Flags

This morning was potentially a red flag day.

And what is a red flag day you might ask?

These are days where you know you are going to be challenged nutrition wise. This morning our work area had organised a Biggest Morning Tea event so there were going to be lots of baked goodies. Ok normally this isn’t an issue for me because I can’t eat most baked items but some people had very graciously baked gluten free items and then informed me of this. That’s right, they were putting the guilts on me because they had spent time and effort baking food with ingredients they don’t normally use so that I could eat them.

There were brownies and Florentines on offer – omg, lots of delicious gooey chocolatey goodness. I love Florentines. And brownies aren’t so bad either. And you should’ve seen the range of other baked goodies set out on the table for morning tea – cup cakes, mini cheesecakes, sausage rolls, croissants, cookies, cake, etc. Actually come to think of it, there were no macarons. Obviously either cup cakes are easier to make than macarons, or macarons are not in favour in our branch.

However, I am happy to report that there was no waving the white flag and surrendering to these calorie-laden, artery clogging, oh so chocolatey, delicious looking delights. In fact, I wasn’t even tempted. As I said, if it’s not on my program I aint eating it. I’ll donate money (which I did given it was a fundraising venture) but I didn’t have any brownies or Florentines. Not a crumb. I have to say, letting people know that I’m following the program has made it easier for me to stick to it because I have made the commitment out loud. Everyone knows about it, not just me. I can’t sneak in non-Mish-approved snacks because people know what I’m doing.

Instead I had my natural yoghurt with mixed berries, which is one of my favourite snacks. Chobani natural yoghurt is delicious. I love a thick, dollopy yoghurt and this yoghurt ticks all of the boxes for thickness and dollopiness. However, I don’t like their fruit flavours – these are much too sweet and the yoghurt is not as thick so I prefer to have the no fat natural yoghurt and add my own fruit or flavourings. At least then I know what’s in it and I’m not adding more sugar than I need.

And there was no flagging at the gym this morning either, even though I’m really only doing half a workout.

There was the warm up on the treadmill before doing assisted chin ups. I thought I had selected the correct weight but when I got up and grabbed the handles I damn near killed myself. Waaaay too heavy. Get off, add some more weight (the more weight added, the easier it becomes – the reverse of most machines), get back up and damn, still too heavy. I know it’s been a while since I’ve used this machine but surely I haven’t lost that much strength. And I’m not that heavy. Really. So get off, add more weight…and then I looked more closely at which weight I had selected. No wonder I was struggling – I had gone a lot lighter than I thought which meant I was pulling up more of my own body weight – I really must wear my glasses! Once that was sorted I managed to complete the exercise.

There were more exercises but no dramas. Then another 5 mins on the treadmill followed by 5 min on the arm crank thingo. I’m so not rapt in this cardio machine – it is boring, boring, boring. But I have very few cardio options at the moment so I have to suck it up and use it. BUT only 5mins at a time – I cannot do more than this without screaming from sheer boredom.

The push up challenge continues. 200 down, 100 to go

Weighing up my options

Week #2, day #2.

That must mean its weights day in the gym. I’m feeling the effects of yesterday’s 50 push ups and the swim-with-pull-buoy session and now I’m going to add to it with an upper body weights session. I have this vision of morphing into the Incredible Hulk in the upper body with puny legs!

Discovered, when I got to the gym, that I was wearing the heart rate monitor strap for the wrong watch. Fail! I found myself automatically heading to the cross trainer for my warm up before stopping myself. Uh huh, no can do. So it was a 5 min gentle walk on the treadmill followed by 5 min on the upper body ergometer aka the arm crank machine. This is a very deceptive machine. It looks easy. You stand and pedal with your arms, end of story. Resistance can be varied. I thought the treadmill was boring – this machine tops that. Five minutes on this machine feels like an eternity and its hard work. Yes, I admit, I turned the resistance down…and down…and down. Five minutes is my limit – both in endurance and boredom tolerance level.

