Brick Trainings

This week I've begun doing my triathlon brick trainings. Bricks are when you do back-to-back trainings, such as swim and bike, or bike and run. The combos are prepping your body to be able to do quick transitions from one sport to another, just as you have to do during a triathlon.

I've already been doing my own version of bricks leading up to this week. One example: on Tuesdays I attend a Groove dance class (think Zumba with a greater variety of music and more free-form dance moves). For the past two months I've been walking the four-mile round trip. A couple of weeks ago I upped the effort and did a run/walk combo to and fro. It's a hilly trek, both ways (!) so I definitely got a good cardio workout that day!

Now I really need to focus on triathlon-specific trainings - it's only 7 weeks away!

I'm following the training plan I got from Iron Girl much more closely. Before I was doing endurance training - just making sure that I could do each sport for the triathlon distance within the triathlon time. I can. Now it's time to team up the sports with transition workouts (bricks). Eventually (3 weeks before the triathlon) I will do a mock-triathlon or practice race. All of my trainings now are leading up to the practice race. Then it's maintenance mode - keeping that level of fitness so that I can perform safely and thoroughly at the Real Race. Big reminder: I'm in it to complete, not compete. I want to enjoy this challenge and the journey leading up to it.

One of the cool things about this training plan, which was created by Coach Troy Jacobson, is that the workout intensity changes day to day. Sometimes I am training in the Blue Zone (60-70% of my max heart rate) for recovery workouts, fat burning, and endurance building; sometimes the Gray Zone (70-80%) for improving my cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and endurance; and sometimes the Red Zone (>80%) for interval training and maximum speed development.

Changing it up - via the sport or the intensity - keeps me focused and engaged the entire time I'm training. There is no drifting off into auto-pilot. I'm paying attention to my surroundings, my body, and my needs, which keeps my safe and healthy.

Training bricks are the pathway to better fitness!

Staying Fit Even After Being Diagnosed with Cancer

Hi, Everyone,

Today I'm featuring an article by David Haas, Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Guest Blogger. Please check out the links for more detailed information.

Staying Fit Even After Being Diagnosed with Cancer

The diagnosis that you have cancer may be a very stressful thing to hear and
going through treatment could be a long road of recovery with many ups and
downs. However, it doesn’t matter whether you are dealing with skin cancer
or the rare cancers such as mesothelioma, the treatment process in almost all
cancer cases is very aggressive and can take a serious toll on your body.

You have to maintain a positive mental attitude in order to survive the cancer
treatment process. Patients diagnosed with cancer run a much greater risk of
getting depressed; however, the Center for Disease Control has mentioned the
ability of exercise to improve your mood. With a positive mental attitude, the
chances of getting depressed due to cancer treatments are almost non-existent.

Cancer is arguably the most studied disease that plagues the human race. A
lot of studies have been conducted to determine whether physical exercise has
any effects on the disease. Research is still ongoing to determine how exercise
affects common forms of cancer as well as rare ones such as mesothelioma.
Many studies suggest that physical activity leads to a reduced risk of contracting
breast and colon cancers. There is also an indication that it reduces chances of
endometrial and prostate cancer.

Fatigue can be a really hard thing for cancer patients to shake while they are
undergoing treatment and fighting back the disease. To be precise, doctors say
that in most cases, sleeping isn’t enough to get rid of cancer-related fatigue.
They recommend that an active lifestyle be adopted to deal with this particular
loss of energy. This is because engaging in physical exercise encourages your
body to constantly produce a higher amount of energy.

Physical activity is known to help people to improve energy balance, reduce
fatigue, and improve quality of life. This is especially important to cancer patients
since being physically active gives them a better sense of well-being. Developing
a culture of regular physical exercise improves their quality of life well beyond the
cancer remission stage.

In the Company of Friends

Last week my good friend Ben texted me "I hear you got slicks on your bike!! Shall we?"

