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Building Strength

Posted by Splashfit on October 23, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Motivation, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Still time to kayak before the river freezes over

Still time to kayak before the river freezes over

As Autumn and cold morning temperatures seize control of my little place in the world, the training focus of my fitness group has changed from running faster to preparing for ski season.  As we transition from training with the emphasis on moving fast, we are now focusing on building strength.  Building strength means lifting heavy.  I love to lift heavy.  There is something so gratifying about being a girl and being kick ass strong.   I am a big believer in training “periodization”, and while I do still love to mix it up a bit during each workout, our initial training emphasis will be lower repetitions with heavier weight loads.   After this initial building phase, we will move to strength and agility work, focusing on maintaining our gained strength, and building muscular and sport specific endurance.

Splashfit Tuesday
Ski Season is coming!

Ski Season is coming!

Warmup Elliptical 10 minutes
Elliptical Ladder x 5
1 minute 150 spm
1 minute 160 spm
1 minute 170 spm
1 minute easy
Superset x 4
Leg Press  10 x 230, 270, 310, 330
Stiff Leg Deadlift 10 x 70
1 Leg Chair Squats x 10 each Leg
50 Sumo Squats with Lateral Leg Raise
Superset x 4
1 Leg  Hip Sled 10 x 90
Seated Calf Raise
DumbellCurtsy Box steps x 10
Dumbell Lunges 40 each Leg
Elbow Plank x 2:00 minutes
Accordian Crunches x 30
Skating on groomed trails is an amazing workout!

Skating on groomed trails is an amazing workout!

Once my fitness group completed their  final 5k, I asked the ladies about setting new goals. Of course, I love skiing almost as much as breathing, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when they decided to focus on ski season and set the goal of “skate skiing” 10 times this season. Skate skiing is a type of cross country skiing, and is typically performed on groomed trails. When thinking about the energy output of this activity, I like to think that skate skiing is to running, as classic cross country skiing is to walking. It is an intense full body activity. In addition to having well balanced physiques, this activity gives us good reason to work on upper body and core strength.

Splashfit Thursday 
Elliptical  5 minute warmup 
Elliptical Ladder x 5 
4 minutes, 1 x 150, 1 x 160, 1 x 170, 1 x easy 
Bench Press.... 
Heavy drop set to failure x 3 
Superset x 3 
Jumping Pullups 21,15,9 
Dumbell Thrusters 21,15, 9 
Burpees x 10 
Superset x 3 
Seated cable row 10 x 80 
Cossack Bench Dips x 20 
Cable Tricep Press down 10 x 40 
Core 
Reverse Crunch with Leg Lift x 30 
Exercise Ball Twisting Crunches x 30 
Exercise Ball Catch x 50
Don't let old man Winter keep you inside!

Don’t let old man Winter keep you inside!

Change is something that is always difficult for me.  Even change in a positive direction requires an enormous amount of mental energy.  As the ambient temperatures begin to drop towards freezing levels, my natural inclination is to want to snuggle up on the sofa, watch movies, and consume large quantities of comforting foods.   I have to fight that downward pull every day.  Setting my sights on something fun and positive in the future, really does help to keep me motivated.  It helps me to keep those comfort food choices on the healthy side; it helps me to snuggle into movie watching mode, only after I’ve worked my proverbial butt off; and it gives me something to strive towards.   Motivation is a very individualized thing.  For me, I need to be excited about something, and I need a goal.    In less than a month’s time, we could be soaring on beautiful trails through heavily wooded mountainous terrain. Won’t you join us?

Running Faster

Posted by Splashfit on August 30, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

triathlonThis morning, while enjoying my beloved  cuppa joe, I watched a video recap of the Ironman Canada race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) that was held this past weekend.  A couple of my friends participated in this pinnacle of triathlon greatness, and I have to admit to getting pretty choked up while watching the inspirational highlights.  Ten years ago, before the health issues, before the weight gain, before the bad knee diagnosis, I competed in triathlons.   At that time, it was a someday goal for me to complete an Ironman event. I was not really surprised by  the emotional pull I felt while watching my friends going through this process.

We spent the last six months at the gym with our training focused on the warrior race. Goal achieved, it is time to reassess and set new ones. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with something that will inspire me to new athletic heights.   My ladies have decided that they would like to improve their 5K race time.   It is a reasonable goal.  It is measurable and attainable.  I think this is a great thing to strive toward. I have to say that in the gym, the ladies have been absolutely killing it! I even caught one of them doing extra pushups during a rest break. Seriously, they’re on fire!

