If She Only Knew …

Posted by Splashfit on August 25, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Motivation, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

stampede resultsOMG! OMG! OMG!    This morning, I followed an email link to the website of the Warrior Race that we just completed.   The email had communicated that there were professional photos from the race up on their site.   I clicked the link and was scrolling down the page, and there it was…  Again, OMG!   Age Group Race Winners….  scroll some more, and there in black and white, is my freaking name.  OMG!   You know, I don’t think that there is anyway that those race organizers could have done more to make the day of this former fatty.   I wonder if I can figure out how to get a screen shot of that page to print out… clearly, I need to print and frame this wonderful milestone in my fitness evolution!

Okanogan RiverYou might think that with my lack of sleep the night before the race and my all out effort during the big event, that I would want to kick back and chill for the rest of the day, but you would be wrong! After I headed home and spent several hours taking care of my 95 year old grandmother, we headed out in the kayak on the Okanogan river. Not only did we paddle for 8 miles, but we paddled half of those miles up and over the rapids and against the current.

We are Athletes!Yours TrulyAngela in Fine FormSunday we really did have an active play and rest day.  All of my ladies and various others, headed to Omak Lake for a relaxing afternoon of sunshine and water.  We paddled across the lake to a lovely little cove where we climbed the cliffs and jumped into the crystal clear and brilliantly turquoise blue waters.  We sprawled along the beach, swam out to a little island, tried our hands at the stand up paddle board, and finished with yet even more playing in the muck.  I would have thought that we got our fill of muck and mud during the warrior race the day before, but clearly, I was wrong about that!

I woke Monday morning with a slight flare up of plantar fasciitis.   I had planned to go for a long run, and amazingly, I was even looking forward to it.  However, the last time that nasty little tendon had a flare up, I was out of the game for nearly 4 weeks.  I opted to take a complete rest day hoping that would allow my foot to heal. This was a great plan, as I awoke Tuesday morning, ready and raring to hit the gym!

Splashfit Tuesday
Angela Taking the PlungeWarm up 15 minutes elliptical
Run 4 miles moderate pace
Superset x 4
Leg Press 230, 250, 270, 310 x 15
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 60 x 15
Superset x 3
18" Box Step Ups with Knee lift 30 lbs x 10 each leg
Seated calf Raise 65 x 10
and done

Our run was unique for us, in that it was just a straight, pure and simple 4 mile run. There was no stopping every half mile to do a hundred squats and lunges, there were no sprints or burpees or assburners thrown in for fun. It was just a run, and I completely surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying the simplistic nature of the single event. It felt good! It made me seriously ponder what alien lifeforce had inhabited my body. Aren’t I supposed to hate running? What happened to that girl?

We have been pretty visible in our gym during the past several months.   My training style opts for high intensity intervals, and alternating heavy weight training with high rep (think one hundreds) training. Needless to say, we work harder than almost anybody else in the gym.  This intensity garners quite a bit of attention.  We all wore our “Warrior Race” T-shirts to the gym on Tuesday.   Of course, we were asked how we did, and it felt great to re-tell our stories of the race.

There is a woman who works out at the gym, she is about my age.  Several months ago she had told me that I was her inspiration. She said, “you always work so hard that it inspires me to push myself a bit further”. It seems clear to me that she wants to get back in shape. Feeling a kinship with her that only those who have struggled with their weight would understand, I suggested that she join my morning fitness group. She hesitated, and her face turned red as she blurted out, “oh, I could never do that… I’m too old and too far gone.” It gave me a lump in my throat and added a bit of huskiness to my voice. If she only knew! I tried to swallow away the growth in my throat that was threatening to send me running for the locker room in tears. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and then told her some of my own story.

I softened my voice and said, “no, you’re not too far gone. I need you to know that just three years ago I had told myself the same thing.” I told her of my struggle with my health and with my weight. I tried to convey that we were more alike than we were different. She smiled and thanked me for sharing my story, and then walked away. I have to admit that I feel a bit sad that she didn’t grasp hold of my outstretched hand. Even though I’m feeling a bit of a failure in not effectively helping her to turn the proverbial corner, I do hope that I have at least, planted the seed of hope.

We are Warriors!The bright spot of my day came when one of the young high school athletes training at the gym approached me. She asked about the warrior race, and said it was something she would like to do someday. I smiled and told her, “next year… you should do it next year!” Her face beamed at the notion, and she earnestly asked if I would be her trainer. Grinning from ear to ear, I promptly responded, “absolutely!” So, it looks as though I am in for a penny, in for a pound… next year, we will once again strive to achieve that much coveted status of “warriors “.

We Are Warriors!

Posted by Splashfit on August 19, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 9 Comments

The "Before" ShotNo there was no podium moment for us, and the race officials did not even acknowledge the most awesome nature of my “third place” age group finish.  When I have entered races in the past, my only desire was to challenge myself and to be a “finisher”.  My singular goal was to not be dragged from the course by the proverbial “sag wagon”.  It has never really been within my grasp to claim a place on the podium, and that has been okay with me. But today, when I achieved a personal best, especially in light of the fact that  just three years ago, I weighed over 200 pounds and was ashamed to leave my house,  I have to tell you that my heart is absolutely freaking soaring. This is the highest ranking I have EVER achieved in any race that I have entered, and I am very proud to say that one of my “trainees” came in 4th in her age division! Whoop Whoop Whoop!

Backtracking…

It’s 11:30 the night before the race and my head is absolutely spinning. I’ve just read the same three pages on my kindle, at least 8 times, and I still have no idea what they say.

We went to packet pickup tonight for our race tomorrow. We were able to wander around the grounds and go over some of the obstacles. We watched the “elite ” racers make their way around the course and I was a bit surprised to see folks walking at the early stages of the race. At other races I have entered, the elite category athletes were so far and above the rest of us that they were akin to a completely different species.

Daylight waning, we were heading back to the stadium to watch the finishers. Along the way,  I positioned myself to watch the racers run down the infamous Suicide Hill. Lord have mercy! It is so freaking steep and the racers were literally hurling themselves down at ridiculous speeds. I have to say that I am really a bit freaked out by that hill.