Ben had heard that I had my bike's tires changed out from hybrid to street. They aren't super-thin slicks like Ben's but they are much thinner than what I've been riding on all these years. Also, Ben and his family were coming to town for an uber-birthday celebration - Ben's, in fact! So this was a great opportunity.

Except...

Ben rides nearly every day commuting to work (he lives in South Carolina, so heat's usually a bigger factor than cold or icy conditions). He also likes to ride mountains. Big mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains. He can do hard climbs and long, multi-day rides.

And now he wanted to ride with me.

Last week I rode 12 miles - the first time I had been on my bike since the fall of 2009. That's more than two years, boys and girls. Right now gentle rolling hills flummox me! So the idea of riding with Ben struck me as iffy. I wasn't worried that he would leave me in the dust; I knew he would be kind and stay with me no matter what my pace- and that was the problem! I worried he would be bored. I worried that he would regret asking me to ride with him.

He insisted that he didn't care how slow we traveled. He vowed to never leave his wingman - did I mention he's in the Air Force? His gentle persistance won me over.

Friday night a bunch of us were together and Ben told another friend, who lives here in town, that we were going to go ride on Sunday...and then invited Broc to join us. Oh, boy!

Broc is another one of my favorite people, so that wasn't the problem. The problem is that he is crazy-competitive, especially when cycling with Ben. There are stories...funny stories...about them and other friends tackling hard roads, each pushing to out-do the others.

My ability level doesn't even register against them.

Gulp. Time to swallow my pride, again! (Not an easy thing, mind you...)

Another friend got tagged to join us, too; unfortunately fate (and a wonky car battery) intervened and prevented him from joining us.

Sunday morning: fueling up!
I ate a good breakfast at around 8 am (which was really 7 am except for that dang move-your-clocks-ahead thing).
Then at 10 am I had a small protein-rich snack, plus water.
11 am - at the park, where we're meeting. Broc drove down. Ben rode down.

Off we go!
Ben wanted to assess my cycling technique so he rode behind me to see what cadence I used. After a couple of miles he gave me some gear management tips, which included using a lower gear than I was & spinning faster. It felt weird and loose, but he explained that this would help me endure longer miles without using up my energy too soon.

He also showed me how to draft. It's not easy. Maintaining such a close distance is a bit scary - especially while riding on a busy street with traffic. I did my best to keep within the drafting sweet spot.

Mid-way through our ride (we re-traced back to start) we started to hit more hills. They weren't bad, but they were obviously harder for me than for them. Ben talked to me about shifting my center of gravity when going up hills - and it really worked! I felt a huge difference when I leaned in - it was almost like climbing stairs rather than pumping up a hill.

Coming back we had a constant head wind. Not fun. Later Ben demonstrated how I can make my body smaller when dealing with head wind. My bike, being a hybrid, has wide handle bars which has me sitting more upright. I can't do the bent over stance and rest on my forearms with this bike.

In the end we rode 16.7 miles in 1 hr, 50 minutes. We would have been faster but...

...Broc crashed!

Along a narrower section of road Ben signaled a pot hole just at the edge of the pavement. I, in turn, signaled for Broc. Broc knew that there was a car that had been following us for a while, rather than passing us. He quickly looked back over his left shoulder and began to wave the car on to pass when his bike drifted just enough right that he nailed the pot hole.

Bang! Screeeeeeech! Ow!

Thankfully the car's driver (& the one behind her!) stopped immediately when Broc flew, in his words, ass over tea kettle to the ground and then got hit by his own bike. I stopped and ran back to him as he got up. A lovely woman in a car going the other way opened up her window and first inquired if he was okay and then gently admonished him to not "do that anymore today".

Ben and Broc realigned his handle bars with his tire, and then Ben realigned the front brake pads so that they wouldn't rub on one side. Amazingly, Broc just kept laughing at the whole thing, even though he road rashed his elbow, hand and side. He wasn't going to quit over it - so onward we rode!

As I told Ben and Broc later, I really enjoyed riding with them. Not only did I learn to be a better cyclist but I had so much fun joking and talking with them as we rode. I felt stronger and I'm sure part of that was because I wasn't "in my head" the whole time - just as with any other activity, time flies when you're having fun!

