Week 1 wins

My wins for the week:

- not having a coke zero on Thursday when I'd had bugger all sleep and had to pick a lunch (out of a box of items) for my turtle expedition day. Was really tempted for the caffeine but despite being incredibly tired I didn't need caffeine!

- not drinking lots of alcohol at the work annual it BBQ. I stuck with 2 ciders despite alcohol being freely available.

- I did 3 running sessions this week (not to the plan but better than before :))

What I coud do better:

- I didn't eat 12wbt food as I signed up last minute and didn't get a chance to shop. But my meal plan is all set for next week.

So I doubt I'll be following much of the fitness plan for next week but I do have a plan:

Mon - running session (think I'll follow the speed plan), aiming for 7km again

Tues - free yoga/meditation session at lululemon

Wed - try out thenike running club in the city

Thurs - aerial yoga 

Friday - no plans, will check what's on the plan

Saturday - rest day

Sun - 15km fun run

 

Round 4, day 1

I'm already sore!

So I have a few kgs to lose (again) and really could eat and exercise better than I have been.  This time I'm doing the 10km advanced program - for those who can run 10km but want to go faster. I modified the session a little as it was raining and I didn't want to get my phone out for too long.

I skipped the 5 minute warmup and went straight into the steady jog for 10 mins. Then it was time for running drills (which I couldn't quite remember) but I did 20 knee lifts, 20 glute lifts (on more of an angle),pitter patter steps for 1 minute, slow butt kick walking (not on the program), knee lift stepping (instead of skip steps), I skipped the 3x 50m strides where you're supposed to increase speed progressively. Then onto speed drills. 3x 80% effort x 2 min, followed by 2 min power walking. Then 4x 90% effort x 1 min, followed by 1 min power walk. Though I kinda guessed what effort to run at. I was then supposed to cool down with a 5 minute steady jog. I ran for a little over 10mins. So I covered 7km apart from the running drills bit. Then did heaps of stretching. Hopefully it gets my back feeling better but my leg is a bit achey a few hours on.

I left signing up a little late so I haven't done any shopping yet and didn't plan any of the meals.

Mondays food - fresh bread with Vegemite, half a milo packet with nespresso coffee pod, lunch was 4 steamed dumplings, 3 spring rolls, snacked on a pear, handful of popcorn. Dinner was Pasta bolognese and a slice of mud cake with vanilla ice cream (well I had to taste test the cake I baked). I think I did ok though as I could have eaten more or more fried stuff for lunch. And the mud cake was smaller than I'd typically serve myself! And I ate breakfast which is the first time in awhile.

I didn't sleep well, the only reason I got out of bed when I did was because my bread maker was beeping at me. I also wasn't going to go for the running session when I got home, especially since it was raining but I thought what the hell I'd go for a run. A km or so in and the rain eased up so I figured I'd try doing the proper session.  Different to what I'd usually do and just under 500 kcals burnt.

Spring Into Shape - Race 2, 2013

So I was supposed to be doing the 15km but my back has been playing up since Race 1 and I just haven't been sleeping well or training as a consequence.  The only thing I have been doing is Anti Gravity yoga to see if that helped my back.

So with 1 training run on the Wednesday of 7km (in probably a month) I felt a little more confident about the 10km run on the weekend. Although the day after that training run I could barely walk.  I felt my back release in Anti Gravity on the Thursday night, and although my legs were killing me that night, I was walking pretty much normally on the Friday.  Although I had tight calves and less noticeably tight hamstring.  Friday night I managed to bruise the top of my foot opening the freezer drawer so that too added to my list of issues.

Sunday woke up and felt like crap.  Everything was sore.  Had some fresh bread and jam, and a protein & banana smoothie. Really unmotivated. My running shoes applied annoying pressure to my bruised foot.  Left about 30 minutes later than I had planned but still arrived in plenty of time.  Completely forgot to buy a couple of gels (that I'd also forgotten to buy the day before).

Race time and I spent the first 2km feeling awful but focused on the fact that I always seem to feel awful until I find my stride.  At about 1km I saw an old-frail looking guy running in front of me, so I overtook him thinking that he'd just be pottering along.  At around the 2km mark he caught up to me and we were pretty much running at the same pace of 6:18.  Which is fast for me given I hadn't been training.  So after a little while I was struggling to stay with him.  I think I lost him about 5km in as he took off, but then overtook him as he was walking later on. Around the 6-7km mark I had a massive stitch which I breathed through and thankfully got through.  At about 9km in I was seriously struggling and tempted to have a bit of a recovery walk (due to a slight feeling of nausea).  At this point the guy ran up to me and told me to lift my head up (I hadn't been paying attention to my posture - just trying to shuffle my way to the end). So from then I tried to keep up with him, he got me close to the 9.8km mark when he seemed to falter so I think we were helping each other by the end.  Around the corner from the finish line I picked up the pace and so did he so we finished close to one another.

