I decided to follow a friend's cue and try to travel the same number of miles as trips around the sun for my birthday present to myself. I turned 36 on Thursday, so I decided to ride 36 miles this week.
If the weather had held, I had hoped to try to ride 60 miles in honor of my friend's 60th birthday, which was also this week. I still might try that for next week. Maybe it will become my default goal!
It wouldn't have been hard if the weather had held out a bit longer. I managed 14 miles Monday, then it snowed and rained for three days. Friday was sunny enough and the trails clear enough that I managed another 10.6 miles. Sat I tried to fit in the remaining 10 but only manages 7.2, so Sunday I rode to tai chi (7.2 miles) for a total of 39 miles this week.
Anyway, I couldn't help but notice that it's getting easier to make these rides and the distance seems shorter. I also noticed that tai chi felt much easier this Sunday- holding positions well was pleasant. Might I be finally starting to have my stamina improve?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Ce n'est pas un velo a.k.a. This is not a cycling blog
I know this blog is not a cycling blog, but utilitarian biking is now a part of my journey to overall fitness for the Big Race. Note I did not call it cycling. That because there's a difference.
Cycling implies a road bike, like Lance Armstrong rides. Skinny tires. Shaved Legs. Lycra body suits. I have neither the free time or money to explore that colorful, speedy world.
My new lifestyle includes trying to go from point A to point B on a bike- for running errands. Hence, Utilitarian Biking.
I drop off and retrieve my daughter from preschool by bike by pulling a Chariot kid carrier behind me. Her little brother can't get enough of it, thankfully, so he tags along (I got a double-wide). We go to the grocery store, library, farmer's market, and Rec Center all by bike. This is possible only because a determined acquaintance decided to educate me on the merits of biking, and bribed me with his paniers.
Paniers are not panties. So stop. They're saddle bags for bikes. And his happen to be water proof, so I have no excuse not to keep on peddling all winter. Other than being a wimp, which is true enough. My goal is to eliminate almost all local driving, with the exception of sickness or extreme snow conditions.
To that effect I am now, unexpectedly, the neighborhood coordinator for our Neighborhood ECO bus pass, which should allow us to pool our resources and get a nice big discount on buying a family pass. I'll add bus to my list of transport and just have to walk a bit to bus stops. Dragging the kiddos. They'll adapt.
So essentially what I've discovered is that it is doggone impossible for me right now to carve out traditional exercise time on a consistent basis (one limiting factor is not being able to afford a gym membership with childcare). So I'm building it into our lifestyle instead. I go to tai chi twice a week still, and now I ride 40-60 miles a week on the bike, too. It's not much, but it will add up over time. Did I mention that I'm pulling about 90 pounds of kid-carrier, kids, and gear behind me when I ride? Uphill? It's a pretty good workout.
I haven't lost sight of The Race. I will make it.
Cycling implies a road bike, like Lance Armstrong rides. Skinny tires. Shaved Legs. Lycra body suits. I have neither the free time or money to explore that colorful, speedy world.
My new lifestyle includes trying to go from point A to point B on a bike- for running errands. Hence, Utilitarian Biking.
I drop off and retrieve my daughter from preschool by bike by pulling a Chariot kid carrier behind me. Her little brother can't get enough of it, thankfully, so he tags along (I got a double-wide). We go to the grocery store, library, farmer's market, and Rec Center all by bike. This is possible only because a determined acquaintance decided to educate me on the merits of biking, and bribed me with his paniers.
Paniers are not panties. So stop. They're saddle bags for bikes. And his happen to be water proof, so I have no excuse not to keep on peddling all winter. Other than being a wimp, which is true enough. My goal is to eliminate almost all local driving, with the exception of sickness or extreme snow conditions.
To that effect I am now, unexpectedly, the neighborhood coordinator for our Neighborhood ECO bus pass, which should allow us to pool our resources and get a nice big discount on buying a family pass. I'll add bus to my list of transport and just have to walk a bit to bus stops. Dragging the kiddos. They'll adapt.
So essentially what I've discovered is that it is doggone impossible for me right now to carve out traditional exercise time on a consistent basis (one limiting factor is not being able to afford a gym membership with childcare). So I'm building it into our lifestyle instead. I go to tai chi twice a week still, and now I ride 40-60 miles a week on the bike, too. It's not much, but it will add up over time. Did I mention that I'm pulling about 90 pounds of kid-carrier, kids, and gear behind me when I ride? Uphill? It's a pretty good workout.
I haven't lost sight of The Race. I will make it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Activity update
I'm going to post these exercise logs at random for a bit- doing so once a month has been laborious, so they'll be more frequent and shorter.
I get an A+ for this past week!
Last week I bounced back from a summer of no exercise to a week with three, 5-mile bike rides (pulling approx 40-60 lbs of kids and gear) and 15 hours of tai chi! That's right. Fifteen in one week.
Of course, this week, I've done nothing, but I have a huge, unpleasant excuse: a massive wildfire next to town has made the air rather nasty, and I haven't wanted to try to ride the bike nor subject my kids to playing outside in that crud, so we've kept busy inside mostly. I'll go to tai chi for 2 hours Sunday, if the smoke isn't too bad, and that's it. Meh.
I hope the fire goes away soon, and nobody else loses there home. So far, 170 houses have been lost, and the winds tonight are 50 mph. Not good.
I get an A+ for this past week!
Last week I bounced back from a summer of no exercise to a week with three, 5-mile bike rides (pulling approx 40-60 lbs of kids and gear) and 15 hours of tai chi! That's right. Fifteen in one week.
Of course, this week, I've done nothing, but I have a huge, unpleasant excuse: a massive wildfire next to town has made the air rather nasty, and I haven't wanted to try to ride the bike nor subject my kids to playing outside in that crud, so we've kept busy inside mostly. I'll go to tai chi for 2 hours Sunday, if the smoke isn't too bad, and that's it. Meh.
I hope the fire goes away soon, and nobody else loses there home. So far, 170 houses have been lost, and the winds tonight are 50 mph. Not good.
Monday, September 6, 2010
My lameness is not my imagination
Ahhh, a week with 3 nights of improved sleep! What a difference!
There are studies- I shall try to find them and site them for reference- showing that your strength declines in relation to the quantity of sleep you lose over time. I experience this firsthand. For the past few months, my children became heavier and heavier, the small kitchen appliances heavy and unwieldy (I'm talking the BLENDER, folks!) and I became unable to exert myself for simple hikes or bike rides.
Then, I got me some sleep! Only a few nights in a row of 1 REM cycle a night, and suddenly my children weren't heavy any more, the appliances were laughably easy to lift, and this week I managed 3 bike rides of just under an hour, pulling between 35 and 65 pounds in a kiddy trailer behind me. I credit this to sleep!
Why? Why not credit eating better (new energy to actually cook due to sleep, too)? Well, because the last two nights, I got NO sleep (two, 2-hour naps and lots of laying there, wishing the baby would settle down) and this morning, I could barely life the little guy out of the highchair again. *sigh*
And so it goes.
Po tee weet
There are studies- I shall try to find them and site them for reference- showing that your strength declines in relation to the quantity of sleep you lose over time. I experience this firsthand. For the past few months, my children became heavier and heavier, the small kitchen appliances heavy and unwieldy (I'm talking the BLENDER, folks!) and I became unable to exert myself for simple hikes or bike rides.
Then, I got me some sleep! Only a few nights in a row of 1 REM cycle a night, and suddenly my children weren't heavy any more, the appliances were laughably easy to lift, and this week I managed 3 bike rides of just under an hour, pulling between 35 and 65 pounds in a kiddy trailer behind me. I credit this to sleep!
Why? Why not credit eating better (new energy to actually cook due to sleep, too)? Well, because the last two nights, I got NO sleep (two, 2-hour naps and lots of laying there, wishing the baby would settle down) and this morning, I could barely life the little guy out of the highchair again. *sigh*
And so it goes.
Po tee weet
Monday, August 30, 2010
Learning to roll with it
Oh! Very quickly, I DID have a wonderful rolling clinic back at the start of June.
I learned how to do a 'wet exit'- how to get out of the kayak while upside-down, if I can't flip back over. I also learned a basic roll. My instructor was very encouraging- he said that most people don't get the wet exit and roll down so smoothly in just a couple of hours. I guess there are a lot of folks who have to get their primal panic under control when pinned in an object upside down.
I also learned some basic strokes for how to paddle a rudderless boat on flatwater, which is maddening.
I did make it out onto the Boulder Reservoir one time this summer, and did drills from one bouey to another for an hour, trying to keep the kayak moving in a straight line. Oh, what a difference a skeg would make! Oh well. If I can master this, then I'm ready if there's a problem during the race.
I learned how to do a 'wet exit'- how to get out of the kayak while upside-down, if I can't flip back over. I also learned a basic roll. My instructor was very encouraging- he said that most people don't get the wet exit and roll down so smoothly in just a couple of hours. I guess there are a lot of folks who have to get their primal panic under control when pinned in an object upside down.
I also learned some basic strokes for how to paddle a rudderless boat on flatwater, which is maddening.
I did make it out onto the Boulder Reservoir one time this summer, and did drills from one bouey to another for an hour, trying to keep the kayak moving in a straight line. Oh, what a difference a skeg would make! Oh well. If I can master this, then I'm ready if there's a problem during the race.
The summer that wasn't
Oh, the joy of sleeplessness. To the thief who stole my summer, let me sing an ode... one. last. time.
It all began when we got back from the beach, the beginning of June. The jet lag wouldn't end. I pushed through it, but the lad- my son- was just one developmental leap, teething, or sickness after another, each of which made him unable to sleep for more than 2 hours at a time. All night.
It's the end of August now, and looking back, I think I averaged maybe one proper 4-hour REM cycle a week. This, to put it mildly, is inadequate for a sustained, meaningful existence. Every month or so, I'd have a week where I got up to 3 REM cycles over the course of maybe two or three nights- and I'd get my hopes up that the pattern was breaking.
Then I would get crushed again by The Wakeful One, and experience not just the horribly debilitating fatigue, but the emotional roller-coaster of ALMOST being normal for a day or two; a glimpse into my potential, which I would- once again- helplessly watch seep away as the sleepless nights returned.
Mind you, I don't resent my son for it. It's just how things have been, and I know this will pass. Sadly, this summer has passed with it, as have all of my wonderful plans for training, paddling, getting stronger, getting healthier. I've just been trying to survive. Literally.
There are WEEKS that passed, and I have no recollection of them occurring. July ended and I was stunned. I seriously thought I had two weeks left of that month. It scared me. It was like I had amnesia for periods of time and misplaced little bits of my life from this summer.
So no blogs got posted, no projects got worked on, no books were read, no friends played with. Almost no cleaning, no yard work, no house maintenance. I don't know what I did, but I'm still alive, as are the kids, so I must've been on autopilot. I'm unaware of whether or not I offended people, still have friends- hey, both cats are still around!- or what my daughter thinks of me. It's a strange place to be.
So this week, I've gotten three of those elusive nights with a full REM cycle each night. I feel sane, and my husband was delighted to see me actually acting happy today. I can't help it, and I hope I'm not setting myself up again, but I DO feel hopeful, that THIS time it's for real, that I'll start to sleep more than not, that I can return to the world of normal functionality. I even got to go for a bike ride with the kids this morning- the first time I've had the energy to do so.
The one activity I've refused to drop during this time has been the tai chi. I've gone in shaking with fatigue. I've even had to stop and sit down. I've had to leave early. But I have made it to every single class, unless sick kids or a meeting of my husband's conflicted. And I am mightily proud of keeping that one commitment, where all of my other goals have tanked.
So now, I humbly ask your patience as I re-evaluate my goals, set new ones, and push on. I will do this. There is a long-distance kayak race to complete, and I'm the girl to do it. After this summer's sleepless marathon, I think I can find the chutzpa to survive another type of endurance race.
It all began when we got back from the beach, the beginning of June. The jet lag wouldn't end. I pushed through it, but the lad- my son- was just one developmental leap, teething, or sickness after another, each of which made him unable to sleep for more than 2 hours at a time. All night.
It's the end of August now, and looking back, I think I averaged maybe one proper 4-hour REM cycle a week. This, to put it mildly, is inadequate for a sustained, meaningful existence. Every month or so, I'd have a week where I got up to 3 REM cycles over the course of maybe two or three nights- and I'd get my hopes up that the pattern was breaking.
Then I would get crushed again by The Wakeful One, and experience not just the horribly debilitating fatigue, but the emotional roller-coaster of ALMOST being normal for a day or two; a glimpse into my potential, which I would- once again- helplessly watch seep away as the sleepless nights returned.
Mind you, I don't resent my son for it. It's just how things have been, and I know this will pass. Sadly, this summer has passed with it, as have all of my wonderful plans for training, paddling, getting stronger, getting healthier. I've just been trying to survive. Literally.
There are WEEKS that passed, and I have no recollection of them occurring. July ended and I was stunned. I seriously thought I had two weeks left of that month. It scared me. It was like I had amnesia for periods of time and misplaced little bits of my life from this summer.
So no blogs got posted, no projects got worked on, no books were read, no friends played with. Almost no cleaning, no yard work, no house maintenance. I don't know what I did, but I'm still alive, as are the kids, so I must've been on autopilot. I'm unaware of whether or not I offended people, still have friends- hey, both cats are still around!- or what my daughter thinks of me. It's a strange place to be.
So this week, I've gotten three of those elusive nights with a full REM cycle each night. I feel sane, and my husband was delighted to see me actually acting happy today. I can't help it, and I hope I'm not setting myself up again, but I DO feel hopeful, that THIS time it's for real, that I'll start to sleep more than not, that I can return to the world of normal functionality. I even got to go for a bike ride with the kids this morning- the first time I've had the energy to do so.