Now I'm already thinking about my next ride, planning where to go explore on my bike. Think I might give Broc a call and ask him to join me.

After his butt heals.

The Kindness of Strangers

The first part of my upcoming triathlon is swimming. For 1/3 of a mile. I know I've got a lot of training to do to get myself up to this point, yet I've been dragging my feet.

Why?

Because I don't want to look lame.

I don't want to walk into the pool area and have all the "real" swimmers look at me as if I'm some sort of poser. I don't want to share a lane with another swimmer and then, while they are swimming like fish, I swim like a cat!

Actually, this cat seems to be more graceful than I.

(sigh)

So I've dragged my feet about going to the pool.

Last week I decided enough was enough, put on my big girl swim pants, and begged my daughter to go with me. I figured if she was there I wouldn't be so vulnerable.

I'm happy to say it helped having her there. She cheered me on and encouraged me just the right amount. I also discovered that I needed more than just a swimsuit. I got water in my ears - which bugged me for the rest of the day. A quick trip to the nearby REI got me very cool silicone earplugs, a swim cap (purple, of course), and swim goggles, which, despite living with a pool in my backyard for 6 years, I've never used or owned.

Today, my second time swim training, I didn't have Kimi to lean on - she's all the way in Austin, TX. I went to yoga first, to limber up first. That was actually a fantastic move - we focused on shoulders and upper back asanas - perfect for swim prep!

In the changing room I took a ridiculous amount of time figuring out how to open my goggle case. Eventually, with ear plugs, swim cap, and goggles firmly in place, I was ready to get wet.

All of the lane were occupied. Gulp. That meant I had to...share!

Crap, crap, crap. Is it too late to retreat to the hot tub?

I mustered my courage and asked one of the swimmers if I could share his lane. He graciously said yes. After my first 50 yards we started chatting. His name is Joe, and he only just learned to swim 6 years ago. He's on the cusp of 70 (he didn't look it). He now competes in various swim sprint events. He congratulated me for trying something that challenged me, and then gave me some great training pointers. He was so kind and generous with his encouragement that I stopped feeling self-conscious about my "newbie" status.

In the end, not only did my worst fears not happen but I actually made a new friend.

So, on this Leap Day, I challenge you to take your own leap and try something that you want to do but have been talking yourself out of for fear of something going wrong. More likely than not, something really good will greet you when you land!

Feeling the Burn...Even in the Water!

Today I swam "for fitness" for the first time in my life. It wasn't easy.

I learned to swim as a kid and have enjoyed swimming ever since. Until our recent move we lived with a pool in our backyard plus I worked this past summer at a camp that had a lake, so I've been swimming quite a bit this past year. What I don't do is "lap" swimming, and I never learned proper form. I can swim on my back, with just feet, with just hands, in spirals, under water, and plain ol' treading water. It's good enough for my needs. Now, however, I need better form.

In my May Iron Girl triathlon I am to swim 1/3 (0.33) of a mile. Today, with lots of breaks between laps, I swam  0.14 miles. This is my baseline. Now I have some idea of what it's going to take to get myself up to a performance level required for the triathlon.

It's important to know where you are as you set your goals. The trick is making sure you are not only improving what you are doing but how you are doing it. I don't want to expend a lot of energy needlessly, so I am going to learn how to swim more efficiently.

And remember, just as Dory said in Disney's "Finding Nemo":

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

Copyrighted by the Walt Disney Company, all rights reserved

Y(MCA) Go to the Gym

When we finished our basement in our previous house we were able to create a space for a small home gym. We had a treadmill, weight bench with a set of handheld weights, TV plus assortment of yoga, pilates, kickboxing, and other strength-aerobic DVDs, exercise balls, mats, and pilates and yoga props. Except for the treadmill (which we had already owned for many years) these things were quite affordable, especially when purchased over time.