Still searching for a new goal for myself, and inspired by my friends’ Ironman finishes, I got online and did a little searching. While it would certainly be a grand goal for me to go from zero to Ironman in one fell swoop,  it appears that  with age, I have been gifted with the unexpected voice of reason. I think a half Ironman is a fine goal to work towards. In May of 2014, there is a race.   This race is a half-Ironman triathlon which consists of a 1.2 mile open water swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run.   I competed in this very race 10 years ago.

When I was living in my dark days, I never imagined that I would be able to once again contemplate something so immense.   Looking to the future, I would love to compete in this event.   You might think that for a former fatty with bad knees, that just competing would be enough, but I want more.  I not only want to complete this event, but I want to beat my time from ten years ago.  The biggest challenge in contemplating this event will be training for the swim.  Winters here in North Central Washington State are cold, and the options for indoor swimming during the winter are severely limited, as in there is NO indoor public swimming pool locally.  I am making inquiries, “anybody have an indoor pool where I can swim laps all winter?”  There may be some options available.  In any case, I don’t have to commit until January when sign-up for the event officially opens.   It doesn’t hurt a girl to dream, and while I’m at it, I may as well dream big.

With renewed commitments to fitness, we have paid our gym fees and signed on for another course of action.  During this new training session, my focus will be on improving our 5K race time, and getting ready for ski season.

Splashfit Tuesday
10 minute elliptical
TrackJog 1/2 mile
Run 5K at the track as follows:
1 mile easy jog
1 mile race pace
1 lap easy
1 lap race pace
1 lap easy
1 lap race
1/2 lap easy
1/2 lap all out freaking sprint
100 1 1/4 squats
jog 1/2 mile back to gym
100 Leg Press x 150
100 Stiff Leg Deadlift x 30
100 Ass burners (each leg)
and done.
Kayak on the Okanogan

Kayak on the Okanogan

Tuesday morning’s workout was all about the legs. Lest my upper body get jealous and feel neglected, in the afternoon , we hopped into the kayak for a 10 mile paddle.  We paddled five miles up river against the current and five back down river.  I can scarcely believe that this is only my second year kayaking.  I have come to really look forward to the active outdoor meditation.   There is a special kind of peace and serenity of the river,  and with the muscle fatigue that comes from  thousands of paddle strokes, this is the perfect activity to help me escape from the worries of the day.

finsWith the possibility of a triathlon on the horizon, I am really eager to begin ramping up my run distance.  As I retired for the evening on Tuesday, I had visions of a long run and a new route dancing through my head.  Unfortunately, I am constantly plagued with insomnia. After a rough night, when I was able to sleep in on Wednesday morning, I just went with it.   I had been looking forward to a run which included a very long and hellaciously steep hill, but I decided to just get a bit more shut eye instead.  The road will still be there later.  It is not going anywhere anytime soon.   Once I got up and greeted my day, a bit more sleep under my belt, I felt great! I got a bit of a late start, but I decided to head out for my run irregardless of the warming temperature outside.   Once home, I realized that I had clocked a 7.5 mile run with significant hills, and other than dripping water like a faucet turned on high, I felt really good.   With dreams of a multi sport event in my little head, in the afternoon, we headed for a local lake and a swim session. As I could always use work on my flutter kick, I opted to don my training fins.   Kickboard in hand, I set out across the lake.  Today, I used my longer fins. These fins slow down my kick speed quite a bit, but this is by design. Longer fins are used to focus on form, the slower kick speed lets me really focus on keeping my legs straight, kicking from the hips, and having a nice fluid motion.    After being overheated on my run, the two miles I logged in the water saw my legs and feet cramping just a bit.   Lucy….. we got some work to do!!!!