While watching folks in the river and hoping to glean some tips on techniqe, it seemed that most were trying to walk across rather than swim. It didn’t seem very fast or efficient. Hmmmm.

The final obstacles were located inside the stadium. There was  a rather long mudpit with barbed wire running across the top to ensure that you get nice and mucky,  the fire jumping, and yet again, more muck to run through. I wasn’t worried about the mud at all until a gal got stuck in it. She stopped to wait for someone and she must have sunk, and she could not get unstuck.  I heard rumors that somebody else lost a shoe in the mire.  I’ve gotta remember no stopping at the mudpit.

I really do hope I can sleep tonight. I am far too excited.

Race Day…

Sleep really did elude me for the most part last night.  This morning, as I laced up my timing chip into my running shoes, and pinned my race number onto my jersey, my resting heart rate was running at least 20 bpm higher than normal. My nerves were just completely fried! This is the first race that I have entered in over 10 years. I don’t know why I am so keyed up, but I just can’t keep the butterflies at bay.

Aaaaand they're off!We arrived at the fair grounds and I could see racers of all varieties milling about. My ladies arrived, and we did a few warm up exercises and took a few “before” shots.  While trying to calm our nerves, I spied a lady that I believed to be in my age bracket.  She had the look of a runner; petite figures, no hips, and huge calves. Uh oh, I feared she would wreak havoc with my race result.  I was not wrong about that, but what really surprised me, as a definite beginning runner, is that she was in my sight for the entire race.  In fact, if I had not gotten caught up in a few log jams at the various obstacles and balked at the suicide hill, I may very well have bested her time.  As it were, she came in a mere 26.03 seconds ahead of me.  The winner of my age bracket, must have been running in a different heat, as we never saw her on the course.  She came in 2 minutes and 52 seconds in front of me…. which has me fantasizing about next year.  I really think, that with a bit more running time under my belt, and a bit more strategic planning with regard to the obstacles, it is within my reach to beat or match that time. Hmmmm….  It really puts a lump in my throat and moisture in my eyes to even be able to contemplate something so grand.  Just three short years ago, I could never have imagined the possibility.

Up and OverSo much for dry shoesThe race started and ended in the stadium, as we ran out beneath the big inflatable warrior arch, we crossed the blue mat that triggered the timing chip to officially begin our race time.   We ran for probably 1/3 of a mile before reaching our first obstacle.  After hurdling an old growth size log, there was a series (4 of them to be precise) of chest high walls, with mud and barbed wire to navigate in between. I had been hoping to keep my feet dry for the majority of the race, but it was not to be. Right off the bat, the shoe sucking muck beneath the barbed wire, very nearly claimed one of my beloved running shoes.

Apple Bin HurdlesFrom there, we ran on the grass field to a series of apple bins that we needed to climb in and out of.   Last night, while testing my mettle before the race, it was on this obstacle, that I removed a large amount of skin from the top of my foot.   My technique here  was to  place my hands on the sides of the gigantic boxes, and perform a series of slightly ungraceful vaults in and out, in and out, and in and out.

Lots of tiresUp and OverContinuing down a gravel hill and across more grass fields, we came to the tire obstacle.  Here is where it would have benefited me greatly to hold back a bit and start my race a few minutes after that initial wave went through the arch.  I had to stand around and wait.  I had trained running through tires, but my practice course consisted of a measly  8 tires in length.  In comparison, this course seemed interminable, and there were some gigantic tractor tires standing on end, blocking our exit from the obstacle.  The only way out was up and over!

Up the HaystackRollin in the Hay!Finally through the tires, I had to splash through the freshly aggravated muck, water, and mud before arriving at the haystack obstacle.  These are not your tiny little average hay bales, rather they measured 42 inches in height.  Climbing up and over them was not that difficult, but my allergy to hay left me with hives… (uggh)  Again at this obstacle I had to wait for people in front of me to clear it.    When we had watched the elites race last night, we were surprised to see some of the racers walking away from the obstacles rather than running.   Pushing my bile limit the entire race course, I now understand a bit better, and am feeling much more sympathetic.

JunkersA Practice RunAnother straightaway dirt road running session brought us to a stack of junker cars that we had to climb up and over.  Many of the cars had the windshields removed from them.  Apparently in a past year, a racer had stepped hard on a windshield and actually cracked the glass.  It does make sense from a safety standpoint to remove them; however, it did add a bit to my “pucker factor”  I was just a bit wary of perhaps falling victim to a badly placed step, and plummeting into the naugahyde swathed driving compartment. We had been able to practice on these obstacles last night, and I have to say that just the mental preparedness of that helped my confidence immensely; although, I continued to run right at my bile/throat threshold.

After the junker cars, our route headed across the bridge and the river, then turned sharply and once again, we ran on grass which covered the  dike on the opposite side of the river.  Back on pavement, we reached a very steep hill and of course, our route went straight up it.  Most of the racers in my vicinity were walking (miss second place was walking).  I ran. I ran the entire hill.  At the top of the hill, we had to climb the “warrior wall”.  This climb should have been easy, but with the fatigue of the race accumulating in my body, I found myself floundering for footholds and more than once I found that I was barking my shins on the planks .  Once over the wall, there was an aid station and I grabbed a cup of water, sloshed a bit around in my mouth and dumped the rest over my head.  How can I keep going and not puke?   Somehow I managed.

A nice flat road section to catch my breath, led me back onto the grass and a loop through a park which involved diving into a tunnel beneath a wall and then crawling through the pitch black tunnel and erupting from the earth at a gigantic sand hill.  Up and over the hill we climbed and then once more back running on a grass field.   I made the mistake of entering the tunnel feet first.  I had to wriggle my way around in the blackness to somehow crawl my way back to daylight.

