On My Own Now!

I've been working out with a trainer this summer and had started her boot camp in July.

She is no longer teaching the 6:30 am class. To my knowledge, there is not a sub for the rest of eternity.  And I cannot be there for the 5 am class.  That is just way too early.  I'm sorry, but I've got to have some limitations!

Besides, I'm already pushing it with the 6:30 am class anyway.  Now that school has started back, it is very difficult with all of that traffic to make it back to my house, shower and get ready for work and be there by 8:30.  I'm late.  I need a 6 am class.

And sometimes, the intensity of boot camp is a bit much for me.  I just don't really feel like I have dry heave in order to get in shape!  And my recovery time has been really sucking lately.  I literally sometimes cannot move the next day!  I have FMS, so I need the recovery.

I am starting my own workout now. Today was my first day.  I refuse to stop.  I'm not giving up, and I won't get lazy again. My own workouts may not be as intense as her boot camps were, but I'm using everything I learned in there.  I'm taking advantage of that knowledge.

This is what I did today:

ran .5 miles on treadmill at speed of 6

30 squats
lunges across the room and then back across (a big room)
25 box jumps
30 squats

.5 miles (6 minutes) on stair climber at highest level for half and lowered to level 8

25 push-ups
25 dips
25 bicep curls with overhead press (10 lbs. free weights)
25 upright rows (5 lbs. free weights)

6 minutes on the stair climber at level 8

30 squats
25 push-ups
30 squats
25 dips

6 minutes on stair climber at level 8

Abs:
50 scissor kicks
50 russian twists
50 crunches with legs straight up in the air
50 knees in and out while sitting on sitbones with hands out behind you on the floor (whatever these are called)

Then I stretched.  This is something I also don't have time to do after the boot camp classes.  I don't really have time.  It sux.  I need to stretch.  I get really stiff easily b/c of my FMS, and I HAVE to stretch!  A lot!  When i can't stretch, and I have to go sit at a desk for 7 hrs after a strenuous workout, it really isn't good for me.

So that was my first workout on m own.  Let's see how it goes.  It takes so long to get back in shape again!  I don't want to lose what I have learned this summer.

Oh yeah, I also topped out a V1 overhanging boulder problem last night in the gym!  :-)

Life is a balancing act

Life would be boring if it were totally balanced.  It should never be 50/50!

It should be more like 48/52 or something like that. (Thank you, Stacey Collins at City Yoga!)

You can't have it perfectly balanced or that means you are just static.  Who wants a static life?

If you have it like 20/80 or 80/20, then you are just totally unstable and out of control...working way too hard.

I'm starting to like the balancing act of life even more now that I got my SUP board!

What are some things in life that seem out of control?  Where are you working too hard?  Where are you not working hard enough?

What SUP?

For those who do not know, SUP = Stand Up Paddle

I've recently discovered this new sport. 

I attended a demo in June with my friend, Heidi. I got to try SUP finally! I absolutely loved it.  Guess what?  I bought my very own SUP board!!!

Here are just a few pics:

I love my board!  I'm having so much fun...a much needed break in this summer heat and to escape the frustration of climbing I have placed on myself.  It's nice to get into something new for a change!  I'm actually getting good at it too.



Action v. Apathy

Fear from John Colver's Blog

This blog post spoke to me today...especially the video.  Wow!

I have anxiety disorder, and all of these thoughts come to me almost every day. 

Anxiety is a type of fear.  I hate it, but it is a part of my chemical make-up.  I have it, but it does not define me though.

I believe that overcoming anxiety is more than just taking meds.  You have to put yourself out there and face the fears!  You can train your mind to think differently.  You are what you think.  I truly believe it.  If you can change the way you think, you can change who you are.

Nike says "Just Do It!"  I say, "You CAN do it, Sue." 

And..."I like who I am when I try." - from a yoga t-shirt meaning it is better to try something v. giving up or never trying at all.

an awesome blog post

Finding Your Tribe (from Expand Outdoors)

This blog post is really worth the read!

Recently, I have been figuring out my own tribe as well.

Boot Camp

Ok, so my awesome personal trainer said I was ready for boot camp.