The one activity I've refused to drop during this time has been the tai chi. I've gone in shaking with fatigue. I've even had to stop and sit down. I've had to leave early. But I have made it to every single class, unless sick kids or a meeting of my husband's conflicted. And I am mightily proud of keeping that one commitment, where all of my other goals have tanked.
So now, I humbly ask your patience as I re-evaluate my goals, set new ones, and push on. I will do this. There is a long-distance kayak race to complete, and I'm the girl to do it. After this summer's sleepless marathon, I think I can find the chutzpa to survive another type of endurance race.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A rollin' we will go...
The folks at Confluence laughed incredulously when I mentioned my Dagger Crossfire. "You got WHAT?" I said I like vintage, and the guy helping me said yeah, no kidding. He suggested it would make a nice planter in my garden, but another guy stuck up for my choice saying it's a good boat that set the standard 'in its day'. Heh.
I told them I wanted something long so I could get used to an unwieldy length, since I'll be upgrading to a 17-footer eventually, and they laughed saying I definitely got THAT. Eleven feet for a whitewater kayak is long. I think she'll do just fine.
So I took her in to see what I needed to do to get her ready for play, and decided to replace the backrest, since I'll be clocking a fair number of hours paddling. The bulkhead will suffice for foot braces, and I don't need any new foam- the boat is a perfect fit. Foam might increase comfort, but I'll worry about that when I think I'm ready to go for longer trips.
I'm going to take a private lesson Monday the 21st. I decided a private would allow me to get much more focused coaching on the things I need to learn: boat entry and exit, rolling, and fine-tuning my strokes. Since I tend to be detail-oriented and am already committed to doing this (as opposed to folks who are just wanting to try out the sport) they thought a private would get me more results for the dollar.
It's a 3-4 hour lesson. We'll see how it goes! I'm really excited. Then I'll be ready to venture onto the reservoirs alone or sign up for small trips/lessons on class I & II rapids this summer.
I told them I wanted something long so I could get used to an unwieldy length, since I'll be upgrading to a 17-footer eventually, and they laughed saying I definitely got THAT. Eleven feet for a whitewater kayak is long. I think she'll do just fine.
So I took her in to see what I needed to do to get her ready for play, and decided to replace the backrest, since I'll be clocking a fair number of hours paddling. The bulkhead will suffice for foot braces, and I don't need any new foam- the boat is a perfect fit. Foam might increase comfort, but I'll worry about that when I think I'm ready to go for longer trips.
I'm going to take a private lesson Monday the 21st. I decided a private would allow me to get much more focused coaching on the things I need to learn: boat entry and exit, rolling, and fine-tuning my strokes. Since I tend to be detail-oriented and am already committed to doing this (as opposed to folks who are just wanting to try out the sport) they thought a private would get me more results for the dollar.
It's a 3-4 hour lesson. We'll see how it goes! I'm really excited. Then I'll be ready to venture onto the reservoirs alone or sign up for small trips/lessons on class I & II rapids this summer.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Jetlag Bites
I should rename this blog, "Sleep-deprived living".
There's a four-hour time difference between home and Kauai. It didn't bother us going out- just made for one longer day. Returning home was a different story.
We took the Red-eye special home so the kids could sleep on the plane, but I had my one year old son on my lap the whole way. I don't sleep well on planes to begin with, so I didn't at all while holding him. So we start the week with pulling an all-nighter. Yay.
Then the jet-lag hit. Every couple of nights, we've gotten a decent sleep (7 hours or so), but mostly it's been awful. My son couldn't get to sleep before 2am. The whole first week, he was up late, although progressively it has gotten better: 1am, midnight, 11pm... finally for the last couple of nights he went down at 9. Did I mention it's been 12 days of adjusting? Then there's my daughter. She's been up at her usual 6:30/7. So the sleep dep has been excruciating.
But I'm used to that, right? It seems like once a month, I have a heinous week or two that leave me a mess. Then I have a week or two of regaining my sanity. And I'm supposed to be training through all of this, right? Not happening.
Any suggestions? I need to get going!
There's a four-hour time difference between home and Kauai. It didn't bother us going out- just made for one longer day. Returning home was a different story.
We took the Red-eye special home so the kids could sleep on the plane, but I had my one year old son on my lap the whole way. I don't sleep well on planes to begin with, so I didn't at all while holding him. So we start the week with pulling an all-nighter. Yay.
Then the jet-lag hit. Every couple of nights, we've gotten a decent sleep (7 hours or so), but mostly it's been awful. My son couldn't get to sleep before 2am. The whole first week, he was up late, although progressively it has gotten better: 1am, midnight, 11pm... finally for the last couple of nights he went down at 9. Did I mention it's been 12 days of adjusting? Then there's my daughter. She's been up at her usual 6:30/7. So the sleep dep has been excruciating.
But I'm used to that, right? It seems like once a month, I have a heinous week or two that leave me a mess. Then I have a week or two of regaining my sanity. And I'm supposed to be training through all of this, right? Not happening.
Any suggestions? I need to get going!
May exercise log
I was able to recover from the extreme sleep deprivation the beginning of last month, and I got decent enough sleep to try to work out regularly.
My baby decided not to go to bed before 10pm for over a week, so I finally decided he was going to have to sit there and watch me do 25-minute Pilates videos until I bored him to sleep. He thought it was really funny and would harass/molest me as only babies can until I was laughing uncontrollably. I question the efficacy of those workouts, but hey, they still count!
The last week, we went on vacation to Kauai for a week and so my water workout opportunities increased accordingly. Oh, to live near water!
Tai Chi: 12 hours
biking: one 10 mile ride, a few really short (1 mile) errands
Pilates: 3 hours
Ocean: (playing with kids on beach/in surf; body surfing; snorkeling; swimming) about 14 hours
Pool: (play w/kids) about 28 hours
Walking: about 10 hours
My baby decided not to go to bed before 10pm for over a week, so I finally decided he was going to have to sit there and watch me do 25-minute Pilates videos until I bored him to sleep. He thought it was really funny and would harass/molest me as only babies can until I was laughing uncontrollably. I question the efficacy of those workouts, but hey, they still count!
The last week, we went on vacation to Kauai for a week and so my water workout opportunities increased accordingly. Oh, to live near water!
Tai Chi: 12 hours
biking: one 10 mile ride, a few really short (1 mile) errands
Pilates: 3 hours
Ocean: (playing with kids on beach/in surf; body surfing; snorkeling; swimming) about 14 hours
Pool: (play w/kids) about 28 hours
Walking: about 10 hours
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Birth & Mt Kilimanjaro: what they have in common
My son was born a year ago today! Yay us! I'd like to thank my little man for helping remind me about some of the most important lessons I've learned, re-learned, and still need to fully embody. Sound mysterious? Read on!
We went the total hippie way- water birth at home- and it was awesome. What great memories! Besides my husband, two midwives and a friend who was a new doula tended to us from set-up to clean-up, so all we had to do was focus on the labor and then the baby. I'll spare you the details, but it was amazingly natural. There is too much hype around birth, so many fears, and then it was just so simple. I'm still stunned by that.
We human creatures are so incredibly capable, if we can just let go of our neurotic minds long enough to permit ourselves to do things. And, of course, we have to overcome other people's fears/society's dogma as well. We can do so much more than we have convinced ourselves of! My son's home-birth helped prove that to me on a very real, physical level.
It ranks up there with another test of mind and body that I'd experienced in 2001:
My husband and I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro for our honeymoon. I had this crazy idea, and he was excited to do it (he's much more fit than I) so we planned it, and then realized I had never even climbed a Fourteener (14 thousand foot peak here in Colorado). So I scrambled up three of those the month before we left to climb the 19,500-plus foot volcano in Tanzania.
Things were going well, until the alpine desert. I got separated from my water (my husband had it and hikes really fast) so I got dehydrated, and was hot, so I took off my shell while trying to catch up. When I caught him, I was so intent on drinking water that I didn't put the shell back on immediately. A freezing wind hit me and I started to shake, never to warm back up.
That night, I still couldn't recover. I threw up everything I tried to eat and became weak and had a terrible headache. Probably partial altitude sickness. After a few uncomfortable hours, we all got up at midnight to hike the remaining portion by night so that we could watch the sunrise from the summit. I was unable to stand without support from my hiking poles. I expected I would not make it, but after traveling halfway around the globe, I wasn't going to give up without a fight.
I warned my husband of my condition, and he said he would go as far as I could, and help carry me down to camp if I had to stop. I told him the only way I would stop was if I passed out. He nodded thoughtfully. Someone gave me a piece of chewing gum, and I didn't have the strength to chew it. It just lay there in my mouth. I put one foot in front of the other in the darkness, with just the little spot directly in front of me lit by my headlamp to stare at. Hour after hour in the freezing dark, I methodically moved my poles forward, then one foot, then shifted my weight. Then I'd do it again.
I had to occupy my mind with something other than the acute awareness of my physical misery, but my thoughts were pretty well monopolized. So I started reciting anything and everything that would come to mind, and tried to fit things to a rhythm that would match my slow hiking movements. Strange things I'd memorized and recited in elementary school, from school plays, passages from books, poetry, all floated through my head, but the best one was "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their nation!" that we chanted in theatre as an acting exercise. I must have recited that for hours.
My headlamp froze and died. My husband and I had to share one headlamp. The universe shrank to a tiny spot of light and life became surreal. My husband walked behind me, memorizing where to step based on what he glimpsed through the headlamp shining at my feet. Snot froze to my nose in an icicle (the infamous snotcicle!). I couldn't feel my hands, feet or thighs.
We stopped for hot tea, which mercifully stayed in me, and I began to have hope that I'd make it. I felt horrible, but I hadn't passed out yet! I went from having to take one deep breath for every step I took, to having to take two breaths for each step. But I also began to notice the stars, and the new moon was a brightly visible brown orb above us through the very thin atmosphere. We saw the most amazing shooting star that created a rainbow streak across the sky as it burned through the atmosphere.
The sky began to lighten, and we found ourselves on the saddle top, the lip of the caldera that makes up the peak of the volcano. We hugged and cried, and celebrated with a bit more tea and cookies. By this time, my head and kidneys were in pain, but I was again able to keep the food down. It was freakin' cold! My camera froze so I didn't get to take pictures. My water was frozen even though I had it against my body to keep it warm. We made it to the summit, celebrated, and had to head back down to camp immediately.
It was almost as excruciating to go down, except it was faster- we slid down talus most of the way. Do you want to know something else amazing? Not only did I make it to the top and back when I was sure my body wouldn't make it, but so did my mother-in-law, at age 55. And she had one less Fourteener under her belt than I did! My husband and his dad are a couple of mountain goats, so there was no doubt for them, but what my mother-in-law and I did defied expectations, and is a testament to the mix of stubborn resolve, stupidity, discipline, and romanticism we both clung to.
We made it. What else can we achieve? Why not make big plans and hold up a sign that says "Adventure X or bust!" We really are capable of much more than we permit. My goal is to learn how to permit myself to dream big, flail at times, and live big. That's what the UFC race is all about for me: continuing to challenge the perceptions of what us 'normal' people can really do if we put our minds to something.
We went the total hippie way- water birth at home- and it was awesome. What great memories! Besides my husband, two midwives and a friend who was a new doula tended to us from set-up to clean-up, so all we had to do was focus on the labor and then the baby. I'll spare you the details, but it was amazingly natural. There is too much hype around birth, so many fears, and then it was just so simple. I'm still stunned by that.
We human creatures are so incredibly capable, if we can just let go of our neurotic minds long enough to permit ourselves to do things. And, of course, we have to overcome other people's fears/society's dogma as well. We can do so much more than we have convinced ourselves of! My son's home-birth helped prove that to me on a very real, physical level.
It ranks up there with another test of mind and body that I'd experienced in 2001:
My husband and I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro for our honeymoon. I had this crazy idea, and he was excited to do it (he's much more fit than I) so we planned it, and then realized I had never even climbed a Fourteener (14 thousand foot peak here in Colorado). So I scrambled up three of those the month before we left to climb the 19,500-plus foot volcano in Tanzania.
Things were going well, until the alpine desert. I got separated from my water (my husband had it and hikes really fast) so I got dehydrated, and was hot, so I took off my shell while trying to catch up. When I caught him, I was so intent on drinking water that I didn't put the shell back on immediately. A freezing wind hit me and I started to shake, never to warm back up.
That night, I still couldn't recover. I threw up everything I tried to eat and became weak and had a terrible headache. Probably partial altitude sickness. After a few uncomfortable hours, we all got up at midnight to hike the remaining portion by night so that we could watch the sunrise from the summit. I was unable to stand without support from my hiking poles. I expected I would not make it, but after traveling halfway around the globe, I wasn't going to give up without a fight.
I warned my husband of my condition, and he said he would go as far as I could, and help carry me down to camp if I had to stop. I told him the only way I would stop was if I passed out. He nodded thoughtfully. Someone gave me a piece of chewing gum, and I didn't have the strength to chew it. It just lay there in my mouth. I put one foot in front of the other in the darkness, with just the little spot directly in front of me lit by my headlamp to stare at. Hour after hour in the freezing dark, I methodically moved my poles forward, then one foot, then shifted my weight. Then I'd do it again.
I had to occupy my mind with something other than the acute awareness of my physical misery, but my thoughts were pretty well monopolized. So I started reciting anything and everything that would come to mind, and tried to fit things to a rhythm that would match my slow hiking movements. Strange things I'd memorized and recited in elementary school, from school plays, passages from books, poetry, all floated through my head, but the best one was "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their nation!" that we chanted in theatre as an acting exercise. I must have recited that for hours.
My headlamp froze and died. My husband and I had to share one headlamp. The universe shrank to a tiny spot of light and life became surreal. My husband walked behind me, memorizing where to step based on what he glimpsed through the headlamp shining at my feet. Snot froze to my nose in an icicle (the infamous snotcicle!). I couldn't feel my hands, feet or thighs.