Having this space was essential for Phil's fitness needs - with all the work travel and 12 hours work days getting to a gym to work out was not going to happen. However, he could squeeze it in when all he had to do was throw on some shorts and go down to the basement for a workout any time he had a block of time. He eventually started doing first-thing-in-the-morning workouts: walking on the treadmill while watching a DVD of a favorite TV show, then some free weights. Even this was better than being mostly sedentary in front of a computer all day.

In the winter of 2008-09 I got serious about my weight and fitness issues and designed a fitness program/lifestyle overhaul that led to a 35 pound weight loss in about 6 months. I tracked my food calories and nutrient as well as the estimated calorie burn from my exercises. Tracking everything was a bit tedious but it made me extremely mindful about just how much I was actually eating in a portion of food and how nutritious (or not) that food was. Having the home gym was the other half of the foundation I built for my healthy lifestyle. I sweated my way through those DVDs, changing them up so that: 1) I wouldn't get bored, and 2) I would work different parts of body in different ways for optimal strength and cardio improvement.

Now, in our new home, we don't have the space to set up another home gym. I didn't want to revert to a more sedentary lifestyle so we joined the local Y, getting a family membership.

Best decision ever!

Not only do we have access to all of the different equipment, but a trainer, for no additional cost, spent an hour with me showing me the weight machines and calibrating them so that I can use them safely and effectively. Oh, and then there are the group classes, such as NIA, Zumba, and yoga, which I love.

Another cool thing is that, since I'm training for the triathlon, I need to swim - and there is no pool at this new house of ours. The YMCA I go to has a nice indoor pool, however, so I can add my swim trainings to things I can do thanks to my Y membership.

There are good ways to create spaces for yourself to get and stay fit  - either in your home or outside. You may need to get a little creative if your home is small, but remember: This is the only body you have and this is the only life you'll live. If you honor your body and take care of yourself now, you are much more likely to enjoy good health during your later years.

Getting Back in the Groove

My family was on vacation these last few days - lots of driving to and fro, which means lots of sitting for hours on end. We ate "out" every single meal. For about 48 hours we were staying at a theme park resort, so lots of yummy things to eat added on top of the lots of sitting for hours bookending the trip. Needless to say, all training went out the window - there wasn't time to squeeze anything into the already packed four days we had allotted for the trip.

Today, back in my cozy home, I started to catch up on things - emails, Facebook groups and friends, reading the news reports, and tagging and captioning uploaded photos. Happily busy, I suddenly realized that I would have to stop immediately and get ready for my Groove class. That's when the little voice inside my head said, "...or...you could skip it...just this once".

It was tempting. All of the things I could do instead of Grooving flashed in my mind and they looked good!

Fortunately, that other part of my brain - my positive motivation coach - jumped up and started waving her hands. "Hey, it's been nearly a week since you exercised - get back to work!" Then my imaginary coach flashed a visual - me doing the Frost Bite 10K and struggling because I wasn't training my body anymore. I didn't like that vision; not one bit!

So I pushed myself away from the computer, changed my clothes and drove to Groove. I threw myself into my workout and enjoyed the feeling of breathing and stretching, moving and grooving, and getting my body back to work.

Taking a short break from your fitness routines is fine, but don't talk yourself out of getting back in your groove!

Lifelong Health vs. Short-term Fads

Today I was joined in my Groove class by my 17 year old daughter, Kimi. It was a small class - only one other student besides us - which normally would make Kimi feel self-conscious but I think her concerns were set aside pretty quickly by our instructor, Leanna. A very good thing!

A predictable thing happened as we did our dance moves - Kimi & I played off of each other. Our normal goofiness reared its head including one amusing (to us, at least!) moment when we "challenged" each other & postured as if we were enemies. We quickly got back to business and had a great workout.

Kimi isn't new to group exercise classes - she used to do ballet, jazz, and gymnastics when much younger and, more recently, ninjitsu. She is actually quite strong, energetic, and very flexible - which might not be your first thought looking at her. While petite (pocket-sized, she likes to say), right now she is not slender. The girl's got curves...not excessively but more than she wants.