Yesterday, Thursday 7/7/11, was my first boot camp class!

Warm Up:
run 1/2 mile
50 jumping jacks
100 jumping rope
25 squats
50 jumping jacks
100 jump rope
25 squats

(Yes, this was the warm-up)

The Workout:
run 1/2 mile
25 burpees
25 push-ups
50 (?) lunge jumps (i cheated and did not do all of them...it was hurting my knee caps)
run 1/2 mile
15 of tap knees (tap 1,2,3,4,5) and drop into a push-up (you count the push-up for 15 push-ups)
bear crawl around front of building
25 mountain climbers
run 1/2 mile
(this is where i ended b/c it was 7:30 am = end of class)
25 tuck jumps (could've been more, but i was too slow to get to the last 3 exercises)
an exercise with the sliders...i'm guessing it was the knees to elbows exercise - who knows how many...
i don't remember the last one that was written, but she had the boxes set up in there so my guess would be squats on the box or box jumps???
run 1/2 mile

So I did not finish the last series.  But I survived.  It was really hard.  The class ends at 7:30.  The goal is to complete all of your workout by 7:30.

She writes up a different workout on the board/mirror each time.  It's never the same.

These are the hardest workouts this summer that I have ever done in my life!

Next summer, I should be pretty much kickin' ass!!!

International Handstand Day 2011

International Handstand Day was yesterday...Sunday, June 26, 2011.

Did you do your handstand???

I did mine!!! 

I also did a full backbend in Sunday morning's yoga church class...never been able to do one on my own.  I guess I really rocked my Shakti!  My hip flexors are so tight that I can never really get into bridge pose.  And when I can, my groins hurt for some reason.  Yesterday, I did it with no pain!!!  My knees didn't hurt either!!!

Just fyi, last week, I had a full week of no knee pain at all.  :-)

a funny something i found

I loved this!!!

Hello!

My name is Sue, and I'm getting addicted to tough, long mileage, day hikes!!!

:-)

An inspiring story...I Dare You to Move!

http://www.expandoutdoors.com/blog/late-blooming-athlete-ann-mehls-262-mile-transformation-16142.html

I love this!  I'm a late bloomer as well.  Not for marathons but other things.  (And a marathon is on my bucket list.  I've already power walked one in 2008 as a fundraiser...now I want to run one.)

This blog post just gave me some extra fuel for courage for my 30 mile Art Loeb day hike coming up.  After this past Saturday, on the training hike,  I just didn't think I was going to be able to do 30 miles in a day!  I pushed through a tough 7.5 miles though.  Mentally, I pushed myself...i was in a ton of pain.  My knees still have a ton of work.  (muscular imbalance) I did not think I could go on.  The section we did really hurt.  Mentally, I pushed myself through it...kinda had to in order to get back to the car!!!

I just keep training.  I'm starting early too, at least...in my training.

I'm trying to strengthen my quads for the descents.

My goal is to do this trail in 14 hrs.  However, if it takes 24 hrs., fine!    But it has to be within a day!!!  Ha! (Needless to say, I'm bringing a headlamp!)

I used to feel bad for being a late bloomer at things.  It feels like it has taken me forever just to be in the shape that I am in right now.  I look at others with envy or in awe of what they can do.  I'm inspired.  I look at myself sometimes with embarrasment...for being out of shape.  Then those thoughts subside, and I look at myself and celebrate.  By doing all the things I do, even as a late bloomer, I'm celebrating life!  My life...no one else's.  Stop comparing yourself to others Sue!

I remember my very first climbing trip...it was a day trip to Rumbling Bald in NC in 2007.  I thought that hike into the crag was miserable!!!  I was a weak climber and scared.  The hike out was tough but did not hurt my knees like now though.  (Wish I would have known to condition properly and strength train...I don't care how in shape you think you are to be a weekend warrior...if you don't strength train and condition, you will eventually get injured or you will start hurting from overtraining only one muscle group(s).  Actually, weekend warriors probably need to strength train more so that any other type of outdoor athlete.)  It caught up to me.  But I remember the next day, I couldn't even get up out of bed and my whole body hurt from head to toe.  I was dehydrated, muscle fatigued, tired and exhausted.  (I have FMS and recovery is very important for me.  I have recently learned a lot about the recovery process, and I take it very seriously now.)

