Running : 5K Challenge!

So I have completed the 3rd week of the Ease into 5K - C25K app on my phone.  Continuing onto the idea that I would like to be able to 'run' for 30-45 minute stretches with out dying, on a regular basis.

I didn't die, and it wasn't the worst thing in the world either. 

After running the 11.29 min mile, I would have to say it at least helped me to push through and run the 3 minute intervals, because I had to have 'run' for 5 minutes at least once, I mean, when I did the TC1Mile last week, I didn't stop running until I had hit the 1/2 mile marker.

I think doing the BodyWorks Plus Abs (mind you, I always step out of the Abs portion, only because I need to get home and get ready for work) helps a bit.  In the class you use hand weights (2.5, 5 or 7.5 lb) and do a lot of reps. 

The Thursday morning class is growing on me.  Yesterday she talked about how she makes us do about 100 reps per muscle move, and how high reps/low weight will help give muscle tone/definition.  She said the other option is to do high weights, and significantly lower reps.  Sometimes I think that would be nicer.

As I was sifting through the Internet blogs on my lunch hour, I came across a Virtual 5K Challenge on the blog page of KTJ Weighing In, and figured, why not?

  

I mean, really, I am doing the Hal Higdon C25K training program(again) anyways.  It happens on June 1st, which is a Saturday.  And I am hoping that while we are camping over Memorial Day, that I will go for a trail run or two, I wake up earlier than most, and plan on not drinking and staying up to all hours of the night, and that should help a little endurance training - right?  And allegedly we will be going on 'hikes' as a group.

I am a little apprehensive of the camping as well, mainly because, well, it is all picnic food! Pasta salads, creamy salads in general, chips, crackers, candy, bacon, eggs, pancakes, buns, you know, the tasty stuff that I have a hard time saying no to! 

I am hoping to bring a fair amount of veggies, fruit, and of course meat choices - chicken, steak, and skipping hot dog night.  Well, that's the other thing, no one plans anything with this camping crew (the Hubster's family and close family friends). 

There will be 8-10 children, depending on if his brother's 1st child from another lady comes, and if all the people make the outing too.  That is a lot of kids, and one brother, is notorious for not having enough food (in general) to feed his family.  At home they must eat like birds, but when in front of others, all bets are off.

What do you do to try to plan ahead for food/exercise challenges?.

P.S. If you are interested in signing up for the Virtual 5K Challenge - go to KTJ's Post, maybe she will let us in even though it might be 'closed'.

Words for Wednesday : Softball

Yesterday I went to the gym, did a little C25K, and then the Body Works Class.

Apparently there is another girl in the class that is on the Dreadmills before class.  And I mean, really, why not?  You already had to get up early for the class, what's an extra 35 minutes on a Dreadmill?

After class I was feeling energetic and thinking I would run outside before softball since our coach person scheduled a scrimmage at 7:15pm. I don't work/play on this team near home, so that means I will hang out at work until 6:30pm to head on over.. I never went running. I floated on the Internet instead.

At any rate. I got my money for the shirts, the league fees and went.  We were completely unorganized. That makes me bonkers.  We spent about 3 minutes (low balling) before we went to the field each time, trying to figure out who goes where.  Super annoying, and pretty embarrassing.  At the end of it, I said I would email everyone and ask their positions so I could compile a list to make it easier on future games. (Please note, I worked with the 'coach' 4-5 years ago. I didn't think this would be a problem.) Everyone was like cool.  'Coach' didn't say no..

But he didn't say yes either. 

When I sent out the email asking for everyone:

"

Hello fellow team mates–

I was wondering if you could email me your positions that you play,

Rank them 1^st choice, 2^nd choice and 3^rd choice.

I will compile them in a list, so that it may be easier for our future games.

Thank you!

"

'Coach' was mad and told me to recall the message.  He is a very disorganized person, and I swear I wasn't trying to be rude or overstep my bounds, as this was supposed to be a team.  LONG story short, he wanted me to recall the message.  I said no. He replied all to disregard my email:

"

Hello All,

Please disregard Amy’s email.

Please contact me if you have any questions/concerns about where you would like to play. 

Thanks

"

He then replied to me saying:

"

I am trying to make sure everyone is having fun and is treated fairly.  I just don’t need you undermining everything I do.  What you are doing could divide the team, and I can’t have that.

"

There is more, and of course I can edit how ever I want.  This is my blog anyways.  But that is the gist. I did apologize after his first email to me to recall the message saying I wasn't trying to upset or offend him, that I am a very detailed and organized person by nature, and had time available to do this for our team.

He gave me this B.S. back at the end saying, hey I have this with my Wife (which no one knew existed as a GF or Wife due to his overly flirtatious manners), and that he and she would be missing a couple so he wanted to let me and some other person step in for that week, would I be willing to do that?

Uh, H-to the E- to the double hockey stick - no.