Suicide Hill and RiverOnce back on the road, we entered the soft muddy field at the top of the infamous “suicide hill”.  After watching the racers hurl themselves down this hill the night before, I have to admit to being more than just a little bit terrified.  I paused at the top of the hill…. Said a little prayer, and starting plunging my way down through the mud.   I had only traveled a few steps before the ground came rushing up to meet my ass.  Sigh.  I got back up and made my way to the bottom of the hill.  Being so frightened, I probably lost quite a bit of time on this obstacle.  I will do better next year.  It is a good thing to know what to expect.  Finally at the bottom of the hill, we plunged into the Okanogan River and made our way across.   The rivers’ current got the best of me, and I had to fight a bit to stay upstream of the exit ramp from the swim.  Crawling out of  the water, that bile was right there in my throat threatening to emerge at any second.   Heaving, I made my way up the last hill.   There was a young couple who had been playing leap frog with me along the course.   We had been near each other since the haybales.  The man and his wife jogged up next to me and he said, “come on ladies, let’s finish this thing strong”.   Inspired by his encouragement, I dug deep and gave it all I had.

Under the WireShe's a Dirty GirlI'm A Dirty Girl!We entered the stadium. I could hear whistles and cheers coming from the stands.   I slowed and let the young couple enter the mudpit ahead of me. Once at the threshold, I threw myself onto my belly and pulled myself along beneath the flags and barbed wire barriers.  The barbed wire was strung so low and tight, that I had to press my face into the muck to get beyond it without leaving a significant portion of my hide behind.

FireDragging myself from the muck, I easily hurdled the two fire obstacles. The thing that caught me off guard about the course in the stadium, was the level of muckiness immediately after the fire hurdles.  Again, struggling to sprint to the finish, I very nearly lost my shoes in the mire. Finally free from the muck, I turned on the big hurt and gave it absolutely every freaking ounce of energy that I had.   Finally beyond the timing barrier, I bent over, hands on my knees in the classic “dry heaves” pose. I was a bit embarrassed when somebody asked if I was okay…. doesn’t everybody do this at a race?  Sitting in the stadium, in what I imagined to be the “winners circle” catching my breath, I was able to watch all of my ladies and now dear friends and compatriots cross through the final obstacles into warrior status.   It feels absolutely incredible to have set out to reach this seemingly insurmountable goal, and not only did we conquer the race, but we did it in fine style.  Today, not only are we runners, but we are freaking WARRIORS!

We are Warriors!

A single point of light

Posted by Splashfit on August 16, 2013
Posted in: Motivation, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 5 Comments
Should we celebrate our fat?

Should we celebrate our fat?

My dark passenger is like a trapped coal miner, always tapping; always letting me know it’s in there, still alive. Dexter

I have been asked to write about my turning point. That time back when I was 90 pounds heavier. What changed for me and how did I move forward. I have to admit that just thinking back to that very dark time puts a knot in my throat and moisture in my eyes.

Following are excerpts from the few journal entries that I have from that time.  It is clear that I wanted to change, I just needed to figure out how.

Feb 2010
I think about all of the loss in my life that led me to this place, and it seems staggering.  So much so, that when contemplated, I can barely sit still with the mental imagery.  Loss, shame, anger, humiliation, deep dark shameful, never see the light of day, humiliation.   The heaviness of it all is so much that I fear I will crumble beneath the burden.   You know I read all those slogans that feel like just so much happy horseshit…. “Success is just getting up one more time than you fall down….” “The only person I need to be better than is the person I am today”. The inspirational mottos are endless and they all strike my ears as just so much “blah blah blah”.   I try to believe it, but right now it all just feels like horseshit.   I fear that I will lose myself in this pain. I fear that I may not be able to get back up again.  Everything that I thought I was has been stripped from me.  I don’t know who I am or what to believe.  Lost… I am completely and totally lost….

I have always found it to be therapeutic to put my thoughts into writing, yet at this subject, I balk. So, I feel that I must look deeper inside to discover my reticence to begin this journey. For I have discovered that for me, when my thoughts make their way to the written page, it is a journey… a journey of self discovery… a journey to push myself to be better than I am…   a journey to discover my truth.   You may think that truth is an easy thing to get at. Something is either true or it is not. However, I have found that as a defense mechanism, I excel at hiding myself and my awareness from the truth.

I was watching some mindless telly the other night, and Tony Robbins was on trying to change somebody’s life…. And he left the show with a parting tidbit of wisdom….  He said, “The first thing you gotta do is to tell yourself the truth.”    OMG!   So simple.   And yet, I find  myself going to elaborate lengths to avoid doing just exactly that.  Why is it that I don’t want to look at my truth?

My truth is that I have been avoiding exercise and stuffing my face for the last six months until I have become dangerously overweight.  I’m an athlete. I’m a mountain climber. I’m a cyclist.  I’m a triathlete. I’ve walked from Canada to Mexico on the Pacific Crest Trail (which has been accomplished by fewer people than the number of dolts who have summitted Mt. Everest).  How the hell did this happen?  And more importantly, what am I going to do about it?

First of all… I need to get the excuses out of the way.

I have a lot of excuses.

Not there yet…

Later in 2010:

The battle of the bulge is still consuming me to some degree. I occasionally have the feeling that I can glimpse the solution or the resolution to this issue out of the corner of my eye, and then just as quickly as that feeling has come to me, it is gone.  No matter how hard I strive to see what is lurking there in the shadows, it eludes me and taunts me with its presence.

My Granny watches Oprah almost daily, and of course, when the queen of eating disorders is touting “THE SOLUTION”, it got my attention.   I sat and dutifully watched her talk with the author of “Women, Food, and God”, hopeful that yet another witch doctor might provide a miraculous cure to this obsession.   I didn’t get the miracle from the hour long television broadcast, so I got on line and with a few clicks of my mouse, the book and another by the same author were ordered and on their way to my post office box.

I wish that I could say this book was a revelation to me and that all my issues with food have been miraculously resolved, but as I lay on my bed thumbing hungrily through the pages of Women Food and God, pausing only to wipe the Frito grease off of my fingers as I turned the pages, it is not without some realization of the irony of my situation…..  That I am stuffing my face with Frito Corn Chips at the same time that I am reading a book that will allegedly cure me of my long term lust for the little devils.