Since our move in October Kimi has embraced healthier habits. First, she changed her diet and became a vegetarian, something that's rather easy to do where we live. Now, she's seeking more opportunities to be physically active. The key here is she is choosing this - all of her motivations are intrinsic and come from a healthy place inside her. Too often motivations are too external - we do things because it's fashionable (do a cleanse, eat lots of protein, hot yoga is the best yoga....) not because it makes sense for us. Paying attention to what we want and what we need is so important for not only starting a healthy lifestyle but maintaining it as just that, a life style - not a diet, not a fad.

This is what I did three years ago when I decided I needed to change my habits. I lost 35 pounds over 6 months, focusing on quality and quantity of foods and on increasing regular activity, and I believe that my example helped Kimi see what healthy looks like.  No yo-yo'ing, no self-loathing, no deprivation - I still eat chocolate, drink beer, and enjoy myself at parties. I also stay mindful of what any given week's worth of eating and activity is for me and make sure that I am maintaining my sweet-spot of balance.

Lifelong health, not fitting into a too-tight outfit for a special occasion, should always be our primary goal.

Getting out of my own way

I've been quite jazzed since jogging on Monday - my first time since becoming a grownup! I noticed this morning that my arms are gaining definition, which is cool, too. I've been sharing my info via Facebook statuses on my wall and with my group of fitness gal-pals/support group Hot Chocolate Drops and welcoming the accolades with open arms. Overall, I've been feeling pretty good about myself.

Then, this morning, I went to my classes. I got myself settled into my usual spot for Zumba - near the windows so I can see outside, second row in (first row feels too on-the-spot still) so that I can clearly see what my instructor is doing. I felt good, strong and ready.

Mid-way through the class our instructor repositioned herself at the back of the room. I was now about as far away as possible and had zero sight lines to her. She started doing new moves and I was lost. I kept trying to use the others in front of me for some guidance but they each were doing something a little different from the others - which way was the right way? I could not tell. Now they're spinning, now...something with arms? Crud! I was kind of bobbing and weaving, fully aware that I wasn't even close to what I was supposed to be doing. I felt so frustrated...with myself, with the other students (they could see her, right? what was their excuse?), and with the instructor (who I adore!). As my heart rate slowed, since I wasn't moving like I had been, I even felt cheated - I wasn't getting the workout I need or want. It was a pity party for one, right out there on the dance floor.

Finally, the thoughts popped into my head: It doesn't really matter. Stop trying to be "perfect". Just keep moving. Breathe.

I was so caught up in what I couldn't do that I let my emotions get the better of me. I lost enjoyment and I lost opportunity - all because I couldn't get out of my own way. Once I did...hey, look at that! I was back to finding a rhythm that was "good enough" even if it wasn't exactly what the instructor was doing.

So, I learned my lesson, right?

Well...

Following Zumba I go to yoga. It's a big switch in nearly every possible way. I walked into the room and set up my sticky mat in my favorite spot for yoga - right next to the window so I can see outside, first row (yoga isn't exactly follow-the-steps!). I put my extra gear away in a cubby and returned to find someone placing her mat rightnexttomine, which is kind of a no-no, since each yogi needs a little side space beyond the mat to stretch and extend arms and legs. I slid my mat away from hers to create more space and plopped down. That's when I noticed it...I was facing the wall now. My beautiful window view was in front of the other gal. MY view.

{grumble, grumble} Find your breath...
{grumble, grumble} Notice any tension in your body and breathe into it...
{grumble, grumble} On your next inhale gently open your eyes and take in the light

Oh.

I can see. I can let go. I can be in the moment and not dwell on the little things...little things that truly don't matter. I can get out of my own way...and discover what's waiting on the other side.

Bent Creek Trails

Bent Creek Trail Map, Pisgah National Forest

Today we hiked in the Lake Powhatan area of the Pisgah National Forest. We discovered that there are many great trails that loop around and from each other - so you can add as much milage as you wish for your trek for the day.