We stopped for hot tea, which mercifully stayed in me, and I began to have hope that I'd make it. I felt horrible, but I hadn't passed out yet! I went from having to take one deep breath for every step I took, to having to take two breaths for each step. But I also began to notice the stars, and the new moon was a brightly visible brown orb above us through the very thin atmosphere. We saw the most amazing shooting star that created a rainbow streak across the sky as it burned through the atmosphere.
The sky began to lighten, and we found ourselves on the saddle top, the lip of the caldera that makes up the peak of the volcano. We hugged and cried, and celebrated with a bit more tea and cookies. By this time, my head and kidneys were in pain, but I was again able to keep the food down. It was freakin' cold! My camera froze so I didn't get to take pictures. My water was frozen even though I had it against my body to keep it warm. We made it to the summit, celebrated, and had to head back down to camp immediately.
It was almost as excruciating to go down, except it was faster- we slid down talus most of the way. Do you want to know something else amazing? Not only did I make it to the top and back when I was sure my body wouldn't make it, but so did my mother-in-law, at age 55. And she had one less Fourteener under her belt than I did! My husband and his dad are a couple of mountain goats, so there was no doubt for them, but what my mother-in-law and I did defied expectations, and is a testament to the mix of stubborn resolve, stupidity, discipline, and romanticism we both clung to.
We made it. What else can we achieve? Why not make big plans and hold up a sign that says "Adventure X or bust!" We really are capable of much more than we permit. My goal is to learn how to permit myself to dream big, flail at times, and live big. That's what the UFC race is all about for me: continuing to challenge the perceptions of what us 'normal' people can really do if we put our minds to something.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
stuff comes, stuff goes
I've decided to try to approach a more minimalist lifestyle at home in the hopes that I will be able to focus on my priorities better. Less clutter in my life will equal more freedom right?
Besides hunting for the right kayaking gear, I've been busy getting rid of stuff and learning about lifestyles that might benefit me and my whole family. It's been fun to research, and I'm convinced it's all related to my crazy goal of the UFC race.
I started this process with culling the more obvious things from the house for a yard sale. It feels great to have gotten rid of a lot of stuff, and I HAVE noticed it's easier to tidy up the house now. I plan on doing one more yard sale this summer.
I think I can take it a step further though. I need to apply this approach to paperwork and my 'to do' list also. I need to get rid of the procrastination that lurks in the corners of my mind. That's a hard one, though, because it's more of an insidious habit. I've found a few websites that I'm exploring, which have been helpful so far.
zen habits
becomingminimalist
flylady
Does anyone have any suggestions for other sites to explore? I've been skimming books like Ladies who Launch and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and if I have time, I'll write up some book reviews. Honestly, I've been reading some heavy-duty parenting books to survive the changes of kids growing up lately, too. I'll spare you those reviews (unless you REALLY want to know about them). :)
Besides hunting for the right kayaking gear, I've been busy getting rid of stuff and learning about lifestyles that might benefit me and my whole family. It's been fun to research, and I'm convinced it's all related to my crazy goal of the UFC race.
I started this process with culling the more obvious things from the house for a yard sale. It feels great to have gotten rid of a lot of stuff, and I HAVE noticed it's easier to tidy up the house now. I plan on doing one more yard sale this summer.
I think I can take it a step further though. I need to apply this approach to paperwork and my 'to do' list also. I need to get rid of the procrastination that lurks in the corners of my mind. That's a hard one, though, because it's more of an insidious habit. I've found a few websites that I'm exploring, which have been helpful so far.
zen habits
becomingminimalist
flylady
Does anyone have any suggestions for other sites to explore? I've been skimming books like Ladies who Launch and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and if I have time, I'll write up some book reviews. Honestly, I've been reading some heavy-duty parenting books to survive the changes of kids growing up lately, too. I'll spare you those reviews (unless you REALLY want to know about them). :)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The scavenger hunt
I spent this month on a scavenger hunt, try to find all the things I need to get started. The kayak turned out to be the easy part- there are tons of cheap boats out there, but no paddles! I splurged a bit on a good deal and got what feels like an incredibly lightweight paddle. Better than the particleboard laminate I was designing with the leftover wood from my husband's shop! (no, I'm not kidding- thought I'd save a buck, but then, I dunno, I got lazy and bought this one?)
Anyway, I didn't quite make my goal of staying under $400 for everything. I have spent $415 now (including boat), and still don't have a helmet or dry top. Dry tops are super-expensive! I'm going to just wait and ask for one for my birthday in November- have it be my one big gift everyone can pitch in on. They're around $300 new, give or take $100 depending on brand. Whew! That is something I will be able to use in the race, though, so it's worth it.
So here's a breakdown of what I've spent:
Kayak: Used Dagger Crossfire, $80
Paddle: Used Werner Sherpa, $100
PFD (lifevest): New/clearance women's style $60
Spray skirt: New/clearance, women's cut, $80
Longsleeve rashguard shirt: $55
Neoprene 'shorts': $40
Drytop: still need it
Helmit: still need it
I figure I can rent the brain bucket and outer shell to use for the rolling clinic this June and any river runs I do this summer. I won't really need them as much for my flat water training. I can wear a water-resistant windbreaker and sun hat.
....Until I notice how cold I am. Hmmm. I do think I will invest in making a proper hypothermia emergency kit to carry with me, and I'll practice with it this summer.
Anyway, I didn't quite make my goal of staying under $400 for everything. I have spent $415 now (including boat), and still don't have a helmet or dry top. Dry tops are super-expensive! I'm going to just wait and ask for one for my birthday in November- have it be my one big gift everyone can pitch in on. They're around $300 new, give or take $100 depending on brand. Whew! That is something I will be able to use in the race, though, so it's worth it.
So here's a breakdown of what I've spent:
Kayak: Used Dagger Crossfire, $80
Paddle: Used Werner Sherpa, $100
PFD (lifevest): New/clearance women's style $60
Spray skirt: New/clearance, women's cut, $80
Longsleeve rashguard shirt: $55
Neoprene 'shorts': $40
Drytop: still need it
Helmit: still need it
I figure I can rent the brain bucket and outer shell to use for the rolling clinic this June and any river runs I do this summer. I won't really need them as much for my flat water training. I can wear a water-resistant windbreaker and sun hat.
....Until I notice how cold I am. Hmmm. I do think I will invest in making a proper hypothermia emergency kit to carry with me, and I'll practice with it this summer.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
April Exercise Log
Ooooo boy. I didn't keep my journal this past month. I don't think I like the old format anyway, so I'll try something new. Let me know which format you like better!
I don't think I can recall everything, and there were another 2 weeks of extreme fatigue from sleep deprivation/nourishment issues. My almost-toddler son, now 11 months, won't eat solids for me, and I don't do formula, so he's nursing still. He's thriving- 22 pounds and walking everywhere- but I am still trying to find the balance for what I need to sustain him AND myself while working out. And he stopped sleeping after 1am for 5 days. I'm so tired from the past couple of nights (week 2 of bad sleep) that I'm not safe to drive... again. *sigh*
So!
Tai Chi: 16 hours
Biking: 2 short rides, maybe 3 miles total; 1 long ride, 10 miles or so (pulling 60 lbs of trailer w/2 kids)
Swimming: quarter mile in 10 minutes one time
Push-ups: 60 (I'll be doing these regularly and more of them. good exercise)
Squats: 400 (I'm going to start modifying these to be more applicable to tai chi)
Sit-ups: 460 (insanely boring. Must find something better. I stopped bothering after a couple days)
As I type this, it's late May and I'm doing better on every level. April was so bad. I survived, though, recovered in early May, and have a good plan for this summer, so I'm not worried. My May exercise is better- I'll post it at the beginning of June.
We've had a really wet spring, so I expect to bike more starting in June, and if I get enough sleep I'd like to start paddling at 5am. We'll see.
I don't think I can recall everything, and there were another 2 weeks of extreme fatigue from sleep deprivation/nourishment issues. My almost-toddler son, now 11 months, won't eat solids for me, and I don't do formula, so he's nursing still. He's thriving- 22 pounds and walking everywhere- but I am still trying to find the balance for what I need to sustain him AND myself while working out. And he stopped sleeping after 1am for 5 days. I'm so tired from the past couple of nights (week 2 of bad sleep) that I'm not safe to drive... again. *sigh*
So!
Tai Chi: 16 hours
Biking: 2 short rides, maybe 3 miles total; 1 long ride, 10 miles or so (pulling 60 lbs of trailer w/2 kids)
Swimming: quarter mile in 10 minutes one time
Push-ups: 60 (I'll be doing these regularly and more of them. good exercise)
Squats: 400 (I'm going to start modifying these to be more applicable to tai chi)
Sit-ups: 460 (insanely boring. Must find something better. I stopped bothering after a couple days)
As I type this, it's late May and I'm doing better on every level. April was so bad. I survived, though, recovered in early May, and have a good plan for this summer, so I'm not worried. My May exercise is better- I'll post it at the beginning of June.
We've had a really wet spring, so I expect to bike more starting in June, and if I get enough sleep I'd like to start paddling at 5am. We'll see.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Weight Loss Blogs- Major inspiration!
I know these blogs might seem off-subject in some ways, since I'm not specifically trying to lose weight, but I found myself in awe of some of these individuals, for their openness, their perseverance, patience, and levity. What these folks are achieving is a boost to my morale and I count them among my virtual circle of inspiring peers. I love reading their stories and blogs. If they can create change in their lives with little outside help- to change their lifestyles so dramatically- so can I. I can become the athlete I need to be to do this race. And let me just go ahead and give myself permission to admit it and say it out loud:
I can become the elite athlete I WANT to become.
There. It gives me butterflies to read that sentence. After all, aren't you past the athletic curve? With no history of being athletic? I don't care. It's the dream that fires me up right now. Not terribly intellectual, the snob in my head sniffs. It doesn't benefit others, the Puritan in me scolds. Sure it is. Yes it does. Go to hell, little voices!
Shall I be the good girl, who stays in her quiet role? After years of childbearing and nursing, my body wants to fly! Why not let it? Who knows where that might lead: opportunities to inspire others or even directly help others. I don't have to see where this will take me to know that it's a good path to travel down right now.
So check out some of these blogs, where good tips on eating and exercise accompany amazing life stories (this is how I learned about the 100 Push Ups Challenge I'm doing).
http://fitmindbodyspirit.blogspot.com/
http://solongfatass.com/
http://amerrylife.com/
http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com/
http://www.35andshrinking.com/
100 Pounds in a Year
http://www.344pounds.com/about/
http://www.andrewisgettingfit.com/
Andrew's Blog
http://www.geekgirlrunner.com/
http://mamawantsasixpack.wordpress.com/
weight loss mama
http://didijusteatthatoutloud.blogspot.com/
http://www.yourinnerskinny.ca/
I can become the elite athlete I WANT to become.
There. It gives me butterflies to read that sentence. After all, aren't you past the athletic curve? With no history of being athletic? I don't care. It's the dream that fires me up right now. Not terribly intellectual, the snob in my head sniffs. It doesn't benefit others, the Puritan in me scolds. Sure it is. Yes it does. Go to hell, little voices!
Shall I be the good girl, who stays in her quiet role? After years of childbearing and nursing, my body wants to fly! Why not let it? Who knows where that might lead: opportunities to inspire others or even directly help others. I don't have to see where this will take me to know that it's a good path to travel down right now.
So check out some of these blogs, where good tips on eating and exercise accompany amazing life stories (this is how I learned about the 100 Push Ups Challenge I'm doing).
http://fitmindbodyspirit.blogspot.com/
http://solongfatass.com/
http://amerrylife.com/
http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com/
http://www.35andshrinking.com/
100 Pounds in a Year
http://www.344pounds.com/about/
http://www.andrewisgettingfit.com/
Andrew's Blog
http://www.geekgirlrunner.com/
http://mamawantsasixpack.wordpress.com/
weight loss mama
http://didijusteatthatoutloud.blogspot.com/
http://www.yourinnerskinny.ca/
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Here Gear, Gear, Gear!
My kingdom for a used whitewater paddle!
I have this sweet little boat, and nobody- and I mean NOBODY will part with a paddle. I guess people fork out good money for one and can use it on any boat, so they don't replace them. Or they break. Bummer.
I have my PDF and spray skirt finally. Both are made for women, so there's room for The Girls in the life vest and the spray skirt sits just under them too. I got them both from Outdoor Divas for 50% off because, sadly, they won't be carrying paddling equipment any more. Not enough demand. Same with REI. No whitewater stuff even at their enormous, we-have-everything-under-the-sun flagship store in Denver. I was shocked.
Fortunately, there's a local place called Confluence Kayaks where they'll outfit my Crossfire with the padding and seat it needs, check out my inflatables, and fill in the gaps- they have helmets, paddles, wet wear, odds and ends. They know I don't want to spend much, so hopefully we can keep this low.
Confluence also offers classes. I plan on taking a class on paddling technique and another on rolling first thing. I can even rent gear to see what I like before buying something. The evening classes are in a pool, which is nice, but they're Tuesday nights, which is not so great since I have tai chi 5-7. They have all-day clinics coming up too on a reservoir. I'm not sure which I'll do.
I'll post a gear list once I have everything in place, and my scheduled classes too. I'm going to try to rustle up a paddle from a guiding company ($40-60?) before forking out cash for a new one through Confluence ($110-ish). I hope to keep gear down to less than $300. Ideally that would include the boat.
I have this sweet little boat, and nobody- and I mean NOBODY will part with a paddle. I guess people fork out good money for one and can use it on any boat, so they don't replace them. Or they break. Bummer.