Her premise is that diets don’t work and restricting only makes you obsess about the object of your restrictions even more.  I don’t disagree with this theology; however, there appears to be more to the story. She further muses that there are two patterns that eating addictions take… the restrictors and the permitters.  This definitately hits a resonance deep inside of my bruised psyche.  I was a chubby kid, and the only way that I over came that and became a fit and trim adult was to severely restrict.  Restrict, restrict, restrict.  The entire  period of time (and it was years) that I was restricting… I knew that this fat girl was lurking inside, just waiting for an opportunity to get out.

And now, I find myself nearing menopause, trying to heal from devastating emotional wounds caused by men in my life, or caused by me…. Who really knows how that all works?  Are all men angry, or do I just MAKE all men angry?   A question that if pondered too deeply might just send me over the proverbial edge. And…. I am no longer restricting.  I am definitely permitting.   And…. After 20 years of obsessive exercise bulimia…. I am no longer physically active.   It is like a defiance of sorts… Like I am raising my middle finger at my decades long obsession with fitness.  See what it got me?  A long series of superficial assholes who only wanted to use and abuse my body.  Take that you jackasses….. how do ya like the fat girl now?     Keep your distance boys.  The fat girl is here to stay.    Shit.

Fat insulates me from life.   I do not participate; therefore, I do not get hurt, betrayed, disappointed, or worse.    I am sitting on the sidelines of my social life; trying to tell myself that I don’t want or need it.   I cannot make myself attend social events where I might see people from my past… who will take one look at the 90 pounds I have added to my five foot four inch frame and think holy fuck she totally let herself go.  Because they are right.  I did totally let myself go.  I quit fighting…. I quit trying…. I quit caring.   No human interactions means no pain. I am buffered and insulated from the hurts of social interaction by my self made prison.  Handle with care…. Contents fragile…. Wrapped in layer after layer after layer of bubble wrap….. hmmmm….

I don’t really know if I am just needing time to cocoon and heal and emerge transformed, or if I am truly checking out of the human race.   I don’t seem to miss the interactions too much…. Or perhaps I am just lying to myself (no doubt).  Now I don’t want to interact, because I know that people will be thinking the same evil negative thoughts about me that my inner voice has been brutalizing my psyche with….. you’re disgusting…. It is sickening…. Fat, ugly, disgusting, gross, what the fuck happened to you?

Well, that is enough fatty bashing for one day…..

In reading these excerpts from my dark days, it is so clear that I had given up control of my life to my dark passenger.  Let me clarify, my “dark passenger” (although I stole the moniker from the TV Series “Dexter) has nothing to do with homicidal urges.  Rather, my dark passenger is that voice in my head that tells me I’m no good; that voice that tells me I’m not worth it and I should just give up.  My dark passenger is shame.

For me, the first step in squashing that all consuming negativity was to step out into the light of day and face my truth. I’ve heard it said many times before, and I totally believe  “you cannot change what you do not acknowledge”.  It was not the myriad of self help and diet books that I devoured while searching for the magical pill and antidote to my self imposed prison.   While there were definitely points to ponder in each, I did not find the healing nor the magical elixir in any of them rather,  it was the willingness to face the truth.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:32

I don’t know if it was the seed planted by the Tony Robbins broadcast that inspired me to face my truth, or if I finally just got weary of not fully living my life,  but there came a point in time, where the pain of hiding from the world became greater than the comfort of my self imposed isolation. I had the epiphany that I really did not want to die, and more importantly, I did not want to die alone. I wanted my life back. I wanted my friends back.  I wanted me back.  Really, at this point in my journey, I did not know if I could find my way.  What I did know, was that if I was never willing to face my truth, if I was never willing to change how I was living my life, then NOTHING about my life would change.

Firm resolve, an iron gaze, I resolutely stomped into the bathroom. I peeled off every speck of my clothing, and stood looking at my overweight nude body in the mirror.  It was bad. I was so ashamed. I cried.  I didn’t think I could go any further, and I crumpled to the floor, a sobbing blithering mess. Tears can be very cathartic, and once I was done feeling sorry for myself, I picked myself up off the floor and stepped onto the bathroom scales.  As I watched the numbers and dash marks on the dial spin and groan beneath my massive girth, I nearly passed out when the little gauge stopped, wheezing and groaning, at two hundred and seventeen pounds.  Ouch.   Holy crap, I could be on the Biggest Loser… I’m that fat.

I wish I could say that my transformative journey began immediately after I stepped off the scale, but that would be a lie.  My dark passenger, yes folks, shame, enveloped me within its blackness. I wanted out, I beat at the shell of darkness with my fists, angry at myself, angry at God, angry at the world, and yet I stayed firmly in the dark still hiding, changing nothing.

Single point of light

Single point of light

And then it came…   a single point of light penetrating the darkness.  One of my dear friends reached down into my self imposed pit and offered me her hand.  Finally ready to shed my dark passenger, she listened patiently, while I verbally vomited all of the pent up shame that had been holding me hostage. She had invited me to go on a week long backpacking adventure with her.   I admitted to her where I was physically and told her that I would have to lose at least forty pounds before I could even contemplate having the physical  ability to walk over one hundred miles while carrying a backpack.   She told me that I was one of the strongest women that she knew, and that she believed I could do this.   While hers was not the first hand that reached out to me, it was the first one that stayed there, constant and steady through my litany of excuses.  She was my beacon shining through the darkness…. that single point of light became my goal.