I am actually just thinking about not showing up.  I have little to no respect for him.  I actually went to the scrimmage/practice what those feelings, but knowing that, I tried to be open to it all.  He is a jerk in general, and I probably shouldn't be there. Just write my $30 as a loss.

Maybe it is all my fault for how it is all going down.  The other team (being a company team) had plenty to say back in their areas about the scrimmage and dis-organization. (People talk.)  They also had plenty to say while I was playing catcher waiting for the rest of the team to find their field assignments for our turn.

You have any suggestions/thoughts for me?

 

This is April?

Bleh.

I do not believe it.  It was an hour long car ride home - AFTER I cleared the 4" of snow off my car.  At least the commute was only double.  Good thing I left early.  I took this picture as just before I started clearing our sidewalks/driveway:

I sent it to one of my boss' who is starting his trip back to MN from India on vacation.  They say they are predicting another 4" over night.  Tomorrow's commute I don't think will be affected. 

Which is good.

Because I am going out with my little sister for happy hour, and then going out with one of my friends.

Tonight is Pizza night.  The Hubster said he was going to make homemade pizza.  He has never made a pizza before.  I don't see it happening anyways.  He will forget or something..

I am a little sore right now as I did the 'Body Works Plus Abs' this morning after 25 min on Mr. Dreadmill.  And the Thursday lady, she ALWAYS forgets to count or something. I was watching the clock today, and she did about 5 minutes on each move.

Yes, you read that right. 5 MINUTES!

Are you kidding me?  5 minutes of 'dead lifts' or whatever, is ri-dic. For realz. BUT I finished through.  I mean, I grabbed the light weights (2 lbs.) so I could , but whatever. I knew I was in for a long boring class.

At any rate - How do you make it through a tedious class?  Any tips?

Words for Wednesday : Spin Class

So today I decided that I should take that morning Spin Class at the Gym.  Yeah, brilliant idea.

I hear everyone say - great calorie burner, so fun, yadda yadda.

Know what I say? NOT FOR ME!

So, I crawled into the gym at 5:10am with about an inch and a half of snow on the ground.  Yes, in April. So awesome.  NOT. (Side note: They are predicting another 6 inches overnight.)

So I do 15 minutes on the treadmill, nothing fancy, traveled a mile. Yeah, you can be jealous. And then wandered down to the Spin room.  Well, it's a bunch of bikes, I don't really know what I am doing, so I went up to the instructor, she introduced herself as Tracy, filling in for her twin Theresa today.  Cool, don't need your full background, but let's start with this sign - it says 'Must sign up at the desk'. Is that for real?  She said yes, and so went up to the desk.  Apparently the last spot on the list. AWESOME! It was meant to be!

I go back in, and she is like, do you have a bike picked out? I told her I hadn't marked my territory yet, she suggested I pick one in the back, so we took the only open one, and she says adjust the height of the seat to this, blah blah, and explained how class works, and that she will say 80% etc and this lever on it will control that, but if I wanted to keep it at a 5 that would be okay too- no one will know.  This lady already knew what I was going to do - never move it.

She also was kind enough to let me know that it took her a year to get used to the seat.  My back side is kind of ample. And yeah, the seat isn't comfy, so, after 45 minutes, I am sure it's not going to be fun.  She may as well have just handed me this card:

So class starts, they never turn the lights on - which is fine, because no one needs to see this on a bike.  Everyone is going up and down, and up and down, and moving their resistance to 80% 95%.. here I am at like 70%.  50 was too easy.  But I am not moving, are you kidding me? It was hard standing up and riding a bike.

I sat on the bike, moved the resistance up some, and moved it back down when she said, and only stood up for a 90% for the 15 seconds once.  It's way hard. Everyone was sweaty, sweat is dripping on the floor, people have their towels to sop up all their mess.  I was getting ready to take off my t-shirt (I had a shirt on under it).  I really wish I had a FitBit One or the FitBit Flex thingy.  Because that is supposed to track your calories based on your personal profile, tracks your sleep and all that other good stuff.  It is also $99.  The Flex has the ability to of a silent alarm as well to wake yer butt up.  So it won't disturb my hub.. which is nice, because now he just groans and grumbles when my phone alarm goes off..

Maybe when I decide I need to spend a substantial amount of money on nothing again I will blow it on that.

But also, there are no widgets on this bike, no distance, no nothing. So what I do know is that I rode it for the full 45 minutes, at probably around 80% resistance on average, and was super sweaty. And my vagine hurt.  Like it still hurts hours later.

I am out on a decision of whether or not to go back.  I felt a little guilty at using the last spot (although there was an empty bike the whole time), I mean, I doubt I would ride a stationary bike that long on my own, but someone else probably really wanted to sweat their balls off for real. Also, even though I was super sweaty, I have no idea on how to figure how much I burned.

Perhaps I will stick to the early morning Body Works plus Abs classes on Tues/Thursday, and try keeping up with the Couch 2 5K training plan around that.

We will see.

Do you have any advice for those spin classes?  Because even when I tried standing up and riding, it was still poking me from behind in a not so PG-13 way.