I have my PDF and spray skirt finally. Both are made for women, so there's room for The Girls in the life vest and the spray skirt sits just under them too. I got them both from Outdoor Divas for 50% off because, sadly, they won't be carrying paddling equipment any more. Not enough demand. Same with REI. No whitewater stuff even at their enormous, we-have-everything-under-the-sun flagship store in Denver. I was shocked.
Fortunately, there's a local place called Confluence Kayaks where they'll outfit my Crossfire with the padding and seat it needs, check out my inflatables, and fill in the gaps- they have helmets, paddles, wet wear, odds and ends. They know I don't want to spend much, so hopefully we can keep this low.
Confluence also offers classes. I plan on taking a class on paddling technique and another on rolling first thing. I can even rent gear to see what I like before buying something. The evening classes are in a pool, which is nice, but they're Tuesday nights, which is not so great since I have tai chi 5-7. They have all-day clinics coming up too on a reservoir. I'm not sure which I'll do.
I'll post a gear list once I have everything in place, and my scheduled classes too. I'm going to try to rustle up a paddle from a guiding company ($40-60?) before forking out cash for a new one through Confluence ($110-ish). I hope to keep gear down to less than $300. Ideally that would include the boat.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Can a boat make you fly?
My boat. She's a kayak, and she's my paddling buddy. Heh.
I can't recall a single piece of gear ever thrilling me like this does. Buying a bike didn't make me dance. Climbing gear? Cool, but not the same. Snowboard? Close. Skate skis? Sadly, no. My first boat? YEEEEEEEEEE!
It must be in my blood. My Dad loved being on the water, and had a wonderful 24-foot Crestliner for years. Later, he had a Bass boat, and would talk his friends into letting him skipper their boats, too, in exchange for puttering on the engine, treating the teak wood, offering fishing lessons, whatever it would take to get on their boats and play: motorized or sailing, big or small.
Some of my best memories are of being on a boat with Dad. We would get up at 3:30 in the morning and head out to sea, eager to reach the "Hundredth Fathom" mark, an imposing tower looming out of the depths, letting us know we were 100 miles from shore. There we would sit, in the Gulf Stream, watching whales, sharks, sail fish, mahi mahi, flying fish, and the dance of the water for hours.
He died two years ago, and I still think of him often. He got to meet my daughter, but not my son. Maybe that's part of the attraction too- I don't know- but suddenly this little kayak makes me feel closer to Dad. I think I finally understand the joy it brought him as an adult, which is a different shade of the same pleasure I felt as a kid.
I have my first boat. I love writing that. I'm giddy. Not only am I closer to water for it, but I'm closer to my dream. She isn't just a boat, she is my wings.
I can't recall a single piece of gear ever thrilling me like this does. Buying a bike didn't make me dance. Climbing gear? Cool, but not the same. Snowboard? Close. Skate skis? Sadly, no. My first boat? YEEEEEEEEEE!
It must be in my blood. My Dad loved being on the water, and had a wonderful 24-foot Crestliner for years. Later, he had a Bass boat, and would talk his friends into letting him skipper their boats, too, in exchange for puttering on the engine, treating the teak wood, offering fishing lessons, whatever it would take to get on their boats and play: motorized or sailing, big or small.
Some of my best memories are of being on a boat with Dad. We would get up at 3:30 in the morning and head out to sea, eager to reach the "Hundredth Fathom" mark, an imposing tower looming out of the depths, letting us know we were 100 miles from shore. There we would sit, in the Gulf Stream, watching whales, sharks, sail fish, mahi mahi, flying fish, and the dance of the water for hours.
He died two years ago, and I still think of him often. He got to meet my daughter, but not my son. Maybe that's part of the attraction too- I don't know- but suddenly this little kayak makes me feel closer to Dad. I think I finally understand the joy it brought him as an adult, which is a different shade of the same pleasure I felt as a kid.
I have my first boat. I love writing that. I'm giddy. Not only am I closer to water for it, but I'm closer to my dream. She isn't just a boat, she is my wings.
Got Kayak?
I did it! I bought my first boat!
I've failed to post notes on my research, but I've been reading up on all the boats out there and still can't decide if I want to race a fast, streamlined sea kayak or pick a more comfortable cruiser for the big race. I did, however, figure out what my first kayak should be:
Something sturdy, forgiving, easy to roll, but long enough to get a feel for longer kayaks, and something that demands I learn good technique, rather than the ease of newer technology. What did I pick? A Dagger Crossfire! Whee! Go vintage! These beauties have been discontinued, but in their heyday they revolutionized kayaking as we know it. They're still one of the best out there, especially for a new paddler. I'm thrilled.
I found it on craigslist for $80 (yes, eighty!) and was intrigued by the photo. I checked out reviews online and got more excited. Even the one negative review (the rest were mostly 5 stars) was simply that it was too long for the whitewater tricks. Someone responded to say that tricks in a Dagger require true skill, unlike modern play boats- touche!
It's eleven feet long, and just under twenty-four inches wide, and weighs 39 pounds, so I should be able to lift in on and off of the car easily enough.
This weekend is the gear/boat swap that I have been waiting for. I hope to pick up a paddle, some knee/hip padding for the cockpit, fresh webbing/help with the seat, and a life vest. The local reservoir is free until labor day, so I'll be trying to sneak in little trips whenever I can! Whee!
I love that I'm figuring out how to do this without breaking the bank. The one expense I'm planning on is that I'll take a paddling clinic to learn proper paddling technique and rolling asap.
SO. HAPPY.
I've failed to post notes on my research, but I've been reading up on all the boats out there and still can't decide if I want to race a fast, streamlined sea kayak or pick a more comfortable cruiser for the big race. I did, however, figure out what my first kayak should be:
Something sturdy, forgiving, easy to roll, but long enough to get a feel for longer kayaks, and something that demands I learn good technique, rather than the ease of newer technology. What did I pick? A Dagger Crossfire! Whee! Go vintage! These beauties have been discontinued, but in their heyday they revolutionized kayaking as we know it. They're still one of the best out there, especially for a new paddler. I'm thrilled.
I found it on craigslist for $80 (yes, eighty!) and was intrigued by the photo. I checked out reviews online and got more excited. Even the one negative review (the rest were mostly 5 stars) was simply that it was too long for the whitewater tricks. Someone responded to say that tricks in a Dagger require true skill, unlike modern play boats- touche!
It's eleven feet long, and just under twenty-four inches wide, and weighs 39 pounds, so I should be able to lift in on and off of the car easily enough.
This weekend is the gear/boat swap that I have been waiting for. I hope to pick up a paddle, some knee/hip padding for the cockpit, fresh webbing/help with the seat, and a life vest. The local reservoir is free until labor day, so I'll be trying to sneak in little trips whenever I can! Whee!
I love that I'm figuring out how to do this without breaking the bank. The one expense I'm planning on is that I'll take a paddling clinic to learn proper paddling technique and rolling asap.
SO. HAPPY.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
March Exercise Confessional
Week 1
Tues Mar 2 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sun Mar 7 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Week 2
Tues Mar 9 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Thur Mar 11 - Bike to preschool pulling both kids in a Chariot (total of about 65 lbs), about 4 miles
Sun Mar 14 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Week 3
Tues Mar 16 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sat Mar 20 - Duathlon (swim 1/2 mile, bike 12 miles, swim 1/2 mile)
Sun Mar 21 - missed tai chi because my husband had to work that whole day.
Week 4
Tues Mar 23 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sat Mar 27 - 100 squats (what the heck was I thinking?)
6 real push ups, 9 more on my knees
Sun Mar 28 - tai chi (2 agonizing hrs- legs screamed the whole time)
50 crunches
Week 5
Mon Mar 29 - 14 real push ups
Tues Mar 30 - 112 crunches,
short bike ride- 1.5 miles
missed tai chi b/c of husband's work again...
Wed Mar 31 - 17 real push ups
Tues Mar 2 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sun Mar 7 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Week 2
Tues Mar 9 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Thur Mar 11 - Bike to preschool pulling both kids in a Chariot (total of about 65 lbs), about 4 miles
Sun Mar 14 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Week 3
Tues Mar 16 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sat Mar 20 - Duathlon (swim 1/2 mile, bike 12 miles, swim 1/2 mile)
Sun Mar 21 - missed tai chi because my husband had to work that whole day.
Week 4
Tues Mar 23 - tai chi (2 hrs)
Sat Mar 27 - 100 squats (what the heck was I thinking?)
6 real push ups, 9 more on my knees
Sun Mar 28 - tai chi (2 agonizing hrs- legs screamed the whole time)
50 crunches
Week 5
Mon Mar 29 - 14 real push ups
Tues Mar 30 - 112 crunches,
short bike ride- 1.5 miles
missed tai chi b/c of husband's work again...
Wed Mar 31 - 17 real push ups
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Skinny Fat
I had someone describe themselves as 'skinny fat' and instantly knew what they meant: someone who is not overweight, but completely devoid of muscle tone.
Other than a brief year in high school playing field hockey and a year in my 20's when I was rock climbing almost daily for a few months, I haven't had much in the way of muscle. Even when I thought I finally achieved my weight goals in college and beyond, I wasn't thrilled with what I saw in photos because there was still flab, saddle bags, and cellulite.
Now let's see: today, I only have 10 more pounds to lose to reach my goal, but I'm seeing that same issues, plus major stretch marks from the pregnancies and a little hump in my upper back/neck from hunching to nurse the babies. We are our own worst critics.... :)
So while I plan to keep watching my sugar intake, I'm not going to fret over losing pregnancy weight. I want to have healthy posture to support my favorite activities. I want to build muscle, which weighs more. I'd rather gain 20 pounds of muscle, be able to be active, and never reach my weight goal, if need be.
After all, being thin isn't what will get me to the finish line after 1200 miles of kayaking. Being strong physically and mentally will.
A note to women who haven't ventured into strength-building: I know some women are afraid of bulking up, that men will be 'turned off' by an athletic build, but it's really hard for most women to get that ripped. Sure, we might temporarily add mass while muscle forms under the fat, but then the muscles burn the fat away fast. Being fit makes me happy. And frankly, I don't think there's anything sexier than a happy woman. And being strong isn't a turn-off to a man worth his salt.
Other than a brief year in high school playing field hockey and a year in my 20's when I was rock climbing almost daily for a few months, I haven't had much in the way of muscle. Even when I thought I finally achieved my weight goals in college and beyond, I wasn't thrilled with what I saw in photos because there was still flab, saddle bags, and cellulite.
Now let's see: today, I only have 10 more pounds to lose to reach my goal, but I'm seeing that same issues, plus major stretch marks from the pregnancies and a little hump in my upper back/neck from hunching to nurse the babies. We are our own worst critics.... :)
So while I plan to keep watching my sugar intake, I'm not going to fret over losing pregnancy weight. I want to have healthy posture to support my favorite activities. I want to build muscle, which weighs more. I'd rather gain 20 pounds of muscle, be able to be active, and never reach my weight goal, if need be.
After all, being thin isn't what will get me to the finish line after 1200 miles of kayaking. Being strong physically and mentally will.
A note to women who haven't ventured into strength-building: I know some women are afraid of bulking up, that men will be 'turned off' by an athletic build, but it's really hard for most women to get that ripped. Sure, we might temporarily add mass while muscle forms under the fat, but then the muscles burn the fat away fast. Being fit makes me happy. And frankly, I don't think there's anything sexier than a happy woman. And being strong isn't a turn-off to a man worth his salt.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Spring: Training plan
My winter training plan worked out pretty well. Here's my slightly modified spring plan.
Continue Tai Chi on Tues/Sun each week
Take on the 100 Push-ups challenge (10 minutes, 3 times a week= 30 minutes a week, for 6 weeks)
Bike my daughter to preschool 2 times a week, each way (8 miles total each day)
Swim once a week with Boulder Aquatic Masters for training
If I can do more, I'd like to add the 200 Squats Challenge, the 200 Sit-ups Challenge, the 25 Pull-ups Challenge, another day of swimming, and some hiking with the family, plus biking to run more errands. I hope to borrow a road bike and practice on it some to use in my June duathlon race.
I've picked things that are easy to fit into my family's life right now. The swimming I'll do early, making tai chi the only activity that impacts anyone else. The kids love biking, and the push-ups etc I can to before bed or other mornings on the sly. Heck, they can watch me do those- it's only 10 minutes to go through the sets.
Maybe you've noticed that paddling still isn't on the radar yet. Right now, I just want to get in really good shape. There's a boat swap April 10th that I'll attend to see if there's a good match for me (meaning an expedition kayak that I can afford). Paddling will come into play more this summer, I hope, with my goal being to learn perfect form, rather than clocking lots of hours. I don't want to practice something incorrectly and then have to undo the muscle memory of poor form. So this spring and summer I'll get strong and learn proper technique.
Continue Tai Chi on Tues/Sun each week
Take on the 100 Push-ups challenge (10 minutes, 3 times a week= 30 minutes a week, for 6 weeks)
Bike my daughter to preschool 2 times a week, each way (8 miles total each day)
Swim once a week with Boulder Aquatic Masters for training
If I can do more, I'd like to add the 200 Squats Challenge, the 200 Sit-ups Challenge, the 25 Pull-ups Challenge, another day of swimming, and some hiking with the family, plus biking to run more errands. I hope to borrow a road bike and practice on it some to use in my June duathlon race.
I've picked things that are easy to fit into my family's life right now. The swimming I'll do early, making tai chi the only activity that impacts anyone else. The kids love biking, and the push-ups etc I can to before bed or other mornings on the sly. Heck, they can watch me do those- it's only 10 minutes to go through the sets.