Splashfit Thursday
Warm up Elliptical 4 minute ladder
Fitness BandSuperset x 5
10 Burpee Pushups
10 Cossack Bench Dips
10 Fitband Squat Rows
Sprint 100 yards, run stairs
Jog 100 yards, run stairs
Fit band partner resistance run x 100 yards
Jog back to gym
Superset x 3
Jumping pullups  21, 15, 9
Dumbell Thrusters 21, 15, 9
Superset x 3
Rear Deltoid Flye x 10
Alternating Dumbell Bicep Curl x 10
200 Meter Row
Reverse crunches x 30
and done

TroikaIn 2007, I had arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a plica.   While scoping my knee, the orthopedic surgeon discovered an impressive lack of cartilage.  He performed microfracture surgery, which basically took a little awl and dug a bunch of grooves in the bone surfaces.  The purpose of this was to generate scar tissue that would mimic cartilage.  In addition, I had a series of shots of Synvisc or hyaluronan.  I had one shot per week for 4 weeks.   Apparently these shots have been shown to help reduce arthritis symptoms and delay the need for knee replacement surgery.  However, I was told that the knee replacement was looming on my horizon.

So, here I am, six years later, relatively pain free, and I have to admit to having some fear regarding setting a goal that involves running.  It is easy for me to say that, “well, I’ll just keep using my knees until they fail.”  As I sit here, ramping up my daily running mileage, I worry that perhaps I am doing further damage,  Will I regret the choices I am making now?  It is a real concern for me.

That being said, I have gained back so much range of motion and pain free use of my joints through strength training.  It is my belief that by strengthening the muscles that surround the impacted joints, I am minimizing the impact on the joint itself.  I have to tell you, the proof is in the pudding.   I never thought that I would be able to ski again, and yet, last ski season, I logged 71 days on the long boards!

I have seen so many people receive a diagnosis of severe arthritis and just give up.   I’m not trying to say that joint damage is not real.  I’m just trying to say that for me, until I am no longer able, I will fight.  I will fight by facing my fear.  I will fight by running,  skiing, cycling, and swimming.  I will not give in and seek the solace of the couch.   So, yes, I have fear.  While my fears might be based in reality, they are NOT reality.  They are phantoms….  visions of what might be.  Today, I will meet them head on, and it is my hope that perhaps my fears will be just a little bit afraid of me…

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”   Edward Vernon Rickenbacker

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 “.

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.

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”.

Thunder Moon

Posted by Splashfit on July 25, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

Moonshine

Just above the surface of the river, the heat of the day was swirling in waves. The only sounds we heard were those of our paddles’ rhythmic dancing in and out of the water. The paddling, when done correctly, is magical. The paddles slice delicately up and down, back and forth,  and the kayak glides along the surface of the river. Many months of paddling have hardened our bodies. This no longer feels like difficult physical exertion, rather it has become for us, physical and active meditation. The muscle memory from hundreds of miles paddled takes control, and our minds are allowed to wander freely. Conversations happen and they don’t. Silence is okay and comfortable. Beavers, muskrats, and numerous avian species share the waterway with us. With the physical exertion, the pressures and stresses of the day leave our bodies. We are filled with the serenity, beauty, and simplicity of the river. After paddling up river for a couple of miles, we disembarked on a small island, and there we waited patiently for the moon to shine. It took just a few minutes for our full moon, in all of its “Thunder Moon” glory,  to rise above the barren sagebrush covered hillside.  I have to just stop and wonder about the moon’s publicist.   I  have to admit first, to spending a fair amount of time looking at facebook.   It seems that every month, there is some new and different type of fantastic full moon to be discovered and explored. I have seen posters promoting  Super Moon, Harvest Moon, Blue Moon, Blood Moon, and now, Thunder Moon (just to name a few).  Apparently the full moon in July is being called the “Thunder Moon” because there are so many thunder showers in July (oh, brother).  Ridiculous naming and publicity stunts aside, it was absolutely delightful to gently paddle back down river with only the light of the full moon leading us back home.

sumoSplashfit Tuesday 

Warm up Elliptical 5 minutes
Run 1.75 miles (moderate pace)
100 Grass Picker Squats
Run 1.25 miles (moderate pace)

Superset x 3
50 sumo squats with lateral leg raises
Sprint 220

Run .5 mile to gym (moderate pace)

Superset x 4
Leg Press 210 x 15, 250, 290, 310 x 10
Stiff Leg Deadlift 60 x 15
Ass Burners 25 each leg
and done!

