AM/PM workouts into one since we left early in the morning and I didn't want to have to go out again).

Sunday team ride/Cookeville Road Race route

This course is definitely a rolling-to-hilly course, except for up on the rim. However, there, it's pretty windy. The good thing about the course is that when you go up, you pretty immediately come down—so it's very rewarding. It's also long and beautiful.

NC.Com Crit #3

Me (2nd), AJ (1st), and Katie (3rd)
Overall 1/2/3 Omnium after 3 races

Tonight was the third race in the NashvilleCyclist.com series. Hopefully there will be lots more like tonight! We had 23 women on the line: 2 Cat IIs, 5 Cat IIIs, and 16 Cat IVs! Team distribution was the following: 6 Team Belladium, 4 SVMIC, 6 Treehouse Racing, 3 Trace Bikes, 2 NashvilleCyclist.com, 2 unattached.

There was no prime on the first lap like there had been last week, but we started out fast nonetheless. By the second lap, 6 of us had separated ourselves from the rest of the field: me and Kat (Belladium), Katie and Kathy (SVMIC), Emma (Trace), and AJ (Treehouse). We remained together most of the rest of the race until we caught and lapped the field. That created a little separation, and AJ, Katie, and Kat stayed ahead of me and Kathy until the finish. Kathy and I had a few other riders to contend with during our sprint because we were a part of the main field at that time, but thankfully everyone managed to hold their lines and stay upright, and no one crashed or bumped into anyone else. I edged Kathy at the line—just barely!—to end up in 4th place.

Considering all the work I've been doing the past two weeks and the fact that nearly every muscle in my body ached and knowing that I hadn't planned for this race when I started these workout and having done a hard workout this morning, I'll take it! Definitely felt stronger this week than last time we races. However, I would have like to have been able to stay with AJ and Kat and to have had a little fun with AJ. She was wanting to play a little, but I had nothing except the sitting-in ability. Next time!

Stats: 29:40, 11.37 miles, 23.0 mph, 187 bpm
Warmup: 51 minutes, 15 mi

Kohl's Cards

Shoes, socks, tanks, and baby clothes

Last week, Kohl’s sent out promotional gift cards to many of the residents of my apartment. Surprisingly, I didn’t get one; just as surprisingly, way too many of the residents threw theirs away. I couldn’t let those gift cards go to waste, so I recycled a few of them. I shared a few of them with Aunt Renee and Lauren, who found a few things for a good deal. I’ve been in a few times the last week and found all the stuff in the picture above. Total it cost me $51.97 out of pocket for the 3 outfit combinations for baby Oppeneer, 2 packages of socks, 2 tank tops (one was in the wash), and 1 new pair of shoes. If I’d have paid full price, it would have cost $153.42 + ~$14.57 in tax = $167.99. That means I paid ~75% of retail; the shoes cost $38, so everything else was ~$2 each, all for stuff I’ll wear or give away. Definitely a good week to shop at Kohl’s!

I also started some new workouts this week, and I am really noticing that all the hard work of the 5-minute isometric exercises last week is paying off. Today I did tomorrow’s workout because my days are all running together. Tomorrow I will do today’s workout. The workout I did this morning was altitude drop legs/phasic hip flexion; altitude drop plate front delt/phasic biceps curl; and glute ham raise. The workout I did this afternoon was lunge press; glute ham raise/BW squat; altitude drop legs/glute ham raise @60*; and bench press. I might not be able to walk down the stairs tomorrow with all those squats and alt drop legs, but I feel strong today!

I Make War

We watched this video the last two weeks at Inversion, and although I enjoyed it last week, I appreciated it much more this week after watching the lyrical version and actually being able to understand what he was saying.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and remember that we can be prepared for any spiritual battle by wearing the armor of God and fight those battles with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Lyrics:

[Intro:] ~John Piper~
I hear so many Christians, murmuring about their imperfections, and their failures, and their addiction, and their shortcomings. And I see so little war! Murmur, murmur, murmur. Why am I this way? Make War!