Maybe you've noticed that paddling still isn't on the radar yet. Right now, I just want to get in really good shape. There's a boat swap April 10th that I'll attend to see if there's a good match for me (meaning an expedition kayak that I can afford). Paddling will come into play more this summer, I hope, with my goal being to learn perfect form, rather than clocking lots of hours. I don't want to practice something incorrectly and then have to undo the muscle memory of poor form. So this spring and summer I'll get strong and learn proper technique.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Report: Women's Triathlon Training Group complete
One of the activities I undertook this winter was a triathlon training group for women through my local Rec Center. We met once a week for 9 weeks, then the 10th week was to be a 'dress rehearsal' race. Each week we would train in one of the areas of the race: swimming, cycling, and running. My goal was to increase my overall aerobic capacity and set me up to do some racing if I felt inspired.
Swimming was fine for me. Cycling was okay, except that I don't own a road bike and my big quasi-mountain bike is slow. Running was sad. Why mince words? SAD. I was so sore and tired after the run. I thought that I could fix that with a fair bit of effort, but my knees had other ideas. I decided to focus on the swimming and biking, and while the other gals ran, I did a core workout that the coach gave me.
I had my doctor look at my knees, and he gave me a referral for PT, but we are between insurances because my husband changed jobs, so I haven't been able to go yet. So no running, and lots of pain. I pronate inwards (my flat feet roll in, twisting everything and causing the bones in my knees to rub on my tendons) and have weak hips. Once I strengthen these, I should be good to go, but I doubt running will be a good choice.
Meanwhile, my coach offered to alter my triathlon race for week 10 and have me do a duathlon (swim-bike-swim) instead. I missed two weeks of training and did nothing on my own due to baby issues (see previous post). Despite all of this, I went ahead and tried the race with no preconception of how far I'd go.
It was a blast! It snowed the day before, so we moved the biking indoors to spin bikes. I swam a half mile (850m) in 19 minutes pretty much off the couch. I swam maybe 5 times this winter? Anyway, it's no pro time, but I was happy. Then I biked 12 miles in 45 minutes, and went back in the water for another half mile, clocking in at 18:59. So my swim strokes are consistent, which is good. I confess, I did a mix of freestyle and breaststroke. My breaststroke was actually faster and easier to sustain.
So what is the result of taking this class? I'm in a bit better shape now. It has me more interested in racing. Not to win- I'm not daft enough to entertain such foolishness living in Boulder, CO- home of a bazillion elite, sponsored, world athletes. No, I just like the fun of being around such motivated people! There's a duathlon coming up in June that I think I'll aim for next. A real race in public!
Swimming was fine for me. Cycling was okay, except that I don't own a road bike and my big quasi-mountain bike is slow. Running was sad. Why mince words? SAD. I was so sore and tired after the run. I thought that I could fix that with a fair bit of effort, but my knees had other ideas. I decided to focus on the swimming and biking, and while the other gals ran, I did a core workout that the coach gave me.
I had my doctor look at my knees, and he gave me a referral for PT, but we are between insurances because my husband changed jobs, so I haven't been able to go yet. So no running, and lots of pain. I pronate inwards (my flat feet roll in, twisting everything and causing the bones in my knees to rub on my tendons) and have weak hips. Once I strengthen these, I should be good to go, but I doubt running will be a good choice.
Meanwhile, my coach offered to alter my triathlon race for week 10 and have me do a duathlon (swim-bike-swim) instead. I missed two weeks of training and did nothing on my own due to baby issues (see previous post). Despite all of this, I went ahead and tried the race with no preconception of how far I'd go.
It was a blast! It snowed the day before, so we moved the biking indoors to spin bikes. I swam a half mile (850m) in 19 minutes pretty much off the couch. I swam maybe 5 times this winter? Anyway, it's no pro time, but I was happy. Then I biked 12 miles in 45 minutes, and went back in the water for another half mile, clocking in at 18:59. So my swim strokes are consistent, which is good. I confess, I did a mix of freestyle and breaststroke. My breaststroke was actually faster and easier to sustain.
So what is the result of taking this class? I'm in a bit better shape now. It has me more interested in racing. Not to win- I'm not daft enough to entertain such foolishness living in Boulder, CO- home of a bazillion elite, sponsored, world athletes. No, I just like the fun of being around such motivated people! There's a duathlon coming up in June that I think I'll aim for next. A real race in public!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Aaaand she's back on the planet!
Sheesh. My son started walking and Round 2 of teething at about the same time. So for those of you who don't know or don't remember what this can be like, here's a glimpse of the past two weeks:
21 lbs of boy + great passion/zeal + physical pain in his head + sudden increased mobility
=
not sleeping (must practice walking at night, ma!!), not eating at all (back to full time nursing), increased clingy-ness due to separation anxiety (usually accompanies a new skill like walking)
=
tired mommy, tired body needs more fuel than usual, mommy gets no breaks from baby without terrible screaming/crying that stresses out the hubby, baby wouldn't sleep unless touching me.
So no blog for 2 weeks, no reading, very little exercise. Very little rest, and no drive to keep up the blog, my research, or my exercise, which disappointed me. Somewhat.
Fortunately, I'm able to keep the big picture right now. This is a short-term glitch in a very long-term plan. I'm back in the saddle at last, and have some cool information to share in my next update.
21 lbs of boy + great passion/zeal + physical pain in his head + sudden increased mobility
=
not sleeping (must practice walking at night, ma!!), not eating at all (back to full time nursing), increased clingy-ness due to separation anxiety (usually accompanies a new skill like walking)
=
tired mommy, tired body needs more fuel than usual, mommy gets no breaks from baby without terrible screaming/crying that stresses out the hubby, baby wouldn't sleep unless touching me.
So no blog for 2 weeks, no reading, very little exercise. Very little rest, and no drive to keep up the blog, my research, or my exercise, which disappointed me. Somewhat.
Fortunately, I'm able to keep the big picture right now. This is a short-term glitch in a very long-term plan. I'm back in the saddle at last, and have some cool information to share in my next update.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sugar Free, Mentally!
The sugar free experiment was a huge success. I discovered that my dependence on as well as my unwitting consumption of sugar was not nearly as ingrained as I feared.
I enjoyed eating more veggies, more meat, and more fruit. Let me repeat that: I ENJOYED eating more veggies, more meat, and more fruit. Wow! I didn't suffer like I thought I would. When I needed a treat, I ate fruit or muesli (Udi's brand has no added sugars). I drank my coffee with no sugar. I drank more water. I ate less empty carbs. I tasted my food and found broccoli sweet. I even found myself wanting veggies with breakfast!
I lost 2 pounds that week, which seemed excessive until I remembered that I'm nursing a baby still and working out. I really like the change, and I like keeping the kids accustomed to healthier eating too (After discovering how much sugar they put in yogurt, we decided to invest in our own yogurt maker- it's too easy! Thanks for the tip, Mom!). So this change is a keeper- at this rate it should be easier to convert more body mass into helpful muscles and less stored fat.
Especially if I'm in The Zone (cue "to be continued" music).
I enjoyed eating more veggies, more meat, and more fruit. Let me repeat that: I ENJOYED eating more veggies, more meat, and more fruit. Wow! I didn't suffer like I thought I would. When I needed a treat, I ate fruit or muesli (Udi's brand has no added sugars). I drank my coffee with no sugar. I drank more water. I ate less empty carbs. I tasted my food and found broccoli sweet. I even found myself wanting veggies with breakfast!
I lost 2 pounds that week, which seemed excessive until I remembered that I'm nursing a baby still and working out. I really like the change, and I like keeping the kids accustomed to healthier eating too (After discovering how much sugar they put in yogurt, we decided to invest in our own yogurt maker- it's too easy! Thanks for the tip, Mom!). So this change is a keeper- at this rate it should be easier to convert more body mass into helpful muscles and less stored fat.
Especially if I'm in The Zone (cue "to be continued" music).
February Exercise Journal
February could have been worse. It started off strong, and then my baby got sick, which caused a few sleepless nights. And he cut his first tooth, which made him extra cranky. I recovered, kept being moderately active, and finished acceptably. I missed one swimming workout with the triathlete group, which is a bummer, that last week. I was afraid to swim for an hour and immediately go skiing for 4 hours.... Wimp!
Week 1
Tuesday Feb 2- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Climbing 2 hrs
Wed Feb 3- Private Pilates session 1hr
Fri Feb 5- Triathlon training: Swimming 1 hr
Sat Feb 6- Nordic (cross country) skiing 2.5 hrs (sooooooo fun! first time and I can't wait to go again)
Sun Feb 7- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Week 2
Tues Feb 9- Climbing 1.5 hrs
My triathlon trainer was sick, so no practice
Friday night, the sleep deprivation begins...
Sun Feb 14- Tai Chi, 1 hr, then was too tired to continue
Week 3
Tues Feb 16- Tai Chi, 1.5 hrs
Fri Feb 19- Triathlon training: core workout
Sun Feb 21- Tai chi 2 hrs
Week 4
Tues Feb 23- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Climbing 2 hrs
Fri Feb 26- Skate ski lesson, practice 3.5 hrs
Sun Feb 28- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Week 1
Tuesday Feb 2- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Climbing 2 hrs
Wed Feb 3- Private Pilates session 1hr
Fri Feb 5- Triathlon training: Swimming 1 hr
Sat Feb 6- Nordic (cross country) skiing 2.5 hrs (sooooooo fun! first time and I can't wait to go again)
Sun Feb 7- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Week 2
Tues Feb 9- Climbing 1.5 hrs
My triathlon trainer was sick, so no practice
Friday night, the sleep deprivation begins...
Sun Feb 14- Tai Chi, 1 hr, then was too tired to continue
Week 3
Tues Feb 16- Tai Chi, 1.5 hrs
Fri Feb 19- Triathlon training: core workout
Sun Feb 21- Tai chi 2 hrs
Week 4
Tues Feb 23- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Climbing 2 hrs
Fri Feb 26- Skate ski lesson, practice 3.5 hrs
Sun Feb 28- Tai Chi 2 hrs
Monday, March 1, 2010
Letter to Self
Dear me,
Parenting infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is insane, any way you cut the cake. Nothing is predictable, safe, normal, routine, nothing can be taken for granted, and the sleep is never guaranteed. Why am I writing this letter to myself? Because I am astounded at how hard this is, and how much of this I forgot in the two years between kids. So I know I'll forget even more as the years pass. If my kids ever have kids and I'm around, I hope I'll read the letters I write myself to keep my bafflement in check. Now if I could just find time to write the reminder-letters....
I swear, after doing this, ANY job will feel easy by comparison. Unreasonable coworkers? Can't be worse than a tired toddler. Strong ability to not react when people say or do stupid things? Got that. Aware of own boundaries of productivity? Absolutely. The difference now is that I don't get to take breaks, vacations, or quit. Hahahahhaa.
You guessed it- no sleep again last night... AGAIN. What's up with that? Looks like I won't get to finish reading my books to review for this month, although I'll share my thoughts on them anyway (it's not like I'm missing the plot- they're cookbooks, after all). I'll at least post my exercise log, since I'm proud that it has anything on it at all this month. So there will be at least two more posts this week.
Sorry for neglecting you. I think about you often, little blog.
Parenting infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is insane, any way you cut the cake. Nothing is predictable, safe, normal, routine, nothing can be taken for granted, and the sleep is never guaranteed. Why am I writing this letter to myself? Because I am astounded at how hard this is, and how much of this I forgot in the two years between kids. So I know I'll forget even more as the years pass. If my kids ever have kids and I'm around, I hope I'll read the letters I write myself to keep my bafflement in check. Now if I could just find time to write the reminder-letters....
I swear, after doing this, ANY job will feel easy by comparison. Unreasonable coworkers? Can't be worse than a tired toddler. Strong ability to not react when people say or do stupid things? Got that. Aware of own boundaries of productivity? Absolutely. The difference now is that I don't get to take breaks, vacations, or quit. Hahahahhaa.
You guessed it- no sleep again last night... AGAIN. What's up with that? Looks like I won't get to finish reading my books to review for this month, although I'll share my thoughts on them anyway (it's not like I'm missing the plot- they're cookbooks, after all). I'll at least post my exercise log, since I'm proud that it has anything on it at all this month. So there will be at least two more posts this week.
Sorry for neglecting you. I think about you often, little blog.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
What a difference a night makes
I'm back!
I have successfully slept 3- yes, THREE- nights in a row where I got 4-6 hours at a stretch (between diaper changes/nursing). I averaged 8 hours of sleep total on those nights like a NORMAL PERSON. I feel great.
I have even been able to work out. Friday morning I did core training with my fabulous triathlon trainer Amanda McCracken. Today I practiced tai chi for 2 hours. And we took the kids sledding at the park down the street, which involved carrying the 20 pound squirmy brick- uh, I mean baby- the whole time. (I love the Beco baby carrier, by the way. If you are a mom and need your hands free while keeping a baby happy, this sling is the way to go. Great back support.)
Friday night, I watched a TED video that really inspired me to pay more attention to how much sugar I ingest with 'normal' food. (Did you know that they add sugar to milk marketed at kids these days?) My husband then challenged me to try to go without any added sugars this whole week. I thought he meant things like my daily hot chocolate, the sugar in my decaf coffee, the Girl Scout cookies (hellooooo thin mints!). What he meant was anything that had sugar added. Have you looked at your labels lately? Holy diabetes, Batman! They add sugar to everything these days! Bread, dried cherries (I mean, come on!), yogurt, peanut butter- lots of things I thought I was eating that were neutral/healthy.
So this week is a 'from scratch' week. I have found a great magazine with quick, healthy recipes (under 40 minutes prep time)- It's Cooking Light. Most of my dinners are coming from that for this week, with a touch of awareness from reading The Zone right now (book review coming soon). I'll report back on this experiment this coming weekend.