SUP Stand Up PaddleWednesday was an active rest day for me.   Again, ridiculously hot temperatures sent us out onto the river for a 4 mile stand up paddle.  Of course, I should note, that two of those miles were paddling up river against the current, so I’m not entirely sure I would classify it as a low intensity activity.   Sigh, a girl just can’t catch a break!

cossack danceSplashfit Thursday

5 minute warm up elliptical

Repeat 5 x
Pushup Burpees x 10
Cossack dance bench dips x 10
Lateral Walking Plank x 10 "steps" each direction
Sprint 100 yards, stairs
Jog 100 yards, stairs

Plyo (hand clap) knee pushups x 10
Triangle knee pushups x 10

Bench press drop set to failure

Superset 3 x 
Cable Squat Row 90 x 10
Seated Cable Row 90 x 10
Close Grip Cable Pull Down 90 x 10
Tricep Press Down 35 x 10

and done!

Air Cav infantry Soldiers compete in company challengeLeaving the gym this morning, I feel completely wrung out, but it is in a good way. Fitness tax, levied and paid. I realize that we are just about 23 days out from our Warrior Race.  We have worked really hard.  I think we will be fine.  I was having a conversation about entering races a while back, and this man, incredulously, asked, “why would you even enter a race, if you didn’t think you could win?”  Ouch.   I will not win this race.  I will probably never stand on the podium for any race that I enter. In fact, in some of the races I have entered, my only goal, was to make it through the entire course without being forced into the “sag” wagon. My fiercest competition lives inside of me.  I strive not to win, but to finish;  not to dominate, but to survive, and not to be perfect, but to improve. Motivation is a very individualized thing.  While aforementioned gentleman would only be motivated to enter a race that he thought he could win; there are, I believe, a lot more everyday regular people out there, who enter races to compete with themselves;  to inspire them to greater fitness, to provide a reason to exercise, and to prove to themselves that they can do it.   Setting and achieving goals is a powerful life tool.  My “aha” moment in that regard came while on the summit of Mt Rainier (14,410 feet) for the first time, it was there that I realized I could do absolutely anything that I set my mind on.   For now, my eyes are firmly set on the finish line of that race.  I will not win, but I have no doubt that it will be a stronger person who crosses the finish line.

Spanked

Posted by Splashfit on July 22, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Rowing Lesson on the ColumbiaKnees tucked firmly beneath my chin, eyes steely and focused dead ahead, lips pursed, I exhaled a purposeful breath.  A simple flip of my wrist, and the oars turned from their neutral  position.   I lower my arms, digging the blades ever so gently into the surface of the river, and… deep breath, I press against the foot pedals with my powerful thighs and at the same time, lean back ever so slightly, pulling the oars to my chest.  My body is fully engaged. As I glide back along the rails of the racing scull, I can feel the wind rushing past me.   Fully extended, I glide swiftly and smoothly through the water. I feel as though I am flying, a mere nymph dancing across the rivers’ surface. Oh, this is good.  This feeling is good; this rush of speed, and power, and rhythm.  Why have I not done this before now? Another flip of the wrist, and the oars turn once again into a Fully Extendedneutral position and as I slide forward on the rails, pressing my arms straight out in front of me, the carbon fiber blades feathering across the surface of the water, I once again find myself in the tucked position, oars behind and at the ready.  Push, pull, stroke, stroke, stroke.  I can feel this excitement gurgling up within me. This is completely exhilarating. Stroke, stroke, stroke…  I glance over my shoulder, I can see the shoreline zooming past as the scull dances across the water.   Stroke, stroke, stroke…  I am in the midst of a full body rush, tingling is buzzing up through my limbs, gooseflesh creeping up my neck and face.  Forty five minutes later, exhilarated and spent, my body is wringing with the moisture of exertion. I wonder, this feeling, this I’m on top of the world feeling, this I’m unstoppable feeling, is this my ever elusive “runner’s high”?  After the lesson that I received yesterday, today’s session was about putting it all together and applying what I learned.  I know I can do better and I have more to learn, but today, I feel like I took flight.

1supWith the temperatures hovering near one hundred degrees fahrenheit, it became apparent that the only sane place to be was in the river. Earlier this afternoon, (yes, prior to the session in the rowing scull) we hopped on some old windsurfing boards, stand up paddles in hand, and toured along the shore of the Columbia River.  There is a festival happening about 6 miles down river, and as a result, the water surrounding my little town is literally choked with a plethora of motorized water vessels.  Fishing boats, pleasure crafts, jet skis, water skiers, they were all here.  As each boater zoomed past us at breakneck speeds, they left a myriad of large rolling waves in their wake.   It was a challenge to Stand Up Paddle with Friendssay the least, to remain upright while riding out the waves on our small little boards.