Much as I wanted to use the leg press, or do squats and lunges I stayed well away from this part of the gym. Instead what followed was a circuit of lat pulldown, cable rows, chest press, shoulder press, barbell curls and tricep dips. And another 25 pushups – in public this time. It didn’t help my technique any but I was conscious of not face planting, as my arms were feeling very jelly-like by now. (another 25 push ups done after work). Only 200 push ups to go!

It will be interesting to see whether I can even move my upper body tomorrow, let alone swim!

A tale of two posts

Amazing how things can change in a day, in fact in less than 12 hours. So what follows are “before” and “after” posts.

Post 1: Getting my s*** together

6.05am: weights session + abs
Time: 54.28min
AHR: 104; MHR: 221 (HRM is playing up)
Cals: 132

I didn’t need an alarm clock this morning. Around 4am I stretched out my left leg and…*wham*…cramp attack! Holy crap, that’s a horrible way to be woken. It is the most painful thing – the intense cramping pain that just seems to go on and on and on.

However I didn’t get up at that hour – even I draw the line there. That is just way too early. Instead after a fortifying coffee brought in by Mr CJ before he headed off to work, I eventually got up around 5.35am. Plenty of time, she says. The gym doesn’t open until 6am, she says. Except I couldn’t find my weight gloves. No worries, cycle gloves will do. Membership card? I know it’s around here somewhere as I rummage through my gym bag. HRM? I only wore it yesterday so it must be here…or in the bathroom…or spare room…or??!! Shower stuff? I am having a shower at the gym after my session. @#$%^! Why didn’t I pack last night?

Mad dash to the car, throw bags in, start the engine, switch on the wipers. S…c…r…a…p…e. S…c…r…a…p…e. @#$%^! I need to scrape off the ice. Dash back indoors for a jug of warm water to pour over windscreen.

In the gym car park. I’m only a few minutes late. Halfway across the car park to the front doors and I realise I am missing my gym bag. It’s still in the car. Backtrack to collect it.

It’s been around 6 months since I’ve set foot in the gym. But it may as well have been 6 years. I had no routine however I did have my workout session plan. I spotted a few familiar faces. What really surprised me was how quiet it was.

Machines had been moved around so I spent some time searching for both the leg extension and hamstring curl machines. I am starting on the lightest weights as I really do want to be able to move tomorrow. On some machines this was okay – the lat pulldown and chest press weights could probably be increased next time but I had to keep checking the weight on the shoulder press machine. Damn, I was convinced it was heavier than…10kg! Actually even the leg extension and hamstring curl machine weights felt a lot heavier than what they actually were – and they were on the lightest setting. Oh well, can’t go setting the benchmark too high too early!

Nearing the end of the workout my tummy rumbles were becoming rather audible. I was starving! I needed input! However there was still the 5 min final blast, ab exercises and shower before I could even think about having breakfast.

Then before leaving for work I had to pack my running bag for the SG session at Dickson oval. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, it’s a double whammy today – weights in the morning and running after work. Thursday will be the same. Awesome.

Food-wise I have no complaints except I can’t randomly pick at food when bored, tired, stressed, while preparing meals, whenever. This is one of my worst habits and the hardest to break. However so far, so good. Breakfast this morning was Bircher muesli and it was both delicious and filling. Bonus! Lunch was chicken noodle soup, very fitting for this chilly weather.

And I really love the 12WBT app on my phone – it includes a food diary, plus it has my weekly program (food and exercise) if I need to refer to it eg when at the gym trying to figure out how exactly I’m supposed to do a certain exercise without looking a complete dunce.

The take home message for me today? Pack my gear the night before!

Post 2: I cried

5.31pm: SG session at Dickson oval
Distance: 5.2km
Pace: 6.42min/km
Cals: 306

I went to the SG session at Dickson oval after work. It had been a chilly day and certainly hadn’t got any warmer as the day wore on. So it was on with layers, tights and gloves for tonight’s session. I was feeling hungry and tired as my last meal was lunchtime. Work conspired against me to ensure I never got around to having afternoon tea (which I might add is highly unusual for me). I had a nagging headache that just wouldn’t go away.

After a warm up we did 2 x 10min continuous 100m intervals, with half of us up one end and the other half of the group down the other end, with each runner handing over a baton after running the 100m.