Lose 40 pounds in four months, and I did it.  There was no magic cure, there was no ignoring diet and becoming a “permitter” or following whatever psycho-babble tincture of the month was being offered.   It was about getting honest with myself and staying honest with myself.  A strict diet and exercise.  I do not believe that obesity can be cured by making “little changes”.  If you are like I was and think that you can change your life by dropping a cupcake or a soda each day, then just like me…. you are probably lying to yourself. If you have been following me here, then you know that forty pounds was just the beginning for me. It gave me hope. When I wanted to quit, it gave me a reason to keep going. I have seen so many people gain and lose the same 20, 30, and even 40 pounds or more. I felt that this was my last chance; my last hope. I had to figure out a way to make this work and make it work for good, and yes, for me, it really does all boil down to diet and exercise. I am here today, 90 pounds lighter than that girl who was sobbing on the bathroom floor, finally willing to see the truth. I am still human. I am still susceptible to my “dark passenger”, but today, I am fighting the fight. Today, I will not give up.

It was not my intention to write about this time in my life. Over the past week that I have been working on this entry, I have been filled with emotion as I have re-lived the pain of hitting my bottom.  This is my story.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  My dark passenger is still with me, but now, it mostly just gasps for air as I try to propel myself to greater and greater athletic heights.  To those gurus who say it is not about the weight, well, maybe not, but it is a great place to start.

My greatest hope in exposing myself to the world, is that perhaps someone will see my outstretched hand, grasp a strong hold, and allow me to be their single point of light.

Intensity

Posted by Splashfit on August 16, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

IntervalsA terrible nights sleep last night. Uggh.  I wish I were not plagued with insomnia, but alas, I have always been a “poor” sleeper. This is the last week of training before our race.  I opted to do some high intensity intervals on Tuesday, and will render a mellower distance workout on Thursday.

Racing Jerseys!Splashfit Tuesday

Warm Up Elliptical 10 minutes
Superset x 3
Leg Press 230 x 25
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 40 x 25
Ass Burners 50 each Leg

Jog to park

*50 Squats
Run 100 Yards, Run Stairs
50 Alternating Lunges
Jog 100 Yards, Run Stairs

Repeat above 5 times, except
*Change Squat variation each time
1. Prisoner
2. Sumo with Lateral Leg Lift
3. 1 1/4 Squat
4. Grass Picker Squat
5. Air Squat with shoulder raise

10 x Stair repeats

Jog back to gym

Superset x 3
Seated Calf Raise x 10
Straight Leg Calf Raise x 10

and done!
Swimming with shoes and clothing to mimic race conditions

Swimming with shoes and clothing to mimic race conditions

Wednesday evening, we got together for a short agility workout. After completing several laps around the orchard, high-stepping through the tires, and under and over a picnic table, we dove into the Okanogan River and swam across.  Part of our race course involves running down the “suicide” hill and then swimming across the Okanogan River.  Unless we want to strip at the river bank and finish the race barefoot and naked, that means swimming in our shoes and clothes.  It is definitely not as easy as it looks.  A flutter kick in running shoes is just not going to happen.  I did manage to combine a froggy kick with a crawl stroke and was able to move across the river, but as a former competitive swimmer, this is not going to be a portion of the race where we can pick up any speed.

Agility WorkSplashfit Thursday
Elliptical 15 minutes
Run moderate pace 2 miles 
Hill repeat x 5
Run moderate pace 1.5 miles
Superset x 3
Barbell Power Clean and Press x 10
Dumbell Thrusters x 15
Burpee Push-ups x 10
Plank to T-Stand x 10 each side
and done....

In spite of the fact that I am trying to take it easy and taper my exercise this week, we headed out on the Okanogan River this afternoon for a kayak paddle.  Up river 4 miles and paddling over the rapids against the current felt anything but taking it easy.  But, mentally, it felt great to be out and moving. I love the feel of the wind as we move briskly through the water.  It seems miraculous to me now, but paddling the kayak “almost” feels like a rest day activity.  While getting ready to head out on the river, we noticed that two of our carbon fiber and fiberglass kayak paddles were missing. It appears that somebody helped themselves to the gear on our beach.  Oh, don’t worry, they replaced them with a couple of cheap ass wooden canoe paddles.  What the hell?  Sometimes, I really have to wonder about people.

Packet pick up  and a rest day  tomorrow.  At our packet pick-up we will have the opportunity to watch the “elites” on part of the race course.  This could be a good thing, of course, it could raise my anxiety level to code red! Our race is Saturday morning.  We’ve done all we can to prepare, so for now, we rest…

Light show on the Titanic

Posted by Splashfit on August 12, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

tazzie3“TAZ!!!!”  I screamed, as I watched my little French Bulldog slip over the front of my stand up paddle (SUP) board and disappear beneath the surface of the river.  Frantically searching the water surrounding my board, I just about panicked when she did not surface.   I instantly dropped to my knees and reached down beneath the surface of the murky turbulent water and grasped her firmly by the collar and hoisted her back onto my board.   I had read Stand Up Paddle with Friendsthat French Bulldogs do not swim.  I did not realize that they sink.  I fully expected that should she fall into the water, that she would surface and then perhaps flounder around a bit.  I had seen her attempt a doggy paddle before.  I really did not expect the sinking like a stone. I cannot adequately express just how disconcerting it was to see my little bundle of joy sinking deeper into the green waters of the Columbia.  Moments before her untimely dip in the river, Taz had been standing on the front of my board, her front legs perched precariously on the lip.   I had tried to encourage her to sit down, but well, her being a bulldog and all, she is as stubborn as ummmm, well, a bulldog.  As I watched her standing there,  face into the wind, it made me think of Leo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet, arms outstretched on the bow of the titanic. My little tazzie, obstinately standing on the board, her little head held defiantly forward and  turned into the wind. I had imagined her thinking, “I’m queen of the world!”  I had been meaning to purchase a life vest for my little girl, and now after this fiasco, there will be no more paddle boarding for frenchies without one.

It was stiflingly hot when we arrived at the lake house, we opened all the doors and windows in an attempt to bring down the ambient temperature.  We took the dogs down to the beach for a swim and a walk. As evening descended,  thankfully,  we were graced with a cooling breeze.