I never really noticed stand up paddling until I was visiting Hawaii in 2009.  The best I can ascertain, is that Stand Up Paddling got its start there  (Hawaii) in the 1950’s.  The early paddlers were called, “Beach Boy Surfers” and their entire reason for being on a board with a paddle, was to better be able to photograph surfers doing their thing.   This activity has experienced a huge surge in popularity in the past several years, and again, my research indicates that perhaps this new “SUP” craze began with a period of flat water in Hawaii.  No radical “surfable” waves sent the masses out seeking thrills of a slightly different variety. In which ever way this current craze began, I am loving it!   We paddle on lakes, on rivers, up river against the current, down river and over small rapids, and I have even been known to deploy a few choice yoga moves on my board.   SUP (Stand Up Paddle or Paddling) is great exercise!  It can be relaxing, and at the same time, it is an activity that fully engages every muscle in your body.

Calm after the stormAs if I hadn’t already punished my body enough with the previous two paddling events of the day, we headed out after supper for an evening kayak trip.  The temperature had dropped into the high nineties, and as the wind had picked up, (as it often does here on the Columbia River), when we launched and set out paddling through the rough wind tossed waters, conditions were less than optimal .   The chop on the river when conditions are windy can get pretty intense. Waves were breaking over the bow of our little man powered vessel.  I could hear the kayak slapping the water as we crested and dropped over each wave.  Smack, smack, smack.  Once we had made our way across the river, and beneath the shelter of Dyer Hill, thankfully, the waters calmed.   We were still plagued by the gnat like annoyance of hovering motorboats, whose captains appeared to derive a great level of glee from the prospect of creating a wake large enough to perhaps capsize said stupid kayakers.  Not to be deterred,  we continued paddling down river, and circumnavigated a group of small islands. In the process, we were fortunate to  flush a large and graceful blue heron from the foliage. We made our way back up river against the current, which although the difference in effort expended is not that noticeable, the time elapsed for distance traveled paddling down river versus up river is pretty significant.

1blue heronThe  low angled evening light was shimmering on the surface of the water, casting a lovely glow on the hillside towering above us.   Contented, we began the paddle back across the river toward home.  The recreational motorized vessels were lining up to make port for the evening.  Feeling one last surge of energy, we paddled like maniacs to attempt to “beat” one of said motor boats into the disembarking area.  So intent were we on our effort, that we nearly crashed into shore.

Placing the kayak paddle behind me and using it as  brace to slowly raise myself out of the cockpit, I began to have just an inkling of the muscular impact of my days activity.   As I grasped the front handle of the kayak and began the portage across the boat ramp, there was no doubt;  I had been thoroughly spanked, and I liked it.

New Shoes and Kayak Rolls

Posted by Splashfit on July 12, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments
I just completed a successful roll in the kayak!

I just completed a successful roll in the kayak!

Still on a high from completing my first (Not ONE but TWO) successful rolls in a kayak, I had just pulled into my driveway. I hadn’t even put the car in park yet, when I spied the familiar brown cardboard box sitting on my back porch! New running shoes! They’re here! They’re here!  I ran up the ramp to the porch, scooped up the box, clamored in through the back door, grabbed a knife, (I know they say not to use a knife, but come on, we all do it… right?) and whilst doing an impatient little ‘I have to go potty’ dance, I quickly removed the contents from the box. Did I mention NEW SHOES? When I was a small child, my family did not have a lot of money. My mom was working part-time and my dad was going to school to get his degree. I got maybe one pair of new shoes per year (it may have been more, but that is what I remember). Oh, how I loved my new shoes!!! Always, the first night after being blessed with the shiny little vinyl things, my mom would scold me to take off the shoes and go to bed. I would wait until she left the room, and with all the stealth a five year old could muster, I would sneak out of bed and into the closet, scoop up the new shoes, and climb back up into the bed with my prized possession in tow. Ecstatically happy, I would place them in a place of honor on my pillow. Scarcely believing my good fortune, I would fall asleep, one arm draped over my shoes, with contentment oozing from my little body. It is funny how the happy memories from childhood carry over into my adult life. Although, I drew the line at sleeping with my new kicks last night, I think I will always love new shoes.

The best thing about my new running shoes?  I am actually excited to go running!  Go Me!