Today, I can go on climbing trips where we hike and climb for 3-4 days in row, and I get home late from these trips too and go to work the next day with just slight pain in my knees when I take the stairs down. 

Physical therapy has helped me and so has power walking.  I strength train as well.  I'm more active now than ever before.  Yeah, it still hurts, but at least I am moving!  I want to be fit for life, as I call it.  The greastest part too is that I'm totally living life to its fullest by getting fit for life!  :-)

I dare you to move!!!

There's always room to grow...

Think of the one area of life that brings you the most discomfort, Sue, and that's where you're ripe for growth.
Never fails,


The Universe

Updates

So this morning, I had my body comp done. 
I weigh 128 pounds, and I am 5'5".
My body fat percentage is at 28.51. 

Currently, I am reading Food for Fitness by Chris CarMichael.  Tonight, I will calculate my caloric intake needed for my Foundation Period.  I will also figure out my carb needs, protein needs and fat needs based on per pound of my body weight.  I wanted to wait until this morning to get these results first.

I have started a training schedule late in the year, but oh well.  The Foundation Period is the first training period. It usually lasts about 3-4 months.  This is my period where I work on my aerobic foundation. 

I knew I was a bit out of shape, but until I started training with a personal trainer, I really did not realize just how much.  I am out of shape!!!  Cross-training is some serious stuff!  It works your entire body!  I really need it.

I ended my first semester back in school with a B!  I am so stoked.  My first anatomy & physiology class, and I got a B!  Yay!!!

This past Saturday, I power hiked 4.5 miles and climbed most of the afternoon at the gym.
Sunday was Mother's Day so I went home to see my Mom.  This was my rest day.  :-)

So, Monday's 30 minute training went like this:

• 10 minutes warming up on the row machine
• 2 sets of 10 cable upright rows with a squat in there
• 2 sets of 10 cable rows
• 2 sets of 10 leg extensions
• 2 sets of wall squats - holding until it burned and hold for another 10 secs after the burn starts
• 2 sets of 10 pull-ups assisted with my foot in a massive rubber band
• At the end of each pullup set, I had to hold my chin above the bar for 10 seconds
• 2 sets of 10 biceps curls with a twist on the TRX suspension (feet on the ground)
• 2 sets on each leg of 15 lunges with my feet on sliders
• 2 sets of mountain climbers  - a variation with a right knee to right elbow and left knee to left elbow with feet on sliders
• 1 set of mountain climbers with my feet on sliders - both knees going into my chest at same time

I really thought I was going to puke after this workout!
She is not a good counter, so she tends to add onto my reps.  :p

Monday evenings, I usually do a yoga class, but I had some cavities filled.  I went home afterwards at 4:00 with my face numb and just took a nap and read some that evening.  I got some errands done too.

Tuesday was a light day!  I did my Daily Dozen and then a yoga class that evening.

Wednesday morning session:

• Body comp
• Hamstrings curls for 1 minute
• Leg press for 1 minute
• Cardio on the Elliptical for 2 minutes trying to go at 175
• Leg extensions for 1 minute
• 10 assisted pullup jumps using biceps (jumped up to the bar, pulled my chin up, lowered slowly and jumped down and repeat for 10 times)
• Cardio for 2 minutes on the Elliptical
• Cable bicep curls for 1 minute
• Cable triceps for 1 minute
• Cardio for 2 minutes on Elliptical
• Mountain climbers for 1 minute
• Burpees for 1 minute
• Cool down walk around the building
• 2 sets of abs: straight leg raises and crunches with legs straight up in the air

I dry-heaved on the way to my car and while I was driving home to take my shower!!!  During my mountain crawlers/climbers, I stopped and did child's pose!  LMAO!!!

I think this was the hardest workout I've had yet!!!

Anyway, I'm climbing tonight in the gym and will be stretching a ton.

I'm planning on running Thursday morning and doing a gentle yoga class that evening.

Friday morning at home, I'm going to try to push myself for either a cardio workout again or to do a session with myself like what I do with my trainer.  Hot Yoga is Friday night!