It was about 2:30am when the light show began in earnest. The electrical flashes were bringing daylight brightness to the room. I could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance. It was about 3 am when my little frenchie decided to have an anxiety attack. Normally the lighting doesn’t bother her, but there is a glass door in the bedroom that was giving her a dog’s eye view of the vibrant flashing lights in the sky. She scratched at the covers, wanting to be lifted onto the bed. Once there, she commenced pacing. All the while staring out into the night sky. I finally had to remove her from the bed, as she refused to settle down.  She scratched at the door, and I dutifully stumbled down the stairs to let her out,   Either she finally settled down, or I just succumbed to the fatigue of the day, and sleep finally took me in its grasp.

1hikeStaying fit for me involves active play during my days away from work.  It also involves not giving in to lame excuses to be lazy.  I refused to succumb to the lack of sleep, the heat, and the humidity and as such, our weekend at the lake boasted a very full itinerary. I woke up Saturday morning, full of energy, which given my lack of sleep the night before was kind of surprising.  I was getting ready to go for a run. This wasn’t just any run, but one that I had failed at miserably earlier this spring. Amazingly,  I was actually excited about giving it another try. Wow! As I laced up my running shoes,  I kept hearing an obnoxious noise in the vicinity.  Are they fracking nearby? Drilling a well? And then it got closer.  Freaking guns. Apparently the neighbors have more ammo than good sense.  I have a little anxiety heading out to run in a heavily wooded area when the nearby residents are pumping hundreds of round of ammo into lord only knows what or where.   I finally just put in my headphones and blocked it out… ready or not, here I come.

Saturday’s run heads straight up a hill near the lake house. It is a steep hill, and it is steep for a long way… right about two miles of constant uphill.  When I had attempted this run earlier in the spring,  I could only make it about 25 or 50 yards before I would have to slow down to a walk, gasping for breath and fighting the dry heaves.  In the intervening months,  I have been training hard. As I set out, with the lofty goal of reaching the top without walking, truthfully,  I didn’t think I would be able to make it. Wait for it… but I did! My friend had told me that it was three miles from the cabin to my turnaround point. My running time to the top of the hill was so much faster than I expected it to be, that i made him get in the car and clock it with the odometer. Holy crap! It really was just exactly 6 miles for the round trip! Truth be told, I am absolutely tickled with how much measurable progress I have made.  Again, today, I am a runner!

1new shoesSplashfit Sunday
 Run 4.25
 50 fitband squats
 50 fitband squat rows
 50 knee up crunches
 50 rear leg raises 
Plank series 7.5 minute amrap
 30 seconds effort 15 second rest
 Elbow plank
 Plank to T stand
 Shoulder taps
 Crab grabs left
 Crab grabs right
 Repeat

I started my Sunday with a great run and a workout (see above).  We finished our weekend with a long stand up paddle (yes, the one where I almost lost my dog), and an even longer kayak trip on the lake.   Exhausted, I tried to keep my eyes open on the car trip home (no, I was not driving), but the fatigue over took me.  I do have vague recollections of the story being piped into my ears via audible.com and the flashes of lightning in the distance.   It’s great to get away for the weekend, but there is no place like home.

The Countdown

Posted by Splashfit on August 9, 2013
Posted in: Motivation, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

This is Tough!This is the final countdown to race day.   There are only two more formal training sessions before our big event (a Warrior Dash obstacle course race).   If I allow myself to think about it, I find that I have more than just a few butterflies.  I have to say that this has been a really fun event to train for; although, as we were crawling under the park bench and then jumping back over the top, my skinned knees and elbows has me questioning my sanity. The time is flying by; tick tock, tick tock, tick tock!  At this point, we have laid the foundation and trained hard.  It will be what it will be, now if I could only relax and have fun with it!  I just need to apply the correct taper and nutrition formula next week and all will be golden.

My Grandmother and I had a hot date  at the local Senior Citizen Center today.  I can’t believe that this was my only social outlet after I moved to this small town (no, I am not a senior citizen). I had just gotten Granny’s tray filled and we were situated at one of the banquet style tables.  The townspeople are cordial; they smile and nod.  It is good for my Grandmother to be out and about.   While Grandma was enjoying her über healthy lunch of a gigantic hot dog and sugary baked beans (yes, that’s sarcasm folks), one of the ladies at our table asked me about my running.  She told everybody at the table that she has seen me running all over town.  Really?   Am I that girl? It got me thinking…  In addition to the two days per week that I am working with clients, I have been out several more days each week by myself. The fact that my running is becoming a topic of conversation among the “townies” gave me a thought, “OMG, am I becoming the “Running Woman of Brewster”?   Another gentleman  asked me about the “other gal” who had been staying with my Grandmother.   What other gal?  I’ve been here for 3 years.    He explained that she was a “bigger” gal.   Oh.   Ummmm… That was me.  I’ve come a long way.

cupcakesSplashfit Tuesday

10 minute elliptical
Jog .5 mile
run moderate pace 1 mile
Hill run .5 mile
100 1 1/4 Squats
50 Alternating Lunges
Run 1.5 mile
50 Sumo Squats with Lateral Leg Lift
Run Race Pace .5 mile

Superset x 4
Leg Press 210 x 25, 250 x 20, 290 x 15, 310 x 10
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 60 x 15

and done....

1sup
Tuesday afternoon, chores completed, we grabbed the SUP (Stand Up Paddle) Boards and headed out onto the Okanogan River.   We paddled 2 miles up river against the current and then 2 miles back down river with the current.  I have to say that paddling a board up river against the current is an amazing workout for the obliques.  Wowza!   Each stroke is a weighted twisting crunch.   Wednesday was an active rest day for me.  I hopped on my bike trainer and did a moderate level spin for 1 hour.  One thing that cyclists know, is that to enjoy longer rides, regular time in the saddle is crucial.  I can train my cardiovascular system in a lot of other ways, but nothing else seems to provide the necessary conditioning for my crotch.