So far, I don't know what to do with myself. I have the munchies for nothing in particular. It's really odd. I'm trying to drink Roiboos tea and prune juice when I want a sweet drink. And I bought clementines and grapes for my sweet tooth. I allow Half-and-Half in the coffee for a sweeter flavor, but no sugar. We'll see if I last all week. I've been craving meat more. Odd.
I'm still imposing an early bedtime on myself (9pm) until I'm completely rested, so I'm off to bed since the kids are asleep.
I have successfully slept 3- yes, THREE- nights in a row where I got 4-6 hours at a stretch (between diaper changes/nursing). I averaged 8 hours of sleep total on those nights like a NORMAL PERSON. I feel great.
I have even been able to work out. Friday morning I did core training with my fabulous triathlon trainer Amanda McCracken. Today I practiced tai chi for 2 hours. And we took the kids sledding at the park down the street, which involved carrying the 20 pound squirmy brick- uh, I mean baby- the whole time. (I love the Beco baby carrier, by the way. If you are a mom and need your hands free while keeping a baby happy, this sling is the way to go. Great back support.)
Friday night, I watched a TED video that really inspired me to pay more attention to how much sugar I ingest with 'normal' food. (Did you know that they add sugar to milk marketed at kids these days?) My husband then challenged me to try to go without any added sugars this whole week. I thought he meant things like my daily hot chocolate, the sugar in my decaf coffee, the Girl Scout cookies (hellooooo thin mints!). What he meant was anything that had sugar added. Have you looked at your labels lately? Holy diabetes, Batman! They add sugar to everything these days! Bread, dried cherries (I mean, come on!), yogurt, peanut butter- lots of things I thought I was eating that were neutral/healthy.
So this week is a 'from scratch' week. I have found a great magazine with quick, healthy recipes (under 40 minutes prep time)- It's Cooking Light. Most of my dinners are coming from that for this week, with a touch of awareness from reading The Zone right now (book review coming soon). I'll report back on this experiment this coming weekend.
So far, I don't know what to do with myself. I have the munchies for nothing in particular. It's really odd. I'm trying to drink Roiboos tea and prune juice when I want a sweet drink. And I bought clementines and grapes for my sweet tooth. I allow Half-and-Half in the coffee for a sweeter flavor, but no sugar. We'll see if I last all week. I've been craving meat more. Odd.
I'm still imposing an early bedtime on myself (9pm) until I'm completely rested, so I'm off to bed since the kids are asleep.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Stories from the Dark Side
Sleep deprivation is fascinating.
I adore my babies. They are, as one woman put it, my heart, living outside my body. And yet...
After three days of less than 3 hours sleep in a row each night, I couldn't keep track of how many kids I had. If they were not both in front of me, with me looking right at them, I would lose count. And there are only two.
I wisely decided to avoid errand running and stayed home.
At one point, I remembered I had a baby somewhere, and in a panic, set out around the house to find him. He was happily playing in his high chair, where I had put him at some point.
Later, I was startled to discover my daughter coming up the stairs from the basement- I'd forgotten she was home- I thought maybe she was with the grandparents.
Lastly, I walked into a room to get something, and startled myself upon realizing I had two kids in the next room. Honestly.
I felt like the sheep Douglas Adams describes, which are startled each morning by the rising sun, and again by the green stuff under their feet. Every day.
I was able to get 6 consecutive hours of sleep last night- it was like winning lottery. I've been in a good mood today, even if very busy still chasing the aspiring mountaineer. I'm going to bed tonight before 9pm hoping I'll get to do it again.
I hope I'm never that tired again. If I am, I'm calling in the cavalry (in-laws). They were sick, too, and couldn't help this time. I really hope there's never a 'next time' for this level of ineptitude.
I adore my babies. They are, as one woman put it, my heart, living outside my body. And yet...
After three days of less than 3 hours sleep in a row each night, I couldn't keep track of how many kids I had. If they were not both in front of me, with me looking right at them, I would lose count. And there are only two.
I wisely decided to avoid errand running and stayed home.
At one point, I remembered I had a baby somewhere, and in a panic, set out around the house to find him. He was happily playing in his high chair, where I had put him at some point.
Later, I was startled to discover my daughter coming up the stairs from the basement- I'd forgotten she was home- I thought maybe she was with the grandparents.
Lastly, I walked into a room to get something, and startled myself upon realizing I had two kids in the next room. Honestly.
I felt like the sheep Douglas Adams describes, which are startled each morning by the rising sun, and again by the green stuff under their feet. Every day.
I was able to get 6 consecutive hours of sleep last night- it was like winning lottery. I've been in a good mood today, even if very busy still chasing the aspiring mountaineer. I'm going to bed tonight before 9pm hoping I'll get to do it again.
I hope I'm never that tired again. If I am, I'm calling in the cavalry (in-laws). They were sick, too, and couldn't help this time. I really hope there's never a 'next time' for this level of ineptitude.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Out of sync
Sorry my posts stopped for a while. Family needs have been intense. I haven't been able to do much of anything except try to keep up with the kids and my own fatigue. Even exercise has dropped off. Happily, I made it to tai chi this past Tuesday, so I feel at least a little bit normal, but I haven't even been able to spit out a few lines for the blog in over a week.
The infant is trying to walk, and unlike his older sister, he is VERY insistent that he be given full access to everything in the house- electrical wires and outlets, cabinets, climbing bookshelves, climbing EVERYTHING. So I'm exhausted trying to keep vigil and also find things for him to do.
Did I mention he's starting to teethe? Oh, and did I mention he got sick? Yup. Had to take him to the Urgent Care and then the hospital. I didn't sleep for three nights in a row because he was so sick and fidgety. So my sanity dropped off the scale, ladies and gentlemen. I haven't been that sleep deprived since he was born. Then I had two nights of almost normal sleep, and then my husband got sick. He's a noisy sleeper when he's sick, so again, no sleep last night.
That's 2 out of 6 nights of acceptable sleep. That's not much. I'm grumpy, tired- okay, let's be honest- I'm short-fused, eating like crap to try to stay awake, and desperately trying to stay upbeat for the kids. And trying not to be depressed, because I'm not working out, and frankly, I see no end in sight to this exhaustion and the demands of parenting. Weekends aren't a break. It's just more of the same. IIIIII'm SSSSooooo Tiiiiiiiiiiiired. Bleh.
I declared myself in "time out" once my husband got home tonight so that I could regroup. I read some of my favorite parenting book, Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, by Laura Davis and Janis Keyser, which perked me up, and now I'm squeezing in a quick update for the blog.
So now you know my past 2 weeks in a nutshell. I hope I can resume posting more regularly, since I have some cool stuff to share. Ah, the setbacks. They happen. And my kids will be grown faster than I can believe, so I really do want to enjoy them. I. Just. Need. More. Sleep.
The infant is trying to walk, and unlike his older sister, he is VERY insistent that he be given full access to everything in the house- electrical wires and outlets, cabinets, climbing bookshelves, climbing EVERYTHING. So I'm exhausted trying to keep vigil and also find things for him to do.
Did I mention he's starting to teethe? Oh, and did I mention he got sick? Yup. Had to take him to the Urgent Care and then the hospital. I didn't sleep for three nights in a row because he was so sick and fidgety. So my sanity dropped off the scale, ladies and gentlemen. I haven't been that sleep deprived since he was born. Then I had two nights of almost normal sleep, and then my husband got sick. He's a noisy sleeper when he's sick, so again, no sleep last night.
That's 2 out of 6 nights of acceptable sleep. That's not much. I'm grumpy, tired- okay, let's be honest- I'm short-fused, eating like crap to try to stay awake, and desperately trying to stay upbeat for the kids. And trying not to be depressed, because I'm not working out, and frankly, I see no end in sight to this exhaustion and the demands of parenting. Weekends aren't a break. It's just more of the same. IIIIII'm SSSSooooo Tiiiiiiiiiiiired. Bleh.
I declared myself in "time out" once my husband got home tonight so that I could regroup. I read some of my favorite parenting book, Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, by Laura Davis and Janis Keyser, which perked me up, and now I'm squeezing in a quick update for the blog.
So now you know my past 2 weeks in a nutshell. I hope I can resume posting more regularly, since I have some cool stuff to share. Ah, the setbacks. They happen. And my kids will be grown faster than I can believe, so I really do want to enjoy them. I. Just. Need. More. Sleep.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Book Review: In the Wake of the Jomon, by Jon Turk
Overall, this was very an enjoyable book. It felt like I sat down for a beer with the author. It wasn't the literary piece that Sara Hall put forth. It had a more casual, less polished feel to it, quite like a nice chat where your friend is catching you up on a great trip and managing to educate you at the same time.
The book follows the author's two tandem journeys. On one hand, he explores the scientific community's attempts at uncovering the migration patterns of early man, specifically the passage from Asia to the Americas. At the same time, he takes us on his physical journey from the northern tip of Japan, through the Kuril Islands, along the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and across part of the Bering Sea to Alaska.
There is an intimate quality to his storytelling. He admits to having to manage his strong emotions at times, and to having to deal with the boredom of a repetitive activity- punctuated with life-threatening situations only nature could provide. He questions that very nature of wanderlust, wondering why there are fringe, lunatic risk-takers built into the fabric of society- people who, for all ages, have historically put everything on the line for adventure's sake. The answers he came up with are intelligently formed (he has a scientific background, while being a beatnik of sorts) and yet inspiring and fun to read and muse over. Jon, if you ever come to Boulder, I'll buy you a beer!
His enthusiasm translates the same way: sometimes he repeats the points he wants you to take away, lest you miss them, rather than trusting you to figure it out. Sometimes that annoyed me, but it was a 3,000 mile trip, so I'm sure he found his thought patterns repeating themselves more than once during that time. Besides, sometimes my friends and I dwell on epiphanies and repeat ourselves while gabbing, too. By the end of the book, I felt like we were friends.
The downside to this is that he ends the book abruptly. I have to wonder what caused him to abandon his storyline with so little closure. He references future adventures a number of times, and I know he has more books out, so maybe it was his attempt at hooking the reader into immediately starting his next book out of a desire to see the story continue. It's tempting...
Web presence: Jon has a website and email he posts in the book and invites his readers to contact him. I really like that. It continues my sense of familiarity and camaraderie that grew during the course of the book. I think I'll email him later this week. If I get a response, I'll post it.
The book follows the author's two tandem journeys. On one hand, he explores the scientific community's attempts at uncovering the migration patterns of early man, specifically the passage from Asia to the Americas. At the same time, he takes us on his physical journey from the northern tip of Japan, through the Kuril Islands, along the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and across part of the Bering Sea to Alaska.
There is an intimate quality to his storytelling. He admits to having to manage his strong emotions at times, and to having to deal with the boredom of a repetitive activity- punctuated with life-threatening situations only nature could provide. He questions that very nature of wanderlust, wondering why there are fringe, lunatic risk-takers built into the fabric of society- people who, for all ages, have historically put everything on the line for adventure's sake. The answers he came up with are intelligently formed (he has a scientific background, while being a beatnik of sorts) and yet inspiring and fun to read and muse over. Jon, if you ever come to Boulder, I'll buy you a beer!
His enthusiasm translates the same way: sometimes he repeats the points he wants you to take away, lest you miss them, rather than trusting you to figure it out. Sometimes that annoyed me, but it was a 3,000 mile trip, so I'm sure he found his thought patterns repeating themselves more than once during that time. Besides, sometimes my friends and I dwell on epiphanies and repeat ourselves while gabbing, too. By the end of the book, I felt like we were friends.
The downside to this is that he ends the book abruptly. I have to wonder what caused him to abandon his storyline with so little closure. He references future adventures a number of times, and I know he has more books out, so maybe it was his attempt at hooking the reader into immediately starting his next book out of a desire to see the story continue. It's tempting...
Web presence: Jon has a website and email he posts in the book and invites his readers to contact him. I really like that. It continues my sense of familiarity and camaraderie that grew during the course of the book. I think I'll email him later this week. If I get a response, I'll post it.
Monday, February 1, 2010
January exercise journal
This month went well. Not only did I work out consistently, but I did more than expected, sometimes twice a day.
Week 1
Sat Jan 2- Bouldering, slacklining (2 hrs)
Tues Jan 5- Climbing (2 hrs)
Thurs Jan 7- Pilates private lesson w/Hayley (1 hour)
Week 2
Sun Jan 10- Rec Center- 30 minute fat burn on bike, stretch, weights
Tues Jan 12- Bouldering (2 hrs)
Wed Jan 13- Pilates private lesson (1 hour)
Fri Jan 15- Triathlon training- swimming for 1 hour... 1 mile?
Week 3
Tues Jan 19- Rec Center- swim .5 mile
Wed Jan 20- am: Rec Center- elliptical 30 minutes
pm: Pilates private lesson (1 hour)
Fri Jan 22- Triathlon training- running- 2 miles!
so sore...
Week 4
Tues Jan 26- am: Rec Center- Running 30 minutes/ 1.5 miles, stretching;
pm: Bouldering/climbing (2 hrs)
Wed Jan 27- am: triathlon training- core training, spinning;
pm: 1 hour walk
Sun Jan 31- Tai Chi (2.5 hrs)
I am also happy to report that I have been accepted into the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club! I'll be attending on Sundays and Tuesdays. Yay! Laura Ting is a thorough and diligent director. I'm really happy with the detail made available, and the well-rounded education its members can achieve (depends on the individual's efforts, of course!).
Week 1
Sat Jan 2- Bouldering, slacklining (2 hrs)
Tues Jan 5- Climbing (2 hrs)
Thurs Jan 7- Pilates private lesson w/Hayley (1 hour)
Week 2
Sun Jan 10- Rec Center- 30 minute fat burn on bike, stretch, weights
Tues Jan 12- Bouldering (2 hrs)
Wed Jan 13- Pilates private lesson (1 hour)
Fri Jan 15- Triathlon training- swimming for 1 hour... 1 mile?