Our friends Gail and Broc joined us, so we had fun conversation throughout the hike. The trails are very popular with dog owners and mountain bikers - and they were out there! Broc kept surveying the trails and got jazzed thinking about being on his own bike sometime in the future.

We ended up hiking about 5 1/2 miles in 2 hours. Not too shabby! The terrain changed up nicely, some good steep inclines and declines with gentler ascents and descents mixed in. Kept us up at a good cardio level without stressing us. I know I could do faster and want to go back after I get some jogging miles under my belt so I can try some trail running. I know, who'da thunk?!

Looking Past Limits

At last night's TedX-Asheville salon we watched a talk given by Caroline Casey, a woman who grew up not realizing she was actually legally blind, and then set out to make a difference in the world through her work and advocacy. Her talk was about looking past limits, something near and dear to my heart!

One of my unschooling mantras is "Try to Find the Yes" - in other words, try to see what the situation really is and find a way to meet the needs that are being expressed, either overtly or subtly. How many times do we hear "no", in all it's various forms, when we want to do something new or challenging? As kids we are given hundreds of no's, supposedly to protect us from our selves, from others, from possible harm - emotional or physical. The problem is that many of those well-intended protections prevent us from exploring our world, our interests, and our capabilities to the fullest. As adults we know all to well how harmless fun can turn on a dime and become something tragic. That knowledge of the worst-case scenarios end up becoming bigger in our minds - things that are statistically unlikely inflate into something that Really Can Happen Now - and the fear of that happening influences our ability to say "yes" to experiences and creates unnecessary limits for ourselves and our children.

Kids start off thinking they can be anything and everything is possible. My son, for a long while, dreamed of being the person who invented real living, breathing Pokemon monsters! Their imaginations take them to wondrous places and fantastical adventures, whether they are careening through the "jungle" in the backyard with friends or (mostly) silently playing with their own hands and fingers, acting out a battle royale right before their eyes. They don't see limits, they see possibilities.

Over time, though, they absorb our cautions, internalizing them until their own inner voice tells them they are limited. Now, they don't believe they are an artist when they draw or paint or sculpt some clay because it falls short of what they've learned is "art". Now, they don't believe they are an athlete when they run or jump or throw a ball or swim or ride their bike because they aren't the winning medals or trophies and they probably won't "go pro". Now they don't believe they can be anything they want because "how will you get a job doing that?" Now when they write they see their words returned to them with red marked sections - spelling errors, poor sentence structure, inappropriate use of punctuation - and suddenly it doesn't matter what their thoughts and ideas were. They only see what they did wrong. Now they are not a writer. Or a scientist. Or...Or..Or...

Suddenly, years later, they are walking through life wondering what they want to do. Wondering who they are. They spend hours browsing the shelves at the bookstore Self Help section: Tell me who I am. Tell me what I'm worth. I don't anymore. I only know what I can't do. I don't know what I can.

Nobody can tell you what you can do...but they sure can tell you what you can't - or at least what they think you can't. Your life-long challenge is to reframe each dream, each goal, every wish you have so that rather than focus on all the ways things can go wrong you start focusing on all the ways it can go right. Some goals are huge and involve a long-term plan, some much less so, but the practice is the same. When you have a goal in mind create a list of what sort of things need to happen to reach that goal.

Here's an example from something I'm doing right now:

Goal: Complete Triathlon in May

Steps:

1. Train to Swim 1/3 mile

2. Train to Bike 19 miles

3. Train to Run 3 miles

4. Do #1-3 in succession!

Now, think about each basic step and then break it down by any mini-steps connected to it:

Goal: Complete Triathlon in May

Steps:

1. Train to Swim 1/3 mile

• Start swimming at Y each week, build up distance/endurance each week

2. Train to Bike 19 miles

• Start biking on flat trails, build up to hillier terrain & longer distances

3. Train to Run 3 miles

• Start walk/jogging sessions, build to jog/running sessions

Now, whenever you think of an obstacle to one of those steps write it down, along with creative ways to overcome it.

