Alright. Let me put this into a visual for you. I'm on the treadmill doing my first run in over two weeks (which went GREAT btw). And this guy walks in. Small afro, white guy, dressed in an 80's tank top and tight sweat pants. He gets on the mats in front of my treadmill and starts stretching. Now, up to this point it was no big deal. It looked normal. But then he started doing karate moves and whispering to himself something about "soofra" and he lost me. I lost it. I could not contain my laughter. The best part was how serious he looked. Straight face, concentrated eyes. No loss in focus. This guy was legit! But oh my. Three miles later I realized I was done with my run and had been watching him the entire time. I guess it flew by because of it. So, thanks guy with the afro?
Anyway. Yesterday was supposed to be my first run but because I am incredibly awesome I got to the gym the exact time the gym was closing. LAME. And then I considered running outside like I have done so many times before. Except there was a huge snow storm and I couldnt see 20 feet in front of me. Again, I have the best life. So today was my first run. And today felt awesome. I felt so strong and incredibly excited about the training to come. I even did my run between classes, which was amazing for me. I finally have a night where I am not in the gym until 10 PM. Although I cant wait to be in a place that has a 24 hour gym so that I can run around 1 or 2 in the morning. I hope wherever I get a job I can find a gym like that. Cross your fingers!
Tomorrow is another run, but no weights. I might add a nice set of body exercises in just to keep it interesting. Whats on your schedule for tomorrow? Anything fun?
I'll post an update on tomorrow's run. I've missed running, and its sad that I cant wait until next weekend for my 8 miler. Woo hoo!
Happy Training,
Charity <3
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Minor Anxiety.
Why you ask? Because I just realized that my first half marathon of the season is in 92 days. Yikes! After I finished my 30 days of running and 160 miles I decided to take a week off to give myself and my body time to recover. That was TWO weeks ago because my foot still felt sore from my 30 days of running. Needless to say, now I am more panicked about my two races and the mileage I have chosen to train with. I did my first half last year, and even though I think it went well, it is a daunting task to train for. I chose a really cool training plan that I think will help my time a little. But I've never done this type of intensive training before. There is a 14 mile run on the plan. 14 miles! That will be my longest run yet. I am slightly terrified, but am oh-so willing to take on the challenge.
When I think about racing I think a lot about triathlons and how many of them I want to do this year. However, amidst graduating and trying to find a job to support my addiction I feel like this would be the year to take off and to really train for some next year. That sounds so sad. Its the first time I've really admitted it. Before I figured I could just do a few here and few there, but with interviews mixed in? I dont know if it would be wise. I need to be at my peak for both. So long triathlons, I will miss you this year! But next year I will return in full force!
Tomorrow starts my half marathon training plan. Its an easy week because I made sure to add a week of slow short runs in. But after that I'll be doing between 4 and 6 miles daily, and that doesnt include the long runs. EEK! Its so scary and exhilirating at the same time. I think something is wrong with me. Haha.
I also set a weight loss goal for myself because I have been stuck at the same freakin' weight for far too long. My goal is to lose 11 pounds by March 21st. March 21st might seem weird to you all, but for me it is the start of my career at the American Counseling Association Conference. I will be interviewing with perspective employers and hopefully making some great networking connections! (And hopefully looking awesome in my new-you lost 11 pounds-suit!) So that is my goal. 11 pounds. At some point I am actually going to have to start eating like I mean 11 pounds lost and not 11 pounds gained.
So tomorrow's plan is circuit training in the morning and then a nice n' easy 2 mile run. I cannot wait to run! Its been far too long. Long enough for me to say "Hello. My name is Charity and I am an addict. It has been two weeks and 4 days since my last high, and I plan on falling off the wagon tomorrow." Running and exercising ARE my addiction... well, besides my addicition to ice cream and sweets. AH! I just cant quit it sometimes. It is a work in progress though.
Until tomorrow's post, answer this question for me... What are you addicted to?
Happy Running,Cycling and Swimming,
Charity <3
When I think about racing I think a lot about triathlons and how many of them I want to do this year. However, amidst graduating and trying to find a job to support my addiction I feel like this would be the year to take off and to really train for some next year. That sounds so sad. Its the first time I've really admitted it. Before I figured I could just do a few here and few there, but with interviews mixed in? I dont know if it would be wise. I need to be at my peak for both. So long triathlons, I will miss you this year! But next year I will return in full force!
Tomorrow starts my half marathon training plan. Its an easy week because I made sure to add a week of slow short runs in. But after that I'll be doing between 4 and 6 miles daily, and that doesnt include the long runs. EEK! Its so scary and exhilirating at the same time. I think something is wrong with me. Haha.
I also set a weight loss goal for myself because I have been stuck at the same freakin' weight for far too long. My goal is to lose 11 pounds by March 21st. March 21st might seem weird to you all, but for me it is the start of my career at the American Counseling Association Conference. I will be interviewing with perspective employers and hopefully making some great networking connections! (And hopefully looking awesome in my new-you lost 11 pounds-suit!) So that is my goal. 11 pounds. At some point I am actually going to have to start eating like I mean 11 pounds lost and not 11 pounds gained.
So tomorrow's plan is circuit training in the morning and then a nice n' easy 2 mile run. I cannot wait to run! Its been far too long. Long enough for me to say "Hello. My name is Charity and I am an addict. It has been two weeks and 4 days since my last high, and I plan on falling off the wagon tomorrow." Running and exercising ARE my addiction... well, besides my addicition to ice cream and sweets. AH! I just cant quit it sometimes. It is a work in progress though.
Until tomorrow's post, answer this question for me... What are you addicted to?