Racing Jerseys!Splashfit Thursday

10 minute warm up elliptical

Countdown to Raceday

Run 100 yards, Stairs x 10
Jog 100 yards, Stairs x 10
Between each running set:
10, 9, 8, 7, 6... etc to 1
Burpee Push-ups
Cossack Bench Dips
Park Bench Under Overs

Superset x 3
Barbell Power Clean and Press x 10
Full Body Rows x 10

and done!

With the training for our race rapidly coming to an end, I broached the subject of setting new goals.   I have always been goal driven.   Set a goal, break it into smaller steps, take those puppies one at a time, and cross the finish line.   When I was in school studying to become a personal trainer, the subject of goals was discussed.  The mainstream training community likes to push something called S.M.A.R.T goals.   “Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.”    I agree with this philosophy to a degree, but why limit yourself to setting only goals that appear realistic and attainable?  Is it a realistic goal for an overweight,  bookworm child to break an athletic record?   Probably not, but she did.

Fastest Known TimeMy friend, Heather “Anish” Anderson crushed the Fastest Known Time record for a continuous unsupported thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (2662 miles).   Her record breaking time was 60 days, 17 hours, and 12 minutes, annihilating the previous record of 64 days 11 hours.   Here are Heather’s own words about setting goals:

“I was an overweight child, a bookworm who sat with her nose in an adventure book and daydreamed. I never exercised and couldn’t make it around the track without walking. When I graduated high school I weighed 200lbs.  I daydreamed of adventure, but the thing I daydreamed the most was that I would someday set a record. Not just any record though, an athletic record. I wanted so desperately to not be what I was. I hated my body and myself. I consoled myself by eating a bowls full of oreos and milk as though they were cereal. But somewhere deep inside I knew I was capable of doing something more. “

I am in awe and inspired.  I want to dream big dreams.  I want to live a big amazing life.   As I contemplate setting new goals for myself, I have to think that perhaps I should be a bit unrealistic… after all, the only person holding me back is me.

Sunday… Day of Rest? Hardly!

Posted by Splashfit on August 7, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Great for Cross Training

Great for Cross Training

My legs were feeling the strain of the added hills from my run the day before.  I was not entirely certain that hopping on my bicycle was a great plan. I figured that it was using my muscles in a different way than running, so I should be fine.  This was not my first rodeo, and it always seems as though my biggest challenge is to achieve the proper balance of work, play, and rest.  Our route, a 31 mile road loop that crosses the Columbia River twice and the Okanogan River once, is a road  that we have cycled many times.  There is comfort in knowing a route.  I know that I can stand up and attack a specific hill because it is of short duration, or I know that I need to gear up and spin easily to the top of a longer hill.   I can play with my gearing and challenge myself to outperform my previous rides.   In spite of feeling slightly fatigued when I began this ride, I felt incredibly strong for the duration. In fact, after returning home, I discovered that I had shattered my previous best time on this route.  Apart from not fitting well into cute little jeans, there are some really great athletic advantages to being the proud owner of an awesome set of “thunder thighs”.

These are "Wind Waves" on Omak Lake

These are “Wind Waves” on Omak Lake

Temperatures here in town were again pushing 100 degrees. Work and chores put to rest, this afternoon, we headed up to Omak Lake (a seven mile long alkaline lake in the nearby hills).  As we were approaching our destination, my cell phone went off chirping wildly with a severe weather alert.  Lightning.   I hate lightning more than anything.  It absolutely terrifies me to be out in an electrical storm. The warning indicated heavy cloud to ground lightning and stated that if you can hear the thunder, then you can be struck by lightning.  Really?   Gulp.   The warning indicated that the storm was located about 30 miles north of us and traveling east as opposed to south, so we decided to give it a go and paddle across the lake for a refreshing swim.   I emphatically declared, that at the first hint of thunder, we needed to get back in the kayak and head for shore and the car. Well, the best laid plans….   We heard a thunder clap in the distance.  It seemed so far away.  I took a dip in the lake, and was on my beach towel, enjoying the cooling sensation of the gentle breeze evaporating the water from my skin.  It happened so fast.  The sky darkened as the clouds overtook the sun, and the gentle breeze became gale force winds. Wanna see how fast you can actually move? Just try packing up a kayak while being fearful for your life. (Okay, well, maybe I am being a tad overly dramatic)  Suffice it to say that we were moving pretty darn quick in our efforts to outrun the rapidly approaching storm.   It didn’t take much time on the water for the rolling waves to become quite serious in size.  The direction of the wind was not necessarily complementing our efforts to get back to our vehicle. Waves were breaking over the side of the kayak and water was spilling into the cockpit at an alarming rate. While thrashing ourselves in the waves was definitely exciting, we finally opted to “surf” in with the direction of the wind and cut back towards the vehicle after we had positioned ourselves a bit closer to dry land.  Once we came within a few feet of the beach, our dog leapt mightily from our waterlogged vessel.  He may never kayak with us again.

Sitting down to a nice supper with my Grandmother, I was lamenting my need for a rest day. My totally insane partner in crime declared, “I thought this was a rest day”.

I have the Power!

Posted by Splashfit on August 7, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Food Fight, Motivation. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

1hikeAs I rounded the corner, about a mile and a half into my run, I spotted a thin,  long legged, and lithe runner up ahead.  Her pony tail swung back and forth with her stride.  I was instantly intimidated. She had the look.  You know what I’m talking about, tall and lean with an effortless gait,  and she was carrying one of those fancy handheld water bottles that the ultra-runners favor.  Fact is, she just plain looked like a runner.  Clearly, I expected her to pull away from me rather quickly, and it was shocking to me that I was actually keeping pace with her.  I tried to focus only on my comfortable stride and not the runner up ahead of me.  (Yes, I do need to go to “competitors anonymous” meetings) I glanced ahead several times, and our natural pace appeared to be identical. I have to admit that it was a bit of a mental effort to not obsess about trying to overtake the runner up ahead.  (Avert gaze, continue plodding…)   Before I got to the real hills of my run, there was just a slight upward grade on the road.  It was on this grade that with no additional effort on my part, I not only caught up to said tall thin girl, but I passed her!   I passed her like she wasn’t moving!  I’m wondering if this bizarre accomplishment has any direct correlation to the fact that, just moments before leaving my house, I made the decision to stop saying that I am not a runner.  Smiling to myself, I turned and headed up the steeply graded road to continue my 6.5 mile run.