Goal: Complete Triathlon in May

Steps:

1. Train to Swim 1/3 mile

• Start swimming at Y each week, build up distance/endurance each week

• Obstacle: I don't like the idea of practicing as a "beginner" in front of strangers & I don't know system for swimming in lanes at a pool

• Solution: Talk to staff and learn the procedures and find out when it's quietest in the pool
• Solution: Recognize that the other swimmers aren't judging me; I should just focus on my own workout and not compare myself to the others

2. Train to Bike 19 miles

• Start biking, build up to longer distances

• Obstacle: It's crazy hilly here in the mountains & I haven't been on my bike since 2010!

• Solution: Use maps to find flatter areas to start and drive over to them with my bike; go back and forth if necessary to get enough mileage until I'm stronger
• Solution: Talk to cycle store staff and find out about changing my tires from hybrid to street to make pedaling easier.

3. Train to Run 3 miles

• Start walk/jogging sessions, build to jog/running sessions

• Obstacle: I'm afraid of hurting my knees and losing toenails (it's happened three times before!)

• Solution: Get high-quality, comfortable shoes specifically for running.
• Solution: Start walking for warm ups, then start slow-jogging, without pushing it too much. Build over time, knowing I can walk 3 miles in 45 minutes if I absolutely had to in the triathlon.

Now, I know this is a small goal compared to many, but the truth is that when my friend first started talking to me about this event I could have said to myself:

• There isn't enough time to train for this
• I might hurt myself
• I'm going to look stupid out there with all the real athletes
• I don't run!

Instead I took a deep breath and really thought about it. There is enough time to train for it - I know where I'm at physically right now and there is no reason I can't get myself trained for this. If I respect my body and build up my strength and endurance while eating properly, getting enough sleep and giving myself a sensible amount of "rest days" I am unlikely to hurt myself. I'm not going to look stupid - this race has a wide range of abilities and ages represented. We will all look awesome as we strive to compete or complete. I do run - I just don't do it via "running". At camp I ran a lot. When I'm goofing around with my kids with our foam swords I am running (and hiding) all over the house and yard. I just need to find the fun in the run!

So don't let the automatic warnings stop you from living the kind of life you want, from enjoying the kinds of experiences you want. Look past the limits and find your yes!

(Reprinted from Living the Unschooling Life)

You Should Be Dancing, Yeah...

Thursdays have become my super-woman workout days. I start off with Dynamic Dance, which is just like NIA. If you've never heard of NIA before it's a blend of martial arts, dance moves, and healing arts with cool music. It is a serious cardio workout!

Right after DD is Dynamic Strength, which takes some additional dance moves and combines them with more traditional body weight strength moves. Some of it is even done using a partner's weight as resistance. There are a LOT of squats, lunges, pushups and planks!

By the time I'm done, I am DONE. However, in the 3 weeks I've been doing the back-to-back classes I've noticed that I am already improving my strength and endurance. I make sure I hydrate well before I get to class and then continue during the workout. I am realizing that as I am able to work harder I will need to have a second water bottle in the car to sip after the workout. I also have a protein bar in my bag to eat on the way home so that I'm not ravenous - that gives me time to make a good lunch rather than grabbing quick-to-eat snacks just to get something into my stomach. Today was a yummy veggie lentil soup with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top - very filling, and high in lean protein and fiber.

I track my workouts using the YMCA's fitlinxx program. I'm finding that my average calories burned per cardio workout this month is 580 - not too shabby! I know as I add my triathlon trainings to my workout schedule this will only increase. What I need to keep in mind is choosing nutritious meals and snacks for my extra calories (and not just add cookies or ice cream!)

Y is for Yoga...Z is for Zumba

Wednesdays I've been doing a double-shot of classes at the local YMCA: 60 minutes of Zumba followed by 60 minutes of "gentle yoga". Zumba is a Latin inspired dance class that uses international and pop music to keep a tempo for a very energetic cardio and strength workout. Gentle yoga moves more slowly than a typical Hatha or flow yoga class, with poses held longer than in these other classes.