Art Loeb to Shining Rock

On Saturday, April 30, 2011, I went up to Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina and hiked anywhere from 8-10 miles on the Art Loeb with my friend, Charles.  We hiked out and back from Black Balsam Road to Shining Rock and back.  I considered this a training hike.  I'm going to hike this entire trail in one day come September!  (30.1 miles)

Traveling mainly along peaks and ridges rather than in the valleys, this trail is long and strenuous.  This trail houses some of the finest scenery to be found in Pisgah.

Charles knows this trail like the back of his hand.  He showed me the tricky sections, and I learned a lot thanks to him.  There's a lot to know about the balds up there, especially the weather patterns.

I was quite satisfied with myself too (my body).  It hurt, so I know I've got some training to do.  But I did find that I was actually in better shape than I thought.

The trail was gorgeous! You hike and hike over hills, hills and more hills and then look back on where you were before and think, "Wow, I can't believe we've already come this far."  Yes, it is THAT beautiful.  You kind of forget that your hip flexors are getting tighter.

The balds were amazing!  I was hoping for some blooms, but there were none.  Not yet anyway...AND we got really lucky too...no bad weather for us whatsoever!

This trail did indeed remind me a bit of the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii, except that there was no ocean involved!!!

It ascends to over 6000' above the Blue Ridge Parkway at Black Balsam Knob. At Black Balsam, the trail's high point, is a plaque commemorating Art Loeb himself and the Trail. (the picture of me at beginning of this blog post)
This is the most famous and most popular section of the trail, for good reason. The views and uniqueness of this section of trail are unsurpassed in the region. Finally, it travels across several more mountain balds and through the Shining Rock Wilderness past Shining Rock itself, then up Cold Mountain, before descending steeply to end near the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp on the Little East Fork Pigeon River. A spur leads to the summit of Cold Mountain.

When we hike in September, we will start at the Boy Scout Camp portion.  I would rather ascend something steep than descend it.  Mainly, because of my knees!!!

My friend, Charles:

The trail is very rugged in many parts.  But then you get a break...it becomes very flat and sandy.  It is uphill and downhill.  I would definitely say that this is a difficult trail, but it is very forgiving though on the body more so than the Kalalau Trail was.

 

 If you look closely, you can see Looking Glass Rock in the distance on the left.  This is one of our crags where we rock climb in western North Carolina.  This was the view from the top of  Tennent Mtn.

I can't wait to get back there.  I'm going to do a few more training hikes there before the big day.

I would also love to backpack here.

Shining Rock Wilderness area:

Charles:

The view from Shining Rock:

Charles at The Art Loeb plaque:

What a gorgeous day!!!

Thought of you...

Thought Of You

Quote for the Week

"Nothing happens without personal transformation."

So I hired a personal trainer.  First one ever.  Feels weird.  I pay someone $30 for 30 minutes to work out with me and show me what to do.

The early mornings are not something I am used to doing for a hard workout though!

I had my first session at 6:30 AM Monday morning and today at 7:00 AM.  I'm doing it again next week.  I just want to get stronger, and lately I felt like I needed some extra motivation.

I'm actually super uncoordinated on some of things she has me do.  LOL

Monday:

• pullups on the rings with feet on ground
• plank variation
• squats with free weights
• lunges with free weights
• running
• 2 different sets of abs on a balance ball
• squats with the kettle bell (where you swing with your hips to lift the kettle bell up with straight arms)
• used kettle bell for triceps

Wednesday:

• squats with no weights as a warm up
• pullups on the rings with feet on the ground
• pushups with one hand on a ball (as you lift up you have to roll the ball to the other hand and do another pushup)
• triceps on the rings with feet on the ground
• kettle bell squats mentioned above
• lunges with kettle bell
• situps with a weight ball (on the way up i had to toss the ball and catch it on the way down)
• abs lifting heavy ball from side to side
• the ropes

These are hard workouts for me.  They only last 30 minutes, so we push it hard or 30 minutes.  I'm also doing my Daily Dozen, and now that school is out for the semester, I can finish reading Fit by Nature by John Colver.