[Verse 1:] ~Tedashii~
Bang with me/ba-bang bang, ba-bang with me
No more playing games mane/cause this thang can get risky
So mane if you in Christ/TAKE UP!!/your cross quickly
Stand fearless on the frontline/time to come with it
Do the right thing/WAKE UP!!/and lets get it
I ain't even in the ring/they throwing bows like Riddick
Persistently attacking me/they're even in the back of me
It's either fight or loose my life and I can't take this passively
So what you think I'm bout to do/I'm bout to do what I can do
Trust the ONE who got me through/and fight like it was after school
Never giving up/steady, standing on the battle field
Feet firm to the ground like I stepped on Chappel Hill
Flesh feeling frisky, sin persuades and tempts me/
Satan cheers me on/guilt followed by conviction
It's the same ol' trap/and we fall like we defenseless/
Work your senses/grow in wisdom/stand firm and be relentless/

Hook:
I MAKE WAR!/Cause sin never sleeps/
It's got me in a trance/you can see it in my dreams/
I MAKE WAR!/Man I beat my flesh/
To the death/every breath/like I beat my chest/
I MAKE WAR/sun up/
I MAKE WAR/sun down/
I MAKE WAR/time in/
I MAKE WAR/time out/
I MAKE WAR/against lust/
Against pride/against me/until I die/

[Verse 2:] ~Flame~
Do you even have a clue
What happened to you when He died
When that tomb got rolled when He rose in the sky
I think we emphasis sin so much
That it makes us paralyzed
And glorify struggle so much
That it makes us terrified
And deemphasize the fact that we have been sterilized from our own lives and thus
We gotta snap out of it
We ain't in no straight-jacket
We free
When Jesus died in our lives something strange happened
He gave us power
Yeah I know that we sinners but since He rose He's renewing the image of God in us
Now, we gotta start making war
Now we can start saying no
To them fleshy impulses that Jesus Christ is paying for
Now we can start taking the lead
Just like the Dalai Lama and start going all out like a suicide bomber
Whatever the sin is we gotta go go go harder
By His grace no time to waste and just just just like there's no tomorrow

[Hook:]

[Verse 3:] ~Tedashii~
I'm a Christ representer, fin to stand and deliver/
Cause a lot of my believers struggle with their agenda/
So I dropped this on an ADAT/just so you could come play back/
A hit to be encouraged that rocks you with truth from, way back/
So listen up to it ASAP/like you do a Lecrae track/
I'm spittin' written visions to put on heads like a wave cap/
Sinning, nawl we don't play that/cause that's the way that a slave acts/
I'm filled with the Spirit so tell them dog this is pay back/
As you begin to copy the carbon copies of Christ/
And conform to His written image you should be shinning a light/
If you not, why is that?/
Is it fear that's been grippin' you/cause you scared they'll be dissin' you/
Flipping birds while that spit at you/
If you not, why is that?/
it don't matter so bump it/perfect love cast out fear and He ain't save us for nothing/
his is a privilege (privilege)/your life to give to Him (give to Him)/
so stand firm for Him dawg and lets get it in/

I made it to the Y for 100 altitude drops, scap pull up, GHR (arm's length), wall squat, and bench (50 with 30lb and 50 with 20lb) followed by 5×40 quick-style crate crunch. It was a good hard workout, and my hamstrings will be feeling it tomorrow!

Then Lauren and I hung out for the evening, enjoying CozyMels and some good conversation, shopping at Target, and working on a school project. I love having family nearby!

CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training IV

Today's was a good class—I was definitely in my aerobic zone for the whole thing, and I like the feeling of working hard and sweating! It was the same workout today as we did Tuesday, and it felt about the same. Though I didn't do the same workout yesterday as I'd done Monday, so my legs felt slightly less weighed down.

I wasn't able to stay on the bike as long because I got there later than normal, but hopefully I'll make up for it with a nice long ride outside this weekend. Hopefully all the snow melts between now and then!

Today, Tuesday, Thursday.