I love doing the gentle yoga class after Zumba - the breath work and asanas provide an excellent post-cardio stretch, increasing my flexibility after working my muscles so intently. The relaxation at the end ain't bad either!

I plan to continue these classes as I incorporate my triathlon training, rather than supplement them. I want Groove, Zumba, and Yoga to be a part of my baseline activity to counteract my more stationary hours in front of the computer. They help me feel strong and centered, and I find that my creative juices are bubbling after working out. Guess getting oxygen to the brain is a good thing!

Now the trick is creating space in my day-to-day life for everything I want to do. I'm trying to schedule blocks of time on my Google calendar to help keep track of them - time to write, time to research, time to play, time to read, time to cook, time to indulge my creative urges with art, photography, or music. All of these things are important to me but it's easy to lose track of time and end up getting a lot less done than you thought you would. Goodness knows, Facebook alone can suck up more time than expected - some days there is so much gabbing and sharing! Creating a schedule to guide me (not shackle me) brings structure where I need it.

So that I can keep on track!

Groovin'

Went to my Groove class today - 60 minutes of music and movement. Today's focus was shoulders and arms. As I moved about the room I could catch glimpses of myself in the mirror and was pleased to see some muscle definition in my upper arms.

Following class I went over to the nearby tea house & noshed on a very filling hummus with warmed pita and fresh cukes, carrots and celery, all liberally sprinkled with herbs, and washed down with Staroborshov, a cold shaken dark oolong tea. It felt good sitting quietly on the cushions, enveloped by the warm air, after all that movement.

Take at Least One ... a Chance!

A couple of months ago, right after moving to my new town, I met some gals who were planning to do a 10K charity event. Technically, the 10K was a race, but most of them were walking it instead. I was invited to join their group and with little hesitation I said "Yes"!

Thus began my two month training period to build up my strength and endurance so that I could: 1) walk a 10K, which is the US equivalent of 6.2 miles, and 2) not feel like death afterwards.

I am very happy to report that I succeeded on both counts. I'm less happy to report that during the entire event rain poured down upon us. For nearly two hours we slogged through town, spanning massive puddles that flooded our shoes just as completely as they flooded the streets. We were a chilly drippy bunch at the end.

And yet...

...and yet we loved it!

And now a bunch of us have gone and done something crazy. Crazy with a capital C. We've registered (aka committed perfectly good, non-refundable money) for a Triathlon! In May! We have 16 weeks to train ourselves up so that we will be able to

1. Swim 1/3 of a mile
2. Bike 19 miles
3. Run 3 miles

...all one right after the other.

For those of you who are into this kind of thing, this probably seems like small potatoes. For someone like me, however, this is a Big Deal.

1. I don't run. I mean, yes, if the zombies are coming I will run - but truly, why run when you can just walk - then you can keep talking and not spill your chai latte.

2. I do like to bike, but I haven't used my bike in a couple of years, so those particular pedal pumping muscles might be a bit, well, "under utilized". Around here there are mountains aplenty, so there isn't any easy level area to start bike training. I'm a little freaked concerned about looking like a prize idiot crawling up the hills slower than a bumblebee in the summertime. So, I also have to work on protecting my ego...

3. I can swim, but not like with any decent form. I can tread water quite well (ask the U.S. Coast Guard - they may still have records about that little accident adventure way back in the 80's) and we had a swimming pool at our previous house. One third of a mile, without stopping to hang out at the pool edge, is, for me, a significant distance. Living on the edge of a mountain, we don't have a pool for me to practice in, privately and with no fear of being seen distractions. Guess I'm going to have memorize the open swim schedule at the local Y and learn to stroke, stroke, stroke (breathe), stroke, stroke, stroke (breathe)...

To help me stay focused on my fitness training schedule and healthy eating I decided to create this, my Kick-Butt Fitness Blog. I will be chronicling the ups and downs as I train my way towards becoming a triathlete and will happily hear from any of you who are also on a transformation journey.

Welcome!

...now, let's kick some butt!