Mutiny!

This message brought to you by my calves!

Looks like trail running involves flexing said calves a lot more than walking does.  So between tight calves and an upset tummy, I’m skipping the trail run for today.  I will, however, be going to the gym in a little while.  I can’t slack on my cardio at all.  I need to get to 50% running/50% walking (and that’s on courses 1/3 the length I’m training for) before New Years if I stand a chance of doing more than slogging my way through Hell Run!  Of course, will all that mud I’ll probably be slogging anyway!  lol!!!

I am woman, hear me roar!!!

Finding Gym Motivation

The fact that I have this blog in the first place should be a really big clue that I really don’t naturally have the motivation to go to the gym and work out.  When I was being hard wired, the physical activity chip never got connected.  So it would probably be a fair statement to say that I can be self conscience at the gym.

At my gym we have the handful of people that come in looking ready to don their red, white, and blue spandex and go American Gladiator on anybody who looks at them hard.  (Actually, they all seem very nice and are always smiling and chatting with someone – I still find them scary.)  I don’t know about anyone else, but I find these folks to be a demotivator rather than something to keep me going.

You see, as much as I shun much of the “instant gratification” mind set that is so prominent these days, if I don’t look like I should be in those red, white, and blue spandex after 3 workouts I get discouraged.  Yes, I tell myself it takes longer, I have further to go blah, blah, blah…  When I’m ready for results I want them now!  Dammit!

So my suggestion for all of our American Gladiator-esque type folks out there…  to help encourage us cream-puffs, maybe you could wear a badge with your “before” picture.  Perhaps if it’s a dramatic difference from your current shape you could add just how long it took to go from flab to fab!

Just sayin’…

Training Day 1

And so it begins.  I’m actually volunteering myself for (and kind of looking forward to) running and obstacle training.  We’re going to be going to various parks around town and running/jogging/walking the paths.

Today we estimated that we did about a mile through the trails.  I did more walking than running, but you gotta start somewhere, right?  Actually, there were a couple times I was ready to pick up the speed again but didn’t get to because my son had worn himself out and needed to walk. 

At the end of the trail we had about 25 yards to go to the car, so I challenged my 4 year old ball of energy of a son to a race to the car.  I expected to lose that particular race knowing just exactly how fast my son can run, and knowing that I’ve just never been a runner.  I didn’t win, but the amazing thing was that I kept up with him the whole time!  He was only about a foot in front of me when we finished!

Over all, it was an encouraging experience.  Next week, when hubby gets paid,  we’re going to pick out our Christmas gifts for each other…  Vibram Five Fingers!  The next best thing to barefoot running.

Tomorrow we’re going to another park.  Hopefully I’ll narrow that running/walking ratio!

If Necessity is the Mother of Invention…

…then misery is the mother of change! 

I got up this morning, got on the scale and it’d barely budged.  Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly happy.  l was dejected, disappointed and my self esteem had gotten off the scale and headed out the door in a flash.

Thank God for my wonderful husband!  He’s so supportive and hates to see me upset.  So we sat down and talked and figured out a way for us both to be able to make it to the gym 3 days a week (he wans to start training for next year’s Warrior Dash – http://www.warriordash.com/).  In the past we’ve always gone to the gym together, but that’s just not going to happen for us right now.  So I’ll go while he picks up the kids, then he’ll go and I’ll start dinner.

Next step is to stick to it!  Bonus: I’ll finally make that extra workout day I’ve been trying to get in for the last month!  =)