• 1:09 total workout, 164 avg HR, 181 max
  1:21 total workout, 158 avg HR, 180 max
  1:23 total workout, 152 avg HR, 176 max
• 5-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 103 HR
  9-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 96 HR
  11-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 101 HR (but I was on and off here)
• 10-minute warm up, 155 HR
  10-minute warm up, 151 HR
  10-minute warm up, 144 HR
• 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 169 HR; 2 min active recovery, 168 HR
  17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 166 HR; 2 min active recovery, 166 HR
  17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 159 HR; 2 min active recovery, 154 HR
• 4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 170  HR; 2 min active recovery, 168 HR
  4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 165  HR; 2 min active recovery, 164 HR
  4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 158 HR; 2 min active recovery, 158 HR
• 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 175 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 163 HR
  4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 172 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 168 HR
  4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 167 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 160 HR
• 1 minute at 95, 158 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 172 HR
  1 minute at 95, 160 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 171 HR
  1 minute at 95, 151 HR; 2 minutes at 115, 169 HR
• 1 minute at 95, 172 HR
  1 minute at 95, 170 HR; 2 minutes at 105, 171 HR
  1 minute at 95, 165 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 166 HR

I had another workout for later, the same one I did Tuesday afternoon, which I did not do. I needed a rest, and instead I went over to Farkases' house and watched American Idol with Uncle John, Luke, and Savannah. Much more relaxing than training would've been.

CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training IV

Today's class was a good one. It was pretty much the same as last week except that we stayed in the big ring the entire time and I had my watts at 208 rather than 206. It was at 211 when I started, but since I know Todd doesn't want me up too high, I lowered it to where I'd been on Saturday. My HR was a little higher today than Thursday, and I definitely felt like I was working harder. I don't know it if was from the 1-leg dead lifts yesterday  or I'm just tired, but I made it through everything and kept my cadence where it was supposed to be even though it was super hard. And based on the stats below, my HR where it wasn't supposed to be since it was significantly higher than Thursday. Today, Thursday.

• 1:21 total workout, 158 avg HR, 180 max
  1:23 total workout, 152 avg HR, 176 max
• 9-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 96 HR
  11-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 101 HR (but I was on and off here)
• 10-minute warm up, 151 HR
  10-minute warm up, 144 HR
• 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 166 HR; 2 min active recovery, 166 HR
  17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 159 HR; 2 min active recovery, 154 HR
• 4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 165  HR; 2 min active recovery, 164 HR
  4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 158 HR; 2 min active recovery, 158 HR
• 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 172 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 168 HR
  4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 167 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 160 HR
• 1 minute at 95, 160 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 171 HR
  1 minute at 95, 151 HR; 2 minutes at 115, 169 HR
• 1 minute at 95, 170 HR; 2 minutes at 105, 171 HR
  1 minute at 95, 165 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 166 HR
• 1 minute at 95, 169 HR; 4 minutes at 100, 173 HR
  1 minute at 95, 166 HR; 4 minutes at 100, 169 HR (moved to big chain ring)
• 1-minute short cooldown, 172 HR
  1-minute short cooldown, 167 HR

I had another workout for later, and boy were my legs tired from the morning ride and yesterday's dead lifts. And guess what? More dead lifts were on the schedule for this afternoon! This was similar to one I did February 1, 2010 (with Will) and again October 30, 2010. However, neither was preceded by what this one was! Somehow I keep combining or confusing dead lifts, 1-arm dead lifts, and 1-leg dead lifts. I think it's time for Will to explain it all again.

• GHR 40 seconds; 10 quick-style squats; 1-leg dead lift RIGHT leg, 15 reps, 45-lb bar 20-lb bar; rebound 1-leg squat, RIGHT leg back, 30 reps
• Switch legs, then repeat, doing 3 times each leg
• 1-arm bench press, 25 lb, 3 breaths at top, 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Rebound bent-over 1-arm row, 25-lb bar (or less or 15-lb or so dumbbell), 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Crate crunch, 3×30 quick-style reps

My pleasant surprise for the night was that Lisa S was at the CSY working out at the same time! None of my normal "posse" (her word ;-) was able to lift, so I switched Ys and hoped I'd see Lynn maybe or someone else I knew. It was great to be able to chat with her and still have both of us try to complete our workouts.

Quick Workout, Quick Recap

Valerie, Jonell, and I lifted today. I warmed up on the step mill, and then we did a different workout from normal. Well, it contained most of the same stuff, but it was in a slightly different order and had more than we had been doing. It was better than I'd expected, because I wasn't super happy about lifting.

But, before I started, I had a couple supportive, encouraging words from Coach Will on my voicemail that he'd gotten from the book The Fighter's Mind (what I've read of it has been good, and he's enjoying it, so I'd recommend it):

The body can always do more than the mind thinks it can.