Happy Running,Cycling and Swimming,
Charity <3
Friday, January 27, 2012
I'm not the only 'crazy' out there
Hey people!! You're probably wondering why the title is what it is... So I will explain.
Right before 2010 started I decided I wanted to do something I considered 'crazy'... Enter the triathlon. This was something that I watched on TV every now and then, but nothing that I ever thought I would do. I mean, I could swim, and I had biked before, and I knew if I could walk then I could probably run... Right? Right. Kind of.
I was raised as a swimmer. And when I say that, I'm not kidding. It would be comparable to someone saying they were raised Italian. But for me, it was swimming. I started at the ripe age of 4, and soon all of my siblings (there are four of us total) were swimming for the team. Fourteen years later I was graduating from high school (as a swimmer, no doubt), and had been on both the local YMCA team and on my high school team.I think it would be safe to say that at this point I had slight disdain for the sport I had dedicated most of my adolescence to. And then after taking almost four years off, I missed being competitive. I missed being "athletic" (I guess you could say I somewhat was!). I missed 'training'. And so I began my search for a sport that would allow me to show my 'crazy' and to 'train' and be 'athletic' again. I never thought it would include a return to the water.
Once I got the idea in my head that I was going to do a triathlon, nothing stopped me. Not the fear of combining training with school, not the fear of being the only chubby girl out there, not the fear that it would conflict with my student teaching, and definitely not the fear that I wouldn't finish. I was COMMITTED. And for me, that meant serious business.
Two years later I look back and think that I was crazy. And that the people around me, the ones who saw me running everyday, and the ones who smelled only chlorine even after I showered, and the ones that saw me riding around in my spandex with my bike "Freud", I'm going to guess they thought I was crazy as well. The biggest lesson I have learned since then is that I am not alone. I am not the only crazy out there. And the growing strength of the sport proves it.
The other part of this story included more than just a desire to be back into something. It included the desire to lose weight. I had always been heavier, but never as heavy as I was before I decided to do a triathlon. I had gained almost 50 pounds during undergrad, and I was not about the graduate looking like I had another person under my gown. Since then, I have lost almost 30 of those pounds. It has been difficult. It has been torturous. It has made me cry and laugh and hate my weekends. But two years have gone by and I am obsessed with exercise, triathlons, and (get this)... Half marathons. I became a half marathon runner when the most I had run before was a 5k. Like I said, I have a little bit of crazy, and a lot of determination.
Throughout my journey people have been, lets say amazed, at my attitude, my struggles, my determination and my drive. I love what I do. I love my new life. I love love love the hard work I put into things. Therefore, I am hoping that this blog will serve as my own personal commitment to both training hard and further pursuing my weight goal, and to also help inspire other people to get involved with being physical. I like to say to people that ask... If I can, You can. No excuses.
I hope this blog will help motivate and inspire you, and will also motivate and inspire me. I cannot wait to share my stories and hear your thoughts. Please comment as often as you would like!
Just keep running/swimming/biking,
Charity <3
Right before 2010 started I decided I wanted to do something I considered 'crazy'... Enter the triathlon. This was something that I watched on TV every now and then, but nothing that I ever thought I would do. I mean, I could swim, and I had biked before, and I knew if I could walk then I could probably run... Right? Right. Kind of.
I was raised as a swimmer. And when I say that, I'm not kidding. It would be comparable to someone saying they were raised Italian. But for me, it was swimming. I started at the ripe age of 4, and soon all of my siblings (there are four of us total) were swimming for the team. Fourteen years later I was graduating from high school (as a swimmer, no doubt), and had been on both the local YMCA team and on my high school team.I think it would be safe to say that at this point I had slight disdain for the sport I had dedicated most of my adolescence to. And then after taking almost four years off, I missed being competitive. I missed being "athletic" (I guess you could say I somewhat was!). I missed 'training'. And so I began my search for a sport that would allow me to show my 'crazy' and to 'train' and be 'athletic' again. I never thought it would include a return to the water.
Once I got the idea in my head that I was going to do a triathlon, nothing stopped me. Not the fear of combining training with school, not the fear of being the only chubby girl out there, not the fear that it would conflict with my student teaching, and definitely not the fear that I wouldn't finish. I was COMMITTED. And for me, that meant serious business.
Two years later I look back and think that I was crazy. And that the people around me, the ones who saw me running everyday, and the ones who smelled only chlorine even after I showered, and the ones that saw me riding around in my spandex with my bike "Freud", I'm going to guess they thought I was crazy as well. The biggest lesson I have learned since then is that I am not alone. I am not the only crazy out there. And the growing strength of the sport proves it.
The other part of this story included more than just a desire to be back into something. It included the desire to lose weight. I had always been heavier, but never as heavy as I was before I decided to do a triathlon. I had gained almost 50 pounds during undergrad, and I was not about the graduate looking like I had another person under my gown. Since then, I have lost almost 30 of those pounds. It has been difficult. It has been torturous. It has made me cry and laugh and hate my weekends. But two years have gone by and I am obsessed with exercise, triathlons, and (get this)... Half marathons. I became a half marathon runner when the most I had run before was a 5k. Like I said, I have a little bit of crazy, and a lot of determination.
Throughout my journey people have been, lets say amazed, at my attitude, my struggles, my determination and my drive. I love what I do. I love my new life. I love love love the hard work I put into things. Therefore, I am hoping that this blog will serve as my own personal commitment to both training hard and further pursuing my weight goal, and to also help inspire other people to get involved with being physical. I like to say to people that ask... If I can, You can. No excuses.
I hope this blog will help motivate and inspire you, and will also motivate and inspire me. I cannot wait to share my stories and hear your thoughts. Please comment as often as you would like!
Just keep running/swimming/biking,
Charity <3
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