Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Oooooh...so sore

Okay, back at it. Making this short and sweet. Let's just say...I remember what being 'in the thick of it' feels like. Although, the difference between this year and last is that I never lifted weights last year. I really think it's making a huge difference in my training and my overall strength. Christine said today that she noticed changes in my arms! Hooray for that. I have to admit that there is a small bit of vanity that comes with this whole thing, but really, how can it not?

So here's the summary from last week:

Thursday 4/6: Slept in. It's really hard to get up when it's not your own familiar environs...

Friday, 4/7: Was supposed to swim...but I was staying at Kim's for my last night of cat-sitting, and just overslept. Let me make this clear right now: it takes 3 alarms to get me out of bed. So at Kim's, I only had my phone alarm plus radio, which was within reach to turn off. At home, I have my radio clock clear across the room; the cell phone alarm is on my desk which is still enough distance away that I have to get out of bed from underneath my covers to shut it off (it does NOT shut off by itself - it will keep going); then the alarm next to my bed. The radio goes off first (usually NPR - classical will put me back to sleep); cell phone about 4-5 minutes after; another cell phone alarm 3 minutes after that; and finally, little clock next to my bed JUST IN CASE I haven't already gotten up. So for all those people who think I just bounce out of bed upon waking...I don't. It's a long and painful process that I've spent months perfecting and even now, it's still not completely foolproof.

But I digress - so I overslept. Fine, whatever. Couldn't go swimming after work b/c it was First Friday, which is our girls' night (first Friday of every month!) and I had to feed the cat, change the sheets for when Kim returned, and pick up some food to bring to our get-together.

Saturday, 4/8: Swam at 9:00 a.m. practice, felt great! I swam 1:30 again, but really stayed on that pace and it just felt phenomenal. At 1:00 p.m., with my new running shoes that I bought just moments before, I met up with Kendall and ran around Lake Merritt. We did a nice easy pace that felt good, and I think it ended up being about 30 minutes or so. That night I definitely felt it from the swimming, which just reaffirms that I really need to swim more often.

Sunday, 4/9: Lifted weights focusing on arms at 9:00 a.m.; went to 10:15 a.m. spinning class; ran for 25 minutes after spinning. Phew!! The running was good, and it was nice to do a little brick post crazy-intense spinning! The spinning class was awesome, and the woman who teaches it, Christine (not same Christine who I lift with) is an EXCELLENT instructor. Sunday night, arms SO SORE.

Monday, 4/10: Went swimming at 8:15 a.m. Arms...hurt...pain...ohhhh, it hurt. My arms were screaming in the beginning but I was able to get a pace going where it didn't feel so bad. Nice to be in the pool as usual, though.

Tuesday, 4/11: Met up with Christine at 6:10 a.m., lifted weights and focused on chest with some ab work in between. I bench-pressed 45 lbs! Okay, so some people can lift their weight or some craziness like that. But I've always had weak upper-body strength so it's just exciting for me. Christine is really great in that she pushes me - she'll say "you can do more than that, come on." It's great. Then I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes while she stretched out her legs on the recumbent bike; after that we jogged outside for another 25 minutes. Good stuff!

So where am I now?

Arms are still SO sore. I felt so stiff running, too. Tonight I really ought to focus on stretching it all out. That would be good.

Here's the plan for the rest of the week:

Wednesday, 4/12: Swim in the a.m.; no evening workout b/c I'll be attending a Passover Seder!

Thursday, 4/13: Lift/spin in the a.m., again no evening workout

Friday, 4/14: Swim in the a.m.; light run after work

Saturday, 4/15: Hopefully a nice long bike ride? Maybe a short run after? Otherwise swim/run.

I think that's it for now. I should really rest one of those days...rest is my friend. That should be my new mantra - "rest is my friend. rest is my friend." *rolling my eyes* I'll learn one of these days, really. This is all at once the most gratifying and frustrating sport around. I feel so healthy, so strong, so ready to get out there and show my stuff. And yet...I feel like I should be getting more swimming in - swimming is slightly suffering. I should be running longer runs. Cycling...I'd love to be logging more miles outside on the bike if the weather would cooperate, but I feel mostly good about that.

Anyway, Wildflower is 3.5 weeks away and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!! ooooh...I really ought to refrain from such sudden movements...

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