He also reminded me to find what works for me. Because what works for others or what seems totally unconventional might work really well for me. On that note I hit the weights.

Blue Lightning in the Snow

We got an inordinate amount of snow last night! It's beautiful, and here's Blue Lightning (Dad named it) to give you some perspective:

Christmas morning in PA...

January 10 morning in TN...

I headed to the Y, and my little car got me there safely, even though the roads were only half plowed. Thank you, God, for keeping me safe!

Chocolate—so named because that's half of what it is!

After work, Val and I headed to MFY before they closed to get a little workout in. We warmed up and then lifted, doing a few different things than normal that we'll probably feel tomorrow. And, since we were done earlier than normal, I had some time at home, which meant cooking and finding some good stuff in my mail!

I've been craving donuts, so now it's time to get some free ones!

Supper! Yum!

And the best mail: My cycling license. Cat 3, with Team Belladium. It's going to be a great year!

In the Pool

I did get in the pool today, as has been my Monday habit (I also ran 1mi at BFY this morning; for whatever reason, I can't seem to manage any long workouts lately, though this morning was definitely time-related rather than energy-related). Short swim, not real fast, actually pretty slow. So far that's all I've done today that's been OK-good. The lunge was frustrating. I don't know why my legs are so tired—I haven't been doing anything!

Jonell, Valerie, Anna, and I met to lift at MFY in the afternoon. 25 minutes on the step mill, lunge, squats (115 lb), glute stuff with Anna, arms, core, and stretching. I wasn't really into it, which means physically it didn't go well. It was fun to be with the girls, though!

5 Minutes of Work

I go back and forth among workouts deciding which one is the hardest. They pretty much all are hard, each in its own way. Today's was hard because of the mental aspect: You have to do some hard, physical work for 5 minutes without a break. Just doing it to do it, that's not so hard. But when you add the work part in, that's where it gets hard.

• Push up
• Lunge R (1:46), L (1:36)
• Curl
• Standing ham

That was all I got in at lunch, and then I met Valerie at MFY to do her workout, 10 or 12 reps, 2 sets:

• Squat (105lb, up 5lb and 2 reps from Monday)
• Lunge (25lb)
• Step up (20lb)
• Step over
• Alphabet
• 1-arm row (25lb)
• Push up
• Triceps push up

And, since I had to finish my workout, instead of doing the planks and other core stuff with her, I did the following, 5 minutes, finishing everything on my list except scap pull up (and 1-leg squat, which I don't even write on the list):

• Crate crunch
• Wall squat

Swim-day

Monday's seem to be the days that I'm the mostly likely to get in the pool, and today was no exception. I swam 500, my typical swim of late (just enough to get wet and remind myself how to swim), 8 minutes (slow, I know).

Then, after work, it was back to MFY for a workout with Valerie preceded by a warm up on the step mill (not the one you just step on, but the one with the rolling stairs so you actually have to work to step). That's a much tougher machine than I realized! We added another 10 together and then did the following, 2 sets of 10 or 12:

• Single-arm row: 25-lb dumbbell
• Push ups
• Triceps push ups 
• Squat: 100lb 
• Lunge: 25lb, quick-style 
• Step up: 25lb 
• Step over 
• Alphabet
• Planks
• Crunches
• Take-aways
• Reverse something
• Some hamstring thing

Good Deals at Publix!

I haven't even looked at this week's ad but had to go get some veggies, so I wandered the store to see what I could find. I found some good deals!

Not the best pic—apologies!

For $24 at Publix and $7.25 at Walgreens I got the following:

• $6.00: Stouffer's Family sized meals, 2, $6.99 each, on sale for $3.99 – two $1/1 Qs
• $8.00: Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chips, 8, $2.99 each, on sale for $1.49 – 4 $1/2 Qs
• $0.02: Publix American Cheese Singles, 2, $2.79 each, on sale for $0.01 if you buy $10 worth of groceries and I did two transactions
• $5.00: Vegetables
• $2.43: Publix eggs, $1.49 each – $0.55/2 Q 
• $2.55 tax
• $6.48: M&Ms, holiday, 4 bags, 2.91 each (on sale for 2.50) – 15% friends and family discount – 2 $0.50/1 and 1 $1/2 Qs
• $0.78 tax

It should have cost me $70 total, which means that I saved 53%. Usually I can save more but don't always get real food, so this was a good shop! 

