Memories

Here it is the day I have been waiting for. The kids went back to school this morning. Granted it's only a 1/2 day and they will be home for lunch. It's still the first day to getting myself back in line.

For the first time this year I was able to send both kids out the door by 6:20am. That is extremely early but in our school district band is before school. Plus our neighborhood is one of the farthest from the school. So in order to be seated in band by 7 they leave at 6:20. Last year I had one leaving at 6:20 and the other at 8:20. What a pain that was. A wasted 2 hours. Couldn't do much of anything but wait for boy to get up. Not this year. I plan on taking full advantage of those extra hours. I did exactly that today.

After the boys and husband were gone I played with the dog for awhile, ate some breakfast, changed, made the beds and checked my email. By 7:20 I was out the door. Today is beautiful out. A slight breeze with full sun, but at 7:20 it was only in the high 50's. Perfect running weather. So was it the weather? The spring in my step? The fact that I was again on my time not kid time? A combo of all? Who knows but I managed to run 6 miles with an avg. pace of 9:12. This was not even a hard effort. I was in control, breathing was good, heart rate high but not too high. What ever it was I hope it happens again tomorrow.

I hit 5 miles and turned into our neighborhood. I timed this out just as the kids were all waiting for the elementary buses. I passed 7-8 bus stops this morning with an average of at least 10 kids per stop. Parents were armed with cameras waiting patiently for the bus to arrive. The kids on the other hand were all over the place. Some screaming in glee. Some shedding tears. Some so scared they looked like they may pass out. Made me think about my babies and how they aren't babies anymore. How they would smile when we took out the camera to take those first photo's of them getting on the bus. How each year we take a picture of them on the steps. How they would wave to me when the bus would pull away. How I would shed a tear those first few years because I was worried they would get scared or would need help and they would be afraid to ask. Between the two of them we have had 8 years at this elementary school. Not anymore. That may be different but for piece of mind and nostalgia we still take that picture on the stairs and I still shed a tear this morning as my little one trailed behind his big brother, hoping that he would show him the way to do things in middle school.

Longest week of the year

I seem to be in limbo.

The kids are still home for another week. It will be the longest week of summer. They are ready to go back and I am ready for them to go back. The puppy on the other hand will be very sad when the kids are gone and when I'm off to the gym most mornings.

Nothing seems to be getting done. I find myself making a mental list of some of the things I want to take care of but I haven't checked off a thing. Not sure why really, other than I'm waiting for "my time" to resume. I am still on "kid time" I arrange everything around the kids. As busy as we are in the summer I find that I have a lot more time on my hands doing nothing. Gets boring sometimes. But when they go back to school I seem to pack most days with plenty to do before they walk in the door. Then I'm back on "kid time". But that means something different during the school year. It becomes driving to and from activities, helping with homework, getting everything ready for the next school day and making sure everyone gets a decent dinner. After about 2 weeks of this routine everyone will have a schedule including myself.

The gym is calling me back. Training for the Goofy Challenge starts mid Sept. I will be running 4 days a week, two days of spin, one to two days of swimming and two days of personal training. Hehe that equals 10 days. So yes there will be quite a few days of doubling up workouts. I have been slowly getting myself back into running. I feel so out of shape. But I know it will all come back to me. This morning I ran a comfortable 6.5 miles. Granted it was slow but I got in the mileage.

1 week to go.

1 week to tack on my list, Sunset finisher, Run for the Dole finisher, Goofy Finisher, Miami Tri PR, Lake in the Hills Tri PR and of course the biggie, IRONMAN 70.3 RACINE

Can't wait to start checking off the list.

Garbage for Breakfast?

I looked at it this morning and asked why he didn't eat it yesterday. He responded back that I said I may eat it later. So he didn't dare touch it. When I said later, I meant after dinner. I was good and never had it. So there is sits on the counter staring at me. You see I have been hungry non stop for two days in a row. I have cut out most of the junk and eating much less and much healthier. Now I know it's only two days but for me the first week is awful. I am always starving. Which brings me back to it. The garbage cookie, just sitting there. I decide to make myself peanut butter toast and have some fruit before I run. As I am getting my breakfast he decides to eat the cookie. My favorite cookie. He is eating it for breakfast. Well really his breakfast before his breakfast. He breaks off a piece and walks away. I continue to get my breakfast ready. He breaks off another piece. It sits there unwrapped calling my name. I reach over it to get the peanut butter for my toast. I glance down and now it's just a bite of a cookie. Well a bite wouldn't be so bad, right? Then it will be gone. But I decline to pick it up. Knowing if I eat that bite I will be disappointed that it's all gone. I go about my business and finish getting my meal ready. I sit at the table and look back at the counter. It's gone, he ate it all and now he's making eggs and toast. I'm jealous.