Week 3
Tues Jan 19- Rec Center- swim .5 mile
Wed Jan 20- am: Rec Center- elliptical 30 minutes
pm: Pilates private lesson (1 hour)
Fri Jan 22- Triathlon training- running- 2 miles!
so sore...
Week 4
Tues Jan 26- am: Rec Center- Running 30 minutes/ 1.5 miles, stretching;
pm: Bouldering/climbing (2 hrs)
Wed Jan 27- am: triathlon training- core training, spinning;
pm: 1 hour walk
Sun Jan 31- Tai Chi (2.5 hrs)
I am also happy to report that I have been accepted into the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club! I'll be attending on Sundays and Tuesdays. Yay! Laura Ting is a thorough and diligent director. I'm really happy with the detail made available, and the well-rounded education its members can achieve (depends on the individual's efforts, of course!).
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Holy Okefenokee! I ran 2 miles?!
My women's triathlon group met again. It was running day. I can't run. I've tried. Somehow I managed to eke out 2 miles, though, which is amazing. I don't know that I've ever gone that far before. I love the feeling of propelling myself forward with my own two feet, but my knee refuses to go downhill- even hiking makes it object loudly- and I get incredibly bored very quickly. The knee I can rehab. The boredom? That's tough.
I told my husband today that I think running is a mind game, and that game is called Boredom. Am I alone in this? It's just oxygen deprivation and getting jostled, at least with my lack of technique. How do people DEAL with the boredom? Am I just completely spoiled because of the strategy and thrill of climbing?
I just finished Jon Turk's book, In the Wake of the Jomon, and he mentions having to deal with boredom on his long, 3,000 mile kayak expedition. That makes sense. What I don't understand is my lack of enthusiasm- after all, it's only a short workout. Heck even once around the track has me desperately wanting to be elsewhere.
Does anybody have some insight that would clue me into the fun behind this activity? So many people do it- it MUST be fun, right?....right?....
I told my husband today that I think running is a mind game, and that game is called Boredom. Am I alone in this? It's just oxygen deprivation and getting jostled, at least with my lack of technique. How do people DEAL with the boredom? Am I just completely spoiled because of the strategy and thrill of climbing?
I just finished Jon Turk's book, In the Wake of the Jomon, and he mentions having to deal with boredom on his long, 3,000 mile kayak expedition. That makes sense. What I don't understand is my lack of enthusiasm- after all, it's only a short workout. Heck even once around the track has me desperately wanting to be elsewhere.
Does anybody have some insight that would clue me into the fun behind this activity? So many people do it- it MUST be fun, right?....right?....
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Falling over
Okay, I confess: things aren't working as smoothly as I'd hoped.
For starters, I'm exhausted all the time. When I first start working out, I'm tired, but I manage to push through that and get into a groove. Then I feel really great afterward. By that evening or the next day, I'm exhausted. I increased my food intake a week ago, but it's not improving the situation. I'm getting about 7 hours of sleep, with a couple baby nursings mixed in.
I'm going to try to add an hour to my sleep, and start paying greater attention to my food intake. I might do some research and see if anybody out there can recommend what I should be taking in while nursing and exercising like this. That combo is tough.
We've also discovered that my kids are not as cool with the evening exercise as I'd thought. It messes with bedtime rituals too much, which are crucial for toddlers, and the baby screamed and cried the whole time I was gone Tuesday night. Poor hubby. So now I have to change things up a bit.
Fortunately, my classes are all in the early mornings, and I can schedule the Pilates private sessions for weekends. That leaves Rec Center training sessions, which I can add whenever the grandparents are available to take both kids (Wednesdays) and on other mornings if I can get up early enough.
So I have to move to stealth exercise for now. I love early morning exercise, but it leaves me pooped by early evening when I'm chasing the kids around. It's the only time I can do it with the family right now, though, so I'll just have to tough it out for a while and see if my body doesn't adjust.
For starters, I'm exhausted all the time. When I first start working out, I'm tired, but I manage to push through that and get into a groove. Then I feel really great afterward. By that evening or the next day, I'm exhausted. I increased my food intake a week ago, but it's not improving the situation. I'm getting about 7 hours of sleep, with a couple baby nursings mixed in.
I'm going to try to add an hour to my sleep, and start paying greater attention to my food intake. I might do some research and see if anybody out there can recommend what I should be taking in while nursing and exercising like this. That combo is tough.
We've also discovered that my kids are not as cool with the evening exercise as I'd thought. It messes with bedtime rituals too much, which are crucial for toddlers, and the baby screamed and cried the whole time I was gone Tuesday night. Poor hubby. So now I have to change things up a bit.
Fortunately, my classes are all in the early mornings, and I can schedule the Pilates private sessions for weekends. That leaves Rec Center training sessions, which I can add whenever the grandparents are available to take both kids (Wednesdays) and on other mornings if I can get up early enough.
So I have to move to stealth exercise for now. I love early morning exercise, but it leaves me pooped by early evening when I'm chasing the kids around. It's the only time I can do it with the family right now, though, so I'll just have to tough it out for a while and see if my body doesn't adjust.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Interview with Lynn Leech
I attended Lynn Leech's free classes for post-partum moms this past fall, and was fascinated by what I learned and the helpful exercises she taught. I was able to re-engage my abdominal muscles finally, and it was nice to meet other women moving towards better health and awareness. It's also how I met Haylay, with whom I'm doing Pilates now.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?
I grew up in St. Louis, got my PT degree at Saint Louis University and moved out to Seattle where I did all different kinds of PT. I was eventually led into... Women’s Health, working mainly with the pelvic floor muscles, the pelvis and the abdominal muscles as well.... I’m a mother of two boys 10 and 8, so I’ve experience the joy of it all. I also have a background in craniosacral therapy, which works with the core of our body- the dural tube and visceral manipulation, which works with the organs and how they move and attach to our skeleton. These modalities are very helpful when dealing with the organs in the pelvis and abdomen.
How does diastasis recti affect the body's ability to perform?
DR is a separation of the rectus abdominus muscle which is the six pack muscle running up and down and is the most superficial abdominal muscle. It is part of our core muscle group comprised of the rectus abdominus, the pelvic floor and the lumbar multifidus muscles. This core group of muscles helps give us strength by stabilizing our spine during all of our activities. So if you have a separation of your stomach muscles you don’t have the stability of your spine that you need to perform the activities you do and you are more prone to injuring your back.
What specifically can you do to help me recover from pregnancy and labor?
The two main muscles you need to focus on strengthening are the transverse abdominus muscles and the pelvic floor, if you had a vaginal birth. Those two muscles get stretched out the most from pregnancy and delivery so by regaining strength in those two muscles your core becomes strong again. There are other changes that the body goes through especially with caring for your baby. Your body tends to be in more of a bent over posture so stretching the muscles in front of our body, like the pectorals and the scalene can help improve your posture.
How can you help me train or prepare to train for the Ultimate Florida Challenge?
A great start is getting your transverse muscle stronger and back in shape. Along with strengthening your pelvic floor muscles your core muscles will be strong to help your body handle the training regimen. Then the biggest part of the training and preparation is just doing it and sticking with it. Motivation is so important and also having a great support team which I’m happy to be a part of and lend a hand.
What happens if I don't do these exercises and just dive into paddling/rowing?
You could really hurt your back. Without proper strength in your core musculature your spine isn’t stabilized and with the rowing your back can get strained very easily.
Are there any other resources you recommend as a support to the work you do?
I feel acupuncture and chiropractic care go very nicely with my work. We all support each others’ work. My work is focused on releasing restrictions in the body along with stretching and strengthening. In doing so you can hold your adjustments better and the energy flows through the body is easier. It’s a great combination.
Do you have ways for others to reach you, who might like to avail themselves of your knowledge and exercises?
You can check out my website for more information at www.IntuitiveHandsPT.com or give me a call at 303-845-0604. You can also email me a question at lleechpt@comcast.net
Thank you, Lynn!
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?
I grew up in St. Louis, got my PT degree at Saint Louis University and moved out to Seattle where I did all different kinds of PT. I was eventually led into... Women’s Health, working mainly with the pelvic floor muscles, the pelvis and the abdominal muscles as well.... I’m a mother of two boys 10 and 8, so I’ve experience the joy of it all. I also have a background in craniosacral therapy, which works with the core of our body- the dural tube and visceral manipulation, which works with the organs and how they move and attach to our skeleton. These modalities are very helpful when dealing with the organs in the pelvis and abdomen.
How does diastasis recti affect the body's ability to perform?
DR is a separation of the rectus abdominus muscle which is the six pack muscle running up and down and is the most superficial abdominal muscle. It is part of our core muscle group comprised of the rectus abdominus, the pelvic floor and the lumbar multifidus muscles. This core group of muscles helps give us strength by stabilizing our spine during all of our activities. So if you have a separation of your stomach muscles you don’t have the stability of your spine that you need to perform the activities you do and you are more prone to injuring your back.
What specifically can you do to help me recover from pregnancy and labor?
The two main muscles you need to focus on strengthening are the transverse abdominus muscles and the pelvic floor, if you had a vaginal birth. Those two muscles get stretched out the most from pregnancy and delivery so by regaining strength in those two muscles your core becomes strong again. There are other changes that the body goes through especially with caring for your baby. Your body tends to be in more of a bent over posture so stretching the muscles in front of our body, like the pectorals and the scalene can help improve your posture.
How can you help me train or prepare to train for the Ultimate Florida Challenge?
A great start is getting your transverse muscle stronger and back in shape. Along with strengthening your pelvic floor muscles your core muscles will be strong to help your body handle the training regimen. Then the biggest part of the training and preparation is just doing it and sticking with it. Motivation is so important and also having a great support team which I’m happy to be a part of and lend a hand.
What happens if I don't do these exercises and just dive into paddling/rowing?
You could really hurt your back. Without proper strength in your core musculature your spine isn’t stabilized and with the rowing your back can get strained very easily.
Are there any other resources you recommend as a support to the work you do?
I feel acupuncture and chiropractic care go very nicely with my work. We all support each others’ work. My work is focused on releasing restrictions in the body along with stretching and strengthening. In doing so you can hold your adjustments better and the energy flows through the body is easier. It’s a great combination.
Do you have ways for others to reach you, who might like to avail themselves of your knowledge and exercises?
You can check out my website for more information at www.IntuitiveHandsPT.com or give me a call at 303-845-0604. You can also email me a question at lleechpt@comcast.net
Thank you, Lynn!
Monday, January 18, 2010
I must geek out for a minute
I just found a web site that has me so excited! It greatly appeals to the organizer/geek in me who likes to note details and be able to review things. It tracks your workouts, nutrition, and way more things than I can keep track of: https://www.trainingpeaks.com
I went to my first triathlon training session for women (the beginner's group) last Friday at the local Rec Center and was delighted to meet 9 other women who all want to start doing tri's. We swam, and I was pleased to find myself keeping up. Considering I just learned how to properly do the crawl this year, it is really comforting to be among peers.
Our coach is Amanda McCracken, and she just sent us our link to the above-mentioned site and our workout assignment for the week. I'm supposed to try to jog for 20-40 minutes, swim for 30 minutes continuously, and bike for 60-70 minutes, all over the course of the next three days. Hmm. Let's see what I can do...
Thursday, January 14, 2010
My Triathlon Experience
Let's see. My daughter was one year old and I was feeling the need to try something new. I don't remember what possessed me, but I decided to set my sights on participating in an all-woman half-triathlon sprint three months out, without having done ANY training at all. My goal was to simply complete the race.
I think I swam all of 8-10 times. I didn't bother training to run at all- I figured I'd walk the 5k part. For cycling, I just made a point of biking everywhere, daughter in tow in a little buggy attached behind me.
This event involves a half-mile, open-water swim, a 12 mile bike ride, and a 5k 'run'. I was delighted to discover I could swim that distance, and could even do it in less than 30 minutes. I had no clue what was normal, but that suited me just fine. I think my best time- doing the breast stroke, mind you, not the crawl- was 22 minutes. Yay! My husband convinced me to ride his mountain bike the day of the race rather than mine because his was 'better'. Bad idea, but oh well. And then the walk. No biggie, right?
The night before the race, I took a pregnancy test to confirm my suspicions. I was pregnant again.
The day of the race, I crammed myself into my husband's shorty wetsuit for the first and last time (his thick, scuba shorty- not meant for racing) and headed into open water. It was so cold that I blew my old time out of the water (excuse the bad pun) and completed my half mile in 17 minutes (one does swim much faster when motivated to get warm). Great so far!
I peeled off the wetsuit, which came off easier than the fancy race suits, and took off on my husband's mountain bike, peddling like mad. Of course everyone passed me. They were all on REAL bikes. Road bikes. The funny thing was, almost all of them smiled apologetically at me as they passed. The cycling was torture. My husband's bike seat was skinnier and harder than the one on my bike, and it hurt like heck. I also objected to the experience on an aesthetic level: he'd worn the handle padding off of the handles, leaving a nasty, sticky mess, which melted into my fingers as I huffed and puffed along. Ew. Sadly, I don't think I ever got the dang bike to go over 12 miles per hour.
So I slid into the transition area as people were finishing the race completely, and I still had my 5k to walk. I tried to jog/run part of it, but it was pointless. It felt excruciatingly slow, and very boring, because there was no one to pit myself against or even chat with. By the time I had finished this "sprint", my time was about 1hour, 45 minutes, and other than my husband and a few volunteers, the parking lot was empty.
And you know what? I was ecstatic. I was thrilled. And proud. I did it. I did it even though I was out of shape, had poor equipment, used the 'wrong' swim stroke, and was pregnant. I felt unstoppable. At least until the morning sickness kicked in a couple weeks later.
I think I swam all of 8-10 times. I didn't bother training to run at all- I figured I'd walk the 5k part. For cycling, I just made a point of biking everywhere, daughter in tow in a little buggy attached behind me.