But, before I could have fun at the grocery store, I had to get in a good workout. It's always fun with Valerie! I beat her to MFY and got 30 minutes on the elliptical before we added another 15 and then did the following, 2 sets of 10 or 12:

• Squat: 80lb 
• Lunge: 15lb, quick-style 
• Step up: 15lb 
• Step over 
• Alphabet 
• Single-arm row: 15-lb dumbbell
• Push ups
• Triceps push ups 
• Inverted pull ups (palms facing) 
• Bicycle crunches
• Take-aways

Panera

Some of the other ladies at work were hungry for soup (it has definitely been the weather for it), so today for lunch we went to Panera to enjoy some good soup. Or, salad and sandwiches. And bagels. Yum! Then, of course, the workout with Valerie (and part solo).

10×30 seconds, 1 set, manual holds (if possible):

• Lunge R, L; I can't seem to get past 6 reps on the first leg and 4 reps on the second—I did them all, but not consecutively since I stood up at the end of any rep I had to put my knee down for
• GHR reps to arm's length
• Push up
• Crate crunch (done in the middle of the next workout)
• Altitude drop curl, 12lb bar (done at the end of the next workout)

2 sets of 10 reps:

• Squat: 85lb 
• Lunge: 15lb, quick-style 
• Step up: 15lb 
• Step over 
• Triceps push ups 
• Inverted pull ups (palms facing) 
• Single-arm row: 15-lb dumbbell, 4×3 rebounds 
• Alphabet 
• Plank: 1 set, front, side, side, back, 50 sec each

Training

After a beautiful midday walk, Valerie and I headed to MFY for a quick workout. Before she got there I did a 10-minute run/walk thing that made me realize how tired my legs really are. It's amazing what 30 miles over 24 hours will do! This workout is only slightly challenging as written, but I do my best to make it more challenging by doing things fast and aggressively. For everything, we did around 2 sets of 10 except where otherwise noted.

• Squat: 85lb—still could probably add a little more
• Lunge: 15lb, quick-style (my legs were definitely fatigued from this weekend!)
• Step up: 15lb
• Step over
• Push up
• Triceps push up (we alternated 10 push ups, 10 triceps push ups, repeat)
• Inverted pull up (palms facing)
• Single-arm row: 15-lb dumbbell, 6×3 rebounds
• Alphabet
• Plank: 1 set, front, side, side, back, 50 sec each
• Crate crunch: 30 quick-style
• Take aways
• Reverse
• Crate crunch: 30 seconds
• Repeat plank, crunch, take aways, reverse, and jack knife

Found some great deals at Publix this week and got a few comments on the 8 bags of chocolate chips I bought. But all the groceries together plus tax cost me less than those bags would have cost at full price. The only downside was that the MF Publix didn't have tons of peelies and tearpads like they normally do and it wasn't like Christmas. I'll just have to go back later this week to coupon hunt.

Repeat

Today's workout was a repeat of Saturday's but went significantly better from start to finish:

• GHR 40 seconds; 10 quick-style squats; 1-leg dead lift RIGHT leg, 10 reps, 45-lb bar; rebound 1-leg squat, RIGHT leg back, 30 reps
• Switch legs, then repeat, doing 3 times each leg
• 1-arm bench press, 25 lb, 3 breaths at top, 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Rebound bent-over 1-arm row, 25-lb bar (or less or 15-lb or so dumbbell), 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Crate crunch, 3×30 quick-style reps

I did the leg work and the bench press before Valerie got there and we did the workout Todd, coach of Team Belladium, recommended. We did a good 15 minutes on the spin bikes to warm up a little, and then we started the real workout. For everything, we were supposed to do around 2 sets of 10, and that's about what I did except where otherwise noted.

