Excuses, Excuses

I've always been really good at coming up with plans and terrible on the follow through. I can come up with a million reasons why I am not doing something that I should be doing. I may eventually do it. Or I may not. It sort of depends on how important it is.

Well I had a training week like that last week. The week started off hotter than heck. I kept telling myself I didn't want to work out in this heat. Which is a valid excuse except that I work out at the gym and some of my work out involves swimming in a pool. But that excuse lasted three days.

Then I got a head cold, nothing terrible, just annoying. I could have used the sneezing, congestion and cough as a totally valid excuse not to work out. But I felt guilty from missing three days so I actually worked out through the cold.

I got all of my bike and run work outs in and felt pretty good about them. I still have to walk during my runs but the running parts are longer and the walking parts are fewer. If I keep this up, I should be able to run two miles without stopping very soon (I can almost make it a mile now).

But the swim did not go well. In fact I only made one of the three scheduled work outs. For some reason, I figured that getting in a pool with a cold probably wasn't the best idea. Maybe it was, mabye it wasn't. Maybe I'm just lazy, who knows.

So I really need to get my act togther this week and get back on track. I don't want next Monday's post to be filled with anymore excuses.

Week One - I Survived

Well I successfully survived my first week of training for my triathalon.

I swam for 48 minutes total. Swimming is my weakest event. I haven't really done any swimming since I was a kid so I am focusing here. I am swimming three times a week.

I biked for a total of 1 hour and 4 minutes, which covered a 24 minute short and a 40 minute long ride. During the long ride I managed to cover the actual distance of 13 miles so that is good. I need to get my bike tuned up (it currently has two flat tires and other undiscovered ailments) so I've been using the stationary bike at the club. I know biking on a stationary bike is different than on a real one so we will see how I feel when I get outside.

Finally I ran for 30 minutes. I actually messed up on my times and was short by 2 minutes. I'm going to let that slide this time.

All in all I feel great. I am planning on adding in strength training and yoga to compliment the training but I am not going to over do it. I feel good and I'd like to continue to feel good, I don't want to injure myself during this process.

Kick Me, Please

This a post requesting that you all kick me in the ass when needed.

Why? Who asks people to kick them in the rear?

Well, inspired by Christy from A Lil' Welsh Rarebit I have decided to train for a triathalon (its a sprint not a full distance, I'm not that nuts, yet). Now I am sure that some of you who know me are thinking that I have completely lost it and maybe I have. I know I'm the world champion of coming up with ideas, I just suck at actually following through on them.

But I have actually thought about this. I've always wanted to do a triathalon. I want and need to get myself back into shape. And I'm going to be 40 this year. All of these things have conspired to make me actually train for this thing. I have a 16 week plan with swimming, biking and running all laid out for me. I'm meeting with a personal trainer to work on my swim stroke. I'm going to get my bike out of mothballs and actually ride it.

In short I am going to do this. I really really am. The race is on September 27th, one day before my birthday on the 28th. I can't imagine a better way to enter my 40s.

So every Sunday night (or Monday morning) I'll let you know how I've done on the training for the previous week. And here is where the ass kicking comes in, if I start to slack off, you have my permission to virtually kick my butt to get me back in gear. Really, please feel free, I have a feeling that I may need it.

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And speaking of the wonderful and fabulous Christy, she is having a giveaway on her site. She is giving away some fabulous things including a personalized monogramed necklace from Tags-n-Stones, a $25 gift certificate to Dali Decals for some really cool wall art, and finally a $25 gift certificate to Ecostore USA which has some great eco-friendly cleaning products.

So please visit Christy, check out the great giveaways and check out her wonderful blog. I am sure you will love her as much as I do.

The Littlest Trainer

In my quest to lose a few pounds, I've actually started working out. Right now the weather is a bit to cold to exercise outside a lot (well you could but I'm a whimp and I don't like it cold). And Bunny really doesn't dig the gym daycare, in fact she hates it. So I've been doing exercise videos.

I (along with a millionty other bloggers) have started the 30 Day Shred with Jillian from the Biggest Loser. I love that show. It always made me feel better about myself, even if I was drinking a glass of wine or eating a brownie while watching it. I figure if I were ever on the show, I would want Jillian as my trainer. She's crazy when it comes to work outs. Bob, on the other hand, is nice and everyone loves him. But I would rather have a trainer I hate who is willing to kick or beat my ass in the gym until it falls off or shrinks in size. So Jillian it is.

I used to "do" workout videos before but I would always try to squeeze them in at nap time. But with the potential for no nap or the need to clean or sleep during nap time, I never really got anything done. So this time around I decided to do them in the morning with Bunny around.

I try to occupy her with paints, crayons or toys. Most of the time it works but sometimes she likes to sit and watch me exercise. But today, she decided to join in. When it was time to lift weights, she grabbed one of her cardboard blocks and mirrored my movements. During cardio she hopped around flailing her arms in what I am sure was a spot on impersonation of me. She even joined me in doing squat thrusts (which by the way are a form of torture that I thought I'd left behind in gym class, holy crow they suck). During ab work she literally tried to push me off the mat because it was her turn. "I want the green mat momma, its comfy."

She of course thought the whole exercise things was utterly hilarious. Me? I was panting and wheezing (today was my second day on level two which is much harder). If I wanted to take a break she would say "Don't rest momma, its not so bad." Maybe not for you and your cute three year old tushie but for me and my 39 year old butt its hard as heck.

But its a good thing. I've got Jillian yelling from the TV and Bunny pushing me from the sidelines, with trainers like that you can't go wrong.

Gasp, Pant, Pant, Gasp

Well I finished the 5k in 37 minutes. Its better than I was hoping for so I am really proud.

I'm going to go pass out now.