It was the final 100m. And then it happened. About 10m before the end of the run I felt that horrible popping sensation at the very top of my L hamstring, similar to what I felt 2 years ago when I tore my R hamstring. #%^*+! I couldn’t run after that as it hurt to put weight on that leg.
It hurts when I sit.
It hurts when I bend over.
It just plain hurts.
And driving home I cried. Tears of frustration because its like, here we go again.
If I’d had a block of chocolate in the house I would’ve devoured it. Not that it would’ve helped nor would it have made me feel better.

Today’s gripe

It’s summer and we have daylight savings. At 7.30am there are lots of people, of all ages, walking, running or cycling around the lake. And yet, there are no public toilets open. All of the toilet blocks have their metal bar doors firmly shut and locked. What good is that? All I can say is thank goodness for the shopping centre nearby, because that’s where I had to head this morning for an unscheduled pit stop.

I still can’t believe that at 7.30am there are no accessible public toilets around the lake.

Gripe over

So, as you’ve probably gathered, I ran this morning! 22km in fact, down to the lake,  around the lake and then home again. It was a pleasant morning which I probably more fully appreciated after the unscheduled pit stop! And I wasn’t the only one out enjoying the morning – it was quite busy around the lake today. They were setting up for the park run as I ran past.  I’ve been thinking I might do the park run at Albert Park while I’m in Melbourne next week. I’ve registered and have my barcode and it would be something different.

This morning’s 22km run is the longest run I’ve done since the Port Mac IM 70.3, in late October. Its onwards and upwards now that I’m in marathon training mode.

“Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. You do what you want, what you love. Imagination should be the center of your life.” ― Ray Bradbury

Its starting to look a lot like Christmas

Well, at work anyway – we still have a way to go at home. Work colleagues in my area had set up and decorated the Christmas tree and have hung tinsel and baubles around our bay. It was also a Christmassy afternoon tea today as it was the last day that all of us would be together  until after Christmas. Hence why I was baking blueberry brownies last night. Others had done the same so there was blueberry cheesecake (mmm I love cheesecake), peppermint slice, dips and chips and other nibblies. Our boss had bought us each a small gift which was sweet of her. I do seem to have this reputation for chocolate (I have no idea where they get that idea!!!) and received two blocks of 70% dark chocolate plus a bag of chocolate eggs.

Fortunately I had an hour of intervals on the bike after work so I definitely worked off some of that afternoon tea! And this morning I had a weights session at the gym.

Tomorrow: the plan is to swim before work and then run at lunchtime. The weather forecast is for mild weather before it starts heating up again by the end of the week.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Ghandi

The heat is on

29 Nov 2012_Luna park entrance, St Kilda

It was hot sweaty work doing my bike session this afternoon. It involved increasing intensity and resistance every 5 minutes for 20 minutes, then the next 2 minutes were at a high resistance and low RPM, followed by an 8 minute cool down. Not exactly what you want to be doing when its 30+ degree celsius outside. It would have been so easy to skip the session tonight but it got done.

This morning it was another weights session in a very quiet gym. Maybe everyone has started holidays early this year?!!

Tomorrow its forecast to be 36 degrees celsius so another hot day. It’s the departmental Xmas party lunch tomorrow and the theme is Sideshow Alley. Our team is going as the ‘Sitting Ducks’ (ie target practice) which pretty much describes how we feel in the current environment! However I will be leaving early as I have a hairdressers appointment – yay!

Tomorrow: the plan is to do a swim session of 1.8km. I may appreciate this session if it doesn’t cool down overnight.

“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” ~Thomas Edison

More of the same

A mostly unremarkable day except I did have lunch with best buddy Ruth, so at least I had something to look forward to. Otherwise it was just another weights session at the gym this morning and then a short intervals session on the bike after work.  This involved 10 x 20 sec sprints followed by 1:40 min easy spin after each sprint. Sounds easy until you do it and then those sprints begin to hurt! 20 seconds may not sound long but when you’re sprinting it seems to take forever!

Tomorrow: the plan is another swim session and a run at lunchtime.