• Squat: 75lb
• Lunge: 15lb quick-style (because I could)
• Step up: 15lbm, 10 times each leg for each set
• Step over: 10 times each leg for each set
• Push up: 10 push ups
• Triceps push up: 10 push ups; repeat push up and triceps push up
• Inverted pull up (laying on ground, pulling up on a 3-foot high bar)
• Single-arm row: 20-lb dumbbell, 6 sets of 3 rebound
• Alphabet: write the capital alphabet with your leg, not just your ankle
• Plank: 1 set, front, side, side, 45 sec each
• Crate crunch: 30 quick-style reps
• Take aways: 1 set
• Reverse: 1 set
• Crate Crunch: 30 quick-style reps; repeat plank, crunch, take aways, and reverse

Will asked whether I did them all fast, because I'd said it wasn't that hard of a workout and I was having fun. Yes, he would have been proud at how fast and hard I was working.

A Tough One

This morning I met Valerie at MFY for a quick workout. Todd, coach of Team Belladium, had held a strength training session that I missed while I was in Hawaii, but Valerie had the notes and I wanted to see what I'd missed. So we met and she took me through the workout. It started with about 15 minutes on the spin bike to warm up a little, and then we started the real workout. For everything, we were supposed to do around 2 sets of 10, and that's about what I did except where otherwise noted.

• Squat: 65lb for the first set, 75lb for the second set, definitely could have done more, but knew I had another workout coming
• Lunge: 10lb for the first set, 15lb for the second set, quick-style (because I could)
• Step up: 10lb for the first set, 15lb for the second set, 10 times each leg for each set, stepping up onto and then off of a bench
• Step over: keeping R foot on the bench the entire time, step from L to R to L with L foot, switch legs, 10 times each leg for each set
• Push up
• Triceps push up (we alternated 10 push ups, 10 triceps push ups, repeat)
• Single-arm row: I did what Will had required (only more because I'd forgotten what he'd said) with a 10-lb dumbbell
• Alphabet: write the alphabet with your leg, not just your ankle; this one was fun
• Plank: 1 set, front, side, side, 60 sec each
• Bicycle crunch: 1 set, I did crate crunch instead because it was required later, 30 reps, quick-style
• Take aways: 1 set, holding physio ball between legs, lift legs and lift arms to legs to grab ball, lower both, lift both, switch ball between feet and arms
• Reverse: 1 set, laying on stomach on physio ball, lift and lower legs with glutes, 10 times each leg for each set
• Jack knife: 1 set, feet on ball, roll ball toward stomach (I skipped these the second time around and finished crate crunch instead)
• Repeat plank, crunch, take aways, reverse, and jack knife

The real workout for the day was similar to another one I did, February 1, 2010 (with Will, though, and today I was solo). It's nice to have the workouts already typed out.

• GHR 40 seconds; 10 quick-style squats; 1-leg dead lift RIGHT leg, 15 reps, 45-lb bar; rebound 1-leg squat, RIGHT leg back, 30 reps
• Switch legs, then repeat, doing 3 times each leg
• 1-arm bench press, 25 lb, 3 breaths at top, 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Rebound bent-over 1-arm row, 25-lb bar (or less or 15-lb or so dumbbell), 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
• Crate crunch, 3×30 quick-style reps

That was what he told me to do. After Valerie and I finished, I started with the first thing on the list. And I completely failed. This was the first time in weeks that that's happened, and it frustrated me a lot. The reps were too many, the weight was too much, and I just couldn't manage. I tried again later, exactly as written even though Will told me I could cut the reps in half if necessary. It went way better the second time, though I did skip the last two because I had actually done those well earlier. I was happy to have accomplished this when I knew I could, and I realized it was probably that I was just hungry and tired earlier. After I got some food in me, calmed down a little, and took a little nap, I did much better.

What was most frustrating I think was that I knew I could do it, reps and weights and all, but I just couldn't and I ddin't know the reason. Once I figured it out and actually did it, I felt good. But when I couldn't do it and didn't now why, I felt like a failure. Oh the struggles I deal with that really don't matter in the long run!

Working Hard

Today's workout is going to make me sore, but I decided I don't care. The harder I work, the stronger and faster I'll be. So I worked hard and hope I feel OK tomorrow. We'll see! 100 altitude drops:

• GHR (from arm's length)
• Legs (jumping off a 24-inch box)
• Lunge L, R
• Bench w/45 lb
• Bench w/20 lb (seemed so easy!)

I know I worked harder because when I had to stop to breathe (something I frequently forget to do on these exercises), I didn't stop on an even number--I kept going until I felt like I couldn't any more and frequently paused on uneven numbers (like 33). Normally I would stop at 30, but not today!