This event involves a half-mile, open-water swim, a 12 mile bike ride, and a 5k 'run'. I was delighted to discover I could swim that distance, and could even do it in less than 30 minutes. I had no clue what was normal, but that suited me just fine. I think my best time- doing the breast stroke, mind you, not the crawl- was 22 minutes. Yay! My husband convinced me to ride his mountain bike the day of the race rather than mine because his was 'better'. Bad idea, but oh well. And then the walk. No biggie, right?
The night before the race, I took a pregnancy test to confirm my suspicions. I was pregnant again.
The day of the race, I crammed myself into my husband's shorty wetsuit for the first and last time (his thick, scuba shorty- not meant for racing) and headed into open water. It was so cold that I blew my old time out of the water (excuse the bad pun) and completed my half mile in 17 minutes (one does swim much faster when motivated to get warm). Great so far!
I peeled off the wetsuit, which came off easier than the fancy race suits, and took off on my husband's mountain bike, peddling like mad. Of course everyone passed me. They were all on REAL bikes. Road bikes. The funny thing was, almost all of them smiled apologetically at me as they passed. The cycling was torture. My husband's bike seat was skinnier and harder than the one on my bike, and it hurt like heck. I also objected to the experience on an aesthetic level: he'd worn the handle padding off of the handles, leaving a nasty, sticky mess, which melted into my fingers as I huffed and puffed along. Ew. Sadly, I don't think I ever got the dang bike to go over 12 miles per hour.
So I slid into the transition area as people were finishing the race completely, and I still had my 5k to walk. I tried to jog/run part of it, but it was pointless. It felt excruciatingly slow, and very boring, because there was no one to pit myself against or even chat with. By the time I had finished this "sprint", my time was about 1hour, 45 minutes, and other than my husband and a few volunteers, the parking lot was empty.
And you know what? I was ecstatic. I was thrilled. And proud. I did it. I did it even though I was out of shape, had poor equipment, used the 'wrong' swim stroke, and was pregnant. I felt unstoppable. At least until the morning sickness kicked in a couple weeks later.
Winter is shaping up... and finding balance
I've won the first battle with inertia!
Here is my workout plan for this winter:
Mondays: Rec Center spin class at 6am. I need aerobic activities.
Tuesdays: bouldering/climbing from 7-9pm, followed by slacklining.
Fridays: triathlon training for women through the Rec Center 6:30-7:30am. I start tomorrow. The coach called me tonight to let me know we're starting with swimming. I'm nervous... I'm not a triathlete... what am I getting myself into?
Weekends: try to get outside for a family hike, snowshoeing, etc. as weather allows
January only: One weeknight per week, personal Pilates training session for an hour with Hayley. I've committed to 5 sessions with her, and am wishing I had the money to do more. She's really great and I know I'd progress quickly if I had the luxury of a bigger budget. That's okay- part of the challenge is learning to make due and being creative.
So for January, I have four work-out sessions built into my schedule each week. A fifth optional one that includes family is nice. Two rest days are plenty. Then in late February, I'll add a Rec Center Pilates class once I'm done working with Hayley, if we can afford it. After that, some time in late March/April, I hope to start tai chi. I'm wait-listed for the tai chi club which meets Tuesdays from 5-7pm and Sundays from 10-12. This will allow me to maintain 4-5 workouts a week.
Balancing Family
Here's a description of the topography of my life right now, in brief:
My daughter just started preschool, and I didn't want to introduce too much change to her world by suddenly running off to exercise, or by sticking her with strangers at the childcare facilities at the gyms. Also, my husband has some important personal projects he barely gets to work on as it is, and I didn't want to ruin his chances of ever getting to make progress on those. Oh and then there's the infant...
It took some effort, but I found two early morning sessions I can do before my husband leaves for work, and the other two are in evenings when he can be home again. My daughter is only really impacted by one of these evenings, since the other is when she spends the night with the grandparents anyway. And the baby loves his papa, so no problem.
That leaves the weekends and evenings mostly open for family time and other personal pursuits.
Here we go!
Here is my workout plan for this winter:
Mondays: Rec Center spin class at 6am. I need aerobic activities.
Tuesdays: bouldering/climbing from 7-9pm, followed by slacklining.
Fridays: triathlon training for women through the Rec Center 6:30-7:30am. I start tomorrow. The coach called me tonight to let me know we're starting with swimming. I'm nervous... I'm not a triathlete... what am I getting myself into?
Weekends: try to get outside for a family hike, snowshoeing, etc. as weather allows
January only: One weeknight per week, personal Pilates training session for an hour with Hayley. I've committed to 5 sessions with her, and am wishing I had the money to do more. She's really great and I know I'd progress quickly if I had the luxury of a bigger budget. That's okay- part of the challenge is learning to make due and being creative.
So for January, I have four work-out sessions built into my schedule each week. A fifth optional one that includes family is nice. Two rest days are plenty. Then in late February, I'll add a Rec Center Pilates class once I'm done working with Hayley, if we can afford it. After that, some time in late March/April, I hope to start tai chi. I'm wait-listed for the tai chi club which meets Tuesdays from 5-7pm and Sundays from 10-12. This will allow me to maintain 4-5 workouts a week.
Balancing Family
Here's a description of the topography of my life right now, in brief:
My daughter just started preschool, and I didn't want to introduce too much change to her world by suddenly running off to exercise, or by sticking her with strangers at the childcare facilities at the gyms. Also, my husband has some important personal projects he barely gets to work on as it is, and I didn't want to ruin his chances of ever getting to make progress on those. Oh and then there's the infant...
It took some effort, but I found two early morning sessions I can do before my husband leaves for work, and the other two are in evenings when he can be home again. My daughter is only really impacted by one of these evenings, since the other is when she spends the night with the grandparents anyway. And the baby loves his papa, so no problem.
That leaves the weekends and evenings mostly open for family time and other personal pursuits.
Here we go!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Watertribe: Where it all began
WaterTribe
As far as blogs go, this is my foundation from which I will sally forth into the information overload of the internet. From what I can tell, Watertribe is the hosting organization for many endurance paddling races, and the Ultimate Florida Challenge is the brainchild of its founder. His blog is a mine of useful ideas and facts.
I just joined the Watertribe community under the handle "HappyCrab" which was my Dad's handle as a fisherman and avid boatman/water enthusiast.
From this site, I've found another site that has me salivating. This fellow Marek Uliasz has a cornucopia of links, posts, and guest articles that I will feast on all month and probably longer. Mmm! The nice thing is that he appears to be local. He has posts about many of the rivers, lakes and reservoirs around Colorado and neighboring states, races to be found nearby, training tips, and gear reports.
And from his site I found This great link! Super articles and links- I could lose myself in this site for hours. And another! This last one, Paddling.net, has gear reviews that I'll enjoy reading, plus much more. Holiday feasts are over? January is looking rich to me!
As far as blogs go, this is my foundation from which I will sally forth into the information overload of the internet. From what I can tell, Watertribe is the hosting organization for many endurance paddling races, and the Ultimate Florida Challenge is the brainchild of its founder. His blog is a mine of useful ideas and facts.
I just joined the Watertribe community under the handle "HappyCrab" which was my Dad's handle as a fisherman and avid boatman/water enthusiast.
From this site, I've found another site that has me salivating. This fellow Marek Uliasz has a cornucopia of links, posts, and guest articles that I will feast on all month and probably longer. Mmm! The nice thing is that he appears to be local. He has posts about many of the rivers, lakes and reservoirs around Colorado and neighboring states, races to be found nearby, training tips, and gear reports.
And from his site I found This great link! Super articles and links- I could lose myself in this site for hours. And another! This last one, Paddling.net, has gear reviews that I'll enjoy reading, plus much more. Holiday feasts are over? January is looking rich to me!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Inertia
I expected a certain amount of inertia to deal with at first, and know there will be more exposed that is currently hidden neatly in the folds of my life habits.
So far, I love the increased activity. And I'm obsessed with paddling now. Seriously. I think about it constantly, read about it online, and am reading another book on it for my review later this month. Enthusiasm is not the problem.
The nature of my physical involvement has been more haphazard. I need a consistent schedule for exercise. December has gone by without me planning my winter exercise schedule like I had hoped. Time gets filled in effortlessly when we don't make our own plans. Another truism: Everything takes longer than anticipated.
I'm finally starting to see a plan taking shape. In the hiking world, there are mountains that are less esthetically pleasing than others because they are just mounds. The hike isn't technically challenging, in fact it's a bit boring. People sometimes describe the hike as "a slog" to get to the top. I've read paddlers and sailors refer to pushing into the wind as "beating" into the wind. That's how it feels to fight inertia.
It's also part of the journey. A distance race, with the occasional (or constant) beating into the wind is a microcosm of what my greater journey entails. And I have to remember to enjoy the challenge of the path as well as the destination.
Even as I take little steps I can see the landscape changing for me permanently: greater awareness; joy in the challenge; being involved in something so big. I'm also learning a lot. To quote an acquaintance, I'm organizing my ignorance so that I know how to proceed. And it's exciting.
I'll start letting you in on the research side of things more this month.
So far, I love the increased activity. And I'm obsessed with paddling now. Seriously. I think about it constantly, read about it online, and am reading another book on it for my review later this month. Enthusiasm is not the problem.
The nature of my physical involvement has been more haphazard. I need a consistent schedule for exercise. December has gone by without me planning my winter exercise schedule like I had hoped. Time gets filled in effortlessly when we don't make our own plans. Another truism: Everything takes longer than anticipated.
I'm finally starting to see a plan taking shape. In the hiking world, there are mountains that are less esthetically pleasing than others because they are just mounds. The hike isn't technically challenging, in fact it's a bit boring. People sometimes describe the hike as "a slog" to get to the top. I've read paddlers and sailors refer to pushing into the wind as "beating" into the wind. That's how it feels to fight inertia.
It's also part of the journey. A distance race, with the occasional (or constant) beating into the wind is a microcosm of what my greater journey entails. And I have to remember to enjoy the challenge of the path as well as the destination.
Even as I take little steps I can see the landscape changing for me permanently: greater awareness; joy in the challenge; being involved in something so big. I'm also learning a lot. To quote an acquaintance, I'm organizing my ignorance so that I know how to proceed. And it's exciting.
I'll start letting you in on the research side of things more this month.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Happy New Year
So much is percolating in my head right now!
I hope all of you have exciting plans in the making for some point in your life, and that you start taking little steps towards achieving your goal.
You don't have to do much- just be consistent and move in that direction, and you will be within reach eventually. Plan out a rough time-line and pick one thing to do to move you closer to doing it. Then do one little, tiny, easy thing a week, or a month. BUT DO IT.
A friend offered the use of her inflatable canoe to paddle this summer and it sent my spirits soaring. Of course that's not what I'll race in, but the wonderful security of knowing there is a boat I can use while researching and finding something I can afford draws a smile to my face every time I think of it.
I know what you're saying. "An inflatable canoe? On the windy Front Range?! That sounds terrible!"
On the contrary! It's perfect! What better way to train for the elements than to welcome them any chance I get? I can't practice surfing the boat or riding ocean swells, but I can sure as heck get used to chop and white caps! I fantasize about paddling out to the middle of Boulder Reservoir and just holding my place in the middle of the lake, paddling into the wind for as long as I like to get a long workout, never having to worry about running out of water- the wind will give me unlimited opportunity. I can test what cruising speed looks like and mix it with short sprints towards the shore, then let the wind push me back out. What a great workout! Then I can practice going perpendicular to the wind... oh, the things that warm my heart!
I miss being in a boat so much I can taste it. I can't wait.
What's that? I'll be sore? Heh. Yes. That's the point. I used to train hard when I climbed a lot, and was always sore. That's the best kind of pain! I would practice tai chi until I was shaking and sweating- which is easier to achieve than you might think. I look forward to engaging my body in this way. Not to be graphic, but hey, I've delivered two babies from this body, the last one born at home with midwives in attendance. I trust my body to respond to the challenge, and I'm ready for this!
Welcome 2010! Let's dance!
I hope all of you have exciting plans in the making for some point in your life, and that you start taking little steps towards achieving your goal.
You don't have to do much- just be consistent and move in that direction, and you will be within reach eventually. Plan out a rough time-line and pick one thing to do to move you closer to doing it. Then do one little, tiny, easy thing a week, or a month. BUT DO IT.
A friend offered the use of her inflatable canoe to paddle this summer and it sent my spirits soaring. Of course that's not what I'll race in, but the wonderful security of knowing there is a boat I can use while researching and finding something I can afford draws a smile to my face every time I think of it.
I know what you're saying. "An inflatable canoe? On the windy Front Range?! That sounds terrible!"
On the contrary! It's perfect! What better way to train for the elements than to welcome them any chance I get? I can't practice surfing the boat or riding ocean swells, but I can sure as heck get used to chop and white caps! I fantasize about paddling out to the middle of Boulder Reservoir and just holding my place in the middle of the lake, paddling into the wind for as long as I like to get a long workout, never having to worry about running out of water- the wind will give me unlimited opportunity. I can test what cruising speed looks like and mix it with short sprints towards the shore, then let the wind push me back out. What a great workout! Then I can practice going perpendicular to the wind... oh, the things that warm my heart!
I miss being in a boat so much I can taste it. I can't wait.
What's that? I'll be sore? Heh. Yes. That's the point. I used to train hard when I climbed a lot, and was always sore. That's the best kind of pain! I would practice tai chi until I was shaking and sweating- which is easier to achieve than you might think. I look forward to engaging my body in this way. Not to be graphic, but hey, I've delivered two babies from this body, the last one born at home with midwives in attendance. I trust my body to respond to the challenge, and I'm ready for this!
Welcome 2010! Let's dance!
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