Boot Camp Hero

So I've been (pathetically and half heartedly) attempting to lose the extra weight that I put on after my hip flexor injury, for the past two years. This year was a waste because I didn't have the time to train like I needed to and I didn't have the extra cash to pay for the races I wanted to do so instead I was a real trooper and did........nothing. :(

I've lost about 8-9 pounds since July which isn't very much but good enough since I haven't been as dedicated as I should be. My buddy IronG introduced me to Tracy Anderson and I totally was diggin it and will say the my month long three-four sessions per week along with a little bit of diet changes really helped with the loss of those 8-9 pounds. However, with my new job, longer hours, darkness arriving early and longer drive time I've found every excuse in the book to NOT workout during the week. So when G showed up with this NEW thing she was doing and it had a deal with it I was game.

It just helps me more when I'm paying to be somewhere and have that blocked out on my schedule. I'm totally a routine kind of person and need the accountability of being in a class or working out with other people to keep me motivated. Desire is not my problem, its the need to be everything to everyone else but myself and this fear that if I'm not then somehow I'm a bad person or not enough or not worth the love that I get back. And while it's REALLY REALLY hard, I've drawn the line and waived the white flag and am committed to committing to myself.

I love triathlon and the friends that I've made through it and all that comes with it but most of all I love how I feel when I finish a race. I love that feeling that I've accomplished something, something challenging and hard and I did it! Me, me who has always been the shortest girl on the team or never quite fast enough or never quite strong enough. Triathlon gives me an opportunity to push myself against myself and I don't have to measure up against other people if I don't want to. And it is for that reason that I'm committed to making my 'off-season' something productive so that I can be part of something that I love again.

I signed up for a cycling clinic every other Sunday for two hours from January to May. But I still need more before I get to January so I can cycle for two hours and not die. I also am sick of looking at a closet full of clothes that don't fit and feeling like I need to hide inside a big sweater. SO.OVER.IT!

Last night was my first Boot Camp at Cleveland Fitness Boot Camp. I did pilates from 6-6:45pm and then headed over to the boot camp facilities. Nervous and excited at the same time. It was that first day of school feeling. It was a great work out and challenging and fast paced which I loved. One thing that was shocking to me was that I did MUCH better than I thought I would. Now this is not to at all indicate that this workout was wimpy or that I flaked out cuz I didn't. In fact my classmates were surprised to find out that last night was my first class. I was able to hang with the peeps that have been doing this for a few months and that made me feel good. When I finished every muscle in my body was dead. It wasn't even that I was sore, my muscles were tired - really tired. And today, not so sore but still tired. I'm sure that tomorrow morning will be a different story but tomorrow is my second night of boot camp. Right now I'm in and love it!

Day 1: I think I might throw up....

So today was Day 1 of my 30 day Tracy Anderson Challenge! I was going to start on October 1st but I didn't get up early enough which was good because, J and I went to Red Robin for dinner last night. Yum is all I have to say about that!

Getting back to business! I've read through most of the book and decided it was time to begin the supposed torture. Let me say that my trepidation is not unfounded as she writes this about what to expect from the first few days:

"Be prepared: The first and second days of Sequence 1, you can expect to feel almost like you have the flu. It won't be the usual kind of area-specific soreness, like "My abs are really feeling it," or "My arms are really sore." It's an all-over-tired feeling." pg 65

Hmm, doesn't that just make you sooo want to start this program! :)

So I began with the mat workout and was shocked not only at how much it hurt but my response to it. I had watched all of the moves on Thursday and while I thought that they seemed a bit challenging I didn't feel the same when I was doing them. I basically thought that Tracy was NUTS! Seriously, I was supposed to do 20 reps of each movement and was LUCKY to get those in. I really had to push on a few of the movements. So just when I thought it couldn't get worse, the arm segment came. Now I consider myself to relatively strong. I'm not going to win any strongman competitions but I can lift a decent amount of weight. Holy shit! I was lucky to get 10 reps in for each of the movements. By the time my 30 or so minutes was over and I had completed all of the movements I seriously thought I was going to throw up. I've only felt that before on the bike when it's a super hot and humid day and I'm working my butt off.

The second requirement is the CARDIO! This was initially what I was worried about and it turned out so much better than I had thought it would. I have decided to follow the moderate workout plan and in that the first few days you don't do the full routine for the cardio. You step touch the movements and can't jump. It was hard because the cardio part was alot of fun and I wanted to jump around like a freak, just like Tracy was doing. I completed my 40 minutes of cardio and headed for the shower.

Overall, I thought it was challenging and a good workout that I enjoyed except for the parts when I thought my muscles were going to break like a rubber band stretched too far!

Tomorrow: repeat of today!

Special Delivery!

Today when I got home from work this was in my mailbox:

This was inside the envelope:

I'm super excited and ready to begin! Wish me luck......with Tracy Anderson, I think I'm gonna need it!

2009 Races and Goals

I began my race schedule yesterday and while I'm sure it is going to change because life happens that way, I'm pretty happy so far with what I've set up! Here is the schedule, with the possibility to change:

• Buzzard Bi - April
• Silver Springs Bi - May
• Blossom Time 5 miler - May
• NEO Tri Kickoff - June
• Sunday in June Ride - June
• SummiTri - June
• She Rocks Tri - June (maybe)
  
• Lighthouse Tri - July
• Bright Side of the Road - August
• GCT Sprint - August
• Vermilion Harbor Tri - August
• Portage Lakes Tri - September
• Cleveland Race for the Cure 5K - September
• Pigskin Classic 5K - November
• Reindeer Run 5K - December
• The Great New Year's Eve Run 5K - December

It kinda stinks that the swim got cut last year from the GCT because I'm revisiting two tris of my three last year and I would love to be able to compare my times and see if I've improved. I also decided that I'm going to shoot for 5 tris this year, that way I have a better chance of actually getting to complete more tris with swims. ;)

Here are some of my goals:

1. Get a 10K under my belt - one that I get to finish!
I would really like to do the Dirty Dog again but I feel like I need a 10K finished first and one that is easier than the DD. So I'm shooting for the Towpath 10K in October. I love the Towpath and I know it is going to be a very nice run with awesome scenery! Then I can try the Dirty Dog again in 2010 with my ladies and tear it up out there!

2. Swim, Bike, RUN
I did 3 tris in 2008 and I was never able to completely run the run. I always did intervals or walked at quick pace. I was just always so slow and when I would time my pace I realized that I could walk as fast as I was running so I walked. This year I really want to run at least one of the 5Ks at the end of my tris.

3.Get the excess off!
As you all know, I was diagnosed with PCOS in the Spring of 2007. It came after some serious and quick weight gain that didn't seem to be impacted by what I was eating or my level of exercise. I worked hard over 2007 and was able to lose about 20 pounds of the weight. After my stupid hip flexor injury in February of 2008, I wasn't able to run at all or even swim (for more than 30-45mins) until about May and the weight started to creep back up. So this year, I'm hoping I can put a dent in the number on the scale and at least get half of the excess off. I would love to get it all off! But I also want to set realistic goals and not put myself in a position to be disappointed. Although silently I'm rooting for more! ;)

While, three goals might not seem like alot, I think they are good solid goals to start with and very within my reach! Plus, these all fall into my overarching goal of taking better care of myself (i.e. going to bed early, eating better, getting my workouts in no matter what the house looks like, etc.)

So bloggy friends, what does your 2009 look like? What are you hoping to achieve???