• 45-second lunge R
• Phasic leg curl L, 75 reps
  
• Repeat the previous two 7 times, then switch legs.
• GHR 10×10 quick-style
• 45-second 1-arm elevated push up on knees, L arm on ground (lasted through 7 R, then 3 L before I couldn't hold myself up any more)
  
• Phasic row L, 50 reps
• Repeat the previous two 7 times, then switch arms.
• Bench press, 7 sets of 3, 65-75 lb

Running

This morning I got in a quick run before work (3mi). Will and I miscommunicated yesterday's workouts--he thought I was doing one thing, while I did another that he thought I was going to do today. Definitely my fault for not communicating that. So since I woke up to no workout, I decided a jog was in order. It was really a jog, with Mile 1 at 9:08, Mile 2 at 8:18, and Mile 3 and 7:24. My kind of tempo run. Granted I should have done them all at least at the 7:24 pace, but I wasn't looking at my watch, wasn't aiming for a pace or a time, was just aiming for the next street light, and then the next and the next and the next.

The lunchtime workout was no tougher than yesterday's PM workout, but I definitely had to focus. Fortunately DHY has an unused (at lunchtime, that is) spin room that is perfect for what I need: quiet and no distractions.

• Lunge, 15 sec on, 10 sec off, 10 times, then switch legs
• Altitude drop legs, 10 sets of 5, 30 seconds rest between sets
• GHR, quick-style reps to arm's length, 10 sets of 4
• Push up, 5 minutes, standing, ultra-wide (I used a couple stationary bikes instead of a door frame since I didn't want to be in anyone's way for 5+ minutes)
  
• Altitude drop bench press, 45 lb, 10 sets of 4
• Curl, quick-style reps with a 1-second continued contraction at the top and bottom, 10 sets of 4

The afternoon workout was slightly different but still challenging and fun.

• 5 sets of the following:
• Bench press, 65 lb (Will said 75–85 lb, but it was much easier to do the same weight for both exercises and not have to take up multiple stations), 10-sec hold, 1 rep, repeat for 3 total reps
• Bent-over barbell row, 65 lb, 6 reps
  
• GHR, 6-6-6 EDI, 3 sets, reps to arm's length
  
• Phasic leg curl, 300 each leg
• Lunge, 5 on, 5 off thru 25, each leg, then repeat
  

Then it was off to watch Team B and the crit and do my second run (and 4^th workout, tho Will is really just splitting my one workout into 2 manageable pieces) of the day. Kathy and I did around 1.65 miles in about 15 minutes. She had just raced the crit and we were running her pace; it made me remember my runs like that last year and made me want to do that again next year.

Experimenting

Today begins a 2-week experiment. We are going back to the kind of training I was doing in December/January to see whether I get faster between yesterday's race and the Music City Triathlon in 2 weeks. I anticipate improvement, so I am excited to see what happens. The only thing is that Will is not here, so I'm just going to have to push myself as hard as I know he would were he here.

Morning workout:

• 3 min iso push up on knees
• Repeat the following as a loop 6 times:
• 50 scap pull up
• 25 towel front delt
• 1 bench press, 75lb
• 1 min iso preacher curl, 15-lb dumbbells
• GHR, 30 sec on, 30 sec off, 6 times
• Lunge R, 30 sec on, 30 sec off, 6 times
• Lunge L, 30 sec on, 30 sec off, 6 times

Afternoon workout (which happened at lunch because I don't know when else I'll find time today and which was SIGNIFICANTLY harder physically than the morning's workout):

• Bench press, 65 lb, 10 deep breaths then 1 rep@65lbs then rest (as if another person was going), repeat for 10 total reps (holding the bar the entire time)
  
• Rebound curl, 15 lb (Will said approx. 25, but 15 was my option and 15 was plenty) bar, 10 reps, rest, repeat 10 times
• Squat w/ bar (I did it with a stick—no way could I have done it with a weighted bar), 5 reps, rest 10 seconds, repeat 10 times
• GHR to arm's length Standing ham, 10 reps, rest, repeat 10 times

The afternoon holds a much-needed visit to Dr. Berger, dinner at Carraba's with Nancy and her friend Sharon (we tried Chuy's but it was ridiculously busy!), and baking for Anna's tomorrow and JO's Wednesday.