I have had some conversations with “The Running Man of Brewster” about running technique and racing in general.  He  told me that  the hills of a race were where you would either pass or be passed.   Wow!  He wasn’t kidding around.   The most amazing thing about today’s run, is that I  expected that I would be the one being passed and not the other way around.

This fitness progression is not an accident.  I decided where I wanted to be and created and followed a plan to get me there.  Even though intellectually, I know that these steps and methods have been proven to work, I was somehow skeptical that they would in fact work for me.  If it sounds like I am being ungracious or a braggart regarding my small victory today, then let me just state for the record,  less than 3 years ago, I weighed over 200 pounds.  A small accomplishment for me today, given where I have come from, is all the more miraculous.

Today, I increased my mileage above my  previous maximum running distance.  I ran a new route that included some longer and steeper grades. The additions to my workouts felt great. I’m still constantly amazed at what my body can and will do.  I feel badly, realizing how much I may have held myself back in the past  just by not believing enough.  This is, I believe, where natural ability steps off and persistence and determination take over.   I have accomplished some truly amazing athletic feats in my life; it is not because of any exceptional natural ability, rather it is because of hard work and determination.  I really do have the power to do amazing things and so do you.  I want it, do you?

Today I am a Runner

Posted by Splashfit on August 3, 2013
Posted in: Motivation, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

My Beloved RunnersI need to quit telling myself that I am not a runner. It is safe to say that I am not a “natural” runner, but to go so far as to deny my current kinship with running, well, it is just no longer my truth.

Currently on the PCT and Crushing the Speed Record

Currently on the PCT and Crushing the Speed Record

In 2005 I hiked from Canada to Mexico on the 2600 mile long Pacific Crest Trail.   Along the way, I met some really amazing people, and I will always share a special kinship with my fellow “class of 2005” alumni.  One of my “classmates” is a very incredible young lady.  With the advent of facebook, it has become much easier to stay in touch with those whose lives may otherwise never give us pause.   I have watched this young lady compete in first 50 mile running races, and then 100 mile running races.  I watched her joy at her first sub 24 hour 100 mile race.  I have followed her blog.  I have watched her diet.  I have been amazed.  The thing is, I have always held her in higher esteem than myself.   She could do these amazing things, because, well, she has a natural predisposition for them.  In my mind, I separated her from me by telling myself that she has an athlete’s body, she is a natural, and things are not hard for her.  I could not have been further from the truth.

In 2011, nearing the end of my own physical transformation, I had an opportunity to talk with Heather at length about running, about her life, and about how she’s gotten where she is now with regard to fitness.   She told me that she was not a natural athlete, and that before she found long trails and running, she had weighed over 200 pounds. Even though I know it is a dumb thing to do, I sometimes find myself judging my insides against the “outside appearance” of others. I had no idea that we shared this part of our life story.

Yesterday on her facebook page, “Anish” shared her story.   She also told of having a dream of setting a record,  not just any record, but an athletic record.  As I type this, Heather “Anish” Anderson is chiseling her name in the record books.  While routinely logging 40 – 50 mile days over mountainous and rugged terrain,  she is just about 200 miles from not only beating the current “FKT” (Fastest Known Time) for hiking the entire 2662 mile Pacific Crest Trail, but she is CRUSHING it!

believeWhat I tell myself is important. In the guise of a self-deprecating sense of humor, I have been telling myself that I am not a runner.  Today, this stops. There is a 25K mountain trail race that has shown up on my facebook page.   Today, I am wondering if two months preparation is enough to take my comfortable 5 mile run up to 15.5.  Today I am inspired.  Today, I am choosing to believe.   Today I am a runner.

Chipmunk Cheeks

Posted by Splashfit on August 2, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

chipmunkkcheek4:30 am. I am wide freaking awake. There is much ruckus going on in the neighborhood.  I toss and turn, burying my head beneath my pillow in frustration.  Where is all this damned noise coming from? It dawned on me, all at once, it is the fishing boats! Those damned fossil fuel guzzling vessels filled with their damned beer guzzling passengers!  I live just 2 blocks from the Columbia river. A tiny little town which boasts a giant RV park and boat launch. I know the salmon are here. I can see them swimming through the waters while stand up paddling on the river.  Unfortunately for my sleep (or lack thereof), this motorized droning is likely to continue into October. Sigh.

On a positive note, I was actually able to sleep in my bed last night.   The first two nights post oral surgery, found me seeking the comfort of a reclining chair.  The prone position, unfortunately lent itself to more throbbing and gagging than sleep,  My little chipmunk cheeks are still with me this morning, but as I have waited the two requisite rest days prescribed by the oral surgeon, today is a workout day!

brickwallSplashfit Torture
20 minute elliptical
Jog .4 mile
Run Hospital Hill x 2 (.5 miles up and .5 down)
Run Stairs x 15
Concrete Barrier Climb 3 steps 2 feet each
Run back to gym

Bench Press x 3 to failure
Push Up 3 x 10
Assisted Pull Up  3 x 10

and done!

chipmunk cheeksAs I jogged back into the gym this morning, the man behind the counter asked if I had been in the woods lately.  I scratched my head, thinking, and realized, that yes, I had stopped at the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) trailhead parking lot yesterday to leave a note of encouragement for my friend who is attempting to break the fastest known time record for the 2600 plus mile long trail.   Curious, I wondered aloud, “why do you ask?”  He said that right after I pulled in to the parking spot, a chipmunk ran out from beneath my car and tried to get into the gym.   Okay, so now I think the guy is messing with me and making fun of my über swollen and bruised chipmunk cheeks.  He laughed a bit and said, “no, really, I think it may have hitched a ride with you from the mountains.” Maybe I am just extremely gullible, but I think maybe there really was a chipmunk stow away beneath my car.   What are the odds?