It was funny as during the race I wondered if he had noticed we'd been running together most of the way.  When I went to thank him after finishing for getting me through the last km he was talking about how I really slowed down at 7km and how I needed to start off at a better pace and keep that same pace.  I mentioned that I'd been running faster than normal to keep up with him earlier and he actually apologised.  Was such a nice man though.  So it reminded me that you can't judge people by their looks.

So race 2 I was about 4 minutes slower than race 1 but I ended up running the whole way (apart from the short water walks), and had done bugger all training, had a sore back, legs and foot!  Now to keep training (and stretching) to finish off the series with a 15km run!

AntiGravity Yoga!

Recently I organised a hen's day for a friend, and the common vote was to go try Anti gravity yoga.

http://www.vibesyogamelbourne.com.au/about-antigravity-yoga/

I watched only the one video - so didn't really expect that we'd be hanging upside so soon in the class. I think I expected more standing stuff incorporating the hammock, or flying/seated type stuff.

So first class I struggled being upside down.  Here I am refusing to let go!

Here's my friend, looking a lot more relaxed (and giving the thumbs up)

The handstand thing I could do though!

So I went back a second time and I was definately better about hanging upside down.  This time I wasn't one of the people who weren't allowed to do moves on their own - unlike my first class :)  Although there was one girl the second time who was supposed to wait for her, who tried the lean back, lift your legs up and hook them around the hammock on her own.  Another class person spotted her and yelled something out as she had one leg hooked around the hammock and was hanging very precariously!!

The teacher has to be really patient as its easy to miss a queue and suddenly you realise the teacher is repeating the same information again and again because you've missed out on doing something.  Like supposed to be having your toes a couple of inches off the ground.  Totally thought I'd done that but when I looked they weren't anywhere near the ground :)

One thing I didn't love was how close you are to your neighbour.  The girl to one side of me was doing more advanced stuff so at one stage I had her foot cms away from my face, and I also had a girl directly in front of me.  Thankfully before doing the flying move the teacher moved her over, but I had to be careful with anything where I was stretching forward that she'd already moved forward.  Would have been nice not to worry about it.  But everyone in the class was really nice.

I went along with a slight headache and in agony lower back and leg pain (been getting a sciatica type pain).  Afterwards I kind of felt floaty and tired.  I was really sore in my legs and back and had a headache so had a bath and went to bed.  Today I still have the headache (pretty sure I must have tensed and strained my neck) but the lower back and leg pain is largely gone.  So I'm still debating about going back and booking in for a series of 4 classes.  I really don't want to be in agony after a class, and its hard to tell if I strained my neck doing the shoulder stand (which I don't feel like I'm doing right) or it was a general tensing.  You have enough to worry about in the class without having to remember to not tense up!! :)   I felt good after my first class though so maybe I was just more tense yesterday or trying more stuff.

Location 106 Leicester st Fitzroy 3065, Vibes Fitness.

The week that's been..

So I didn't quite stick to my plan.

Monday: Didn't run.  Walked maybe 1.5 km with the dogs after work before I had to be home for groceries to be delivered.

Tuesday: Didn't sleep so didn't go to Yoga. Had hairdressers appointment after work so sleeping in meant no exercise

Wednesday: Almost talked myself out of boxing, to the point where I was hoping traffic would stay bad enough that I'd miss the class.  But I was only a few minutes late (so might have missed a warmup). Apparently the ladies had a mini celebration when I arrived as that meant there were 4 people in the rotation.  We got 4 rounds each.  First round I think was moving backwards whilst punching, Second round was chasing him whilst trying to throw punches (he got a workout with all his moving), Third round was standing still but he had us ducking, stepping, turning, etc in between doing punches, Fourth round was 3 minutes of alternating high punches, straight punches, repeat.  I stopped twice to roll my shoulders as man they were hurting, and some of the time there wasn't anything to my punch.  But the guy was so enthusiastic when I did hit so I didn't feel too bad :)  So it was dumb that I almost talked myself out of the class as I don't overly feel fit enough for it - but then it's a good workout and the guy is really positive.  I like that he's trying to liken what we do to proper boxing even if it makes it more challenging for me as I'm used to Body Combat type classes :)

Thursday: didn't get out of bed when my alarm went off but I still went out for a run.  Did a pretty average 3.95km at a 7'06" pace.  Don't think I can run without breakfast, unless I was just tired after doing Boxing the night before.  Will see how I go on Saturday.

