Success on the rower!

    I'm taking too many classes this semester due to the fact that my Winter session classes have papers due every week.  The last one is due during spring break.  Once I get through that, life will be easier.  Today I was able to combat the tedium of the gym by bring my research for this weeks paper. It is about the use of alternative medicine for sleep disorders.  As I pedaled awayi wasn't forced to read subtitles on some sporting event I care nothing about, I read.  I started on the standard bike, in kinda the position I would be in on a road bike.  I did this to steady my hands as I was trying to highlight.  The first mile flew by.  After 2 1/4 miles I jumped on the bike that is more like a chair and finished my five miles.  Walking in I wasn't sure if I had four in me, but I had planned to do five.  The reading did the trick.  It was still hard to highlight in the chair like bike, but I had my journals on a clipboard and just braced it on my chest.  I was feeling pretty good after the five, but I didn't really feel like I had worked my abs.  So I hopped on the row machine.  I had tried one once before in a different failed attempt to workout a few years ago.  I got on, could nearly do one pull and gave up.  I was told later that it is adjustable.   Today the rower was set to suitable amount of resistance.  I might google it later to determine just how to adjust it.  I saw where one would adjust it, I just didn't try today.  I did row for ten minutes.  I was glad to get my arms involved.  I tried to use them as mush as possible.  We will see if they are putty tomorrow.

It's official!  I just registered for my first tri!  It is at the end of Aug.  I'm considering now to be my pre-season.  I'm getting in shape for when my serious training starts, but I can't back out now!  I've been running and biking.  I have to admit that I don't have pool access until warm weather, so I stand in the kitchen and practice my strokes standing up when know one is home.

My running date finally happened!  We ran a mile walked a mile.  It felt so good to be out in the sun, in the woods running again.  I get so energized being surrounded by nature.  It felt awesome.  It also felt good to chat and run.  Sometimes I like to run by myself and have in my head time, but other times it's nice to be a little distracted.  Plus it helps me to stretch.  My new running partner is a stretcher.  Stretching is one of my favorite things to do, I don't know why I don't do it more often.  It was always one of my favorite parts of ballet class when I was little.
     I think running trails is physically harder.  It had rained all night so my feet sank in the ground as I was running, there are tree roots, hills and turns.  The treadmill I really have to fight mental stagnation.  I'm running, obsessively watching the counter to hit my distance and trying to distract myself reading the subtitles on what ever sports program is on the tv.
      I got good and bad news from my doctor yesterday.  I was diagnosed with Lupus a year ago, so exercise is really important.  Good news:  the disease is being managed enough that I only have to go every six months.  The bad news:  I've gained 7 pounds since Oct.  that is my biggest weight gain ever.  I called my mom and she laughed at me.  She said misery loves company. And that she was glad she wasn't the only one gaining.  I know she was just teasing, but gotta love moms.  Needless to say this fatty boom-ba-latty is going to get she ass running and biking more.  Come Aug, time for next visit and first triathlon, there will be less of me on the scale.

Is there light at the end of this tunnel?

My running date was canceled, which is a blessing in disguise.  1) it was really cold out, it snowed.  2) I rode the bike at the gym instead and 3) by the time I leave work in the morning I will have been in a hospital 50 out of the past 73 and 8 hours driving to and from those hospitals.

The gym environ is one that I'm still struggling with.  When I exercise it moves my bowels along, which creates gas.  When running outside its no big deal, just let it go.  What do you do in the gym?  You are staying in the same place for a good thirty+ minutes and so are the people next to you!

Day One

My swimsuits came yesterday.  I wore out my four-legged alarm system.  He usually tells me when a squirrel runs across the yard, let alone the mailman.  I'm going to post a picture of myself in my new suit.  I've decided not to post a picture of me in the two piece.  I can sausage my way into it, but it is certainly my goal suit.  I will post a before and after once I reach the after.

Today was my first day exercising.  It has snowed the past two days, so I was forced into the school gym.  I ran on the treadmill.  I only let myself run a mile.  It took me just around 11 minutes.  I didn't want to go farther because I have a running date with a classmate tomorrow.  We are hittin' the trails.  I love running on trails.  I hate the dreadmill.  Today I was forced to run and read subtitles on some car race.  It made the mile seem really long.  I'm going to have to think of something else to do while running/riding inside.

I debated including my numbers in such a public forum, but in the nature of full disclosure, here it goes.  At the beginning of the month I had my insurance wellness check.  When I got on the scale the woman, very loudly claimed, "Wow, I cant believe you weigh that much."  Remind me to play poker with her.  She is supposed to be a medical professional.  I know the way I took it was not what she meant, but none the less.  I am 5'6 and weigh 146lbs.  My waist circumference is 28.5 inches.  My body Mass Index is 23.5 and I am 22.9% body fat.  On the scale provided this is good, but on the verge of fair.  I want to get an excellent.  So a goal is a body fat percentage of 20 or less. 

Off to write a paper for class.  A 32 year old writing papers again.  

Waiting on FedEx

I have decided to compete in my first triathlon.  I haven't started training yet, but I have started reading books about triathlons.  I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge, but this is one more way to hold myself accountable.  At first I wasn't telling anyone that I might be interested because then I could still back out.  I started talking little at work and at school.  (I work full time and go to nursing school full time, which is a blog in itself.)  I made a decision and told my family.  My dad is now thinking about running with me, which is awesome.

I'm not sure when I'm going to win, but I'll make it work.  I'm new to blogging, so we'll see how this goes.  Even if no one reads it, it will be good for me.

Since I've made this big decision, I have been acquiring equipment nesscessary to be successful.  I bought my first road bike ever for $65 on Craigslist.  It is a bit old; I've named her Gladys.  It is a reference to the Flavia De Luce novels.  I'm excited to do some work on her.  I've made it so her saddle (seat) stays on while riding.

I've also bought a new swimsuit from swimoutlet.com.  It is my first serious swimmer suit, instead of my usual frolic in the water suit.  According to the shipping tracking it went out on delivery at 7:05 this morning, but I'm still waiting and it is

killing me.  I bought a grab bag suit, which puts a sense of excitement in the package because I don't know what I'm going to get.  You enter your size and they choose the pattern.  Doing this I was able to get a $40 suit for $17.  I'm not normally a person that spends too much time on money, but I'm trying to do this as in expensively as I can to make sure it sticks before spending a lot of money.