“Training is a case of stress management. Stress and rest, stress and rest.” – Brooks Johnson, head coach of the 1984 Olympic women’s track and field team

Summer days……..are coming

It’s day 2 of attempting to go with the flow and so far I haven’t managed to morph into a stress bunny. I wouldn’t say that I have this zen-like state down pat yet either but I’m working on it  I have a feeling this will be a long-term work in progress.

It was really quiet in the gym this morning. Every other year at this time people are pumped and trying to get their bodies into tip top shape before Christmas. So have they given up this year? It would appear so going by the dwindling numbers. Or maybe they are opting for a sleep in and going later in the day.

Went for a wander around the ANU grounds after lunch today. It was a lovely day to be outside enjoying the sunshine (it finally feels like summer is on its way) and it was a shame to have to go back indoors and back to a computer for the rest of the afternoon. Oh well, 5 weeks until Christmas leave begins

Tonight I did a short 30 min session on the wind trainer – 1.30 min hard (1.30 min easy) x 5 with a warm up and cool down. This was followed by Thai fish cakes with a beansprout, cucumber and carrot salad for dinner.

Tomorrow: the plan is to swim (1.2km) in the morning and then go for a run at lunchtime. I think it’s forecast to be 27 degrees tomorrow so it could be a warm run.

“Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein

Klutziness

I had a really bad case of klutziness today (I don’t know if there is such a word but I’m using it anyway!). Everything I touched I either dropped or knocked over, or things didn’t work; and I tripped, slipped and walked into things. I was truly a klutz today.

I did another weights session at the gym this morning – again it was quiet in the weights room. So it meant I didn’t have to wait to use particular machines or benches – always a bonus. There was a brief face-off regarding a squat rack. I had set up my light-ish weights on the bar, my stuff was sitting next to the rack, and I was returning with a barbell for the bent-over rows exercise I would be doing as part of a superset with squats, when 2 beefy guys had shown up and started rearranging my weights. They just assumed they could walk in and use the squat rack, disregarding the fact that someone’s stuff was sitting there. I rocked up with my barbell and informed them that I was using the squat rack and stood my ground. He started to say something, then shrugged his shoulders and then moved off to the other, free, rack……but not before removing the bar brackets and taking them with him….without asking whether I needed them. And no, I didn’t need them but he could’ve at least asked. What an arrogant s***. People like that give gyms a bad name. The important thing, though, is not to let them intimidate you.

I’m also experiencing some DOMS today as a result of Tuesday’s gym session. Which is a positive sign – it means my workout was effective. There is a difference between DOMS and pain that indicates potential injury. One indicates that strength and growth will occur (as a result of the overload response), the other indicates something is wrong and should be investigated.

And it’s all becoming a little deja vu-ish at work which is scary – it’s starting to feel very much like March all over again, when I was working 11-12 hours a day on urgent stuff.

Tomorrow: the plan is to swim before breakfast. Then I’m meeting a friend for lunch at one of my favourite cafes – Two Before Ten cafe. At least I have something to look forward to!

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” ― Shel Silverstein

Return to the gym

Was woken by a leg cramp rather than the alarm again this morning and I know which I’d rather prefer

It was quiet at the gym. It feels like a lifetime since I’ve been to the gym but it’s actually only about a month, if that. In that time however they have installed a self scanning (by card) entrance into the gym section. You scan your card and wait for the gate to open to let you through. Well I did that…at least I thought I did that but found the gates closing on me as I tried getting through. It seems that I need to wait a nanosecond or two between scanning and walking. Who knew getting in to the gym could be so technical!

I also revisited the rower – my nemesis. I really don’t like this machine but I have to admit it is good for overall fitness and upper body strength. So I put aside my prejudices and spent the next 5 minutes doing my warm up on this machine. Granted it wasn’t so bad so I may do this again.

Then after work I did a short intervals session on the bike – 10 x 1min hard (1 min easy), with a warm up and cool down. Thirty minutes later and I was done for the day.

Tomorrow: the plan is to swim before work and then venture out for a run at lunchtime, weather and work permitting.

“Life is short…running makes it seem longer.” – Baron Hansen, British business tycoon