Friday: Awake from about 3:30am - so I made myself go to bikram as I didn't get back to sleep by 5.  Again I've been talking myself out of bikram.  Seems I've got over a month to go unless the woman told me the wrong thing this morning.  The heat was also less than normal (so was an enjoyable heat although still hot enough to be sweating profusely).  I found my shins and knee were sore - I imagine from my running.  I also struggled with triangle pose - one shoulder was definately stiffer/sorer than the other.  I struggled with keeping my arms up for the whole time but least did the two sets of everything.  I also struggled with balance, although it was especially hard with the person next to me constantly falling over.  It was a nice 4 person class with 1 pro.  I felt bad as she was next to me (in front) so I was hoping she was able to ignore my awful balance :)  So maybe Friday morning bikram classes are a good idea.

Saturday: alarm went off at 6:30am, forced myself up to have a banana smoothie. Went to the tan track for the lululemon running group. It was freezing!! Friend from my Fernwood days was running the group so it was nice to catch up with her. Decided to go in the medium pace group and ended up buddying up with a lady who she had met in port Douglas on a run. This lady turned 50, decided to take up running and in 2 years had run 7 half marathons already with her eyes set on a marathon next year. The end of the run got a bit confusing as I pushed myself up Anderson st hill and saw the rest of the group ahead but they ran off, then did a loop back thing. Despite having being told on the hill to just make it round the corner for some stretching!  I'm not sure I would have made that hill had I not been running at a really cruisy pace. We got a free breakfast which was little bits to eat. Even ate a smoked salmon mini bagel and had a latte no sugar :)  I'm not sure if I'm fast enough for the medium paced group so I'll have to give it another go! I also got chatting to a woman from the Bourke street store. So good way of meeting new people! Completely forgot to start my Nike running app and take my gloves when I left the car.

Sunday: no exercise. So tired as had been out of the house most of Saturday.

New Goal Set

I decided I needed something to get me motivated again.  Bikram Yoga has dropped off (especially after I managed to fall and bruise my knee so badly that I couldn't kneel on it for 2 weeks).  I have probably 2 weeks left so I need to at least go back a few times to feel my money wasn't wasted!  I just don't get excited about going to it though.

So my new goal: The 2013 Yarra Valley Water Grape Run - 13km.  I apparently have 46 days so lets see if I can formulate and stick to a training plan.  

(hopefully I won't be like the people up the back of this picture who don't appear to be running :))

I was good and did a 4.3km run on Saturday, despite the fact that it was freezing.  Ended up finding Jase out walking the dogs so I jogged the last km with my puggle Yoshi (who isn't a very good pacer).  Ended up doing an average of 6'30 pace which I was ok with.  I had a mega-stitch part way through but I did run in the middle of the afternoon and didn't eat/drink in preparation for running.

Plan for this week:

Monday - run (5-6km)

Tuesday - bikram yoga

Wednesday - boxing

Thursday - run (5-6km)

Friday - bikram yoga

* though I might switch Thursday & Friday around depending on how I feel.

Saturday - running club around the Tan

Sunday - relax (if I felt keen I could do a boxing session in the morning)

Might look at some running plans so I can see what distance I should be running

I'd like to be doing 3 sessions of Bikram a week, but find it too annoying to spend 7:30-10 doing yoga (and travel) on the weekend, and they don't have a Monday morning session. I'm sure if I really wanted to do 3 sessions I'd make it happen but at this stage not planning on it.

Stomach bug strikes..

Or something like that. Lost track of weeks a bit.

Last week I was going to go to combat but got home and i was cold, wet and tired thanks to a rainy ride home. Decided I had to do bikram on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning woke up feeling a little dodgy. Didn't eat awesomely over the weekend as we were away and ate lots of junk food as places weren't open or too full..l started yoga and felt ill, skipped a lot of positions just trying to get through the class without having to leave. Continued feeling nauseous during the week. Friday headed to dr, who suggested i go home and eat prunes to clean anything bad out of my system. Yeah that made me feel worse. He did however give me a script for nausea tablets yay!

Sunday was a bikram master class so off I went for 3 hrs in a slightly cooler room to be inspired by Luke. Great class and I didn't feel ill during it though needed a few rests as it went for so long.

Monday was debating about going to boxing as that just started up a the gym, but stiffened up during the day and felt headachey. Then ran late leaving work. Made the mistake of drinking wine with dinner.

Tuesday 5:10am up and off to bikram I went. Full timetable now running, still not 100% sure what routine I'm aiming for. I thought I'd try the 4 weekday mornings but was in serious strugglesville during class. Had dry mouth so think I was dehydrated.. Also had sore legs and arms from Sunday! So I didn't do all the sets. Didn't really want to go back ever again (probably a good thing I bought so much time in advance). Had a staminade -way too sugary for so early. Later in the day I alternated between feeling tired and feeling good.  I did feel like I'd had a workout and was good knowing I had completed my workout for the day. Sore though so going to aim to get to the boxing class on Wednesday night.