He has no clue that this all took place. He ate the cookie to get it out of my sight. Then went on about his life. For me that was a victory, a tiny tiny one but still it's a start.

I finished my breakfast and then headed to the treadmill for a 3-4 miles run which turned into a 5.25 run followed by a .75 fat burning zone 3 walk. I felt good, it felt good. My heart rate still high for the pace but I did notice an improvement. Another two weeks of solid workouts and I'll be back in business.

Thanks for eating the cookie and please don't bring anymore of them home!

89 days to go.

Well I did it. Not only did I sign up for the 90 day challenge, I signed up for TEAM EXTREME. It's a new program that they are trying out at the gym and I decided it basically fits into what I'm missing when I'm training. Instead of working one on one with a trainer, I will be with a group of 12-16 people with two personal trainers. We will meet twice a week and they will always be switching up what we need to do. This will be intense enough that not only will it be strength training it will be a cardio workout as well. I'm hoping at the end of the three months I will be stronger, more muscular and a faster athlete because of it.

Of course there's lots of work to be done. But I have the 90 days to transform my body. This morning they took fat measurements and there was a weigh in. So in order to again take a step to being accountable I will share those numbers.

Height 5'10"
Age 39
Weight 152
Fat composition: (using the calibrated pinch method)
Triceps 20
Hips 19
Thighs 25

I end up being 25% body fat. Really? Damn. That's a lot. But I'm not surprised based on my eating habits. Get that under control and that number will drop quickly. Also doing workouts in Zone 3 instead of always in Zone 2 or 4 will help a ton. Zone 3 is your fat burning zone. It's the zone that you feel like yes your working and sweating but that you could keep it up for hours.

So 25% body fat equals 38lbs of fat on my body. In order to claim I'm an athlete the standard fat% would be 14-20% . Which 20% on me now would be 30lbs. So that's my goal for this challenge.

10 lbs. to loose and a minimum of 8 lbs of that being fat.

So my husband knows I'm doing this challenge and with today being day 1 I thought I would stick with eating healthly for the day. Now don't get me wrong I don't plan on being one of those people who restrict everything. That never works. Everything in moderation. I will find the balance. But again today is day one. I had my husband pick up salads from my favorite place. Perfect, a salad that I love and it's huge. What else does he get? Garbage cookies. One for him one for me. I love these cookies. They have everything in them. All types of chips, carrots, potato chips. You name it, it's in the cookie. Sounds gross but they are fabulous. So now I have one starting at me. Thanks dear. Hopefully HE will eat it after dinner.

Claiming My Title Back

Can you believe that the summer is coming to a close? I have three weeks until my kids go back to school. What a summer it has been. Victories and setbacks. Motivational highs and lows. We were pretty much on the go for about 6 weeks. Traveling to races or traveling out of the country to traveling to NY for a wedding. I'm glad that is all behind me. I had a great time but ready to move on. After we got back from the wedding almost 3 weeks ago my motivation has been less than stellar. Practically non-existent. Everyday I would say, "Self, this is the day, this is the day we get back on the band wagon and get back into shape." That lasted until about lunch when I ate everything in the house I could find. This routine has gone on for about 3 weeks now. Since June 19th I have gained 10 lbs. If I don't get the eating under control and get back to working out I will gain another 10lbs. by Christmas.

So I have a plan. This is not something I would normally do, but decided it would help me become accountable. I am joining a 90 challenge at the gym that starts on Sat. I will be given personalized workouts to do (which will incorporate my training for the Goofy challenge in January plus biking and swimming) I will be responsible and eat healthier. I will have weigh-ins. I will not let my team down. I will not be the one who doesn't take it seriously nor the one who loses it for the team. I'm hoping this will jump start the athlete in me. Little by little I am losing that title and I want it back more than ever. But that means being disciplined and active. Stronger and healthier.

I have a big 2011 planned. So I better get crackin......